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On 17 November 1913, thousands of Bhils gathered on the hill of Mangarh, on the border of Banswara and Gujarat, around their leader Govind Guru. They had come for a religious congregation, but the princely states and the British saw a threat. Troops surrounded the hill and opened fire. The number killed is uncertain — tradition and later accounts speak of hundreds or even more — and Mangarh is often remembered as the "Jallianwala of Rajasthan", six years before Amritsar. It is one of several episodes in which the peasants and tribal people of Rajasthan resisted exploitation in the early twentieth century.
Why peasants and tribes rose
| Cause | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Jagirdari system | Much land was held by jagirdars and thikanedars who collected rent and exercised local power |
| Lag-bag | Dozens of extra cesses (taxes) on top of land revenue — in Bijolia, as many as 84 according to movement accounts |
| Begar | Forced, unpaid labour |
| Famines and debt | Recurrent famines; moneylender debt |
| Forest restrictions | Limits on tribal use of forests |
| Double subordination | Peasants were subjects of the ruler, the jagirdar and, indirectly, the British |
The Bijolia movement
Bijolia, a thikana of Mewar (in today's Bhilwara district), was the site of one of India's longest peasant movements.
| Phase | Leaders / events |
|---|---|
| 1897 onward | Peasants (mainly of the Dhakad community) protested against cesses; early leaders included Sadhu Sitaram Das |
| 1916 onward | Vijay Singh Pathik (Bhoop Singh), a revolutionary, organised the peasants; the Kisan Panch Board; non-payment of taxes; publicity in national newspapers such as Pratap (Kanpur) |
| 1920s | Manikyalal Verma and others joined; negotiations with the Mewar state and the AGG; a settlement abolished many cesses (1922) but was not fully honoured |
| 1941 | Final settlement under the Mewar government |
Bijolia inspired movements across Rajasthan and brought national attention — Gandhi and the Congress took an interest.
Other peasant movements
| Movement | Place | Key points |
|---|---|---|
| Begun | Chittorgarh (Mewar) | From 1921, led by Ramnarayan Chaudhary; the Govindpura firing (1923) killed peasants; the settlement with the thakur was dismissed as "Bolshevik" and rejected by Mewar; the Trench Commission inquiry |
| Bundi | Bundi | 1920s; led by Nainuram Sharma; firing at Dabi (1923), where Nanak Bhil was killed |
| Shekhawati | Sikar, Jhunjhunu | Jat peasants against thikanedars in the 1920s–30s; events such as the Kudan firing (1935) |
| Alwar — Neemuchana | Alwar | 14 May 1925 — firing on peasants protesting against land revenue enhancement; many killed; Gandhi called it worse than Jallianwala |
Tribal movements
Govind Guru and the Bhagat movement
Govind Guru (born in Dungarpur region) founded the Samp Sabha (1883) and led the Bhagat movement among the Bhils of Dungarpur, Banswara and neighbouring areas. He preached:
- giving up alcohol and meat;
- cleanliness and worship;
- resisting begar and exploitation by jagirdars and states.
The movement alarmed the rulers and the British, leading to the Mangarh firing of 1913. Govind Guru was imprisoned and later exiled from the area.
Motilal Tejawat and the Eki movement
Motilal Tejawat led the Eki ("unity") movement among the Bhils and Garasias of Mewar, Sirohi and neighbouring areas in 1921–22, against excessive taxes and begar. At Neemda (Vijaynagar, Idar region) in 1922, troops fired on a large gathering, killing many. Tejawat was later arrested; he was released in 1936.
The Meena movement
The Meenas protested against the Criminal Tribes Act and the Jaraim Pesha (criminal tribes) laws of the Jaipur state, which forced men to register and report daily at police stations. The movement, supported by leaders such as Jain Muni Magan Sagar, Bansidhar Sharma and Lakshminarayan Jharwal, led to the repeal of these restrictions after independence.
Significance
- Awareness — peasants and tribes challenged a system combining princely, feudal and colonial power.
- Organisation — panchayats, sabhas and non-payment campaigns became models for later movements.
- Link to the national movement — leaders such as Pathik and Verma later built the Praja Mandals.
- Memory — Mangarh, Neemuchana and Neemda are remembered as sites of sacrifice; Mangarh has been the focus of recent efforts to develop it as a national memorial.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- Who led the Bijolia movement from 1916?
- Where did the Mangarh firing take place, and when?
- Which movement did Motilal Tejawat lead?
- Where did the Neemuchana firing take place?
- Who led the Begun movement?
Mains-style (50 words): What was lag-bag?
Mains-style (100 words): Examine the causes and significance of peasant movements in Rajasthan.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Rajasthan Public Service Commission website .
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