History of Santal Hul (Santal Liberation Movement in1855-57)
History of Santal Hul (Santal Liberation Movement in1855-57) 150 years ago our ancestors led an armed struggle against the exploitation and oppression perpetuated by money-lenders (mahajon), land lords (jamindars), policemen (daroga) and the British Administration. This movement was masterminded by the visionary Santal leaders - Sidhu Murmu and his three brothers Kanhu Murmu, Chand Murmu and Bhairo Murmu - all sons of Chunu Murmu of Bhognadih village in Santal Parganas, Jharkhand, (India). These leaders after exhausting all the democratic avenues organized over 30,000 people in Bhognadih and declared - “Henceforth, we are independent, we have no Masters or Rulers, we will govern ourselves on our own”. The Hul conflagrated on 7th July 1855 with the killing of cruel Maheshlal (Daroga) and unscrupulous Kenaram Bhagat (money-lender). Many Santals along with people from other Adivasi communities have shed their precious blood in this movement and consequently Santal P...