Why this matters now
The Tana Bhagat Movement is tested as one of the few non-violent tribal movements of the early 20th century, predating Gandhi’s satyagraha, and as the foundation of a community (Tana Bhagats) that later supported the Congress, Quit India Movement and were rewarded with land grants by post-1947 Bihar/Jharkhand governments.
Background: Oraon dispossession in Chotanagpur
By the early 1900s, Oraon and Munda communities of the Chotanagpur plateau had been heavily dispossessed by Hindu and Muslim zamindars who acquired their land at low prices and forced them into bonded labour (begari). The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 (won after Birsa Munda’s Ulgulan) protected against further alienation but did not restore lost land.
Jatra Oraon launches the movement (April 1914)
In April 1914, a young Oraon farmer named Jatra Bhagat (Jatra Oraon) from Chingri Navatoli village (Gumla, Jharkhand) declared he had received a divine vision. His followers — called “Tana Bhagats” (“pullers” — those who pulled themselves away from impurity) — rejected: alcohol, animal sacrifice, the plough (only the digging stick was allowed), payment of taxes and rent to zamindars, and bonded labour. Non-violent civil disobedience was the method.
Legacy: Congress and land grants
The British arrested Jatra Oraon, who died in jail. The movement continued under successors and merged with the Indian National Congress from 1921 — Tana Bhagats wore Gandhi caps, spun khadi, and participated in the Quit India Movement (1942). Post-1947, the Bihar and (later) Jharkhand governments granted them land patta rights in recognition of their freedom-struggle service. The community survives today across Gumla, Lohardaga, Latehar, Simdega districts.
UPSC angle
Know Tana Bhagat Movement — Jatra Bhagat (Jatra Oraon) at Chingri Navatoli village (Gumla, Jharkhand) April 1914, Oraon revivalist, NON-VIOLENT civil disobedience, banned plough/alcohol/sacrifice/bonded labour, refused taxes to zamindars; merged with Congress 1921, joined Quit India (1942), post-1947 land patta grants.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jatra Oraon?
An Oraon farmer from Chingri Navatoli village (Gumla, Jharkhand) who launched the Tana Bhagat Movement in April 1914.
What does "Tana Bhagat" mean?
“Tana” means “to pull” in the Oraon Kurukh language — “Tana Bhagats” are those who pulled themselves away from impurity (alcohol, sacrifice, the plough).
Was the Tana Bhagat Movement violent?
No — it was a non-violent civil disobedience movement, predating Gandhi’s satyagraha by 5 years.
What did the Tana Bhagats refuse to do?
Pay taxes to zamindars, drink alcohol, perform animal sacrifice, use the plough (only the digging stick), and supply bonded labour.