Patalpani railway station to be renamed as Tantya Mama railway station- Know who was Tantya Bhil?

Tantya Mama railway station: Patalpani Railway station in Indore will be renamed as Tantya Mama railway station, informed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on November 22, 2021. The Madhya Pradesh CM addressed the cabinet on November 23rd to discuss the renaming of Patalpani Railway Station.

Patalpani railway station is being renamed after tribal icon Tantya Bhil. The state is also planning to conduct two Kalash Yatras in the memory of Tantya Bhil. The yatra, which will reach on Indore (Patalpani) through Khandwa, Burhanpur, Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Ratlam, Ujjain, will culminate on December 4, 2021. 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister further informed that two other landmarks will also be named after Tantya Bhil- Indore's Bhanwar Kuan intersection and MR 10 bus stand, which are being developed at the cost of Rs 53 crore.

They also discussed 2 Kalash Yatras in the memory of Tantya Bhil. The journey to reach Indore (Patalpani) via Khandwa, Burhanpur, Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Ratlam, Ujjain, will end on Dec 4. pic.twitter.com/KGEykoXSkG

— ANI (@ANI) November 23, 2021

Patalpani railway station new name: Tantya Mama railway station

Also read: Bhopal's Habibganj railway station renamed as Rani Kamalapati railway station 

Who was Tantya Bhil?

•Tantya Bhīl was a member of the Bhil Tribe, an indigenous Adivasi community. He was born in gram barda tehsil pandhana Madhya Pradesh around 1840. 

•Though he was a dacoit known to be active between 1878 and 1889, he is also known as one of the greatest revolutionaries who had launched an armed struggle against the Britishers for almost 12 years. 

•He is recognized by Indians as a heroic figure and in fact, several accounts have described him as an Indian "Robin Hood". 

•As per a modern account, he chose his way of life due to the harsh measures taken by the Britishers following the Revolt of 1857.

•He worked to realise Bhils’ dream of a socialist society and was fired with the passion to free India from the clutches of the British. 

•He was a proficient shooter and archer and was also skillful in Guerilla warfare. The "Dava" or Falia was his main weapon. 

•He lived in dense forests, valleys, ravines and mountains all his life 

Robin Hood of India

•Tantya Bhil was one of the greatest revolutionaries, who emerged as a great hero of the masses due to his his indomitable courage and passion to uproot the British rule. 

•His arrest had caught international attention and was published in the New York Times -November 10, 1889 issue. He was described as the "Robin Hood of India" in the news. 

•He was known as Indian Robinhood as he used to loot British government treasuries and distribute the wealth among the poor and needy. 

•Tantya Bhil was like a messiah to those in need of any kind of financial support. He was popularly called as Mama by locals. 

•He became a long-cherished pride of the Bhil tribe. In fact, the people of his community, the Bhills still feel proud of being addressed as Mama after him. 

•Tantya Bhil had become a symbol of the feelings of tribals and Indian people in general.