509
In e na ional Jou nal o Ad ance and Applied Resea ch
www.ijaa .co.in
ISSN – 2347-7075
Impac Fac o – 8.141
Pee Re iewed
Bi-Mon hly
Vol. 6 No. 40
Sep embe - Oc obe - 2025
Con ibu ion o T ibals in he Indian F eedom S uggle and Social Mo emen
D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
Dep . Poli ical Science
M s. Kesha baib Sonaji ao kshi saga Alias Kaku A s, Science & Comme ce College,
Beed
Co esponding Au ho – D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
DOI - 10.5281/zenodo.17663887
In oduc ion:
In he making o mode n India, he
ibal communi ies ha e played a e y
signi ican ole in p o ec ing he cul u e o he
na ion and sa egua ding he mo he land. F om
his pe spec i e, India has been di ided in o
u ban India and u al India. Among hese, he
ibal socie y is la gely sca e ed ac oss u al,
hilly, and alley egions. Al hough his ibal
socie y emains illi e a e and away om
mains eam de elopmen , i possesses i s own
dis inc cul u e. Thei dialec s and cus oms a e
di e en om hose o o he socie ies, and
hey emain de ached om e ils such as idol
wo ship, mob ule, and iolence. Because o
exploi a ion by landlo ds, moneylende s,
con ac o s, and he uling au ho i ies, many
injus ices and a oci ies we e in lic ed on he
ibals, which led o deep su e ing. As a
esul , ibal, bea ing he pain o injus ice and
a oci ies, ca ied on cons an s uggles. F om
he e y beginning, hey we e li ing a na u al
li e in o es s and hills, sel - elian and
su icien o mee hei p ima y needs. Fo his
eason, hey had no special ela ion wi h he
ou side wo ld. Bu g adually, wi h he passage
o ime, ci cums ances began o change. The
exploi a ion o socie y inc eased. Due o his,
he e a ose a ious social, cul u al, and
economic mo emen s. These agi a ions and
con lic s eme ged ou o he exis ence o he
ibal socie y. Th ough hese s uggles, new
social sys ems began o o m. In ibal socie y,
he e was no ex e nal connec ion wi h he
ou side wo ld. As a esul , hei li e was
peace ul. The e we e no social con lic s o
mo emen s.
A e he a i al o he B i ish, new
social con lic s a ose in India. Among hese
con lic s, he e we e some impo an ibal
con lic s. The main easons o hese con lic s
we e he sp ead o he B i ish eligion, he
bi h o he B i ish poli ical sys em, new land
e enue policies, axa ion, new laws, cul u al
in e e ence, des uc ion o o es s,
en i onmen al exploi a ion, o ced labo , and
excessi e adminis a i e in e e ence. Because
o his, seeds o social con lic s we e sown in
ibal socie y. Fo he sake o hei exis ence,
hey s uggled, and in his p ocess, con lic s
cons an ly ook place. Al hough ibal socie y
esis ed hese challenges, his o ians did no
pay enough a en ion o hem. Special
discussions we e ne e held abou he con lic s
o Indian ibal. Ye , hese con lic s a e o
immense impo ance in Indian social his o y.
The social con lic s o India a e incomple e
wi hou men ioning hem. The amoun o
bloodshed in hese con lic s is e y high. Jus
as he mains eam socie y had o su e
IJAAR Vol. 6 No. 40 ISSN – 2347-7075
D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
510
massac es, simila ly, ibal socie y oo had o
endu e killings. In ac , many o he massac es
o ibal wen unno iced. Thousands o ibals
we e killed in hese con lic s. Howe e , hese
inciden s did no ind any special men ion in
his o y. Many con lic s we e supp essed and
igno ed. T ibal con lic s we e ega ded only as
ebellions. His o ians did no gi e impo ance
o hem. As a esul , hese con lic s emained
hidden in his o y. T ibals ca ied ou many
such s uggles, bu because hei socie y was
isola ed and backwa d, hei ole in his o y
emained limi ed. Thei con ibu ion was
neglec ed by his o ians. Because o his
neglec , hei s uggles could no be eco ded
in his o y as pa o he mains eam eedom
s uggle. Fo he sake o exis ence, hey
s uggled, and as a esul , his s uggle ook he
o m o cons an con lic s. In his, he ibal
socie y had isen. Bu his o ians did no eco d
i .
Special discussions ha e no been
conduc ed in ela ion o he con lic s o Indian
ibes. Ye , he con lic s o ibal a e ex emely
impo an in he his o y o Indian social
s uggles. The numbe o massac es caused
du ing hese con lic s was e y la ge. In he
same way as socie y su e ed massac es, many
ibal communi ies also su e ed massac es.
Thousands o ibal we e killed in hese
con lic s. Howe e , no special men ion o
hese e en s has been made. Many con lic s
ha e been hidden. T ibals ca ied ou many
s uggles, bu as hei socie y was isola ed and
backwa d, hei ole in his o y did no ecei e
due ecogni ion. His o ians did no pay
a en ion o hem. As a esul , hese con lic s
could no be eco ded in he same way as he
sepoy mu iny o o he con lic s. They ha e
emained hidden in his o y.
The na ional e ol o 1857 is
ega ded as he i s wa o independence.
Howe e , ibals had al eady s a ed e ol ing
agains he B i ish om 1782 i sel . I ibal
s uggles had ecei ed coope a ion om o he
sec ions o socie y, hen he B i ish powe in
India would no ha e been so i mly
es ablished.
The peculia i y o ibal up isings and
e ol s was ha ibals ough wi h g ea
cou age and spi i . E en hough go e nmen
o de s imposed hea y axes on hem, hey
would con inue hei s uggle. T ibals had e y
ew weapons, and hei main weapons we e
bows, a ows, spea s, axes, swo ds, and slings.
Agains hese p imi i e weapons, he B i ish
had mode n a ms and a s ong a my. As a
esul , lakhs o ibals we e killed in ba les.
Bu hei con ibu ion was no gi en p ope
impo ance in he pages o na ional his o y.
Among he ibal Mo emen emen s,
some impo an up isings can be ci ed such as
he Tama a Mo emen , he Khe ba
Mo emen , he San hal Mo emen , he Munda
Mo emen , he Jha khand Mo emen , he
Bodo Mo emen , bhill Mo emen and many
o he impo an ibal s uggles. Rag ai al has
men ioned in his book (1971) ha om 1778
o 1971, mo e han 73 ibal mo emen s ook
place. The ibal mo emen has long been
agains B i ish ule, and he eeling o
na ionalism was s ong among he ibal ibes.
San hal Mo emen – 1855:
In India, he San hal communi y is
conside ed o be he la ges among he ibal
g oups. In he no he n pa o he coun y, he
San hal ibe su e ed exploi a ion om B i ish
moneylende s, landlo ds, and o icials. The
San hals we e con inuously exploi ed. Many
complain s we e made o he B i ish
go e nmen ega ding his, bu he go e nmen
did no pay any a en ion. As a esul , in June
1855, in he egions o Mu mu, Banka, and
smalle illages, housands o San hals uni ed
and began a ebellion agains he B i ish
IJAAR Vol. 6 No. 40 ISSN – 2347-7075
D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
511
go e nmen . The B i ish go e nmen
supp essed he mo emen wi h c uel y and did
no g an any concessions. As a esul , he
ebellion u ned in o a majo s uggle. The
San hals ough b a ely agains he B i ish.
Many landlo ds, moneylende s, and zaminda s
we e killed. Due o his, he ebellion sp ead
ac oss la ge pa s o Bengal.
The go e nmen decla ed ma ial law
in hese egions. As a esul , in 1855 alone,
ie ce ba les we e ough be ween he
San hals and he B i ish a my. In his s uggle,
a ound 50,000 San hals we e killed. The
leade s o he San hals, Sidho, Kanhu, and
Chand, sac i iced hei li es in his igh . The
powe ul B i ish supp essed he ebellion wi h
o ce, ye his mo emen inspi ed many o he
up isings in ibal socie y. This ebellion
played an impo an ole in c ea ing an
a mosphe e o na ionalism agains he B i ish
go e nmen .
Bi sa Munda Mo emen – 1895:
Among he amous ibal ebellions in
India, he Bi sa Munda up ising is
emembe ed wi h espec . The Bi sa Munda
e ol was o ganized o p o ec ibals om
exploi a ion. Be o e he a i al o he B i ish,
he ibal socie y li ed independen ly and sel -
su icien ly. T ibal cul u e, eligious cus oms,
adi ions, and p ac ices we e deeply oo ed.
Bu a e he a i al o he B i ish, he si ua ion
o ibals wo sened. The B i ish began
con e ing ibals o Ch is iani y by o cing
hem and exploi ing hei innocence.
Zaminda s and moneylende s ook ad an age
o hei igno ance. To ee his people om his
opp ession, Bi sa Munda aised he banne o
e ol . By aising he slogan o "Bi sa Raj," he
inspi ed he ibals o uni e and igh agains
B i ish exploi a ion. Bi sa Munda ose up.
Th ough his mo emen , he opposed he
injus ice and exploi a ion o many ibal
b o he s. He opposed he exploi a ion o
ibals, he opp ession o peasan s, and he
unjus app op ia ion o land by landlo ds. His
main aim was o libe a e he ibals om he
clu ches o he B i ish and landlo ds. Bi sa
Munda always said, “I will soon ee you om
he clu ches o he landlo ds.” He u ged he
ibals no o obey he o de s o he
go e nmen , police, o es o ice s, and
landlo ds. Bi sa awakened his people o
demand hei igh s, hus leading a g ea
mo emen . Ala med by his, he B i ish
a es ed Bi sa in 1895 and sen enced him o
wo yea s o imp isonmen . E en a e Bi sa’s
elease, he mo emen o eedom con inued
peace ully. Since his eligious p eaching posed
a challenge o B i ish ule, he B i ish soon
imp isoned him again. Bu a e his elease, he
began o ganizing he ibals. He ga he ed ibal
o ces, held mee ings, and inspi ed hem o
he s uggle. He c ea ed many pos s in his
a my. He appoin ed a gene al, minis e , and
commande -in-chie , and ained hem in
mili a y ac ics. In 1899, Bi sa led his i s
a med ebellion, launching an a ack on B i ish
ule wi h he s eng h o ibals. Fo hei
igh s, he adop ed he pa h o iolence, leading
o a g ea up ising. Bi sa Munda’s ebellion is
conside ed a wa agains B i ish ule. In e e y
illage, he augh his people o igh o hei
igh s. Bi sa Munda inspi ed his ollowe s o
igh agains injus ice, opp ession, and
exploi a ion. Many ibals joined him. The
B i ish go e nmen , igh ened by his
mo emen , mobilized i s a my. Bi sa Munda’s
b a e y and leade ship became known
e e ywhe e. The e o e, he B i ish used decei
and a es ed Bi sa Munda On 3 d Feb ua y
1900, Bi sa Munda and his associa es we e
cap u ed and imp isoned by he B i ish. In jail,
Bi sa Munda ell se iously ill and died on 9 h
June 1900. Some belie e his dea h was due o
illness, while o he s suspec poisoning. Bi sa
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D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
512
Munda occupies an impo an place in Indian
his o y as a g ea ibal e olu iona y. Among
he ibal e olu iona ies, Bi sa was he only
ibal who ose o such p ominence. E en
oday, a s a ue o Bi sa Munda s ands in he
Indian Pa liamen . I is belie ed ha Bi sa’s
ebellion is he p ide o he ibals. Bi sa’s
ebellion became an inspi a ion o he ibals,
gi ing hem he s eng h o ise and igh o
hei igh s.
Jha khand Mo emen :
In he Nagpu i ibal egion, he
na ional eedom mo emen c ea ed new
awa eness among he ibals. This came o be
known as he Jha khand Mo emen . The main
objec i e o his ebellion was o ee he ibal
a eas om non- ibal con ol. The exploi a ion
o land, o es s, and wa e esou ces, along
wi h cul u al opp ession, une en de elopmen ,
and he plunde ing o ibals, became he
ounda ion o he ebellion. Based on hese
issues, he ibals began o build hei own
iden i y. Along wi h his, many social
o ganiza ions we e also o med. Some
p og essi e leade s began o lead he ibals in
his s uggle. In 1946, he Adi asi Mahasabha
was ounded. Unde he leade ship o Jaipal
Singh Munda, he demand o ibal sel - ule
began o be aised. Howe e , his demand was
no ul illed. E en ually, in 1950, he
Jha khand Pa y was es ablished. This pa y’s
main leade was Jaipal Singh Munda. La e ,
his pa y me ged wi h he Cong ess. A e
his, in 1972, he Jha khand Muk i Mo cha
(JMM) was ounded Sibu So en This
o ganiza ion began o pu o wa d he demand
o a sepa a e s a e o Jha khand. I is belie ed
ha he Jha khand s a e, which was c ea ed
la e , would b ing p og ess and e o ms o he
ibals. The Munda,san hal,and Gond ibal
had high hopes ha his sepa a e s a e would
p o ide hem social, economic, and poli ical
jus ice. Howe e , hei p oblems ha e s ill no
been comple ely sol ed.
Bhill Mo emen :
The Bhill Mo emen is conside ed one
o he mos impo an ibal Mo emen . This
Mo emen , along wi h he Munda Mo emen ,
is o g ea signi icance in ibal his o y. The
Mo emen ook place in he Sa puda moun ain
anges, which geog aphically sp ead o e pa s
o Rajas han, Guja a , Madhya P adesh, and
Maha ash a. This egion is known as he Bhill
egion. The egion be ween he Tap i and
Na mada i e s is called he Bhill egion, also
known as he Bhil P adesh. The Bhil ibals o
India adi ionally depended on o es s and
hei en i onmen o a ming, hun ing,
ga he ing ui s, collec ing wood, o wo king
as labo e s. This was hei daily li elihood.
Howe e , a e he a i al o he B i ish, he
li es yle o he Bhils changed. As a esul , hei
social, economic, eligious, cul u al, and
poli ical adi ions, as well as hei igh s o e
na u al esou ces, we e dis up ed.
The Bhill up ising o 1817 in
Khandesh is pa icula ly signi ican . This
up ising was agains he opp ession o he
landlo ds, moneylende s, and go e nmen
o icials. The Bhils esis ed he loo ing,
exploi a ion, and ha assmen o peasan s and
poo ibals. The i s Dis ic Collec o o
Khandesh, Cap ain B iggs, ecognized his
up ising as a eac ion agains he c uel y o
landlo ds and moneylende s. To supp ess he
up ising, he B i ish es ablished mili a y
camps in Bhil ibal a eas, des oyed c ops,
and ca ied ou b u al punishmen s. S ill, he
Bhils con inued hei s uggle. They had a
na u al lo e o independence and we e used
o li ing in a ee en i onmen . The e o e, he
killing o hei leade s by he B i ish u he
en aged hem. When one leade was cap u ed
o killed, ano he would ise immedia ely o
IJAAR Vol. 6 No. 40 ISSN – 2347-7075
D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
513
lead he ebellion. Hence, he B i ish ound i
e y di icul o supp ess he Bhil Mo emen .
To supp ess he e ol , he B i ish
go e nmen es ablished he Mo emen They
announced ha Bhills would be paid wages,
gi en employmen , and p o ided mili a y
aining. They appoin ed local ade s and
moneylende s as in e media ies, who o en
exploi ed he Bhils ins ead o helping hem.
Despi e his, he Bhils did no accep o eign
ule. Many Bhil chie s like Bhima Naik
esis ed B i ish powe . Bhima Naik ga e ie ce
esis ance o he B i ish, con inuing he igh
o yea s. He ained Bhil you hs in wa a e,
and hey b a ely ough agains B i ish a mies.
The B i ish e e ed o him as he Bhil
Gene al. Ul ima ely, Bhima Naik became a
symbol o he Bhil ebellion. F om 1857 o
1880, in he his o y o Khandesh, he amous
B i ish Eas India Company (England)
go e nmen had comple e con ol. Du ing his
pe iod, no a single yea passed wi hou e ol s
by he Bhils ( ibals) agains he B i ish. This
ac is no well-known in Maha ash a. I is
impo an o highligh his.
The Bhil up ising sp ead in Malegaon
in 1818 and soon engul ed he en i e egion o
Rajas han. La e , he leade ship o his
up ising was aken o e by Go ind Gu u. The
cen e o his mo emen was nea he
Rajas han-Guja a bo de , and i became e y
s ong he e. Unde Go ind Gu u’s leade ship,
he Bhils o ganized a huge assembly in 1903,
demanding hei adi ional igh s. This
igh ened he su ounding p incely s a es and
he B i ish. Ou o ea , he B i ish kep a close
wa ch on Go ind Gu u’s ac i i ies. The B i ish
go e nmen sen an a my agains he Bhils and
ied o supp ess he mo emen . Despi e he
supp ession, he Bhils s ood uni ed. On 17 h
No embe 1913, unde Go ind Gu u’s
leade ship, a massi e ibal ga he ing ook
place a Mangadh Hill. A ound 1.5 lakh
(150,000) Bhils a ended his ga he ing.
Ala med, he B i ish a acked hem, and in he
b u al i ing ha ollowed, abou 1,500 Bhils
we e killed. This e en is emembe ed in
his o y as he "Mangadh Massac e," simila o
he "Jallianwala Bagh Massac e." A e his,
many Bhil leade s we e a es ed, and Go ind
Gu u was sen enced o dea h.This massac e
was one o he g ea es and mos impo an
massac es in his o y. Bu , un o una ely,
his o ians ha e no gi en i he ecogni ion i
dese es. The Jallianwala Bagh massac e is
well-known, emembe ed by e e yone, and
hono ed in his o y. In ha inciden , 389
Indians we e ma y ed. Howe e , in Mangadh,
a ound 1,500 Bhils ( ibals) we e ma y ed.
E en hough his numbe is la ge , Mangadh
has ne e been gi en he same ecogni ion as
Jallianwala Bagh, which is emembe ed as a
symbol o India’s eedom s uggle.
The Mangadh massac e has been
neglec ed by his o ians and is a ely
men ioned in golden le e s. In ac , many
eedom igh e s like Sa aaka , me chan s,
soldie s, and a me s om among he Bhils,
unde he leade ship o Tan ya Bhill aised a
e ol agains he B i ish on 25 h Ma ch 1884.
Simila ly, many ibal e olu iona ies om
Maha ash a also ose in e ol unde he
leade ship o Bhima Naik, Khaja Naik,
Bhagoji Naik, Pann haji Naik, amji bhanga e,
Raghoji Bhanga e, and Umaji Naik. These
ibal leade s shook he B i ish ule and
challenged hei au ho i y by e ol ing in
o es s, illages, and su ounding a eas. Bu
he b a e y and sac i ices o hese
e olu iona ies we e delibe a ely igno ed by
B i ish his o ians. E en a e independence,
mains eam Indian his o ians ailed o gi e
hem he impo ance hey dese ed. The e o e,
in India’s his o y o eedom s uggle, he
ibal con ibu ion appea s e y small. The
eason behind his ma ginaliza ion is ha
IJAAR Vol. 6 No. 40 ISSN – 2347-7075
D . Mo e Sanjay Dinka
514
ibals, e en oday, con inue o su e om
economic, social, and poli ical exploi a ion.
Summa y:
These impo an ibal up isings
du ing and a e he eedom s uggle mus be
emembe ed. The ibal way o li e in India
has always been based on ag icul u e, o es s,
and ca le- ea ing. Bu in he name o
mode niza ion and na ional de elopmen ,
ibals we e o cibly displaced om hei
lands, dep i ed o o es igh s, and hei en i e
li elihood was des oyed. Wi hou making
hem pa o he p ocess o na ional
de elopmen , hey we e ins ead pushed ou o
i , leading o hei ma ginaliza ion. As a esul ,
a e independence, ibal ha e con inued o
ace exploi a ion o hei land, igh s, and
li elihoods. E en oday, hey emain ic ims
o poli ical and economic neglec .
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