“Remembering Ramji Gond: A Retelling of the 19th Century Legend on His Martyrdom Anniversary”

The legend of Marsukola Ramji Gond has been passed down through generations of tribal residents in Adilabad for over 160 years. Despite this, his origins remain a mystery. Ramji Gond was an aboriginal leader of the Raj Gonds, who led a rebellion against the British during the First War of Independence in 1857. His force included Rohillas, Afghan Pathans who had settled in Uttar Pradesh’s Rohilkhand and fought under the leadership of Nana Saheb Peshwa II. The rebels were eventually captured and hanged from a banyan tree outside Nirmal town. A martyrs’ column has since been erected at the spot, and tribals consider Ramji to be their icon. However, there is no mention of him in any song or ballad of the Marsukola clan. He may have been a village headman or patel who hosted fleeing Rohillas when they sought help in resisting the British. The Marsukola clan cites the presence of a temple in Adilabad denoting the resting place of ‘Bada Dev’ or ‘Persa Pen’ as proof of their place of origin. The Telangana Ministry for Tribal Welfare has announced plans to set up a memorial museum to honour Ramji Gond with support from the Union government.