Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi, Feb 13: Several heroes contributed in the freedom struggle secretly to help in India’s independence. Many don’t know that the tribals of Jharkhand were the first to revolt against the British. Among them Birsa Munda, Sido-Kanhu, Tilka Manjhi, Telanga Khadia, Nilambar-Pitamber and some others were emerged as heroes. Meanwhile, the stories of several small-scale rebellions, struggles and their heroes remained untold. In fact, these heroes continued to contribute secretly and struggled for India’s independence.
One such martyr was Budhu Bhagat of Jharkhand, one of the unsung heroes, a prominent name among the warriors that fought against the British. Bhagat was the hero of the Larka and Kol rebellion. He vociferously rebelled against exploitation, oppression and tyranny and established a sense of unity and national consciousness in the tribal society.
Born on February 17, 1792 in an Oraon farmer family in Silagai village in the Chanho block of Ranchi district, Bhagat practiced fencing and archery from an early age. He is said to have had divine powers, symbolizing that he would always carry an axe with him. Bhagat had first hand seen the cruelty of the landlords and the ‘Firangi army’ since childhood. Seeing the extreme barbarism of the English rule in the tribal areas, he realized his rights and joined the fight for independence. He organized people of all religions and castes and fought against the British Raj.
Bhagat was dedicated to restore the pride of the nation and uplift the society. In 1831 he led the Kol rebellion in the Singhbhum region. The Kol rebellion was not just a revolt of the tribals, but a movement for independence against the British. Soon the revolt spread in the western areas of Ranchi, Singhbhum, Hazaribagh, Palamu and Manbhum. In this way, even before the freedom struggle of 1857, Bhagat had weakened the British Raj. He then led the Larka Rebellion in 1832. This movement later on became a movement of the people of Chotanagpur rather than the movement of Munda Manki of Sonpur, Tamar and Bandgaon.
Bhagat knew that his culture could be protected only by driving the English out of the country at any cost. He declared war to free his society from the exploitation of the British. His three sons Haldhar, Girdhar and Udaykaran and two daughters Runia and Jhunian also supported their father in the fight. His military base was amidst dense forests on the top of the Chogori Mountain, where strategies would be made. He raised his army against the great power with limited means. Arrows, bows, spears, axes and other traditional weapons were produced on a large scale.
As a result of the Larka rebellion the British Raj was terrified of Bhagat, his valor and efficient leadership. To quell the rebellion, Britishers often adopted cruel methods and spread their army over mountains to capture Bhagat. The British were well aware that without his death or arrest they could not suppress the movement, hence, a reward of Rs 1,000 was also announced in a bid to catch him. This however, did not help the administration. Bhagat and his allies would disappear from the forest and hills while shooting arrows at the English army. Disturbed by this, the British had to call in armies from Danapur, Patna and Barrackpore.
Meanwhile, the British army got information that Bhagat’s associates were in Tiko village. On February 13, 1832, five companies led by an English Captain completely surrounded the village. Budhu wanted to surrender to save the people of the village, but three hundred people of the village surrounded Bhagat. However, arrows and axes were no match for the guns and pistols of the British and all became victims of the British cruelty. In the fight for independence along with Bhagat, his three sons and daughters set an example by sacrificing their lives. It is often said that Bhagat had sliced his throat with his sword to avoid capture. The depiction of his valor can be heard even today in the songs of Nagpuri and Jharkhandi languages.
