Tilka Manjhi: The First Tribal Freedom Fighter Who Defied British Rule

When we speak of India’s freedom struggle, names like Mahatma Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, and Rani Lakshmi Bai easily come to mind. Their stories are part of textbooks, their legacies etched onto the walls of India’s historical consciousness. But decades before 1857—the year often touted as the beginning of India’s resistance against British colonial rule—an Adivasi warrior had already dared to stand up to British tyranny. His name was Tilka Manjhi, and history, though slow to remember, cannot ignore the weight of his courage.

Born into the rough terrain of the Rajmahal hills, Tilka Manjhi was not merely a rebel; he was a visionary, grounded in his people’s pain, culture, and dignity. Long before the idea of a "freedom movement" crystallized, he picked up his bow and arrow to challenge an empire. His legacy is a reminder that India’s fight for independence did not begin in the halls of elite politics but in the forests, rivers, and hills—where ordinary people like Tilka chose resistance over submission.

The Birth of a Revolutionary: Jabra Pahadia

Tilka Manjhi was born as Jabra Pahadia in the year 1750, in the village of Tilakpur, located in present-day Sultanganj, Bihar. He belonged to the Santhal tribe, one of the largest tribal communities in India. At that time, the region was rich with forests, hills, and rivers. Nature was not just a backdrop—it was a way of life, a part of the tribal identity. The Santhals lived in harmony with the land, their customs, community rituals, and oral storytelling forming a unique worldview that set them apart from the feudal empires and colonial cartographers that sought to claim their land.

From an early age, Jabra saw his people being marginalized and brutalized—not just by local landlords but increasingly by the growing dominance of the East India Company. Insights into injustice came not from books or speeches, but from seeing hunger on children’s faces, shackles in men’s hands, and the forced labor his people were compelled into. Somewhere in these harsh realities, the rebel was born.

Colonial Oppression: The East India Company Tightens Its Grip

By the mid-18th century, the East India Company was no longer a mere trading outfit. It had fortified itself into a political and military powerhouse after gaining the Diwani (right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa post the Battle of Buxar in 1764. With a thirst for revenue and little regard for indigenous life, the Company began exerting severe pressure on zamindars (landlords) to extract money from the peasants—a model that directly impacted the tribals who lived off the forests and farmland but had no documented "ownership" in the British sense.

The Paharias and Santhals, fiercely independent and unfamiliar with hierarchical governance or taxation systems, were viewed as obstinate savages by colonial rulers. Denied access to their own forests and turned into bonded laborers under exploitative colonial practices, many tribal communities were pushed over the edge. But while most suffered in silence, Tilka Manjhi chose to fight back.

From Jabra Pahadia to Tilka Manjhi: The Rise of a Leader

The name 'Tilka' likely evolved as he began consolidating power and poetic wrath against the colonizers. He emerged as a tribal leader with a singular goal: to reclaim the autonomy of his people. Manjhi began gathering Santhal villagers and other oppressed tribal groups across Bhagalpur, Rajmahal, and what is now Jharkhand. His influence spread like wild grass through the forested hills.

He established a guerrilla-style resistance group, relying on the deep knowledge his people had of the land. His weapons were rudimentary—bows, arrows, axes—but he had something the British lacked: unity born of survival and anger born of injustice. Tribal drumbeats became war calls; bonfires became strategic meets. For the first time, Santhals had a leader not just to mourn with, but to rally behind.

The Rebellion Sparked: A Bow Drawn Against the British

Tilka's agitation reached its height in 1784, when the oppression grew too unbearable. According to accounts—drawn from oral history, folklore, and some colonial records—Tilka built a strategic resistance movement that struck British establishments, attacked revenue offices, and cache points, and freed tribal prisoners. His uprising was not random violence; it was calculated, symbolic, and deeply rooted in the desire to reclaim dignity.

One of the most dramatic episodes of his rebellion was the assassination of British commissioner Augustus Cleveland. Cleveland, posted in Bhagalpur, had initiated harsh revenue extraction policies and penal codes against the tribals. Tilka, leading his warriors, launched a surprise attack and is said to have fired the arrow that fatally wounded Cleveland. It was perhaps the first successful armed attack against a British officer in Indian history.

This act electrified tribal communities and embarrassed the British. But retaliation came swiftly and brutally.

The Endgame: Betrayal and Martyrdom

With Cleveland dead, the British escalated their military operations. A combined force of East India Company troops under various officers, including Captain Brook, was sent to crush the rebellion. Eager to make an example of Tilka Manjhi, they started a manhunt across the hills of present-day Bihar and Jharkhand.

For a while, Tilka evaded capture through his knowledge of rugged terrain. But eventually, he was betrayed—according to tribal lore, by an informant lured by colonial rewards. He was captured, bound, and subjected to unspeakable torture. One of the most enduring (though horrifying) legends is that he was tied to the tail of a horse and dragged through the streets of Bhagalpur. What followed was his public execution by hanging from a banyan tree, sometime in January 1785.

He died at the age of 35, but in death, he became immortal in the hearts of his people. He was not merely killed; he was martyred.

The Legacy: A Forgotten Pillar of India's Freedom

For too long, Tilka Manjhi's name has existed in the margins of history. Unlike the well-documented revolts of 1857 and beyond, tribal revolutions recorded through oral tradition rarely found space in colonial records or post-Independence syllabi. His rebellion predated India’s first war of independence by 73 years, yet his story remains largely unrecognized outside Bihar and Jharkhand.

But the wind is changing.

Institutions and historians are now refocusing their lens to include such unsung heroes. In Bhagalpur, the site of his martyrdom, the Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University stands as a tribute to his legacy. Statues, memorials, and tribal annual festivals commemorate his bravery. He finds further mention in Jharkhand's history curriculum, and his name has become a symbol of tribal resistance in contemporary Adivasi rights movements.

Tilka Manjhi’s Relevance Today

So why does Tilka Manjhi matter in today's India?

Because his life reflects the pain of erasure and the power of localized resistance. In the shadow of growing tribal displacement, mining encroachments, and socio-political invisibility, Tilka Manjhi’s legacy becomes especially relevant. His voice echoes the ongoing struggles faced by indigenous communities battling to preserve their land, language, and identity.

He reminds us that revolutions don’t always start in palaces or assemblies. Sometimes, they begin in forests, over the rumble of a tribal drum, in a single act of defiance.

Lessons from Tilka Manjhi’s Life

1. Resistance is not the privilege of the powerfulTilka, armed with just bows and arrows, dared to challenge one of the most powerful empires in human history. His story echoes even today: when all seems invincible, courage becomes the great equalizer.

2. The power of indigenous leadershipLong before the term "grassroots" became fashionable, Tilka Manjhi led a bottom-up movement. He understood his people, their customs, fears, and strengths. That authenticity gave his revolution life.

3. History needs new lensesOur understanding of history is often filtered through colonial or elitist narratives. Remembering heroes like Tilka is not just about filling a gap—it's about retelling our story with integrity.

   
   

The Bow Still Raised

Tilka Manjhi swung his bow not just against colonial tyranny, but against the notion that certain people could be silenced, marginalized, or forgotten. By doing so, he carved space in the unforgiving stone of history for countless oppressed voices—tribal, rural, indigenous—who often exist outside our national memory.

Today, as movements for inclusion, equity, and historic justice grow stronger, Tilka Manjhi is more than just a symbol of armed rebellion. He is a torchbearer of dignity. A rooted revolutionary. A reminder that courage needs neither approval nor applause—only purpose.

And in the rustle of the banyan leaves in Bhagalpur, in the chants of Santhal songs, Tilka still fights.

Tilka Manjhi — The First Tribal Freedom Fighter. Forgotten no more.