Birsha Munda: Flame of the Forest
In Chotanagpur’s hills so green,
Where ancient woods stood calm, serene,
A child was born in humble grace,
To lift his people’s fallen face. (1)
Birsha was his noble name,
Destined for a brighter flame;
Among the Munda tribes he grew,
Learning all the forest knew. (2)
But darkened were those troubled years,
Filled with hardship, pain, and tears;
Landlords seized the people’s land,
Backed by foreign rulers’ hand. (3)
The forests that their fathers owned,
The fields where generations toiled,
Were taken by oppressive laws,
Without justice, without cause. (4)
The British Raj spread far and wide,
While greed and power walked beside;
The poor were burdened, taxed, and chained,
And ancient rights were all restrained. (5)
Then Birsha rose with fearless voice,
Calling his people to rejoice;
“Awake, arise, reclaim your ground,
Let freedom’s sacred song resound !” (6)
Through village paths and forest shade,
His message of resistance spread;
He taught the weak to stand upright,
And face oppression in the fight. (7)
The youth assembled by his side,
With courage burning deep inside;
They pledged to end the tyrant’s reign,
And free their land from grief and pain. (8)
The mighty ‘Ulgulan’ began,
A people’s movement through the land;
Against injustice they did stand,
With faith and hope as their command. (9)
Though armed with little, strong in will,
They climbed the valley and the hill;
Defying landlords, kings, and might,
They carried on the righteous fight. (10)
Alarmed, the rulers struck with force,
To crush the movement at its source;
The forests echoed gunfire’s sound,
As many brave hearts fell to ground. (11)
Birsha was captured in the end,
Yet would not break, nor would he bend;
Within a prison’s gloomy wall,
He stood courageous through it all. (12)
In Ranchi Jail, in June’s embrace,
Death came before his youthful face;
At merely twenty-five years old,
His story joined the brave and bold. (13)
Though chains confined his mortal frame,
They could not quench his living flame;
His sacrifice became a light,
Guiding future struggles’ fight. ( 14)
Today the forests softly sing,
Of Birsha, freedom’s forest king;
His spirit lives in every land
Where people rise and firmly stand. (15)
Oh martyr of the tribal cause,
Who fought against unjust laws,
Your name shall ever brightly shine,
A timeless hero, most divine. (16)
For while oppression may appear,
The voice of justice conquers fear;
And Birsha Munda’s noble story
Lives forever wrapped in glory. (17)
*****-Composed by Dr. Purna Chandra Behera on the occasion of observance of 150th Birth Anniversary and 125th Martyrdom Day of the Great Martyr Birsha Munda on June 9th 2026.
Leave a Reply