Tribals pay homage to Kumram Bheem on 86th martyrdom anniversary

Thousands of tribals gathered at Jodeghat in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district to mark Kumram Bheem’s 86th martyrdom anniversary. Family members, officials and Adivasi leaders paid tributes, recalling his struggle for tribal rights over water, forests and land

Kumram Bheem Asifabad: The 86th martyrdom anniversary of Kumram Bheem was observed at his memorial in Jodeghat village of Kerameri mandal on Monday.

Kumram Bheem’s family members including grandson Sone Rao offered tributes as per tradition of their community. They performed customary rituals at the three wooden flags that symbolize Persapen and Avvalpen, gods of Gonds at the memorial. Elders of the village and leaders of Adivasis organisations also took part in the event.

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Later, Panchayat Raj minister Seethakka, Collector K Haritha, SP Nitika Pant and ITDA-Utnoor project officer Manda Makarandu paid floral homage to Kumram Bheem by garlanding his statue.

Meanwhile, Collector Rajarshi Shah and SP Akhil Mahajan took part in a similar event conducted in Adilabad town. A holiday was declared for educational institutions in both Kumram Bheem Asifabad and Adilabad district in view of the martyrdom on Tuesday.

Around 10,000 tribals from not only several parts of Telangana, but neighboring Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra gathered at the village and paid tributes to Kumram Bheem. They arrived at Jodeghat valley by taking out processions from Hatti village playing traditional musical instruments. Some participants reached the venue barefoot.

The participants recalled fights of Bheem carried out for rights over Jal, Jangal and Jameen eight decades ago, braving the then Nizam rulers. They hailed him for laying down his life for tribals.

Tribal artistes performed traditional dance forms, enthralling audiences. The interior Jodeghat village has come alive with the presence of a large number of tribals at the event.

In 1940, Kumram Bheem and his 14 followers were gunned down by the then police for waging a war against the then Nizam rulers seeking rights over forest, water and land at Jodeghat. The historical incident shook the then Nizam government and prompted the rulers to appoint the famous anthropologist Professor Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf to study the reasons for the unrest among the tribals.