On the 73rd Republic Day Parade, the Gujarat Tableau showcased the massacre that happened in the villages of Pal and Dadhvav. The massacre happened in 1922. Around 1,200 tribals were brutally killed by the Britishers during the massacre.

What happened?

On March 7, 1922, a tribal leader Motilal Tejawat was addressing 10,000 Bhil tribals. These tribal were a part of the Eki movement and were from the Dadhvav village (now Sabarkantha district in Gujarat). The gathering protested against the laws related to Jagirdar, land revenue system and the Rajwada introduced by the British government. Major H.G.Sutton issued the firing order. Following the order, the police martyred more than 1,200 innocent people. This incident is called Pal Dadhvav Martyrs. The wells in the region were filled with dead bodies of the tribal people. The name of the wells was Dudhiya Kuva and Dhekhadiya Kuva.

Motilal Tejawat

Tejawat escaped the massacre. He got shot in his thighs twice. On the request of Gandhiji, Tejawat stayed underground. He was jailed for seven years. After independence, he named the place “Virubhumi”. The massacre still has its place in folk songs of Gujarat.

About the Tableau

The front of the tableau represented the tribal and their fighting spirit. The back part depicted the massacre. The artists performed “Ger”  dance.

Cover up for the massacre

The massacre killed thrice the number of people that died during Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. However, the British had no official record. The incident was forgotten because those died in the incident were poor and illiterate. The British took utmost care to suppress the incident after Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Bhil tribals

The Bhil tribals are ethnic group in western India. As of 2013, the Bhils were the largest tribal group in the country. They are spread in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.