First War of Independence: An UNKNOWN LEGEND!

LEGENDARY CRIMINAL 2nd: TANTIYA BHIL

Tantia Bhīl (or Tantya Bheel, Tantya Mama) (d. 1890) was a dacoit (bandit) active in British India between 1878 and 1889. He is described very negatively as a criminal in period British accounts,

But is recognized by Indians as a heroic figure. Accounts of both eras have described him as an Indian "Robin Hood".

He is also know as First war of independence

He was the hero but the dirty politics ruined him, but now it's time to unrevealed the hidden truth .

Tribal Contemporary Issues: Appraisal and Intervention

No body knows for certain the antecedents of Bhima Nayak,
but he fought the English for ten years. With the death of queen
of Jhansi, the revolt of 1857 came to an end in north India.

Tantya Bheel comonly known as Tantya Mama was yet
another notable revolutionary who was dreaded by the British
administration. He was born in Nimad in Madhya Pradesh.
The frenzy of the vindictive violence unleashed by the British,
in the aftermath of revolution of 1857, had struck terror in the
hearts of people.

See part 1st

It was at this juncture that Tantya, a Bhil,
confronted the English. Two of his associates, Dipya and
Bijhnia, were arrested in 1880.

Dipya escaped and rejoined
Tantya, but Bijhania was hanged to death.

There is a famous
anecdote about Tantya. The English officer who had come to
arrest Tantya happened to be one whom Tantya had escorted home as his luggage carrier.

Tantya, a man with steel in his
blood,

LEGENDARY fighter

confronted the officer: "Sahib, I am Tantya, Won't you
arrest me?" Hearing this officer was convulsed with terror and
he returned to England in fright.

Tantya was betrayed by his
own dharma bahnoi, the husband of his dharma or rakhee sister
on the day he had called on her for rakhee.

It was during the struggle of 1857 when Komurams fought
the British for days and nights under the leadership of Ramji.

Ramji Gond was arrested and was hanged near Nirmal to death
by a tree. The tree is still known as the Ramji Chettu.

The Kuruchia Adivasis of Kerala too fought the British
army to the last drop of their blood. Talakkar Chandu was
their leader. This brave man kept fighting a British contingent
of hundred soldiers till he was fully exhausted. Talakkar
Chandu and Nilli, an Adivasi woman were the folk leaders of
this movement. Nilli had also raiseda separate army of women.
Talakkar Chandu was caught and hanged to death.
In the second half of 19th century Govind Guru, besides
leading Adivasi movements not only against English rule, but
also against native kings and the Begari (forcing village workers
to work without wages) practices of jagirdars, had spearheaded
social reform movements. Apart from launching anti-liquor
and pro-female education movements, he also fought against
prevalent social evils and violence. He was born in a Banjara
family.

He established sanmap sabhas among Bhil and Garasia
tribes. On the complaint of the native Rajput Raja's, the British
raided his dhuni and massacred 1500 Bhils overnight.

This massacre was bigger in scale than that of Jallianawala Bagh.
This incident took place in Banswara located in Maangarh.

There are countless tales of revolt and heroism. Today
we salute all these Adivasi warriors who participated in the
struggle of 1857. We also salute those who ignited the spark of
rebellion before 1857, transformed it into a conflagration, and
did not l
this blaze extinguish even after 1857.