Birsa Munda (1875–1900) was a tribal leader and a folk hero, belonging to the Munda tribe who was behind the Millenarian movement that rose in the tribal belt of modern day Bihar, and Jharkhand during the British Raj, in the late 19th century making him an important figure in the history of the Indian independence movement.
Birsa Munda is named with great respect as one of the freedom fighters in the Indian struggle for independence against British colonialism. His achievements in the freedom struggle became even greater considering he accomplished this before his 25th year.
Birsa's devotion to his people was such that he was almost revered as God by his followers. By the time he was in his 20s, his activities in the tribal areas of Jharkhand state (earlier Bihar) had already begun to worry the British establishment to a considerable extent. He was finally caught by the British on 3 February 1900 when he was only 25 years old. He died soon afterwards in mysterious circumstances on 9 June 1900 in Ranchi Jail.
He was educated in Chaibasa and acquired some knowledge in English, started a puritan movement among the Mundas in 1895.He started a self-governmwnt and was arrested while asleepin Ranchi with 15 followers.
The Niakdas;
In 1858 there was an unsuccessful insurrection of the Naikdas, a very wild forest tribe of Panch Mahalsin Bombay, under Rupsingh. Ten years later he joined Joria who had set himself up as an incarnation of God and collected a large following. The two together established a court and began to collect revenue by way of religious gifts, fines, and trnsit dues.