In News
- Recently Hon PM of India has launched year-long celebrations to remember contributions of Alluri Sitarama Raju.
- The fourth of July marks his 125th birth anniversary.
Alluri Sitarama Raju:
- Early life:
- He was born in present day Andhra Pradesh on 4th July 1897 to Alluri Venkata Rama Raju and Suryanarayanamma.
- He was a sanyasi and a strong believer in justice who raised his voice and waged many a battle against unlawful British policies.
- Alluri, a born rebel, became a sanyasi at the age of 18.
- Contribution to freedom struggle and welfare of Adivasis
- He roamed the hills and forests of the Agency area as a bala sanyasi and mingled with the local tribal community.
- The tribals, in turn, regarded him as a mystic who would rescue them from their humiliating existence at the hands of the British authorities.
- Initially, Sitarama Raju, under the influence of Gandhiji’s Non-cooperation movement, inspired the tribals to seek justice in the local panchayat courts and boycott the colonial courts.
- However, these steps did not alleviate their suffering and eventually, he used this movement to spread awareness about the need for change.
- Rampa Rebellion:
- He roamed the hills and forests of the Agency area as a bala sanyasi and mingled with the local tribal community.
- The British government passed the Madras Forest Act in 1882.
- It banned the villagers from practising their traditional agricultural system of shifting cultivation known as Podu cultivation, forcing them to raise particular types of crops.
- It had also laid severe curbs on their movement in the forest area.
- Alluri Seetarama initiated the famous “Rampa Rebellion” or Manyam Rebellion in 1922-1924 against the Forest Act in Visakhapatnam-Godavari agency area of the then Madras Presidency.
- He galvanised the tribals to fight against the injustices of the British.
- He also utilised sporting traditional weaponry like bow-and-arrow and spears, and employing tactics like using whistles and beating drums to exchange messages amongst themselves.
- A guerrilla warrior:
- His deep understanding of the forest terrain and skillful use of tribal war tactics made him a highly successful guerrilla warrior who struck terror in the hearts of the British.
- This gave him the title of “Manyam Veerudu” or the “Hero of Jungle”.
- His deep understanding of the forest terrain and skillful use of tribal war tactics made him a highly successful guerrilla warrior who struck terror in the hearts of the British.
- Death:
- After putting up a massive effort for nearly two years, the British managed to capture Alluri in the forests of Chintapalli.
- He was then tied to a tree and executed by shooting on 7 May 1924 in the village of Koyyuru.
- The fierce revolutionary laid down his life for the freedom of the motherland at the young age of 27 years.
- After putting up a massive effort for nearly two years, the British managed to capture Alluri in the forests of Chintapalli.
- Recognition post-independence:
- The Independent Indian Government released a postal stamp in his honour at the village of Mogallu, considered by many to be his birthplace.
- In 2022, the Government of Andhra Pradesh carved out a new district named after Alluri from the erstwhile Visakhapatnam district.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 30-feet tall bronze statue of revolutionary fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju as part of his 125th birth anniversary celebrations at Pedda Amiram village near Bhimavaram in West Godavari district on Monday.
- Every year, the Government of Andhra Pradesh commemorates his birth date, the 4th of July, as a state festival.
Source:TH
