Adivasis in India have suffered oppression and exploitation for centuries. British colonialists intensified this cruelty by exploiting the rich mineral and forest resources in Adivasi- inhabited areas. They passed forest laws, declaring two-thirds of the forest area to be reserved under the British government. They also stopped shifting cultivation and hunting was prohibited. They converted these regions into profitable sources of raw material inputs for their industries or for simply looting and selling off the forest wealth. They mined iron-ore, coal, gold, manganese, bauxite, diamonds, dolomite, quartz, limestone, and other minerals. They cut down the forests for sal, teak, bamboo, and other trees. They hunted and killed animals and birds, driving several rare species to near-extinction. In short, they destroyed the economy, society, and culture, broke up their collective life, and carried them away to distant places as cheap labour in tea gardens, coffee plantations, construction sites, and as casual labour in mines and industries. This was the first big onslaught by colonial forces on the Adivasis of India.
Bastar’s princely state was established around 1324 CE. Dhurwas, Bhatras, Maria, Halbas, and Muria Gonds are some of the Adivasi communities settled in Bastar. The British began to interfere in Bastar in the 1850s. By the mid-1870s they were effectively in complete control of the princely administration. The British more or less governed Bastar through proxy rulers. The primary reason for this intervention was Bastar’s abundant natural resources. In 1867, the colonial rulers usurped the natural and traditional rights of Adivasis over forests and forest products with its forest acts to widen their revenue base by prohibiting and restricting shifting cultivation in “reserve forests” and establishing monopoly rights over forest products.
The Adivasis were denied their traditional livelihood. British intervention ultimately led to a series of revolts against them. Revolts erupted all across the country, reflecting the anger against the terrible exploitation of these looters. From 1763 to 1856 there were at least 40 major rebellions against British rule. The great Santhal rebellion of the mid-19th century led by heroic warriors like Sidhu-Kanu, Birsa Munda, and others, the Halba rebellion of 1774-79, the Paralkot rebellion of Gend Singh in 1825, the Muria rebellion of 1876, Gond adivasi revolt (Bhumkal) of Abujhmad led by Gunda Dhur in 1910, the Rampa rebellion of the 1930s led by Alluri Seetharama Raju in East Godavari and Visakhapatnam in north Andhra, the Gond rebellion of Adilabad led by Komuram Bheem, and several such adivasi revolts shook the British empire. All these Adivasi peasant struggles aimed to protect their traditional rights over their jal-jangal-jameen. They challenged the British power to re- establish their traditional authority and political power. The reasons for tribal discontent were the same as those throughout British India: reservation of forest lands, new taxes, heavy immigration into the forests, and an influx of moneylenders and colonial officials.
The Bhumkal Movement started in 1910 in the Dandakaranya region against British imperialists, under the leadership of Gunda Dhur. It affected more than half of the parganas of Bastar. People fought against the British army with their traditional weapons like swords and arrows. Their strength was their courage and endurance. They widened the group by secretly circulating chilies, mango boughs, and arrows to join the rebellion. They attacked the police stations and the British army’s settlements in Bastar. Their motto was to kick out the British from their land. The entire British unit vanished from the Bastar kingdom within a week.The abolition of British rule in Bastar was declared, and the indigenous rule was re-established even though for a short time. Later, the revolt was suppressed with the help of some of the associates of Gunda Dhur who changed their side. Despite suppression, the British policy in Bastar became more sensitive to the Adivasis and their traditional way of life. The Bhumkal rebellion opposed oppressive state policies, particularly the declaration of extensive forest areas as reserved forests, undermining tribal rights over forests. Bhumkal remains a pivotal chapter in the history of Adivasi struggles in India. This movement, marked by its resilience and determination, has a legacy that continues to influence and inspire these communities in their ongoing battles for justice, rights, and autonomy. Every year, 10th February is celebrated as Bhumkal Diwas in Bastar.
In the history of anti-colonial struggles in India, Adivasi masses have written a glorious and heroic chapter with their recurrent and fierce uprisings against British rule. Bastar has continuously been a major centre of conflict in India. Since the widespread rebellion in 1910, Bastar Adivasis have shown a strong ability to unite in direct action. After the British era ended, colonial policies in Bastar were not reformed. In the post- independence period, many of the colonial-era policies continued. The ruling classes are eyeing mineral-rich regions of Bastar. The government, supported by imperialists, uses armed forces to control and exploit these regions, even resorting to violence against resisting Adivasis. People across the country must unite to struggle against the ruling classes’ exploitative actions and foreign influences. Bhumkal is an integral part of the ongoing narrative of Adivasi movements in India, shaping the fight against exploitation.
