The history of tribal communities and their ancestors cannot be confined to any particular date or period. It is a continuous process through which indigenous communities have preserved their identity by learning from the struggles of their ancestors, their relationship with nature and their traditions. For thousands of years, tribal communities have lived in harmony with forests, rivers and mountains. This way of life and accumulated knowledge continue to form the foundation of their culture.
During British rule, when the rights of tribal communities were taken away, they drew inspiration from the courage of their ancestors and launched major uprisings. Among the most significant were the Santhal Rebellion of 1855, led by Sidhu and Kanhu; the Ulgulan, or Munda Rebellion, of 1899-1900, led by Bhagwan Birsa Munda; and the struggle at Mangarh Dham in 1913 under the leadership of Govind Guru.
The Gond community, one of India's largest tribal groups, ruled over large parts of central India, historically known as Gondwana, for centuries. Its history is not merely that of a community living in forests, but also of powerful kingdoms, well-organised empires and resistance against external forces to protect jal, jangal and zameen (water, forests and land).
Rani Durgavati, the ruler of the Garha-Katanga kingdom of Gondwana, refused to surrender before the vast army of Mughal emperor Akbar. She fought courageously against the Mughal forces led by Asaf Khan and, rather than face capture, took her own life with a dagger, making the ultimate sacrifice. Her son, Veer Narayan, also continued fighting the Mughals until his last breath.
With the rise of the Marathas and the Bhonsle dynasty after the Mughal period, the political power of Gond kingdoms gradually weakened. However, their cultural identity and resistance continued. Gond rulers actively participated in the uprising against British rule during the First War of Independence in 1857. Raja Shankar Shah of Jabalpur (Gondwana) and his son, Raghunath Shah, led a rebellion against the British. Following information provided by informers, the British arrested them. On September 18, 1857, both father and son were tied to the mouths of cannons and blown to pieces. This brutality provoked Gond tribal communities across the Narmada and Son valleys to launch guerrilla attacks against the British.
Another important chapter in tribal resistance emerged during the 1930s in the forests of the erstwhile Hyderabad princely state, in what is now Telangana's Adilabad district. The movement became a struggle for the natural rights, self-respect and sovereignty of tribal communities. Komaram Bheem gave the slogan "Jal, Jangal, Zameen" (Water, Forests and Land), asserting that the first right over these natural resources belonged to the indigenous communities who lived in and depended on them.
The Gond and Koya tribal communities living in the forests of Adilabad faced severe oppression at the hands of officials of the Nizam of Hyderabad and pattadars (landholders). The Nizam's government introduced forest laws that prohibited tribal people from practising their traditional podu (shifting cultivation). Their lands were being taken away, while arbitrary taxes were imposed on grazing cattle and agricultural activities, including the Bambaram (cattle-related) tax and the Guti tax.
Komaram Bheem demanded the abolition of these taxes and recognition of tribal land rights. When the Nizam refused to meet him, Bheem established his base in the forests of Jodeghat and Babajhari and launched an armed rebellion.
Despite this glorious history and a long tradition of resistance, tribal communities today face serious economic and social challenges. Despite constitutional safeguards, reservations, the Fifth and Sixth Schedules, the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act, a large section of the tribal population continues to struggle with poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, malnutrition and a lack of basic facilities.
The state of education in tribal-dominated regions remains a matter of concern. Remote villages often lack adequate schools, many teaching positions remain vacant, and children face difficulties because education is frequently unavailable in their mother tongues. Economic hardship also affects their access to education. The number of tribal students reaching higher education remains limited. Financial difficulties force many families to send their children to work instead of continuing their studies. This perpetuates the cycle of poverty across generations.
Healthcare facilities are equally inadequate. Many tribal villages still lack hospitals, doctors, medicines and proper transport facilities. Malnutrition, maternal and infant mortality, malaria, sickle cell disease and the lack of safe drinking water are among the major health challenges confronting tribal communities. The situation is particularly vulnerable among Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), such as the Baiga, Sahariya and Bharia.
Corporate control over forests is also expanding. Much of tribal agriculture remains dependent on rainfall, while inadequate irrigation, agricultural investment, technical assistance and access to institutional credit weaken their economic position.
Due to limited employment opportunities, large numbers of tribal families are compelled to migrate to other states and cities in search of work. Those employed in construction, brick kilns, agricultural labour and other unorganised sectors often face low wages, unsafe working conditions and exploitation. Women and children are particularly vulnerable. Migration also disrupts children's education, family life and traditional community structures.
Tribal women play an important role in agriculture, the collection of forest produce, family responsibilities and community life. However, they do not enjoy equal access to economic resources, land ownership, education, healthcare and decision-making processes. Tribal youth, meanwhile, face the challenge of preserving their traditional culture and languages while seeking access to modern education and employment opportunities.
In this context, economic and social development in tribal areas cannot be measured merely by the construction of roads and buildings, the provision of electricity or the establishment of large industries. Genuine development is possible only when tribal communities have rights over their land, forests, water resources, livelihoods and natural wealth. Opportunities in education, healthcare, employment and economic self-reliance must be provided in ways that respect their languages, cultures and community needs.
Understanding history is not simply about remembering the past. It is also about taking pride in one's identity, defending one's rights and making informed decisions about the future.
Today, industrialisation, mining, large dams and corporate investments are increasingly leading to the displacement and dispossession of tribal communities from their traditional sources of livelihood and natural resources. In mineral-rich tribal regions of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, large mining companies and corporate interests are carrying out extensive exploitation, forcing tribal people off their ancestral lands.
Despite the Forest Rights Act, the claims of a large number of tribal families are being rejected, while the Forest Department and land mafias continue to exercise illegal control over their lands. The loss of land and forests does not merely render tribal families homeless; it destroys their livelihoods and the economic systems based on forest produce. Many are subsequently compelled to migrate to cities and become low-paid, exploited workers.
Tribal communities are fighting legal and peaceful battles to protect the rights of their Gram Sabhas and their claims to self-governance under PESA and the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution. This is not merely a struggle over pieces of land. It is a struggle for survival, aimed at protecting their languages, cultures, traditions and indigenous identity.
November 15, the birth anniversary of Dharti Aaba Bhagwan Birsa Munda, is not merely an occasion to remember a great freedom fighter. It is also a day to understand his struggle, ideas and legacy of tribal self-respect. Birsa Munda's Ulgulan symbolised resistance against exploitation, injustice, dispossession and colonial rule. His life demonstrates the importance of organised struggle to protect one's land, culture, social systems and natural resources.
At a time when displacement in the name of development, mining, deforestation and the privatisation of natural resources are accelerating in tribal regions, the relevance of Birsa Munda's struggle has become even greater.
The observance of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas will have real meaning only when tribal communities are not confined to historical commemorations and cultural celebrations, but are also guaranteed their constitutional, social, economic and political rights in practice. Gram Sabhas must be empowered to make decisions. The Forest Rights Act and PESA must be effectively implemented. Projects involving tribal land, forests and natural resources must not be imposed without the consent of the communities concerned.
The history of tribal society is a history of struggle, self-respect, coexistence with nature and community-based living. Protecting this heritage is not merely the responsibility of tribal communities; it is the responsibility of the entire country and its democratic institutions.
A genuine tribute to the struggles of great tribal leaders and warriors such as Birsa Munda, Sidhu-Kanhu, Rani Durgavati, Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah, Govind Guru and Komaram Bheem would be to ensure that tribal communities enjoy their rightful claims over water, forests and land, along with dignity and genuine self-governance.
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*With Bargi Dam Displaced and Affected Persons Association
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