PM Modi declares Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan as national monument

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan as a national monument.

Located in Banswara district on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border, the Mangarh Dham is a memorial for around 1,500 tribals who were massacred in 1913 by the British army. The region has a large tribal population.

The tribals and forest dwellers' fight against the British in Mangarh was led by social reformer Govind Guru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the tribals who were massacred by the British army and addressed a gathering of Bhil adivasis and other tribals.

Accompanying the prime minister were Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh counterparts Bhupendra Patel and Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

PM Modi's deep reverence for Govind Guru

As Gujarat Chief Minister, on July 30, 2012, Modi had launched the 63rd Van Mahotsav from Mangarh Hill by planting 1507 trees, one each for the tribal martyrs of Mangarh Dham. He had also inaugurated a botanical garden named after Govind Guru -- Govind Guru Smriti Van. He also inaugurated Govind Guru's statue on September 30, 2012.

Remembering sacrifices of Govind Guru and tribal martyrs from Maangadh hills of Panchmahals, he remarked, 'There is no mention of the Mangadh massacre in the history of India's Independence alongside the bloodbath that took place at Jallianwala Bagh. The sacrifice made by my Adivasis brothers has been forgotten. People like Birsa Munda and more than 1500 Adivasi youth led by Govind Guru laid down their lives without any hesitation, only to free India from the clutches of the British empire.'

'Seeds of a better and free India were sown here on this land of Mangadh. Nobody after today will be able to forget Govind Guru as I can visualize people trying to erase him from history's pages. No one can forget the bravery with which Adivasi brothers and sisters fought for India's independence,' he added.

While interacting with Gujarati diaspora in September 2012, Modi paid homage to Govind Guru. Further, as Chief Minister, he had ensured that the Gujarat government published a Gujarati book on Govind Guru, for which he also wrote the foreword.

Honouring tribal history and culture

Prime Minister Modi's vision of Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the unsung heroes of the freedom movement has been found one of the most productive and satisfying expressions in identifying unsung tribal freedom fighters. The November 15 declaration (birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda) as 'Janjatiya Gaurav Divas' and the decision to set up 10 Tribal Freedom Fighters museums across the country are a step in this direction. Bhagwan Birsa Munda Freedom fighters' museum was inaugurated in Ranchi on November 15, 2021.

Further, it was a historic moment for India when Droupadi Murmu became the first tribal president. This is the first time after the independence of the country that a person from the tribal community has reached the highest office in the country. 

PM Modi has deep reverence for Govind Guru. As Gujarat Chief Minister, on July 30, 2012, he had launched the 63rd Van Mahotsav from Mangarh Hill by planting 1507 trees, one each for the tribal martyrs of Mangarh Dham. 

He had also inaugurated a botanical garden named after Govind Guru -- Govind Guru Smriti Van. He also inaugurated Govind Guru's statue on September 30, 2012.

Remembering sacrifices of Govind Guru and tribal martyrs from Maangadh hills of Panchmahals, he remarked, 'There is no mention of the Mangadh massacre in the history of India's Independence alongside the bloodbath that took place at Jallianwala Bagh. The sacrifice made by my Adivasis brothers has been forgotten. People like Birsa Munda and more than 1500 Adivasi youth led by Govind Guru laid down their lives without any hesitation, only to free India from the clutches of British empire.' 

'Seeds of a better and free India were sown here on this land of Mangadh. Nobody after today will be able to forget Govind Guru as I can visualize people trying to erase him from history's pages. No one can forget the bravery with which Adivasi brothers and sisters fought for India's independence.'

While interacting with Gujarati diaspora in September 2012, Modi had paid homage to Govind Guru. Further, as Chief Minister, he had ensured that the Gujarat government published a Gujarati book on Govind Guru, for which he also wrote the foreword.

Honouring tribal history and culture

Prime Minister Modi's vision of Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the unsung heroes of the freedom movement has found one of the most productive and satisfying expression in identifying unsung tribal freedom fighters. 
The November 15 declaration (birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda) as 'Janjatiya Guarav Divas' and the decision to set up 10 Tribal Freedom Fighters museums across the country are a step in this direction. Bhagwan Birsa Munda Freedom fighters' museum was inaugurated in Ranchi on November 15, 2021.

Further, it was a historic moment for India when Droupadi Murmu became the first tribal president. This is the first time after the independence of the country that a person from the tribal community has reached the highest office of the country. 

To preserve and promote rich tribal cultural heritage and to make tribal history and resources more easily accessible, a searchable digital tribal repository is also being developed where all research papers, books, reports and documents, folks songs, photos/videos related to tribals are being made available at one place. Also, 27 Tribal Research Institutes (TRI) have been set up across the country to act as a think-tank and become a repository of information on tribal communities.

Central government's focus on tribal development 

A number of schemes are also being run by the central government for the skilling and economic upliftment of the tribal population. These include the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Vikas Mission (for support, development and marketing of Tribal Products/Produce), Van Dhan Yojana (promoting enterprise for generating additional income for forest dwellers), Honey Mission (implemented by Khadi and Village Industries Commission since 2017-18 to promote beekeeping activities), among others. 

Also, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) has also made arrangements for sending tribal products to 63 Indian Missions/Embassies abroad to set up Aatmanirbhar Bharat Corners. About 42 such Atmanibhar corners have been set up. TRIFED has been organising AdiMahtosav in different parts of the country, where tribal artists exhibit their products. 

For the education of tribal children, Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are being strengthened. As of date, in 378 EMRS, about 1 lakh tribal students are getting education. Further, for the higher education of Tribal Youth, Narendra Modi has ensured the setting up of two tribal Universities - Birsa Munda Tribal University of Narmada and Shri Govind Guru Vishwavidyalaya of Godhra. 

Thus, the programme ‘Mangarh Dham ki Gaurav Gatha’ in Banswara district of Rajasthan should not be seen as an isolated event, but as a continuation of efforts by the government led by Narendra Modi, first, as CM and then as PM, to identify, honour and promote tribal history, culture and heroes. 

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