: Kumram Kondal – the companion of Kumram Bheem #IndiaNEWS #Columns A movement needs a leader and the leader needs followers. The role of the followers is in recognising the potential of the leader

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Kumram Kondal – the companion of Kumram Bheem #IndiaNEWS #Columns
A movement needs a leader and the leader needs followers. The role of the followers is in recognising the potential of the leader and giving him the real strength and getting him excited for leading the movement. We know this from the times of Ramayana period itself: Hanuman is said to have known his capacities only when his followers recognised and instigated him to realise that he could rise high and fly over the ocean to find Sita in Ravans Lanka.
Similarly, the capabilities of Kumram Bheem, the leader of the Gonds movement, who worshipped Hanuman in the centre of their hamlets, were first recognised and encouraged by his followers. Among such followers, Routa Kondal stands as the main personality who was associated with Kumram Bheem throughout his Jodeghat rebellion from the beginning till the end.
The original name of Routa Kondal is Kumram Kondal or Kumra Kondu but he was also called Edla Kondal since he used to feed oxen (edlu) in the pastures. Kumram Bheem, Routa Kondal would reside in Routa Sankepalli village in todays Kumram Bheem Asifabad district. Kumram Bheems father Chinnu founded that village. Bheem and Kondal were childhood friends. They used to play together and sing together. They used to get inspired by listening to the heroic legends of the Gond Rajas sung by the paternal uncles of Kumram Bheem. The young minds could not understand why the Gonds who were once independent kings were now so poor i. e. in the second decade of the 20th century. When asked, the elders would say in Gondi language, if you try to analyse the atrocities happening in front of your eyes now, you will understand. This inspired the young hearts.
The Nizam Nawabs of the State of Hyderabad from the South and Marathas and the British from the North had expanded into the Gond territories which they ruled till 19th century. The revenue of the respective rulers, forest department officials, landlords, money lenders and businessmen spread into the Gond areas and looted Gonds and their associated tribes — Kolams, Pardans, Thotis, Naikpods, etc. — using their power in many ways. They used to enter their homes in front of their eyes and pick up their chickens, goats and even the tuniki (local wild fruit) they collected from the forests. Whatever the tribals got from the forests, cultivated farming, fed cattle, the officers, feudal lords and money lenders used to impose and collect many coercive taxes in the name of Forest Laws and other rules, not understood by the illiterate tribals.
Not able to tolerate the atrocities of the Nizam officials, Gonds and other tribes migrated. Bheem and Kondal used to think that they should face those conditions somehow.

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