Name: Komaram Bheem or Kumram Bheem (October 22, 1901 – October 27, 1940)
Born: October 22, 1901 into a Gondi family in Hyderabad State, British India — present-day Sankepally village, Asifabad Mandal, Komaram Bheem District.
Died: October 27, 1940. However, the Gondi people consider April 8, 1940 as the death date of Komaram Bheem in Jodeghat village, Hyderabad State — now Jodeghat, Kerameri Mandal, Komaram Bheem Asifabad District.
Father: Komaram Chinnu
Spouse: Som Bai
Siblings: Younger Brother: Kumra Jangu; Sister-in-law: Kumram Tuljabai
Early Life
Komaram Bheem was a revolutionary tribal leader who fought against the Asaf Jahi Dynasty for the freedom and rights of Adivasis. He gave the slogan “Jal, Jungle, Jameen” (Water, Forest, Land) — symbolizing that forest dwellers have rights over the resources of their land. Bheem remains an icon of the Adivasi struggle and the heart of the Gond tribes whose lives were deeply tied to the forests of present-day Asifabad.
Personal Struggles and Awakening
When Komaram Bheem was 15, his father Komaram Chinnu was killed by forest officials for asserting Adivasi rights. The family then migrated to Sardapur village in Kerameri Mandal. Young Bheem was deeply agitated by his father’s murder. He married Som Bai and settled in Babejheri, leading a normal
life through Jhum cultivation. Conflict arose when a local jagirdar named Sidhiki, aligned with Nizam officials, occupied his land. In anger and self-defense, Bheem killed Sidhiki and and fled to Balarsha there to Chanda and then to Assam. around 1923.
Exile in Assam (1923–1928)
During his five-year exile in Assam, Bheem worked on tea and coffee plantations. He witnessed labor agitations, gained literacy by learning to read and write, and understood the broader struggle for justice. Through his experiences and correspondence with friends like Komaram Sooru, he realized the situation of his people back home and began planning resistance.
Return from Assam and Early Resistance (1928–1935)
Komaram Bheem returned to his homeland in 1928 after spending approximately five years working on tea and coffee plantations in Assam. During his time there, he learned reading and writing, witnessed labor movements, and gained a deeper understanding of social justice and organized resistance.
From 1928 to 1935, Bheem focused on non-violent forms of resistance and community organization:
- Personal Justice: Bheem sought to reclaim his family lands occupied by local landlords and forest officials. Early conflicts, including the killing of Sidhiki in self-defense, marked isolated acts of resistance but were not yet organized guerrilla warfare.
- Community Mobilization: Bheem educated and organized the Gond community, mediating local disputes and raising awareness about their rights to land, forests, and resources.
- Legal Advocacy: He assisted tribal families in petitioning the Nizam government for land pattas, using official channels whenever possible to resist arbitrary evictions and illegal cesses.
- Building Networks: Bheem established contacts and gained the trust of Gondi villages, preparing the social and logistical foundation for future armed resistance.
- Strategic Observation: During this period, he studied forest terrains, tribal movement patterns, and the workings of local authorities, laying the groundwork for guerrilla tactics that would be employed later.
Thus, 1928–1935 was a period of preparation, education, and local organizing, which set the stage for the first organized armed resistance that began around 1935.
Organized Guerrilla Campaign and the Babejheri Rebellion (1935–1940)
- Demarcation of Dhanora State Forest: When the forest boundaries were formalized, Babejheri village became an enclave. Tribal lands were declared state property, and the Gonds faced repeated threats of eviction. Bheem and the community attempted to obtain pattas for their cultivated lands, but officials demanded bribes, escalating tensions and frustration among the tribals.
- Jhoreghat Incident: Bheem, along with four Gonds, traveled to Hyderabad and obtained official permission to cultivate 57 acres at Jhoreghat. Upon returning, the local Forest Ranger ignored the order and demanded bribes. A party of armed forest officials, including a gun-carrying Arab guard, tried to forcibly evict the Gonds and burned the outlying huts. Bheem was shot in the palm, enraging the Gonds, who retaliated with axes, bows, and muskets, forcing the officials to retreat. This marked Bheem’s first organized armed confrontation.
- Guerrilla Campaign (1935–1940): Following Jhoreghat, Bheem led a systematic guerrilla campaign across the forests and villages. He organized small squads of tribal fighters, training them in hit-and-run tactics and equipping them with axes, bows, and muskets. The campaign aimed to:
- Defend tribal lands and Podu cultivation from encroachment
- Resist illegal cesses and harassment by forest officials
- Reclaim lands from landlords (Jagirdars) and informers collaborating with authorities
- Rising Tension with Nizam Authorities: Bheem’s growing influence alarmed the Nizam administration. Negotiations and minor concessions failed, as Bheem demanded the abolition of illegal taxes and recognition of tribal land rights. Sporadic skirmishes occurred as police and forest officials attempted to capture or intimidate him, but Bheem evaded arrest multiple times, consolidating his reputation as a formidable tribal leader.
Thus, 1935–1940 was the period when Komaram Bheem transitioned from community organizing to leading an organized guerrilla campaign that culminated in the historic Babejheri Rebellion and set the stage for the final confrontation at Jodeghat.
Final Stand at Jodeghat (October 27, 1940)
In October 1940, a traitor, Kurdu Patel, revealed Bheem’s hiding place to the Nizam forces. Early on the morning of Aswiyuja Pournami (October 27, 1940), women fetching water spotted armed policemen surrounding Jodeghat. Bheem and his warriors armed themselves with axes, sickles, and bamboo sticks. Talukdar Abdul Sattar sent emissaries demanding surrender, but Bheem refused three times. The police then opened fire. Bheem and twelve of his followers were killed, with several others also attaining martyrdom. The bodies were reportedly burned unceremoniously, plunging the Gond community into grief. This day is still commemorated as Bheem’s death anniversary.
Legacy
Komaram Bheem became a symbol of tribal dignity and resistance. He is celebrated through:
- Statues and memorials across Telangana
- Textbooks, folklore, and literature
- Films and cultural events commemorating his sacrifice
The Babejheri Rebellion, which he led, laid the foundation for organized tribal rights movements in Telangana and beyond.
Sources
- F. Haimendorf (1945), The Tribes of Adilabad, Hyderabad: Nizam Government Records.
- Srinivas, N. (1980), Telangana History Textbook, Hyderabad: Government Press.
- P. Srinivas (1999), Adavi Thalli, Hyderabad: Tribal Studies Institute.
- Deshpande, V.R. (1980), Adavi, Hyderabad: Telugu Literary Publications.
- ITDA Utnoor Reports.
- Shodhganga – Tribal Resistance