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PM ATTENDS ‘MANGARH DHAM KI GAURAV GATHA’ IN RAJASTHAN
As part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the central government has initiated several steps to celebrate unsung tribal heroes of the freedom struggle. These include declaring 15th November (birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda) as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Divas’, setting up tribal museums across the country etc. to recognise the contribution of tribal people to society and increase awareness about their sacrifices in the freedom struggle. In yet another step in this direction, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended a public programme – ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ at Mangarh Hill, Banswara, Rajasthan, to pay homage to the sacrifices of the unsung tribal heroes and martyrs of the freedom struggle. During the programme, Shri Modi paid homage to Bhil freedom fighter Shri Govind Guru and also addressed a gathering of Bhil Adivasis and other tribal populations of the region.
Mangarh Hill holds special importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. During the freedom struggle where Bhils and other tribes engaged in a long stand-off with the British, more than 1.5 lakh Bhils rallied at Mangarh Hill on 17th November 1913 under the leadership of Shri Govind Guru. Britishers opened fire at this gathering, leading to Mangarh Massacre where approximately 1500 tribals were martyred.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ in Mangarh Hill, Banswara, Rajasthan on November 1, 2022 and paid homage to the sacrifices of unsung tribal heroes and martyrs of the freedom struggle. After arriving at the venue, the Prime Minister performed Dhuni Darshan and paid floral tributes to the statue of Govind Guru.
Among others, Governor of Madhya Pradesh Shri Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri Ashok Gehlot, Union Minister of State for Culture Shri Arjun Ram Meghawal, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Members of Parliaments and several MLAs were present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that it is always inspiring to be in the holy land of Mangarh which is a symbol of tapasya, sacrifice, bravery and sacrifice of our tribal brave hearts. “Mangarh is a shared heritage of the people of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat”, he said. The Prime Minister paid tributes to Govind Guru whose death Anniversary fell on 30th October.
Govind Guru fought against Britishers for the rights of tribals
As the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister recalled serving the region of Mangarh which is part of Gujarat and informed that Govind Guru spent the last years of his life here, and his energy and knowledge can still be felt in the soil of this land. The Prime Minister remembered that the entire area which was a barren land
PM declares Mangarh Dham
as National Monument
PM Shri Narendra Modi declares Mangarh Dham in the Banswara district of Rajasthan as National Monument and said India’s past, present, future is not complete without tribal community. Shri Modi said the Mangarh Dham is a symbol of the tenacity and sacrifice of tribals.
“It is inspiring and pleasant for all of us to come to Mangarh Dham in the ‘Aazadi Amrit Mahotsav’. Mangarh Dham is a reflection of the tenacity, sacrifice, penance and patriotism of the tribal heroes. This is the common heritage of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.”
He said that great freedom fighters like Govind Guru were the representatives of the traditions and ideals of India. “He was not the king of any princely state but he was the hero of lakhs of tribals. In his life he lost his family but never lost his courage,” he added.
earlier got transformed with greenery after he urged everyone via the platform of Van Mahotsav. The Prime Minister thanked the Tribal Community for selflessly working for the campaign.
The Prime Minister said that the development not only resulted in an improvement of the life quality of the local people but also led to the propagation of the teachings of Govind Guru. “Great freedom fighters like Govind Guru were the representative of India’s tradition and ideals”, the Prime Minister continued “Govind Guru lost his family but never lost his heart and made every tribal person his family.” If Govind Guru fought against Britishers for the rights of the tribal community, the Prime Minister pointed out, he also campaigned against the ills of his own community as he was a social reformer, spiritual leader, a saint and a leader. His intellectual and philosophical aspect was as vibrant as his courage and social activism, he said.
Massacre of 17th November 1913 in Mangarh
Remembering the massacre of 17th November 1913 in Mangarh, Shri Modi remarked that it was an example of extreme cruelty by British rule in India. Shri Modi said, “On one hand we had the innocent tribals who were seeking independence while on the other hand, it was the British colonial rulers who after surrounding the hills of Mangarh, massacred more than one thousand five hundred innocent men, women, elderly and children in broad daylight.” He interjected that due to unfortunate circumstances, such a significant and impactful event of the freedom struggle could not find its place in the history books. The Prime Minister exclaimed, “In this Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, India is filling this void and correcting the mistakes that were made decades ago.”
‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on 15th November
The Prime Minister informed that on 15th November, the country is going to celebrate ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. “The Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas is an endeavour to educate the masses about the history of tribals in the freedom struggle”, he said. Shri Modi noted that special museums dedicated to tribal freedom fighters are being built across the country to take the history of tribal society to the masses. He further added that this grand legacy will now become a part of the thought process and provide inspiration for the younger generations.
The Prime Minister expressed the need to work with a dedicated spirit to extend the role of tribal society in the country. He highlighted that the country is working with clear policies to serve the diverse tribal society in all parts of the country ranging from Rajasthan and Gujarat to Northeast and Odisha.
Highlights
–Pays homage to the sacrifices of unsung tribal heroes and martyrs of freedom struggle
–Mangarh is a shared heritage of the people of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
–Great freedom fighters like Govind Guru were the representative of India’s tradition and ideals”
–India’s past, history, present and India’s future will never be complete without the tribal community.
–Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra to work together for a roadmap for Mangarh’s complete development.