The Munda are one of the major tribal communities of Jharkhand and belong to the Proto-Australoid group. Scholars have different opinions about their origin. Some believe they came from Tibet, while others say they migrated from the southwest of India through Madhya Pradesh and later entered Jharkhand. Another view suggests that they came from the southeastern region of India, defeated the Asura tribe, and established their settlement in Jharkhand.
The Mundas have their own language called Mundari, which belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family. They call their language “Hodo Jagr.” In Jharkhand, they are mainly found in Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega, Giridih, and Singhbhum districts.
A traditional Munda village had three important centers. The first was Sarna, the sacred place where village deities were worshipped. The second was Akhra, the open ground where meetings were held and young people gathered for dance and social activities. The third was Sasan, the burial ground where the dead were buried. Memorial stones placed on graves were called Sasandiri, and the youth dormitory system was known as Gitiora.
When the Mundas settled in Jharkhand, they cleared forests for cultivation and established permanent villages. They developed a land system known as Khuntkatti, which was based on joint clan ownership of land and forests. The founder or builder of a village was called Khutkattidar. Each village had a head known as the Munda.
Several villages together formed a cluster called Parha. The head of a group of villages was called Manaki, and the overall chief of the Parha was known as Parha Raja. There was also a Parha Panchayat with executive officers such as Diwan, Thakur, Pandey, Karta, and Lal. Most positions were hereditary, but the Parha Raja was chosen through election.
The Munda-Manaki-Parha system is considered one of the earliest examples of a democratic and cooperative administrative structure in India. The Parha Panchayat acted as the highest judicial, executive, and legislative authority among the Mundas.
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Important Terms & Definitions – Munda Administration System (Parha Panchayat Government)
| Keyword | Meaning / Role | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Munda | Major tribal community of Jharkhand | Belong to Proto-Australoid group; mainly settled in Chotanagpur region |
| Mundari | Language of the Munda tribe | Belongs to Austro-Asiatic language family |
| Hodo Jagr | Local name of Mundari language | Traditional self-name used by Mundas |
| Sarna | Sacred religious place | Worship place of village deities |
| Sarna Religion | Traditional tribal faith | Nature worship and ancestor worship |
| Akhra | Community meeting ground | Cultural dance, social gathering and discussions |
| Sasan | Burial ground | Place where dead bodies are buried |
| Sasandiri | Memorial stone | Stone placed over graves as remembrance |
| Gitiora | Youth dormitory system | Training center for discipline and tribal culture |
| Khunt | Clan / family lineage | Basic social unit of Munda society |
| Khuntkatti | Joint clan-based land system | Land owned collectively by original settlers |
| Khutkattidar | Founder of village | Person who first cleared forest and settled |
| Munda (Village Head) | Head of single village | Maintained law, order and land matters |
| Manaki | Head of group of villages | Supervised several villages |
| Parha | Cluster of villages | Administrative union of villages |
| Parha Raja | Chief of Parha | Overall head elected by people |
| Parha Panchayat | Administrative council | Highest judicial, executive and legislative body |
| Diwan | Executive officer | Assisted in administration |
| Thakur | Executive officer | Helped in maintaining order |
| Pandey | Executive officer | Religious and advisory role |
| Karta | Executive officer | Managed village affairs |
| Lal | Executive officer | Assisted Parha administration |
| Hereditary Posts | Traditional succession system | Most posts passed from father to son |
| Election of Parha Raja | Democratic selection | Chief chosen by election, not hereditary |
| Cooperative System | Collective governance | Leaders did not collect regular revenue |
| Judicial Authority | Dispute settlement | Parha Panchayat resolved disputes |
| Executive Authority | Administration | Implemented decisions of Panchayat |
| Legislative Authority | Rule-making power | Made customary laws |
| Forest Clearing | Early settlement activity | Forests cleared for agriculture |
| Permanent Settlement | Stable village life | Shift from nomadic to settled agriculture |