Gaya Munda Shaheed Diwas: Village And Family Of Jharkhand’s Tribal Freedom Fighter Await Recognition And Basic Amenities

Gaya Munda, Birsa Munda’s general, was imprisoned for fighting against the British, but his descendants are still struggling for want of identity and benefits.

“My great-grandfather had fought against the British. There is no one to give us recognition and care for us,” says Ramay Munda with sadness.

Ramay, 56, is the great-grandson of Sardar Gaya Munda. The big question is who is Gaya Munda and how much do people know about him? It would be appropriate to mention here that he, along with his son, were hanged to death by the British. Let us take you through his village, Atkedih, situated in the middle of the forest of Khunti district, at a distance of 70 kms from Ranchi. The village has been referred to several times in the 19th century great rebellion against the British at Chotanagpur of Jharkhand region.  This village of Murhu block comes under Kuda Panchayat, where the population may be limited, but has a very rich history.  

Ramay supports his family through labour and farming.  Showing the falling clay and walls of the house, he tells Outlook, “We do not even have a concrete house to live in. There is seepage in the house and water starts leaking during rains. We bring drinking water from wells. There is no tube well in the village. People tell us to get our children educated. But how do we do it? We do not earn enough money as labourers. Two of my sons have left their studies. The other two are studying at Khunti. However, I have to spend Rs. 7,000 a year on this. If we do not get any support from the government, they will be forced to leave their studies. What are we supposed to do? There is neither any work nor cultivation.”        `

Khunti district of Jharkhand has suffered 10 droughts in 22 years. Ramay has been suffering on account of this. In the village or nearby areas, they get only Rs 200 a day for their labour. They face a lot of financial challenges in getting their children educated. 

Atkedih village, which has nearly 50 houses, does not have a school. Children have to travel 1.5 kms to Kuda village to attend their school. In 2019, the village got its electricity connections, but the supply is still not very regular. A year ago, toilets were constructed at several houses, including that of Ramay’s. These are of no use due to which has entire family is forced to go out in the open to defecate.  

Forced To Sell Liquor To Take Care Of Family

Ramay Munda is the eldest of four brothers. Two of them died in their childhood. The youngest of the four brothers, Sahdeo Munda, died eight years ago. Ramay says, “Sahdeo worked as a labourer. One day, he had an acute stomach ache. It was so difficult to take him to a hospital in such a short span of time. There is a hospital in Murhu which is 20 km away from the village. There are no means of commute. Before any vehicle could arrive here and carry him to the hospital, we lost him.”

Family members consider lack of medical treatment as the cause of death. Who is responsible for his death? He responds by saying that he does not want to name any.

Sahdeo has left behind four children. Nanki Mundain, Sahdeo’s wife, stays not very far from Ramay Munda’s house. After her husband’s demise, she works hard daily to make her ends meet.

Nanki says, “Work (daily wage labour) is not always available. We get paid less for our labour. If I had money I would have got all my children educated. We would not have been forced to sell local liquor. If there is government support, I would be able to send my sons to good schools. Only once they receive a good education, they will be able to get jobs. I don’t want my children to experience the same hardships as I have to suffer.”

Nanki has been selling Hadia, a local traditional drink, for the last one and a half years to send her youngest child to school. The local market on Friday helps her earn a meagre Rs. 300 for the entire week. Due to financial constraints, the first two sons of Nanki left their studies after class five and the other son after class eight. The youngest son is studying at Khunti. Nanki has to work as a labourer out of the village for several days in a year to arrange Rs. 3,500 for his son’s education. She says that at the time of the demise of Sahdeo, the youngest son was a toddler. 

Amar Munda, village head, is also worried about Gaya Munda’s great grandsons’ education. He has tried for it several times. He says, “I have tried my best to get these children admitted to a residential school. However, how much can I try on my own; it is the work of the leader or the minister. An application was presented to the (MP) representative of Arjun Munda to get these children admitted in the Central Residential School or Netarhat Residential School. On October 22 this year, when Arjun Munda came to the village, he assured that he will be looking after it. Hope he looks into this matter.”

How Entire Family Of Gaya Munda Made Sacrifice

Villagers celebrate the birthday of Gaya Munda on October 22. There is no substantial evidence of this birth date. However, as per Kumar Suresh Singh, the author of the book ‘Birsa Munda Aur Unka Aandolan’, Gaya Munda and his elder son, Sanre Munda, were hanged in January 1900 by the British. 

Experts feel that the sacrifice made by Gaya Munda has been no less than that of Birsa Munda. Author and tribal thinker Ashwini Kumar Pankaj says, “It can be said that Gaya Munda prepared the road map for Birsa Munda’s rebellion. Gaya Munda’s importance is no less than Birsa Munda. People whom we see are worshipped as heroes. Everyone who participated in the revolt was a hero.”

Mentioning about dialogue between the British and Gaya Munda, Pankaj says, “When the British asked him to lay down arms and surrender, Gaya Munda, in response, had asked the British to lay down arms.” 

For India, Jharkhand state, and tribals, the sacrifice of Gaya Munda is all the more important as his entire family had to go the prison. The British did not even spare a 10-year-old sick child.

Kumar Suresh writes in his book: “In the 19th century area of Khunti, Sardar Munda and his people committed arson against the British. The movement was for the land. Inspired by this movement, Birsa Munda started a revolt for a separate Munda land. This gave strength to the Sradar Mundas and they all joined Birsa Munda. Sardar Gaya Munda joins Birsa Munda and becomes his disciple. Gaya Munda decided the strategy of Birsa's revolt.”

He further writes, “Birsa’s movement became more intense against the British and during that time a historical incident of arson took place in Atkedih. A four-member team of British who came to the village for investigation was attacked in a coordinated manner by Gaya Munda and his group. One of the members got killed in the attack. In retaliation, a large contingent of the British attacked the village of Atkedih, in which Gaya Munda, his wife Maki, three daughters, son Sanre Munda, daughter-in-law and a 10-year-old sick child were imprisoned. Later, Gaya Munda and elder son Sanre were hanged till death.”

Statue Built 4 Years Ago In Shambles

Despite the sacrifice, the descendants of Birsa Munda are suffering for want of identity and basic facilities. The statue constructed at Atkedih is in shambles. As soon as one enters the village through the unkempt bushy plants, there is a small 20 by 20 complex adjacent to the community building, which houses a yellow-coloured statue of Gaya Munda. The raised platform on which the idol has been placed is sinking and the wall of the platform has fallen at many places. Villagers say the situation has been the same for last two years. The village headman and the BDO all are aware of the situation but no one has been able to repair the same.

When asked about the problems being faced, village headman Amar Munda starts counting the applications submitted and requests made so far. 

“Had written letter to the engineer of the drinking water department for the repair of the damaged water tank; it has still not been attended. We had organised a fair in the village on October 22, which took place after five years. The purpose was to make the ministers and politicians aware of our condition so that they do something about the same. On the same day, Neelkanth Munda instructed the BDO to get the statue of Gaya Munda repaired. After some days, the work started. However, it abruptly stopped without being completed. Neelkanth Munda had promised to get the roads repaired. However, nothing has been done in this regard,” says Amar Munda.

Arjun Munda is the MP from Khunti district and he is a Union Minister looking after the tribal issues. People from the village say he had visited the village for the first time. The village headman informs that Arjun Munda has met the descendants of Gaya Munda and has promised to look into the matter. He also assured to give a job to one person in the family. 

Gaya Munda is addressed as the commander of Birsa Munda. The descendants of Gaya Munda often reiterate the fact that all the descendants of Birsa Munda have a job and house in the village. They feel disappointed as all the politicians and ministers visit the village of Birsa Munda but they fail to do so in their village.

Gaya Munda’s name is often taken along with Birsa Munda. Birsa Munda’s village Ulihatu is just 10 kms away from Gaya Munda’s house at Atkedih. Within a year, both President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Ulihatu and met the descendants of Birsa Munda. Last month on November 15, Modi had inaugurated several schemes from Ulihatu on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda. The descendants of Gaya Munda wanted to meet both the President and PM, but the police prevented them from doing so.

House And Job Only On Papers

According to Ramey Munda, his father Lal Munda kept requesting the MPs, ministers, and MLAs for a job and a house, but assurances or recommendations remained only on paper. He says that his father died five years ago at the age of 70, without any of his demands being fulfilled.
Ramey Munda shows three papers of recommendations. On August 22, 2005, Sushila Kerketta, the then MP of Khunti, recommended the Chief Medical Officer, Ranchi, to give a job to Ramay Munda on daily wage for the post of vacant driver in the hospital of Khunti. On September 27, 2002, in the second letter, Kadia Munda, the then MP of Khunti and Union Minister, requested Arjun Munda, the then Welfare Minister of Jharkhand, to provide him a house and a job, citing the deplorable condition of the descendants of Gaya Munda. In the third letter dated July 31, 2012, Executive Engineer, Building Construction Department, Building Division, Khunti, Principal Secretary, Home Department, Jharkhand, Ranchi were ordered to provide a house construction estimate for the family members of Amar Shaheed of the state, Gaya Munda. It was estimated at Rs. 9,96,550 on 07.01.2012. They were asked to take action.  

However, neither they got a job nor financial assistance for the construction of the house. Village headman Amar Munda expresses his sorrow and says that January 6 will be celebrated as the death anniversary of Gaya Munda. He says people will gather and there will be a fair. This time too, they will raise the issue of Gaya Munda’s descendants before the minister and MLA.  

Nilkanth Singh Munda has been an MLA from Khunti for several terms. He was also a minister in the previous Jharkhand government. When asked about Gaya Munda’s village and his descendants, he tells Outlook, “We have brought the village to the forefront; otherwise, people failed to remember this as Martyr Gaya Munda’s village. There is no doubt that Gaya Munda and his family fought against the British with courage and sacrifice. His descendants need to be suitably rewarded with respect and a job. We have already written a letter to the Welfare Department and DC. However, it is unfortunate that nothing has been implemented so far.”

He further said, “The village is in a very dilapidated state. Since the time I became an MLA, a lot of work has been done there. People are getting accommodation there. Electricity and water supply are being provided. Dobha (small pond, for irrigation) is being built. The tender for the construction of the road has been put out. Our effort is to make Gaya Munda’s village a model village.”

Dr. Ranjit Kumar Mahali, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science at Nilambar-Pitambar University, Medininagar, Palamu, believes that it is unfortunate that there is no event and program in memory of Gaya Munda, who sacrificed everything in the struggle against the British Empire. 

Mahali says, “Gaya Munda neither has any reference either in the textbooks of schools nor he is mentioned in the university workshops and seminars. The absence of his name in government schemes, development work, and ceremonies is a matter of shame and worry. This shows the apathy or negligence of the government, administration and intellectuals.”

(Translated by Kaveri Mishra)

(Update: Days after Outlook’s visit to the village, the statue of Gaya Munda was repaired)