Rindo Majhi
Encyclopedia
Rindo Majhi was a freedom fighter who was a leader of the Kandha revolution in Kalahandi
region in Orissa
against the British in India in 1853.
Born in Urladani situated in deepest Kalahandi region close to the boundary of Kandhamal
district, he was very courageous and freedom-conscious from childhood, like other scheduled tribe people. He could not tolerate others sanction over his freedom. He was very much aware but, conservative of the culture, custom, rituals and traditions of the Kondhas.
Kondhas are generally worshippers of nature. They revere the soil as their mother. They have a strong belief that everybody lives in the world by mercy of the soil. So they never hesitate to sacrifice one of them for mother soil who gives and continues lives to everyone. With such customs they celebrate Maria every year. As the British treated this system as superstition and antisocial, they raided the tribal areas of Kalahandi and Phulbani under Major General Campbell. But the tribal people kept much faith and belief in their own custom and tradition and raised voice against the British.
On the other side the Kondhas were nearest to Kalahandi King. So they were tax free people. But, when the British captured Nagpure, Kalahandi went under their control and as per the institution of Kings and Zamindars of Kalahandi collected tax from the Kondhas. There rose the voice of Kondhas and Rindo Majhi was the key figure of the movement. Though he knew well about the power of the British attacked repeated to them and their flattering people. All the Kondhas also assisted him a lot as he was the chief among them. Right at that time another Kondha chief named Chakra Bisoi with his people attacked the Britishers repeatedly and turned non-cooperative towards them. Being fed up with the activities the British were in search of Chakra Bisoi inquisitively.
In 1853 Lt. Macniell arrested Rindo Majhi and the Kondhas chief was imprisoned in Rasalkanda jail without trial. The fire of revolution grew much and worse among the Kondhas by the arrest of Rindo Majhi. Rightly after two years, in 1855 Lt. Macneill with him brought Rindo Majhi who was tied with iron chain in legs and hands and moved village to village in order to created fear among the Kondhas leaders. But the Kondhas went out of toleration witnessing such brutal and inhuman act upon their leader Rindo Majhi. On 10 December the Kondhas attacked the residence of Lt. Macneill at Urladani with their weapons like arrows and boxes, axes etc. But the British had guns and powers. The fight went terrible though it was very difficult to fight against the British. Hundreds of people died. Lt. Macneill escaped narrowly because the Tahasildar of Kandhamal Dinabandhu Pattanaik came and rescued him and his people. The British being revengeful over the fight hanged Rindo Majhi and he remained as unlighted sure in the records of freedom struggle movement. But he is a figure who sacrificed his life for his people, nation and soil.
Kalahandi
Kalahandi, , is a district of Orissa in India. The region had a glorious past and great civilization in ancient time. Archaeological evidence of stone age and Iron Age human settlement has been recovered from the region. Asurgarh offered an advanced, well civilized, cultured and urban human...
region in Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
against the British in India in 1853.
Born in Urladani situated in deepest Kalahandi region close to the boundary of Kandhamal
Kandhamal
Kandhamal is a district of the state of Orissa, India. The district headquarters of the district is Phulbani.-History:The Kandhmal district was created on 1 April 1993 from the former Boudh-Kandhmal district as a result of district reorganization in the state of Orissa.-Communal unrest and...
district, he was very courageous and freedom-conscious from childhood, like other scheduled tribe people. He could not tolerate others sanction over his freedom. He was very much aware but, conservative of the culture, custom, rituals and traditions of the Kondhas.
Kondhas are generally worshippers of nature. They revere the soil as their mother. They have a strong belief that everybody lives in the world by mercy of the soil. So they never hesitate to sacrifice one of them for mother soil who gives and continues lives to everyone. With such customs they celebrate Maria every year. As the British treated this system as superstition and antisocial, they raided the tribal areas of Kalahandi and Phulbani under Major General Campbell. But the tribal people kept much faith and belief in their own custom and tradition and raised voice against the British.
On the other side the Kondhas were nearest to Kalahandi King. So they were tax free people. But, when the British captured Nagpure, Kalahandi went under their control and as per the institution of Kings and Zamindars of Kalahandi collected tax from the Kondhas. There rose the voice of Kondhas and Rindo Majhi was the key figure of the movement. Though he knew well about the power of the British attacked repeated to them and their flattering people. All the Kondhas also assisted him a lot as he was the chief among them. Right at that time another Kondha chief named Chakra Bisoi with his people attacked the Britishers repeatedly and turned non-cooperative towards them. Being fed up with the activities the British were in search of Chakra Bisoi inquisitively.
In 1853 Lt. Macniell arrested Rindo Majhi and the Kondhas chief was imprisoned in Rasalkanda jail without trial. The fire of revolution grew much and worse among the Kondhas by the arrest of Rindo Majhi. Rightly after two years, in 1855 Lt. Macneill with him brought Rindo Majhi who was tied with iron chain in legs and hands and moved village to village in order to created fear among the Kondhas leaders. But the Kondhas went out of toleration witnessing such brutal and inhuman act upon their leader Rindo Majhi. On 10 December the Kondhas attacked the residence of Lt. Macneill at Urladani with their weapons like arrows and boxes, axes etc. But the British had guns and powers. The fight went terrible though it was very difficult to fight against the British. Hundreds of people died. Lt. Macneill escaped narrowly because the Tahasildar of Kandhamal Dinabandhu Pattanaik came and rescued him and his people. The British being revengeful over the fight hanged Rindo Majhi and he remained as unlighted sure in the records of freedom struggle movement. But he is a figure who sacrificed his life for his people, nation and soil.