In the 19th century pre-independence India’s Narmada-Tapi belt,
Tantya Bhil fought the British single-handedly for over a decade.
He was the messiah of the poor and the nemesis of the corrupt,
cruel moneylenders and the police doing the bidding of the foreign administration.
At a time when Mahatma Phule strived to bring education to the children of the socially vulnerable sections,
the gutsy Tantya battled the powerful British power all alone in the Narmada valley.
This braveheart, who was declared a dacoit by the British, stood up for the tribals and the other exploited groups and pushed back with his audacious exploits.
Unfortunately, history did not take much notice of his heroism.
Author-publisher Baba Bhand has penned Tantya’s life and times, based on rare manuscripts and historical reports, folklore, oral history and more, which has kept Tantya alive in the hearts of many, for generations together.
Here’s a retelling of a story of an ordinary man who achieved an extraordinary feat in his short life.