Babar Deva
Babar Deva (1885–1924) (Hindi: बाबर देवा) was a notorious and infamous dacoit who was born in the Koli family of Gorelgaon in Borsad taluka of Anand district in Gujarat. He murdered many people in Gujarat but upon being cheated, he also killed his family members, due to which he became infamous in Gujarat and it surroundings.[1] Babar Dev's father was also an outlaw and Babar was born in 1885 to him. Deva's first murder victim was the Patel (Mukhiya) of his village who was a Patidar by caste.[2]
| Babar Deva | |
|---|---|
| Born | Babar Deva 1885 Gorelgaon, Borsad taluqa, Baroda State, British India |
| Died | December, 1923 |
| Occupation | Agriculturist, dacoity |
Babar Deva is seen as a hero. He met a Bania social worker, after which he vowed to rob British officers and treasury instead of killing and robbing people.[3] Babar Deva also supported Mahatma Gandhi's movement.[4] Babar Deva had committed more than 24 murders and when he discovered that his family members were informing the British government, he also killed them. He later killed his sister for the same reason. Babar Deva also cut off the noses of people who had given information to the British government about him.[5]
Babur had maintained his fear for seven years and evaded capture.[6] But once Babar had robbed the house of a Patidar in Kaniyagaon of Petlad taluka, and was caught by the army of the princely state of Baroda and was imprisoned in Petlad jail. In 1919, Babur escaped from the jail of Petlad and committed two major robberies and some murders. In 1920, he made fifteen big dacoits by forming a big gang and in the same year Babar also killed his sister.[7]
Reform
In 1922, Babar changed himself and made a social reformer his companion who worked for Hinduism and the poor. Gradually Babar also started working for the poor like a messiah. He never harassed the poor, women or children. Babar gave money to poor farmers for marriage and for digging wells, after which people considered him a messiah.[7]
In the middle of the year 1923, Babar organized a festival in the village, fed the cows and distributed sweets to the children. Not only this, Babur also provided protection to the jagirdars. Babar died at the end of the year 1923.[7]
References
- ↑ Dorson, Richard M. (2016-05-19). Folktales Told Around the World. New Delhi, India: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-37534-2.
- ↑ The Atlantic Literary Review. New Delhi, India: Atlantic Publishers and Distributors. 2006. pp. 103–111.
- ↑ Claus, Peter J.; Diamond, Sarah; Mills, Margaret Ann (2003). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. New Delhi, India: Taylor & Francis. p. 664. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.
- ↑ Seal, Graham; White, Kim Kennedy (2016-03-14). Folk Heroes and Heroines around the World, 2nd Edition. New Delhi, India: ABC-CLIO. p. 401. ISBN 978-1-4408-3861-3.
- ↑ Krishna, B. (2007). India's Bismarck, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. New Delhi, India: Indus Source. p. 29. ISBN 978-81-88569-14-4.
- ↑ Chopra, Pran Nath (1995). The Sardar of India: Biography of Vallabhbhai Patel. New Delhi, India: Allied Publishers. p. 22. ISBN 978-81-7023-424-1.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Hardiman, David (1981). Peasant nationalists of Gujarat : Kheda District, 1917–1934. Internet Archive. New Delhi, India: Delhi; New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-561255-4.