Unsung Martyrs of Mangarh

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1. The courageous tribal martyrs led by Govind Guru fought the British rulers in the early 20th century.

Govind Guru

• Birth:
  • Born on 20th December, 1858, in a nomadic community in the Dungarpur-Banswara region of Rajasthan.
• Influence of:
  • Govind Guru was influenced by the teachings of Swami Dayanand Saraswati to work for the socio-religious upliftment of people from the Bhil community. 
• Worked for bettering tribal communities:
  • While the colonial state was engaged in an organised loot of India’s resources, Govind Guru drew from Indian traditions and ideals to promote harmony amongst the tribal communities. 
• Samp Sabha:
  • He was 25 when he founded the Samp Sabha in 1883. 
  • The word samp means interaction and giving up evil practices.
  • It was formed to bring harmony between tribal communities.
  • From 1903 onwards, Mangarh hill became famous for an annual congregation of the Bhils and other tribal groups in the region.

Image Courtesy: forwardpress 

• Background:
  • At that time, the demand for self-rule was gathering currency amongst the people of the country. 
  • The divide-and-rule policy of the British, the Bengal Partition and the drain of wealth from the country had dented the moral foundation of British rule. 
  • Govind Guru demanded that the colonial state reduce the revenue rate during famines and stop encroaching on the religious freedom of tribal communities and harming their culture. 
  • The Bhils and other tribals were engaged in a long standoff with the British. 
• Against British exploitation:
  • On November 17, 1913, a full moon day, Mangarh hill witnessed a mass gathering of more than 1.5 lakh Bhils. 
  • They swore allegiance to their guru and sought to fulfil their spiritual desires. 
  • The gathering also resolved to find ways to end the British hegemony, especially the unjust revenue regime.
  • ‘Bhuretia Nahi Manu Re’ (I will not accept the tyrannical rule of white people), the song of the tribal people has, since then, become an anthem of sorts for them. 
  • Govind Guru’s calls for protesting against the injustice of the colonial rulers laid the foundation of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• British Reaction:
  • Sensing trouble from the congregation, the British deputed seven companies to surround the Mangarh hill and tried to suppress the tribals with the fear of bullets and cannons. 
  • But the brave tribals could not be subdued. Their awakened consciousness and new-found spirituality had raised their confidence and the desire to protect the motherland overwhelmed the fear of the bullet.
  • The British ordered a mass shooting, and because of this inhuman act, more than 1,500 tribal freedom fighters died on November 17. 
  • The moral legitimacy of the British kept on eroding, especially after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
• Result:
  • People began to see a stake in the country’s freedom. The spirit of taking ownership of the country’s welfare has passed down to people after the country gained Independence.

Managarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha

• The event was held on November 1. 
• Mangarh Dham will be developed as a joint project of the governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. 
• It will be a national memorial showcasing tribal legacy and their rich cultural heritage. 
• This will be a significant milestone in recognising tribal contribution in nation-building. 

Government’s Efforts

• The pro-poor welfare policies, people-centric measures, Eklavya Model residential schools, scholarship schemes for students and health schemes of the government have imparted a new meaning to the idea of social justice. 
• The government is already setting up tribal museums in 10 states — Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, MP, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Kerala — to raise awareness about the sacrifices made by tribals during the freedom struggle.
• Droupadi Murmu taking over as the President of India is a landmark in the country’s history. 
• The Union Council of Ministers has eight tribal ministers.

Source: IE