A 25-feet-tall statue of Dharti Aaba (Father of the Earth) Birsa Munda, who took the mighty colonial rulers by horns before being caught and put behind the bars of one the prison cells (barrack) on the first floor here in the erstwhile Ranchi Central Jail, greets the guests at the entrance gate of the new Birsa Munda Museum and Memorial Park here.
The Ranchi Central Jail came into existence in 1899. It was later renamed as (old) Birsa Munda Central Jail. It now houses the new museum and park.
The barrack, where the tribal legend who is equated with God (Bhagwan) was kept, has been tastefully decorated with pictures and scriptural descriptions related to his life. Birsa breathed his last here.
The other barracks display the traditional art and culture of indigenous people in the Jharkhand region. These mainly depict their sacrifices since ages for the welfare of mankind and evokes a sense of patriotism among the visitor.
The flora and fauna and the rich mineral reserves lying underneath that make Jharkhand one of the biggest treasure troves of the world and the role of indigenous people in their perseverance and optimum utilizations are up for display.
A lawn or a small amphitheatre in the middle of the prison premises displays statues and brief bio-data of other great tribal revolutionaries who laid down their lives fighting against the colonial rulers like Ganga Narayan Singh (1832 – 33), Veer Budhu Bhagat (1832), Poto Ho (1837), Telenga Kharia (1850 – 60), Sidho Kanho (1855- 56), Bhagirath Manjhi (1871), Nilambar – Pitambar (1857), Diva Kishun (1872), Gaya Munda (1900) and Jatra Tana Bhagat (1914).
“The statues of Bhagirath Manjhi, Poto Ho and Ganga Narayan Singh have arrived. These would be installed very soon. All the statues will be neatly decorated with flowers and garlands before the inauguration by the Prime Minister on November 15,” said an official overseeing the preparations.
A light and sound show highlighting the cultural heritage of Jharkhand in various languages too is set to come up. The museum-cum-park will also have musical fountains and several other entertainment amenities for children.
The idea to convert this prison to a museum was mooted by the Hemant Soren government in 2013 during its earlier term. Successor Raghubar Das (2014–19) set the ball rolling. Over Rs 142 crore has been spent on this project. The Union Tribal Affairs Ministry provided for Rs 25 crore of the total expenditure.
Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda will be physically present during the virtual inauguration by the PM while celebrating the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ on November 15.
