Sidhu and Kanu

 

Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu : The Forgotten Santhal Revolt of 1855.

Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu : The Forgotten Santhal Revolt of 1855.

While returning back to Dumka from Sahebganj after finishing an assignment with one of colleague, our vehicle was cruising on NH 80, the locale driver slowed down at one point and indicated that this is village Bhognadih which is about 48 Kms south of Sahibganj, where Hul (revolution) took place in 1855-56, led by two brothers Sidhu and Kanu Murmu. Being a journalist curiosity aroused and I requested him to guide us into the village. It was a simple hamlet sparsely populated. At the entrance of the village there was a banyan tree well protected by the boundary wall.

The story-

The Santhal rebellion of 1855 CE was called Hul, which in the local language means a movement for liberation, which started in 1855 to 1856 against the suppression of tribal’s by the Britishers, middlemen, businessmen and landlords who use to exploit them to the core and have taken their lands. So they started a movement against them which is called Hul revolution. Karl Marks named it the first revolution against the exploitation in India.  As the story goes about 10,000 people gathered at Bhognadih village on June 30th 1855 led by the two brothers and gave the call of Hul revolution. But their revolution was badly crushed by the Britishers led by general Layord, as they had the modern and sophisticated weapons and tribal’s had only bows and arrows. Later Sidho was caught and hanged at Panchkathia village and Kanu was hanged by a banyan tree near the village in August 1855. The state government still celebrates a festival on 30th June every year in Bhognadih village.

Sidho in 1815 and Kanu Murmu born in 1820 here in Bhognadih village which falls in district Santhal Pargana,subdivision Barhet of Jharkhand state. They were six siblings including two sisters Phulo and Gyanu Murmu, beside these they had two brothers also named Chand and Bhairav Murmu. All the six siblings born in Bhognadih village and were the offspring’s of Chunni Maji.

 

Language spoken-

Hindi, Santali and Bengali, Angika

Nearest Railway station- Sahibganj

Nearest airport- Malda-58.5 Kms, Purnea Airport-60.8 Kms,

Nearest districts- Katihar-33.7 Kms,Purnea- 41 Kms,

Malda- 56.6 Kms, Godda-62.6 Kms,

PIN Code-816102

It is advisable to stay at Sahibganj which is about 48 Kms north of Bhognadih and have lot of accommodations.

 

Text and Photos by-Ashok Karan,

Ashokkaran.blogspot.com,

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