Using Gandhian principles, Man Singh Rawat has successfully helped the tribal communities of the Garhwali Himalayas get access to education and better quality of life.

A staunch Sarvodaya Sevak, Man Singh Rawat hails from the Garhwal District of the Himalayan region. Born January 24, 1928, he vowed to lead a life of simplicity and dedicate his being to the welfare of the masses, when he was still in his youth.

Man Singh Rawat is spiritually bonded to the ideologies of Mahatma Gandhi, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, and Loknayak Jayprakash Narayan. As such, he is committed to the fundamentals of Gandhiji’s Gram Swaraj, Vinoba’s Sarvodaya, and JP’s Jeevandan to the core.

After completing his graduation in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in 1952, he participated in the Bhoodan movement, and got involved in other activities initiated by Vinoba Bhave. In this, he drew inspiration from Gandhi’s British disciple Sarala Behn, the founder of Lakshmi Ashram in Kausani, Almora.

Rawat undertook the Vishwa Maître Padyatra across Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Kotdwara to propagate peace and brotherhood. In course of the padyatra movement, he closely observed the prevailing poor educational system in the region for women and tribals. Thus ‘Education for women, and upliftment of Boksa tribes’ became the focus of his future work.

The Boksa tribes are indigenous people residing in the foothills of the Himalayan region.

Man Singh Rawat has dedicated his life for the upliftment and development of the Boksa tribes in Haldukhata, and its surrounding villages in Uttarakhand. He initiated work in the realms of village cleanliness, life-skills development in children, alcohol de-addiction, peace and friendship, village infrastructure development, environment and forest conservation, and women empowerment and related activities in the Boksa villages. He helped release bonded land from the landlords.

Rawat addressed these issues as part of the Swaraj movement by facilitating meetings and forming village development committees. All this necessitated the people’s proactive involvement, which Rawat could muster solely because they had faith in him, and their belief that he worked for the welfare of the Boksa community.

Man Singh Rawat has ceaselessly worked for decades, primarily focusing on:

• De-addiction
• Empowerment of women by honing their revolutionary and leadership power
• Coordination with people of all castes
• Education of the Boksa children

Rawat first sensitized the village women on liquor prohibition. Gradually, he and the people of the region channelized their energy to eradicate and prohibit alcohol. There was picketing against liquor vendors and shops, mass rallies, etc. Man Singh also undertook fasts during this agitation. Pressure from all corners resulted in prohibiting liquor, and declaring the Garhwal region as an alcohol-free region.

In this process, Rawat “fought” the liquor promoters and vendors with love, peace, and non-violence, thereby earning their respect and affection.

During 1984-98, significant developmental work was carried out in Nayaar Ghati villages (which is one of the neglected areas of the Garhwal region) to bring transformation through people’s participation. Under the chairmanship of the Block head, Rawat guided the formation of Nayaar Ghati Gram Swaraj Samiti Baadiyun Garhwal to carry out the development work.

Women were empowered to be the pillars for further upliftment and development of the villages. They emerged as a strong group in Nayaar Ghati. Women were encouraged to form women’s councils and self help groups. Rawat – along with these women – worked on the holistic development of the village, focussing on activities like stopping felling of trees, collectively guarding the cultivated crops, balwadis, sanitation and hygiene, forest conservation, and infrastructure development. Owing to persistent demand of women, the Government started new schools, and upgraded some in several villages.

85 villages were empowered following the philosophy of Gram Swarajya. A Mahila Bank was also established. Presently, over 40 self help groups are empowering the society, five villages have initiated library set-up along with innovative educational programmes, and eight villages have formed Kishori Sangathans.

The women have also represented communities on the village Panchayat level.

In the field of education, Man Singh Rawat started balwadis in Haldukhata, Sitabpur, and Bijnor villages in 1955, which continued for almost a decade. Later, he started the Boksa Janjati Balika Vidyalaya in 2001, which has gained recognition over the years. Efforts have been afoot to change the mindset of the Boksa community and sensitize them about educating children.

Children from the Boksa, Van Gujjar, and other communities attend this school. It conducts non-formal classes and life-skills education to prepare the children for mainstream and formal education. Seven batches have completed and passed Class VIII. Currently, there are 181 students and nine teachers.

The school is supported by The Hans Cultural Mission.

Man Singh Rawat propagated Jeevseva to prohibit forest hunting and animal killing. He has also worked for saving rivers and other water resources, as issues of Jal (water), Jungle (forest), and Jameen (land) are also major areas of concern in the region.

Rawat worked on the formulation of Jal Niti (water policy) submitted to the Government of India. Recently, Rawat undertook a fast for 15 days and successfully got a promise from the government and its functionary to undertake any legislative measures only after taking into consideration their benefits for the common people of society.

Throughout his work, Rawat sensitized, mobilized, involved, and encouraged villagers for all developmental activities. He facilitated formation of social groups/organizations to carry out these. Public participation is an important feature of Rawat’s work.

Man Singh Rawat found his soulmate in his wife Shashiprabha, who has stood by his side and supported him throughout his journey of work and life. Shashiprabha has participated in the satyagrahas, padyatras, alcohol prohibition, the Chipko movement, Bhoodan, and gramdan work alongside her husband. What characterizes this couple is generosity and compassion for mankind. Their life and lifestyle are purely Gandhian. They lead a saintly life amongst the tribals.

Man Singh Rawat is a guiding star and an inspiration to the local community, especially the younger generation. Across gender, caste, and creed, Rawat is a facilitator. He has provided motivational, inspiring, and participative leadership to the community in a fair and fearless manner.

Rawat’s devotion, dedication, and spirit of sacrifice show his allegiance towards Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave as their silent crusader. His relationship with the common people, and above all, being fair, fearless, and a friend to all, is noteworthy.

Rawat is simplicity personified, and a hero and worker of the “old school” in the Sarvodaya fraternity.

In the year 2015, Man Singh Rawat received the Jamnalal Bajaj Award, in the category of Constructive Work.

For more information about other past winners, visit the Jamnalal Bajaj Awards website.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

On March 14, 2017, Irom Sharmila celebrated her birthday for the first time in 45 years at a place over 3,000 km away from her home in Imphal, Manipur. Yet, she looked peaceful and so much at home among her well-wishers and new friends in Attappady, one of the largest tribal settlements in Kerala’s Palakkad district.

Her host, Uma Preman, the founder and centre director of the settlement’s rehabilitation centre Santhi Gramam, arranged a pretty cake with pink icing and Irom was all smiles while cutting it.

“I am here to spend a few days in tranquillity,” Irom told The Hindu, adding, “Let the winds of Attappady refresh my mind.”

Photo Source

While Santhi Gramam has been the news recently for Irom Sharmila’s visit, it has a much longer and extremely interesting story to tell. With a beautiful name that translates to ‘Village of Peace’, this rehabilitation centre has been a haven for the elderly, the destitute, the sick and the differently-abled since 2014.

In August 1997, noted social worker Uma Preman started a resource centre in Guruvayur (in Thrissur District of Kerala) for those seeking information and financial assistance for medical treatment of crippling or life-threatening diseases. Having lost her husband, Preman Thaikkad, due to improper diagnosis and delayed treatment, she knew the value of right medical advice, accurate information and proper treatment in saving precious human lives.

Till date, Uma’s resource centre (called Santhi Medical Information Centre) has facilitated over 2 lakh dialysis treatments, over 20,000 cardiac surgeries and over 680 kidney transplants. Uma herself has donated a kidney to a young boy.

Uma Preman

Photo Source

In 2014, on a visit to Attappady, Uma realised that the social conditions of the tribals (like health, nutrition, sanitation, education and housing) still remained poor despite numerous welfare programmes. Deciding to do something to change this, she started a welfare project called the Santhi Gramam.

Under this, two tribal hamlets (Down Agali Ooru and Agali Kandiyur Ooru) in Attappady were adopted by Uma’s resource centre. Volunteers conducted case studies to identify the root causes of poor development, before identifying core areas for improvement in the village.

The first step was setting up a 20-bed physiotherapy centre for tribals suffering from debilitating, paralysing and painful diseases. Next, awareness campaigns were conducted to encourage tribals to take necessary steps to improve sanitation and hygiene.

It was during these campaigns that the tribals had several misconceptions about menstrual hygiene and disposing menstrual waste. To address this issue, a sanitary napkin manufacturing unit was set up at Santhi Gramam. The ‘Santhi Napkins’ were then distributed free of cost amongst adolescent girls on a monthly basis during awareness classes held in tribal high schools. Incinerators for their safe disposal were also set up in all hostels for tribal girls.

Initially, the volunteers had to face much opposition from tribal communities while distributing sanitary napkins. For most of them, it was a foreign practice and they refused to deviate from their traditional methods. However, thanks to Santhi Gramam’s persistent efforts, acceptance for this initiative is gradually growing.

To improve basic sanitation in the villages, the volunteers of Santhi Gramam have constructed over 90 toilets in tribals homes. Other than this, water storage tanks have been set up, blocked drains have been cleared and disconnected electricity connections have been restored.

A community kitchen has been established to ensure that tribal people, especially students, have access to nutritious food and supplements on a regular basis. This programmes has been paired with campaigns conducting early detection tests for lifestyle diseases that are commonly found in tribal communities. ECG and X-Ray facilities are provided at nominal rates.

Santhi Gramam has also successfully implemented several cottage industries to provide sustainable livelihoods to the tribals. Other than providing employment to women through the sanitary napkin manufacturing unit, the rehabilitation centre has also set up a palm leaf plate manufacturing unit on its plastic-free campus.

Santhi Gramam also provides training in organic farming

Photo Source

The volunteers and tribal employees collect dry areca nut palm leaves from the neighbourhood, and wash them in clean water, before letting them dry in the sun. They are then cut, hot-pressed and shaped into plates with the help of customised machinery. These eco-friendly plates are then sold to event management groups, festival organisers and distributors across south India.

Apart from this, Santhi Gramam also trains tribals in the organic cultivation of drumstick, papaya, banana and vegetables like yam, pumpkin, tapioca, beans, okra, brinjal, tomato and gourds. A small farm school has been established to provide training in composting, dairy farming, poultry farming, aquaculture and mushroom cultivation. A tailoring unit has also been set up for interested tribals.

A Knowledge Villa Project has also been started under the aegis of Santhi Gramam. To inculcate the habit of reading and encourage interest in acquiring education, a library with over 1 lakh books and a digital section has been set up at Santhi Gramam. A Sports Club and a Cultural Club have also been set up to tap the hidden talents of tribal youth through regularly held workshops and tournaments.

Uma Preman and project coordinators with tribal students

Photo Source

To help tribal students explore different avenues of employment, Santhi Gramam provides free tuitions to tribal children and sponsors the higher education of promising students. The centre also provides financial help to tribal graduates preparing for civil services examination. Vocational training and help in finding gainful employment is provided to those who have discontinued education.

All the initiatives undertaken at Santhi Gramam are sponsored entirely through crowdfunding and donations of well-wishers. Uma now plans to expand the project to 190 tribal hamlets in the region and establish an International Residential School for tribals at Attappady. As she says, education is the strongest weapon of social reform.

Contact Santhi Gramam here.

Feature Image Source (For representation only).

Also Read: This Man Left the Chaos of City Life Behind to Build an Organic Village in Kerala

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

An organisation is trying to empower women in rural Jharkhand by encouraging them to set up small-scale rice hulling enterprises.

The tribal village of Pasanga in the Phori Panchayat area of Jharkhand’s Gumla District is home to 144 households. A representative of thousands of small villages in India, the total paddy yield in the village is around 576 tonnes a year, out of which the farmers keep aside around 190 tonnes for their own consumption. The rest of the rice is sold to middlemen at a throwaway rate of Rs 6 per kg. There’s no other option other than such ‘distress sale’. At least, there wasn’t.

Recently, Mlinda Foundation, an organisation working in the field of solar electrification of rural areas, came up with a solution.

The organisation provided a group of 5 tribal women with a solar-powered rice hulling machine to start their own rice hulling enterprise.

“These women buy 60% of the paddy that would otherwise be sold off to middlemen from local farmers at the market price. They then themselves hull the paddy locally in electric rice huller machine powered by the mini-grid and sell the rice in the market. This freshly hulled rice fetches them a market price, which is twice the price of paddy. The sale of rice husk also acts as an additional revenue stream for the women, along with hulled rice,” says Sudeshna Mukherjee, deputy country director at Mlinda.

Since the rice hulling group in Pasanga started functioning from last September, the average monthly income for each member has gone up to Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 7,000, informs Sudeshna.

Mlinda Foundation has been working in the field of renewable energy since 2005. The organisation that has its global headquarters in Paris started functioning in India in 2011. Headquartered nationally in Kolkata, the organisation is active in the rural areas of West Bengal as well as Jharkhand.

Also read: TBI Blogs: These Villagers Sent 70 Postcards Every Day to Make Sure Their Kids’ School Was Reopened

Mlinda has so far partnered with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on various financially viable, open-source clean-energy projects that aim at leveraging solar power. The organisation innovates and transforms diesel-run machines into machines that run on solar power. So far, the organisation has designed, commissioned and is operating 8 solar PV based solar grids and has financed 17 irrigation pumps, 75 small irrigation pumps and 11 rice hulling machines to people in rural Jharkhand.

In Bengal, the organisation is installing affordable, community-owned solar mini-grids in the Sundarbans and Purulia areas. The organisation also offers loans to the farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

“All we want to do is to provide electricity to rural and tribal communities of West Bengal and Jharkhand residing in ecologically fragile areas and conflict zones. We are trying to do that through a system of renewable energy-based pico and mini grids that are paid for by the communities. Till date, Mlinda has commissioned 310 pico and micro grids (ranging from 150 Wp to 8 kWp) with an installed base of 105 kWp,” says Sudeshna.

Access to sustainable, reliable and low-cost energy sources can become a game changer in stimulating integrated rural development. Realising this, the organisation is trying to use solar electrification actively to incubate micro-entrepreneurship models at grassroots, with a focus on tribal women.

Also read: 10,000 Villages In Gujarat Will Have Access To Free Medical Support Thanks To This Initiative!

To know more about Mlinda Foundation, visit its website here. To contribute to the fundraiser for the rice hulling enterprises, click here.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

India’s diverse folk art traditions are more than just an important part of our culture. They are a link to India’s past and traditions, and several organisations, individuals, and initiatives are working to preserve them in recognition of their role.

Folk paintings have been a part of India’s traditions for many millennia. Starting from the pre-historic cave paintings of Bhimbetka, to Madhubani, which is believed to be as old as the Ramayana, on to the frescoes at Ajanta and Ellora, every region of India has had its own folk painting traditions. These painting styles evolved from simple depictions of the environment—trees, animals, and man—to detailed works of the elements, deities, and spiritual concepts to depictions of the universe.

The symbology of the gods, and indeed, of the universe as a whole, and of the human body influenced folk paintings in many forms. Canvases changed from walls of caves and temples to palm leaves to handmade paper, and created many tools and painting technologies that adapted to new discoveries while maintaining the traditions and ethos of “story-telling”, continuing and enhancing Vedic oral traditions and supplementing them, simplifying the spoken and written word, and making them accessible to the common man.

Each painting has a story—indeed, they were painted to tell stories!

Folk painting depicted the symbology of the epics, the gods and deities, and indeed, cosmology, mathematics, dance forms, and of Ayurveda and the human body. Indian traditions have been rich in symbology. Each deity has their own implements, postures, and mudras. The planets, the trees, the mandalas, the swastikas, and many more symbols made traditional folk art rich and colourful.

The Shunya, the Oum, mandalas, mythological events, and the Panchatantra and Jataka Tales inspired many artists to render them. The tales of Durga and Kali, of Mahishasura and Krishna have been the foundation of Madhubani and Pattachitra scroll paintings. Gond paintings evolved their own ethos of the elements of nature, the trees, animals, local deities, and customs.

The stories evolved in the Bengal region to get adapted into Santhal Paintings and Pattachitra to the “shaded” Kalighat paintings that were influenced by the European school after the advent of the British. The stories of the perceived debauchery of “Babu Culture” began to be depicted in many Kalighat paintings. These stories—from oral traditions to paintings and sculptures—were then depicted through folk dances that used masks and songs that were composed to tell the story of the paintings in poetic form.

The Amar Chitra Katha series that was started by Anant Pai was perhaps a continuation of these rich traditions to re-tell the stories in comic form to generations of Indians who grew up in the 70s-90s.

Many regional traditions of paintings

Each region of India has had its own regional folk painting forms—Gond Paintings in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand, Santhal paintings in West Bengal and Jharkhand, Madhubani in Bihar, and the Pattachitra and Kalighat traditions of West Bengal. In the North and North-West, Tibetan-influenced Tangkha traditions and the Rajasthani and Kangra traditions of miniature paintings evolved and intermingled with Persian-influenced Mughal Painting schools.

Many of the sub-continent’s board games evolved with imagery and concepts from the epics, and included the Ganjifa cards depicting the Dashavatar as its core set of card “suits”. Tribal Warli painting traditions, the Rogan traditions of Kutch, and many others evolved and flourished in the Western part of India. The princely states of Mysore and Travancore encouraged traditional art with a contemporary twist of the times, and Thanjavur painting styles that used gold foil, gemstones, and line drawings, enriching the painting traditions in South India.

Each of these used the imagery of well-established mythologies and folklore, and adapted to the newly available technologies and sensitivities of the time.

Framework bound yet innovative

As in much of the ethos and religiosity and customs of the sub-continent, rich and detailed “rules” of the form, colours, and hierarchy of the depictions in paintings have existed for a long time. These “rules” have, however, been more like “frameworks” that can be instantiated and interpreted by the artist to render new innovations. Thus, a blue colour is used to depict some of the gods. Human-like forms are used to depict the planets (navagrahas). Also, hence each deity has a set of implements that they carry in their many arms.

This “framework” has helped the folk arts evolve through re-interpretation by master artisans who create new techniques and trends. Gond paintings evolved through simple forms, yet with signature motifs that individual artists used to fill details in their paintings.

Natural Colours – sustainable ethos

The “technology” of colours and paints and the “patta” (canvas) evolved too. But, it maintained the ethos of sustainability and the use of natural resources. The “patta” evolved from the walls of caves to the palm leaf, and cloth to handmade paper. Artists derived the colours from leaves, flowers, vegetables, and fruits. The “fasteners” for the colours were natural gums like the gum from the Bel fruit. The use of resources was well-planned and frugal.

Artists produced the colours in the season when the flower, vegetable, or fruit was available. They then stored them for later use by diluting and mixing the colour with the fastener. Mineral- and stone powder-based colours were more prevalent in the Rajasthan and Himachal regions. We need to bring back and incentivise the ethos of natural colours as a part of reviving folk painting traditions.

Support the revival of Folk Art. Buy an Indian Folk Painting today

Many museums, government institutions, and art galleries have made efforts to revive the Folk Painting traditions of the country. Bharat Bhavan and The Museum of Man in Bhopal have a major collection of Folk and Tribal Art. Online Art Galleries like Saffronart have also made considerable efforts to get folk art its due in art markets. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs, state museums, and private efforts are playing their part in reviving the Folk Arts.

Initiatives are reviving our rich traditions of the Folk Arts. For example, many rural artisans now participate in Madhubani and Pattachitra art due to recognition and monetary rewards. We need a much bigger effort make the impact even larger. Each one of us can help in this effort. Look to buy and gift folk paintings on festivals, engagements, weddings, corporate events, etc. Think of gifting Indian folk art on your next gifting occasion. Choose a folk painting from your region for your homes and offices.

Heart for Art Trust works with many folk painting artists, giving them exposure to markets. It creates opportunities for exhibition and sales of paintings, workshops with artisans, and commissioned projects with architects and interior designers.

Check out Heart for Art’s collection of folk paintings and help the cause of reviving India’s folk art traditions.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Bastar district in Chhattisgarh is home to some of the most unique tribal culture in India. However, the Naxalite activity around the borders of the state makes people wary of travelling there. Jinendra Parakh narrates his own experiences travelling to Bastar and how they changed his perception of the region and its people.

I clearly remember a conversation some time ago among friends, “Let’s plan Bastar this weekend. I have heard a lot about Chitrakoot falls and the unique tribal culture.” Unfortunately, as I listened curiously, the early excitement soon gave way to the obvious hesitation of visiting a place gripped by armed rebel parties.

Having visited Bastar more than a couple of times, I can affirm that it has always been safe for travellers.

With the exception of a few incidents, Bastar is no more perilous than other places. Raipur and Jagdalpur are as safe as any other Indian city. You see the hustle-bustle of a regular small town city in Jagdalpur, the heart and capital of Bastar district. During festivals like the Bastar Dussehra season, you will also find members of the tribal communities taking to the streets.

Some of the notable places to visit include Chitradhara Jagdalpur, Tamra Ghoomar waterfalls, Barsur village, Chitrakoot waterfalls, Danteshwari temple, Bastar Palace, Kailash and Kotumsar caves, and Tirathgarh waterfalls, among others.

The main tribes of Bastar include the Gond, Abujmaria, Bisonhorn, Maria, Muria, Halba, Bhatra, Parja, and Dhurvaa communities.

Dance is an important part of the tribal culture in Bastar. There are various forms of tribal dances, which include the Saila, Suwa, and Karma forms. All these forms of folk dances involve complex footwork, and are characterised by their robustness and earthiness.

The region still hasn’t caught the fancy of many people, but if you are looking for a secluded as well as adventurous holiday, then Bastar is the ideal place for you. One safety tip—have a local guide with you at all times, as the region is surrounded by dense forests, which are perfect places to be lost in.

The best part of our Bastar trip was a visit to the weekly haat (market), where I got to interact with tribal communities and understand their cultures.

These weekly markets are places of recreation, social interactions, and business. In one of the interactions, I was told about the local communities’ love for nature and environment. Everyone in the haat (market) was cooperative and helpful while offering us vegetables, local drinks (like the famous mahua made from the flowers of a tree that goes by the same name), and Bastar art and crafts.

The next thing I witnessed near the haat was a cockfight. A distinctive mark of Bastar tribal cultural identity, one such cockfight, in fact, shaped the historical fortunes of the neighbouring erstwhile princely state of Vijayanagaram.

From the haat, I made my way to Bakel, a village with 523 families. I was warmly welcomed by one of the families, who owned a small kirana store. The owner informed me that they serve chutney famously called ‘chapura’, made of red ants. I was amused and thrilled at the same time to have the exclusive privilege to experience the richest culture of Bastar.

Bastar proudly upholds a deep-rooted ancient way of tribal life that can’t be found anywhere else in India.

Our driver Bhisam, who belongs to Bastar, told us that these tribal communities still practice their ancient traditions and rituals. I was amazed to learn about their wedding rituals and social practices. For instance, the Muria tribe has a place called Ghotul, which is an exclusive living space for men and women to find their partners. I spent three days in Bastar, where I learnt several new things about the tribes and their traditions. With all these learnings, my Bastar trip came to an end with lots of memories and an understanding of rich tradition and culture.

Prior to this awesome trip, I too had a misconception about Bastar. But I came back with a different attitude, much of it positive, and I can’t wait to go back there. If you are willing to put up with some of the strenuous aspects of the place, your reward will be the most memorable travel experience of your life. Bon Voyage!

Find out more about Bastar and its tribals and their culture on the district’s official website.

Featured Image: Sunset at the foot of Chitrakoot Waterfall in District Bastar, Chhattisgarh, India. (Source: By vishal kumar agarwal (self shot by mobile camera) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

It was a long time ago that Ajita Toppo first came to the remote North Bengal hamlet of Nagrakata. When the young bride started her new life in this unknown place, she realised to her surprise that there was no school there. Born and brought up in South Kolkata’s Alipore, Ajita had studied till class10 before getting married and understood how important education was. She started worrying about her first-born Jaya’s education.

However, she wasn’t someone who’d lose hope and leave things to fate.

She decided to become the change that she wished for and started teaching children of tea plantation workers in the village at her home, free of cost.

“See, when I started, there wasn’t a single school in this village. This was back in 1988. I thought, if I wait for someone else to open a school, I’d have to sit waiting forever. I didn’t have any facilities, not even a simple blackboard back then. But despite that, the number of children kept increasing,” recalls Ajita.

Now, after 30 years of hard work, Ajita has managed to build a school called Rose Land Primary School with a student strength of over 130. Established and sustained by Ajita alone for years, the school slowly gathered support of the community and people started helping in many ways.

“I don’t own my house, we rent this place. I was teaching children in my living room, but when the numbers started rising it wasn’t feasible. So I rented a place in the village and started conducting the classes there. These children come from destitute families, who wouldn’t have been able to afford high amount for fees, so I started taking only Rs 20 from them,” says Ajita.

For years together, Ajita bore most of the expense of the school. Her family, too, supported her decision wholeheartedly.

Also read: Transforming Education in Rural Bihar Using Animated Videos

Owing to her dedication, practical and innovative ways of teaching and love for her students, the number of children kept increasing further. The rented house was not able to accommodate all the students.

In 2014, a local person Sunil Kujur donated a piece of land for the school. With the help of the community, Ajita managed to raise the school building within a year. A local NGO Maha Jiban has donated learning material to her school like Lego building blocks, an iPad, Wi-Fi connection, abacus as well as some stationery.

Today, Ajita, her daughter Jaya and five other youths from the village are teaching in the school. Now, Ajita has turned to crowd-funding for making more facilities available to her students.

“We have over 130 students and seventeachers, but there’s only one toilet. We need to construct separate toilets for boys and girls as well as the staff. It is not possible to pay sufficient wages to the teachers at present. They are working out of passion, but I wish to be able to remunerate properly. Also, some of my students come from a distance of 10-15 km every day to school. They cover this distance mostly on foot. I wish to arrange for a school van to pick them up. That’s why my daughter suggested that we start a crowdfunding campaign,” says Ajita.

Also read: How A Library In A Village In Bihar Is Changing The Lives Of The Students

To contribute to Ajita’s crowdfunding campaign on Milaap, click here.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Serendipity is one word to describe my experience. I stumbled upon the Irula tribe when I was on the lookout for something completely different.This event gave me a completely new perspective of life, and an excellent story to write about the power of positive living.

How it all began

“It isn’t your lucky day, sir,” said my driver. I was desperately peeping from my jeep window, looking for wildlife. I had just learned that being on a holiday in a ‘forest’ and not spotting a single animal can be quite upsetting. Fanning my upset mood was the hot breeze in the Masinagudi forests, which, ironically, are touted as a place of refuge from the heat.

Right in the middle of the reserve forest, I found some animals at last. A lad taking his herd out for grazing. Surprised to find a human out of nowhere inside the forest, I looked outside and a sign board that said ‘Mayanur-Irula Tribe Settlement’. I asked my driver to take me inside, and agreed to pay him extra for the ride back. He kept assuring me that we would definitely find an elephant herd if we headed back, but I had decided to call it a day. I insisted on visiting the tribal settlement.

The Mystic Mayanur

Mayanur was not a typical Tamil Nadu hamlet. It could be a village in Rajasthan, totally parched. We saw an old man gazing out into the open lands once we entered the tribe’s lands. I got down from the jeep and began walking towards him. The boy who was with the goats looked at me and said the old man’s name was Shivayya, and that he was the Irula head priest. He was the one who told me more about the Irula tribes and their origin.

Irula Tribes – the men of Night’s Watch

The Irulas, Shivayya said, are the first native tribes of Tamil Nadu. “The name ‘Irulas’ originates from the word ‘Irul’, meaning ‘night’ in Tamil. The Irula men were originally part of the Kings’ Guard. They were the ones who kept watch at night,” he told me. Cue to the catchy Game of Thrones theme music playing in my head. What followed justified this jump my mind made to GoT.

Shivayya pointed to a pillar and said, “This was the first pillar our ancestors erected here, 2,000 years ago, and every time an Irula was ready to be sworn into the Kings’ Army as a night guard, it was here he took the oath. For thousands of years, Irulas served the Chola dynasty as night guards.”

“Since we were always the men of the Kings’ Guard, we are built to withstand hard times, and have been taught not to complain about hardships,” Shivayya said as he began taking me around the Irula settlement. This was the point where I realized that what had started out as a holiday had brought me to a place with an amazing story about how the Irula tribe is a standing example of grit and positivity.

Historical significance of the Irulas

As we began walking, I asked Shivayya more about the history of the Irula settlement.The Irula settlement in Mayanur is about 2,000 years old. “The Irulas walked across the Bandipur Sanctuary and set up a camp at this place since there was a river running by it,” Shivayya told me. They found this place so secure that the camp became a permanent settlement.

They began by serving as Kings’ Guard and moved on to specializing in catching venomous snakes and rodents. “We specialize in cobra antivenin, where we milk a cobra to produce an antidote for snake bite. Irulas began moving to cities in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka once there was a requirement of snake bite cures,” Shivayya said.

To me, it was evident that these professions had built the positive attitude and grit to remain calm and stable even during times of crises.

Into the lives of the Irula

We walked around the Irula houses, and I observed that the Irulas spoke a language which was a mixture of Tamil and Kannada. When I asked Shivayya about this, he said, “Our language is a boon and a bane for us,” and broke off chuckling. He continued saying, “The Tamil Nadu government feels that we belong to Karnataka and the Karnataka government thinks the other way round. Hence, we often have to fight for the state government schemes for the tribes, but other times, we get lucky and get allowances from both the states.”

A typical Irula house looks like the kind of house I would make only if I absolutely had to. It is made entirely of stones and mud. Most houses don’t have doors, so the homes look welcoming to guests. The households have hunting dogs as pets, and a separate house for their goat and sheep.

“The Irula tribes trust the hunting dogs to protect them and their cattle. There have been instances where the dogs have scared even elephants away!” Shivayya said when we were inside one of the cattle houses.

There are about 50 families in this settlement, and I was surprised to find that almost every household had a DTH connection and a television, despite being devoid of basic facilities like proper sanitation. When I asked Shivayya about this, he chuckled and said, “Yes, the government constructed toilets for a few houses here,” and pointed to one of them.

The toilet was very small, and just had an asbestos sheet to function as a door. Shivayya asked me, “Do think it is possible for anyone to use this?” I was silent.

He continued saying, “We relieve ourselves in the open, and refuse when officials come and ask if more toilets need to be constructed. It is our culture, and we don’t complain, because complaining is against our culture.”

Changing with times

“Irulas shifted to agriculture as times went by, and were allocated land by kings. For many years, we remained farmers. The land around us is all Irula land, and we cultivated millets here. This was the only place in Tamil Nadu which had millet cultivation for many years. Now, since we have so less water, without complaining, we have shifted to animal husbandry,” Shivayya said. He then smiled and took me around to one of the Irula households.

Here, I met Irula children. 12-year-old Tipu and 8-year-old Megha told me about school and their aspirations of becoming an engine driver and an actress respectively. Their parents pointed to another child and told me he couldn’t speak but was excellent in mathematics. An engineer from the electricity board drives the children to a local school at Masinagudi, and brings them back home every day.

Their parents appeared to be tea-estate workers, and they invited me home for lunch. The kids pulled me inside, and all of us sat down for lunch. A huge ragi ball with pickle is their lunch every day. I amused the kids with my attempts to swallow the ragi. The drinking water was too salty, but the people here neither complained nor cautioned me from drinking it.

The Irula culture

Our lunch conversation in the house was about the Irula culture. Irulas refrain from eating rice and consume millets, unlike the common habit in South India. This is because the millet-based food was ideal for the climate, and the best fit for their rigorous lifestyle. Irulas, I was told, celebrate Shivaratri, with great gusto.

“On Shivaratri, we make it a point that Irulas from all over the world gather here. We chant bhajans and prayers of Lord Shiva, our chief deity, throughout the night,” Shivayya said, and invited me to come over on Shivaratri to click pictures. “It will be amazing!” he said.

The oldest Irula lady, a woman of wisdom

Shivayya then asked me, “You want to meet someone interesting?” We went to another thatched-roof home and saw an old woman chatting with her friends. When she saw me trying to take photos of her, she said, “I hate reporters and tourists. They all are temporary people, and just leave after hearing us out.”

She gave me a stern look and asked, “What are you going to ask me? How old I am? What sufferings I and my tribe face? Write a sympathetic sad story about us? We all are very happy people.The forest gives us resources, and strangers take the resources away from us. Yet, we all are happy. We are all happy,” she said again, and paused to take a sip of water.

“If you take a picture of us, don’t post it in gray-scale and write a story that we lead sad lives. Write a colourful story with bright pictures of us,” she said. She kept her face stern the whole time I was taking the photos. Finally, she turned to Shivayya and ordered him to make sure I sent them a copy of what I wrote.

Shivayya laughed at this. The old lady looked at me again and said, “No sad stories about us, OK?” Dare I disobey?

Mixed feelings and a positive send-off

Bringing me to the old lady seemed like Shivayya’s way of saying goodbye to me. I had taken enough of his time and deluged him with my torrent of questions. Thanking him, I waved bye to the children as they chased my jeep once we started moving away. I was heading back home, and felt a bit numbed.

Instead of seeing wildlife in the forests of Masinagudi, I found generosity instead. I had met people who made a virtue out of positivity and not protesting against injustices of life. It might have been an uneventful trip but for visiting this settlement. The Irulas gave me a story and insisted that they be portrayed as happy.

On the way back, the driver once again commiserated, “It isn’t your lucky day, sir.” I told him, “It is the luckiest day of my life.” At least for that one day, the positive attitude of the Irula tribes had rubbed off on me too.

Want to cover inspiring stories of change and make a substantial difference in the social sphere? Click here to join the Milaap Fellowship Program.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Five years ago, Rashmi Tiwari recalls entering a small tribal home in Orissa, as part of a social welfare funding project for CEO Clubs, India. The ground reality of the red corridor in the country shook her to the core.

She stared in absolute horror, as parents of minor girls as young as 5-6 years old, offered them to her in exchange of money.

While one home had three grown up girls sharing one set of clean clothes, most daily wage laborers struggled to have two meals a day. This marked the watershed moment of her life.

“Minor girls were being pushed into the web of trafficking and nobody was bothered. I was witnessing the worst kind of human rights violation on the ground of my own country.”

Returning to Delhi, she decided to quit her corporate job and luxurious life to visit tribal areas of India in an attempt to understand the extent of trafficking and empower tribal girls and women.

Who is Dr Rashmi Tiwari?

Rashmi was only nine when she was pushed out of the comfort of her Mumbai home with her single mother. There was no roof over her head and certainly no source of income for her uneducated mother. Enrolled at Saraswati Uchchatar Kanya Vidyalaya in Varanasi at 10 years old, there was never enough money to buy school uniform or books or lunch.

It was a common to see a young Rashmi break into Amitabh Bachchan’s Aaj Rapat Jaayein or mimic him to entertain the senior girls, who lent their old belongings to her. She’d work at the soap factory as a child labourer after school. Living out of a 3.5 x 5.5 m box room in Varanasi, she completed her Masters and earned her PhD degree in Economics from Banaras Hindu University in 1998-99. She then established herself in the corporate world.

Human trafficking v/s Sex trafficking

How many times have you witnessed a neighbor or a friend calling out to a choti in their homes to get you a glass of water or feed the toddler, and you did not bat an eyelid?

While ‘sex trafficking’ draws a sharp response from most people, human trafficking as modern day slavery – by hiring underage girls as child laborers or domestic helps – easily disguises itself as a socially accepted norm, says Rashmi.

“The demand and supply for these underage girls are not only in tribal areas but also the leading metros. In fact, city dwellers create the demand. Unknowingly and unintentionally, we are all contributing to it. Every time you hire a tribal underage girl from an agency as a house-help, even if you don’t abuse her. Or buy products and services that involve child labor and bonded labor, you are partaking in this grave human rights violation.”

She lays down hard-hitting facts that state India is one of the top five countries in the Global Slavery Index. Large tribal populations, on the brink of extinction in the red corridors of India, become breeding grounds for trafficking.

Similar problems exist in the state of Jharkhand, notorious for Naxal activities, where Rashmi’s Aahan Tribal Development Foundation works for the upliftment of tribal women and girls.

Stating the sociocultural context in these areas Rashmi expresses how generations of debt and bonded labor in tribal families make vulnerable girl children easy victims. Very often, these innocent girls are offered to the traffickers by the parents themselves. Or sometimes traffickers lure the parents and the girls with the dreams of a better life and job opportunities.

Over 40% of these girls disappear without any trace. Even if they escape, going back to the villages without making money for the agent is never an option. Threats, physical abuse, starvation and multiple sexual assaults by several men several times a day are common practices to make them comply, surrender and suppress their voice.

These girls don’t live to dream, they dream to live.

Read more: From War in Sudan to Cholera in Yemen, Dr Kaki Has Faced It All to Save Her Patients

Aahan Tribal Development Foundation

Speaking about the vision and mission of Aahan Foundation, Rashmi says, “I wanted a sunrise for these girls as a result of their own collective efforts, not a result of anybody’s charity.

‘Aahan‘ refers to a new dawn.

Shedding light on the many challenges that she had to face while starting her work Rashmi shares, “I had never been to Jharkhand before. I had no funds, no resources and zero experience of working at the grassroots level in the social sector.”

On her first visit to a tribal village in Jharkhand, she thought of the most unconventional way of getting women and young girls to open up to her. She lured them by samosas and gulab jamuns and showed them anti-trafficking films on her laptop. Initially reluctant, the turnout started improving.

Most fathers, uncles, brothers and even traffickers started attending these chats who mistook Rashmi for an organised trafficker, who would lure the mothers along with the girls this time without paying them a penny.

Little did they know, she was here to disturb their entire system and train these girls to fight for their own rights. Slowly, she started gaining the trust by interacting with the women Sarpanch and members of the self-help groups, who enjoyed great respect among tribals. It helped her in breaking the ice and take tribals into her confidence.

But it was a huge challenge to convince women and young girls to live their lives on their own terms.

“The constant fear of getting trafficked locked them in a cage that dictated that they had to earn enough money to feed their families.What was needed was a behavioral shift,” says Rashmi.

But now Rashmi had already come under the radar of the traffickers, local leaders and politicians who threatened to hurt her if she did not back down. She recalls an incident when she was on the brink of being kidnapped by Naxalites and was allowed to escape because locals intervened. That did not stop them from hitting her and threatening her to return to the city.

It’s been over 3 years, her projects are still working successfully in over 50 villages reaching out to over 5000 women and girls.

Impact

Aahan Foundation started in 2013, provides vocational training to girls and women in sales, marketing, sports, performing arts and arts. To prevent trafficking and promote holistic growth, they run Aahan Fellowship for Tribal Girls and Women, a year long leadership program, Udaan a week long program to get selected tribal girls and women to New Delhi to meet with leaders political, social and business areas, Village Level Mentoring Programs and Global Tribal Mentoring Walks.

Today members of the Aahan family are successfully working as corporates, nurses, teachers, panchayat leaders, mason and builders, professional football players, and constructing toilets as social workers.

As a Rupanti Munda dons an Indian Jersey at the Homeless Cup, a 14-year-old Rupni Barla speaks at TEDx about bouncing back strongly and representing India in Marathon runs across the globe. Aarti Munda saves the dying Madhubani and Surahi art on women’s issues and now wants to start an art and culture school in her village.

Biresh Devi who struggled as a child bride, now works as a pink auto driver in Jharkhand.

Rashmi talks about her biggest experiential learning saying, “You don’t need a lot of money or too many people to drive change. We had no resources, no experience, and no business model. It’s been over three years and we have sustained our activities without any major funding. We focus on impact sheets than excel sheets. One needs to measure how much change is one bringing in the lives and mindsets of tribal girls and women. I am not discounting the need of money, but revolutionary ideas do not ride waves of change based on the rationale of money.”

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

While Rupanti Munda grew up, she was used to the sight of armed Naxalites barging into homes in her tiny village – demanding food, money, and girls.

Child marriage and human trafficking marred most households. Girls as young as 5 years old were sold by their parents, who struggle to make ends meet.

But none of this deterred 20-year-old Rupanti from challenging the norm and rising like a phoenix.

Born in one of the most notorious villages, Dhoti in the Latehar district situated in the red corridor of Jharkhand, Rupanti Munda has one dream — to become a coach for the Indian football team.

In class three, the young tribal girl started playing the sport and has continued to do so for over a decade.

Rupanti and her friends were introduced to the game by a teacher in her school, Mr. Bhagatnam. He gifted her her first pair of sports shoes. Until then, she lacked the basic gear to play the game, but her teacher’s support and her passion for football helped her excel.

Her exposure began with interschool matches, and later she participated in intra and inter-village matches – known as Khasi football.

“It’s a match where the winning prize is a goat. We just played because we wanted to win goats,” she laughs.

Rupanti would wake up at 4:30 am, finish all her chores and start training at 7:30 am. “I would practise for two hours, come back home, and then go to school. This game became a part of my life.”

Having only played Khasi matches up until then, she was unaware that the game was also played at a national level. Her first exposure to a match outside the boundaries of her village was at the age of 14 when she went for a state team selection trial. She played as a part of the state team in Uttarakhand in 2011.

A major blow

Rupanti lost her father in 2011. She recalls her time with him saying, “Bapu was always very supportive. He accompanied me whenever I had a match and would pray for my success.”

After playing for the state team, she got selected to represent India. The training camp was in Kerala. Her father’s death had taken a major financial toll on the family.

“I thought my mother would be not be able to afford my travel and accommodation expenses. But somehow she did as she sourced money to send me to the camp.”

After the strenuous training at the camp, Rupanti was sure she would own her game while representing India at an international tournament. But the dream of donning a jersey that said ‘INDIA’ on the back, with Rupanti’s name underneath it, was shattered into a million pieces when she couldn’t afford a VISA!

As she dealt with the devastation of not being able to go for this tournament, fate proved to be even more unkind – she lost her brother to a Naxalist attack in 2015.

“I was training in Jamshedpur at the time. It broke me and I slipped into a terrible depression. Everything was falling apart. I left everything and rushed back home, to never return. I quit playing football.”

Rupanti suspects her brother was a victim jealousy. The murderer, she says, was the son of the Naxalite leader in her village.

With nobody to support them financially, Rupanti, 15, took charge of looking after her older sister, mother and her brother’s wife and kids. With eight mouths to feed, she was the sole bread winner.

She collected Mahua, the flowers of which are distilled to make a local liquor. She tried to farm in her own small plot, worked in other households, and even as a daily wage labourer.

Read more: The Untold Story of India’s Leading Woman Sailor, Dr Rohini Rau!

Dreams come true

But a ray of hope emerged when she met Dr Rashmi Tiwari from the Aahan Foundation in 2016, which works to uplift tribal girls vulnerable of being trafficked. The organisation hopes to make the girls more self-reliant and financially independent through mentorship, skills and sport.

She knew about me playing and asked me if I would come to Delhi. For the first time since the death of my bapu & bhaiyya, I decided to chase my dreams. I trusted her and I knew it’s not for nothing.”

Rashmi encouraged Rupanti to assemble other girls and form a team. Today, Rupanti is the captain of the Aahan Braveheart team who have played at the district level to earn laurels.

This year, Rupanti crowdfunded her own visit to represent India at the 15th edition of the Homeless World Cup in Oslo. With over 500 players representing more than 50 countries, the game brings together street football programmes from around the world.

Rupanti ends by saying, “Wearing that jersey with India and my name on it in an open stadium was the most surreal moment of my life. My playing at the Homeless World Cup this year, proves that a financial crisis can never be a hurdle in chasing your passion if you are determined to make it happen.”

Challenges

The people in her village continued still bad mouth her. “Why are you trying to play a boy’s game? You will never amount to anything! Such jibes became an everyday affair! I would break down at times, but now I don’t care. I have always been a rebel and I will continue to be to chase my dreams.”

She wants to empower other tribals girls too. “I want to help girls from the remotest parts of the country dream big.”

Sadly, her mother drinks herself silly because she has not got over her son’s death.

Rupanti looks after her 8-member family with the money she makes from farming and the stipend she earns from the Aahan Foundation. She aims to collect funds to open a coaching centre in her village to help other tribal girls get trained.

“Now the Aahan Bravehearts team has one only Rupanti. I want to create 20 more Rupantis and help them secure a place not just in the state team but also the national team,” she signs off.

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Folk music is an indelible part of India’s storied oral tradition. Songs emanating from the tribal folk tradition are critical fragments of this country’s vast cultural diversity. Based on simple instruments and arrangements, articulated by voices of the soil, and set across different geographical locations and cultural contexts, these songs are a celebration of nature and the human condition.

In an era when music is based on electronically-generated soundscapes, a young social entrepreneur, Abhinav Agrawal (26) started the Anahad Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that works towards recording, preserving, documenting and consolidating the available knowledge of the evolution of Indian tribal folk music.

The core team behind executing this vision also includes Shuchi Roy, an experienced lawyer dealing with copyright issues and managing the organisation’s operations, and Satyam Sangwan, who deals with the technical and post-production process.

Abhinav’s personal tryst with music began very early, learning the tabla from the age of four and eventually earning a Prabhakar degree in the instrument, and vocals from the Allahabad Gharana.

He founded the Anahad Foundation in 2013 but soon realised that he didn’t have the requisite skills or understanding of how to run such an organisation. He soon enrolled into Berklee College of Music, Valencia, and earned a Master’s degree in music business.

Speaking to The Better India, Abhinav says that without avenues for recording, storing and establishing a digital identity for these folk artists, their work continues to suffer from myriad environmental, social and economic factors. He cites rising urbanisation of areas in certain parts of Rajasthan, and the growing sense of detachment it creates among local communities, as a factor that has come to threaten these precious cultural artefacts.

“Without quality technology to record their music, they cannot reach a larger audience and reap the benefits through earning from mechanical royalties,” said Abhinav.

Although the organisation is based out of New Delhi, the foundation and their team of volunteers travel to tribal villages with a mobile studio recording system to record the work of these artists under their ‘Project Equals’ initiative, which brings tribal folk musical communities into the mainstream. Once the composition is vetted for originality, it is converted into a digital format. The copyright to this composition is then given to the composer.

The Anahad Foundation then aids the process of creating a website for the respective artist, with a music video of their performance uploaded to it.

When asked if the organisation also doubles up as an artist management agency, Abhinav responds with an emphatic no. “There is a host of artist management agencies which take these artists to perform abroad. However, on their return these are artists are left in a perilous financial condition. Many of them are illiterate and do not understand contracts. These agencies end up taking 60-70% of all the earnings, leaving the artists with a pittance.”

Read more: This Driving Institute in Gujarat Has Trained & Empowered Over 11,574 Tribal Youth Free of Cost

Instead, what the Anahad Foundation seeks to do is empower artists or someone from their community to take up that responsibility.

“Either the tribal artist or someone from the community possessing a certain amount of literacy is taught to become artist managers in their own right, providing them with CDs, business cards and pen drives. In the event that they do not understand a particular piece of contract or any such document, we help them overcome communication barriers.”

Songs produced by these folk artists are released on CDs and digital platforms across the world with royalties generated through streaming and selling for documentation purposes. In fact, music scholars from all over the world are invited to study this music for the documentation process. This, Abhinav argues, is the difference between folk and classical music. “Classical music continues to thrive in India because it is well documented and preserved. Students today earn degrees in classical music, and scholars continue to produce academic papers on the subject.”

Collaborations with Indian and international producers is a key element to the process of opening up these artists to larger audiences and allowing the form to remain relevant. “The guitar today isn’t the same instrument it was 10 years ago. It has more functions, creating different sounds. Similarly, tribal folk music cannot remain confined within the same musical structures and arrangements. Collaborations with noted Indian and international producers will allow these tribal folk musicians to develop their sound for larger audiences,” says Abhinav.

Next year, the foundation plans on inviting international producers with tribal artists to produce one song. In a bid to achieve it, Anahad is organising the Equals Music Festival, which will be held in Jaisalmer Fort.

As per a recent report on YourStory, “By 2020, Anahad aims to raise the economic livelihood of 30 tribes in three underprivileged musical communities of India by 70 per cent. Next year, they plan to work in Northeastern states.” This month the foundation and its band of volunteers are travelling to Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka for research on tribal folk groups

To find out more about the Anahad Foundation, click here.

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Vishakha Shirke is all of 17, but her determination to sit for her ten standard board exams despite all odds proves the strength of her will.

The resident of the Mumbai Suburb Jogeshwari, was only 14, when her family made her drop out of school. The reason for forcing her to quit her education given to her was ‘it had no value to her life.’

Now at 17, this girl from the tribal Vaidu community, will be appearing for her Class X Board exams.

And it has been no easy task. The 17-year-old girl bravely fought all odds, including her alcoholic father to re-enrol herself in the Shramik Vidyalaya.

If her father had his way, she was to be forcibly married off to another boy from the tribal community which predominantly works in homespun medical remedies and engages in menial jobs like hawking reported DNA.

One of the guiding mentors who helped Vishakha break free from societal shackles and resume her education was 27-year-old social activist Durga Gudilu.

Vishakha is only one among the other twelve kids from the community with similar struggles to appear for their board exams from Mumbai, thanks to Durga’s NGO.

Speaking to the publication, Durga revealed how her Maharashtra Vaidu Swayamsangharsha Samajik Sanstha found that 412 teenagers in the state were out of school in 2017.

It was at the time that Durga along with her organisation that works for the welfare of this tribal community decided to take responsibility for re-enrolling these teens in local schools.

“Many students, especially girls, are pressured by their families to forego formal schooling. The community does not set much store by education, and most parents want their daughters to be married so that their husbands can look after them. After years of persuasion, we have been successful in changing their mindset to some extent,” Durga told DNA.

The education of these students now under the wing of the NGO is being funded by global donors like Switzerland-based Christof and Madeleine Siffert.

Read more: Smashing Taboos, Tribal Girl Asks for Sanitary Pad Vending Machine for Village

They are delighted at being given a chance to turn their lives around and secure their future through education.

“It’s a nice feeling to be able to pursue my education. There is a sense of accomplishment,” Vishakha told DNA.

We wish these students all the very best! May they succeed with flying colours!

Feature Image In-set credit – DNA

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Despite the fact that many welfare initiatives for tribals have been being passed in the state, a huge sense of dissatisfaction continues to prevail in Kerala as none of these schemes have really come close to realising the desired results envisioned by the policymakers.

Among various schemes, it is the ones focusing on children and education in the tribal pockets that have been the worst losers—whether it the lack of adequate or well-trained teaching staff allocation in these areas, or how funds allocated for such schemes never really reach the benefactors.

To effectively bring a change in some of the most backward tribal settlements in Kerala that continue to remain isolated and disconnected from the modern world, the State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA) has envisaged a one-of-its-kind social literacy programme which will rope in individuals from these hamlets to impart training to their fellow community members.

Instead of state-commissioned teachers, whom unfortunately the tribal communities consider as outsiders and more often than not feel disconnected to, the new literacy drive will train the ‘preraks’ (instructors) from these regions, who can then take the learning to their own settlements and educate their community.

A two-day training programmed has been finalised by the concerned authorities that will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on March 24.

About 350 instructors have been identified by KSLMA, out of which as many as 100 hail from areas with very little or probably no educational reach.

“The tribal instructors who have been selected for the scheme are those with minimum educational qualifications. No such comprehensive scheme has been previously formulated elsewhere in the country towards tribal welfare. It is not just education that we are envisioning through this drive but more importantly, various life skills that will help bridge the blaring gap between both worlds,” says Pradeep Kumar, one of the officials associated with the mission to The Better India.

You may also like: This Dedicated IAS Officer’s Novel Ideas Are Preventing Tribal Kids From Dropping Out!

A similar programme has already been deployed in Attappady in the Palakkad district, and various tribal settlements across Wayanad and even these instructors will be part of the training programme.

“Unlike the usual literacy training drives, this programme will cover 17 distinct areas that includes law, higher education, health, gender equality, secularism, cinema, employment, food, democracy and so on. This will be the first time in the history of Kerala’s education sector that tribal communities have been selected and invited to be part of the social literacy programme, which in itself, is a reformative step,” Pradeep explains.

The programme will be implemented in a total of 100 tribal hamlets spread across Kerala, & as for instructors, 25 each have been selected from the Palakkad & Wayanad districts, 14 from Idukki, five from Thiruvananthapuram, & the rest are from the remaining districts.

With the aim of bringing the tribal population to the forefront of society, the new literacy drive envisions to empower these communities to the point of self-sustenance and help obliterate the disconnection that the adivasis feel towards modern-day settlements.

Not just limiting their reach to children and young adults, the instructors will also be entrusted with the responsibility of teaching anyone and everyone, who wishes to learn and receive an education.

Edited by Gayatri Mishra.

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Unlike people living in urban, rurban and even rural areas of the country, sensitising isolated tribal communities about the importance and need of proper sanitary facilities can be more or less equated to an overhaul of norms and practices that have been handed down from generation to generation.

To think of it, those who have been living isolated and unacquainted with the ways of modern living would naturally find any new mannerism preposterous—for example, eating food with spoon or fork.

In that case, wouldn’t it be very complicated to convince Adivasis to stop defecating in the open and build a toilet in their settlements?

However, sectional forest officer PG Sudha did it and managed to singlehandedly supervise and facilitate the building of not one or two but 497 toilets across nine tribal colonies in Kuttampuzha Range in Kerala’s Ernakulam district and that too within a record time of three months.

Having joined the state forest department 16 years ago, Sudha herself hails from one of the tribal communities in Kuttampuzha who have more or less adapted to modern culture and lifestyle in comparison to their isolated brethren in the deep woods.

The daring woman was conferred the Best Forest Guard Award by Kerala Chief Minister in 2006, for her exemplary services to the state forest department.

In 2016, when every district in Kerala was working towards making the state Open Defecation Free (ODF), K Mohammed Y Safirull, the district collector of Ernakulam, had a brainwave.

With the belief that Sudha’s deep-rooted knowledge about her roots could make her more suitable to approach the tribals, he entrusted the sole responsibility of the task, to the 51-year-old forest officer.

“It wasn’t an easy task at all. In fact, every contractor I approached for the project had point blank refused to take the responsibility, as it was logistically hard to take materials and manpower to such remote forested regions. These are areas that had no connectivity whatsoever, and the closest settlement takes a minimum of 3 hours to reach by foot. Also, they were quoting prices that were multiple times higher than usual charges. Finally, I came up with the idea of involving local masons from the tribal settlements, which finally worked to our benefit,” says Sudha to The Better India.

That was probably the easiest part. There was still the need to involve at least some experienced workers.

You may also like: This IAS Officer’s Unique Initiative Deserves Your Help; Donate a Toilet Today!

“I had to go all the way to Ernakulam city and quite literally had to beg people to come on board. The remaining workforce had been people from the department as I realised we knew better of the region and the tribal communities,” she remembers of the herculean task.

Now that a workforce had been established, the logistical aspect of carrying all the construction materials through extremely dense forests full of wild elephants was a significant obstacle. The connectivity problem remained for Sudha and her team as well.

Rivers and streams are indispensable facets of any forested region, and they worked out a plan to use the waterways to their advantage.

“With the help of rafts, we managed to navigate all the materials to the designated locations near the tribal colonies. Since there aren’t proper roads or even a pathway in these regions, we had to move all the workers in jeeps. The monetary requirements of the project were mobilised through Panchayat funds. Because I could figure out an economical alternative for every step, the overall expenses fell quite well within the allocated budget, and we managed to accomplish what I had envisioned way ahead of time,” Sudha proudly mentions.

You may also like: 6.3 Cr Indian Girls Lack a Private Toilet. One Organisation is Trying to Change That!

Sudha and other forest officials also took a personal interest in raising awareness about the perils of open defecation alongside the necessity for healthy sanitation, to the tribal communities, who were receptive and quite involved in the process.

In fact, it has almost been two years since the toilets were set up and Sudha explains that the Adivasis have maintained it very well.

Because of her determination to make the tribal pockets of Kerala open defecation free, Sudha received yet another award from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during the ODF declaration event on November 1, 2016, followed by Nari Shakti Puraskar from the then President Pranab Mukherjee.

Sudha has three sons, of which one works with the forest department, one is a police personnel and one works as a driver.

In a time when women still face gender disparity in workplaces and professional spheres, sectional forest officer PG Sudha has steadfastly proved that there is no job which is only a man’s forte and if one is willing to go the extra mile, anything can be achieved.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

As the summer temperatures soar and arid tribal hamlets across the country struggle to keep their water sources from drying up, one Adivasi hamlet of Kannepalli in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district, Telangana, is reversing the trend.

These villagers have come up with a simple solution to keep their only source of water recharged to ensure there is a continuous supply through the scorching summers.

About 20-kms away from Jainoor mandal headquarters, the indigenous Raj Gond tribe of the Jamuldhara Gram Panchayat has adopted a simple method of water conservation.

All they do is guide all spilt water into the open well or as they call it ‘kui’, which keeps it full all through the summers.

Speaking to The Hindu, Kanaka Buchiram, a teacher in the village explains the process saying, “Instead of collecting water at the solar-powered tubewell located about 30 meters away, we do it at the kui through an extended pipe. The pots are placed on the wooden platform on one side of the well, so all spilt water drops into the well itself.”

The village with its 25 odd households came up with this solution after facing troubles during past summers as their overhead water tanks lay defunct due to leakage and tube wells failed to ensure continuous water supply.

Read more: Kerala Students Turn Guardians of Greenery, Save 295 Trees from Being Axed!

Even the defunct solar-powered borewell was revived only a month ago after all other water sources of the village nearly dried up.

“A lot of water got wasted when individuals came to collect water at different times. The solar-powered motor was kept running for the most part of the day which resulted in a huge quantum of water going waste. We, therefore, extended the pipe till the kui and fixed timings for collecting water. Generally, the motor is operated for 90 minutes during the mornings and evenings, but even if the motor is kept running by mistake, the water goes directly into the well,” the teacher told The Hindu.

While the government had an ambitious ₹42,000 crore Mission Bhagiratha to provide safe driving water through village pipelines, the village head, Kanaka Jangu is happy that the villagers themselves have found a developmental solution to their decade-old water woes.

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

When I first heard about the Dongrias, it was way back in 2013. Their successful fight against a UK-based mining giant to save their sacred mountain caught the attention of newspapers. Their movement inspired me, and I wanted to photograph their traditional lifestyle, but unfortunately could not develop a source to reach them. When I finally had the opportunity to visit their villages this year in March, I made the most of it.

Dongria Kondh, a tribe that lives in the dense forests of Niyamgiri Hills, is spread across Rayagada and Kalahandi districts of southwestern Odisha.

Approximately 8,000 Dongrias live in 100 villages on that mountain.

Niyamgiri Hills is not only a sacred mountain to the Dongrias, but it also plays a major role in the region’s ecology. The Dongrias have earned the status of PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group) from the Government of India. That’s because they still have a primitive lifestyle,  geographically isolated from others and shy, as a result. They are more educationally and economically backward than other tribal groups in the country. There 75 such PVTGs in India.

My journey to Lakhpadar village in Niyamgiri Hills, with a friend, began from Dhamteri, Chhattisgarh. We drove 230 km and reached Bhawanipatna, the district headquarters of Kalahandi district. We then continued our drive to Langigargh village, at the foothills of Niyamgiri.

Langigargh has been the centre point of conflict for long, as the UK-based mining giant tried to set up a plant here. Bauxite mining too was about to start but it got cancelled eventually due to the landmark verdict from the Supreme Court of India.

From Langigargh to Lakhpadar village, is a journey of 15 km. We travelled by car for the first seven, but the tricky potholes and thorny stems caused me to give up. I walked the remainder of the way, stopping many times to watch the beautiful vistas to Niyamgiri. Finally, after a 45-minute walk, I made it to the village.

Also Read: 5 Arenas Where Tribal India Shattered the Mainstream Ceiling

Lakhpadar is important among the Dongrias. Not only did the movement start from here, the leader of the Dongrias, Lodo Sikoka, lives here.

The face of the Dongria movement, he is a knowledgeable man. He has been attacked by the administration as well as by the Company goons.

Lakhpadar is a small village, where around 30 families live. The Dongrias speak the Kui language. During my walk, I spotted numerous streams surrounding the villages. These streams are the lifelines of the community.

Lodo Sikoka stated, “One of the major reasons we have opposed bauxite mining in the Niyamgiri Mountains was that it would destroy our numerous perennial hill streams. Our farming and daily livelihoods depend on these streams.”

During my time there, I was able to observe some things about the lives of the Dongria people.

Fermented liquor, made from the sap of palm trees is often used during rituals as well as for regular consumption in daily life. It is called “Salpa”.

A palm tree is one of the seven trees, considered as a ‘must’ in the Dongria Kondh’s sacred grove. I learnt that every family owns multiple palm trees, where even a father-son duo has separate palm trees.

Lakhpadar village is powered by solar energy. A villager, Dasharu, told me, “This is the only change that the state government has brought to our village.”

In Dongria society, women play a role equal to the men. They take part in almost every activity. They farm and sell the agricultural produce in the weekly markets. They are also dominant in issues such as family management. As per Dongria tradition, the man has to pay the bride price (dowry).

The Dongrias practice shifting cultivation, growing different types of lentils.

They also produce Banana, Jack-fruit, Orange, Ginger, Turmeric, Lemon, and Mango. Dongrias also collect flowers, fruits, tubers, leaves, stems, seeds, wild mushrooms, tamarind, and bamboo shoots from the forest. Dongria men also hunt for rabbits, squirrels, and edible insects.

The nearest school from Lakhpadar village is 15 km away. Kids can’t go that far through the dense jungle. So they want schools in their villages, with Dongria Kondh teachers using Kui language, and with the incorporation of field-based learning.

During my stay, another thing I noticed was their degrading health conditions. They have almost no medical facilities. Malaria is prevalent, often leading to death. In the absence of facilities, the Dongrias trust their village doctor, who uses herbs and plants as remedies. They do not go to the hospital located in Langigargh town, set up by the British mining company.

During the evenings, villagers gather and dance. For centuries, the Dongrias lived an isolated life. Their only form of entertainment has been their traditional form of dancing.

Though the Dongrias succeeded in saving their mountain and therefore their heritage, for the time being, their situation largely remained unchanged. For centuries, they have been known for their eco-friendly agriculture-based lifestyle. But now they are slowly dying. Despite the PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups ) status, they lead a very underprivileged existence. They lack access to schools, basic medical facilities or proper rationing system.

Although I went to document their daily lives, I came back with a different perspective.

Also Read: Libraries on Wheels: How Tribal Kids in MP Are Getting a Chance to Learn in Their Own Languages

Here’s a look at more photographs from my visit.

(Written by Ritayan Mukherjee and Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

The year is 2018. It is a primary school in the Bardoli taluka of Gujarat. A few parents walk up to the class teacher and say, “Stop teaching these Halpatis. If they get educated, who will toil in our fields?”

No, this is not an imaginary scenario. This is but a glimpse into the oppression faced by the Halpati scheduled tribe at the hands of upper-caste villagers.

Turn the pages of history, and it will narrate the plight of the Halpatis of Gujarat, one of the most backward tribal communities. For the longest time, they have struggled to break away from a shell that dictates everything they are –landless farmhands under exploitative zamindars.

But one 24-year-old is on a mission to change this. And the workforce she is training to challenge this age-old oppression is a group of women.

Born and brought up in Kanpur, Saumya Omer moved to the national capital to complete her Bachelors of Commerce (Honours) from Hindu College, University of Delhi.

Despite working with several startups in the marketing and communication space, Saumya wasn’t satisfied. While the paycheck was good and the job was cushy, the thrill of working at the grassroots level was greater. Her full-time opportunity to work in the social development sector came in the form of the SBI Youth for India Fellowship.

When she arrived in Zakharda, Saumya learnt that only last year, a group of 30 women were trained in making spices by an ex-fellow Ayush Sinha during his fellowship.

The 30 women Saumya learnt were even given a spice grinding machine, a pulveriser worth Rs 20,000 by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme India, which happens to be Saumya’s partner NGO too. Inspired by this, she decided to set up a similar venture with a different set of women.

Talking about the region Zakharda, Saumya says it is predominantly a Halpati village just like most villages in this region of south Gujarat. And while the Halpatis, earned their living through agriculture on their own land,crop failures and poor production over the years, forced them to sell their land to the upper caste community and become landless laborers.

And while the infrastructure in Zakharda is well in place, the confidence of the community to take up any work apart from landless labour is next to impossible. These are the reasons why Saumya decided to work with this community exclusively. The main goal of Saumya’s project was to not only to generate and establish a sustainable, alternate source of income, but to create that confidence that they can rise above the mere tag of being landless labourers and explore entrepreneurship.

When Saumya interacted with the Halpati community women, they told her about the unreliability of income in their daily work.

The women came forward and told her that they wanted to undertake work that would help them meet ends without having to break their backs every day.

Saumya told The Better India, “I knew my goal was to get some stability in their lives. It had to serve as an alternate source of income and livelihood. I spoke to the women and realised that despite being trained in making spices, they weren’t putting their skills to use. So, I decided to capitalise on their skills and awaken the entrepreneurial spirit in them. They lacked the confidence and knowledge of running a successful venture. My work is only an attempt to make them aware of the power that lies within the palm of their hands.”

Soon, two women, 23-year-old Sonamben Halpati, and 27-year-old Sobhanaben Halpati stepped up to become lead entrepreneurs. “They were firm in their resolve that they didn’t want financial help from anybody. And thus, with a small team of five other women as part-time workers and an existing machine, the women began their entrepreneurial journey,” shares Saumya.

They had a machine, they had labour, and they would eventually buy the raw materials, but where would they set up their production unit?

And so, they decided to find a place to move the existing machine and use it as their production area.

It was at this time that the Panchayat came to their rescue. Impressed by the women’s venture, it offered to let them use the vacant rooms in its premises for the purpose.

After kick-starting their regular production of spices, the women also set up a stall on the highway, outside the village Panchayat. The demand was high, and the production was low, so Sonamben and Sobhanaben decided to pool money to buy a small grinder, a sealing machine, and an initial lot of raw materials to make 20 kgs of spices.

The women have till date spent over Rs 45000 on raw materials, machinery as well as participating in a week-long trade fair in Vyara, a nearby district.

Where it would once take months for one woman to sell off a couple of kilograms of spices, the group had sold out 20 kg of spices in less than a month.

Branded ‘Tez’ Masala (which means spicy), a short but catchy name to define the taste of Gujarat, the women began to produce powdered spices such as red chilli, turmeric, garam masala, masala chai, chicken masala, coriander-cumin, pav bhaji masala, achaar masala and pulaav masala.

“Our best selling items are Masala Chai Powder and Chicken Masala powder due to their unique and native taste. Even if you are five feet away from the stall, the aroma of the rich spices and their unadulterated taste will attract you,” says Saumya, proudly.

While some of these recipes were taught to the women in their previous training, Saumya and her squad, perfected each of them by making 4-5 iterations after experimentation and as per customer feedback.

The women were given a chance to showcase their spices at the prestigious India Environment Festival in February 2018. While the very story of empowered tribal women setting up their own venture was enough to move the customers, the quality, aroma, and taste of the spices kept them wanting for more.

Saumya recalls, “In less than three days, we sold around 13kgs, which was a stellar record for our enterprise, along with a plethora of people taking our business cards to contact us for future orders.”

The women are now selling their spices in three different ways. While their stall on the highway is set to be constructed into a permanent shop on a nearby land given by the Panchayat, they are also putting up weekly stalls in local haats and mandis. They spend three days producing the spices and use the other days to sell from door-to-door as well as at the stalls in two mandis, twice a week.

Read more: ‘Green Gold’ Jewellery is Tripling Incomes in Gujarat’s Most Backward District

Saumya has also struck a deal with a local dealer in Bardoli, who owns the largest spice shop in the area. He has agreed to keep Tez Masala products on his shelf. A veteran in the spice trade business, with 20 years of experience, the man is also providing the women raw materials at wholesale rates.

Saumya is now trying to get the Taluka Panchayat onboard to promote Tez under the National Rural Livelihood Mission and the Mission Mangalam scheme.

“We are also in talks with the livelihood officer to increase our market reach by helping us get orders from government school canteens and anganwadis. My women, who once seemed fazed while speaking to Block Development Officers and even men in their own homes, are now proudly pitching the products to all officials, travelling to different villages and negotiating prices confidently with dealers,” says Saumya.

These women who would hardly earn Rs 100 a day with farming and seasonal professions like embroidery work are making Rs 150 a day now and earning commissions on their sales while working solely for Tez. They no longer have to deal with exploitative zamindars or endure long waits for remuneration.

The two lead entrepreneurs, Sonamben as well as Sobhanaben are reaping the benefits of the social venture and learning to run it on their own.

“We currently produce about 30-40 kgs of spices a month and are trying to stabilise it at 70-80 kg a month,” says Saumya.

The impact of the venture reflects on how it is helping the villagers see their women in a different light.

“Women like Sobhanaben and Sonamben but they are the quintessential definition of the working Indian women. They don’t need to be pushed to work, they are a self-motivated working force. The most beautiful aspect of this is that when we are short staffed, the villagers come forward and fill the void, regardless of age or gender without expecting any money,” says Saumya

Today these Halpati women proudly claim that they will not be limited to being daily wage labourers. They can turn into entrepreneurs. Looking at the success that Tez Masala has amassed in five months, other groups of women have walked up to Saumya. While some want to set up their stitching unit, others want to run an Anganwadi centre.

Who would’ve thought that all it would take was a group of women armed with spices to spark a revolution in a remote tribal village in Gujarat? These women are doing it every day, and how!

(Edited by Shruti Singhal)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

A rudimentary farming method practised by an Adivasi community residing in the Utnoor mandal of Adilabad district in Telangana, during the process of paddy farming, is not just organic but also time-saving!

Kothaguda is a tribal hamlet along the Godavari river that is home to the Raj Gonds, and generations of this community have cultivated traditional varieties of paddy and continue to do so.

However, unlike the standard way of raising paddy seedlings by planting seeds in a small patch of a wetland, they practice a unique process of seed germination that is suitable in even dry weather conditions.

The germination of seeds is derived with the help of teak and vavili (Vitex trifolia) leaves. And how they do it is even more interesting!

In their native language Gondi, the process is called ‘mande vatval,’ which means setting up a raised platform. First placing regular sized stones on the ground as platform measuring about 4-feet-long and wide, the farmers then fix thin wooden poles on top of the platform that ensures a smooth airflow from beneath.

“A bamboo mat is placed on the wooden poles on which a layer of teak leaves is arranged with perforations to let water drain out. The seeds of the regular variety of paddy are placed on the teak leaves which are then covered with a layer made up of leaves of vavili, called nirgudi in Gondi, and a top layer of teak leaves,” disclosed Athram Bhujang Rao, a Gondi farmer, to The Hindu.

You may also like: Biodegradable Paper from Paddy Straw? This Project By IIT Delhi Is Doing It!

The arrangement can contain close to 30 kg of paddy seeds, which is then enclosed by heavy flat stones for compactness. Once this is set up, the seeds are watered every morning and evening for three days to keep the heat generated by the nirgudi leaves at bay.

According to farmer Ada Gangaram, the seeds begin to germinate by the second day itself and can be then raised in conventional nurseries.

“This is a wonderful way of going about the initial process of paddy cultivation as it saves about 8 to 10 days for the farmer while the transplantation activity is undertaken. It also helps the farmers during the beginning of monsoon season when there is very little water available for raising nurseries,” said C Narsingu, a retired Agriculture Officer in Adilabad.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Santhali (Santali), a tribal language primarily spoken in India, Bangladesh and Nepal, received global recognition when it got a Wikipedia edition in its own script, earlier this month. Spoken by over 6.4 million people in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Assam, efforts to bring Santhali to the mainstream were going on, even before the Wikipedia page went live.

The initiative to get a Santhali edition for Wikipedia, began six years ago, in 2012. Workshops were held to make people aware of the language, but the initiative had to be paused because of a lack of contributors. The Bangladesh chapter of Wikipedia restarted efforts towards opening a Santhali Wikipedia page, last year, in September.

This time, contributors from India, Bangladesh and Nepal stepped forward, and the project was a success.

Santhali, written in the Ol Chiki script currently has content of about 70,000 words. Jayanta Nath, who works for the Indian chapter of Wikimedia Foundation told the Hindustan Times, “The Santhali Wikipedia got approval from the language committee of the Wikimedia Foundation on June 28 and went live on August 2.”

The home page of Santhali Wikipedia features an article on Raghunath Murmu—the inventor of the Ol Chiki script.

Scheduled languages like Dogri, Bodo and Manipuri have no Wikipedia versions. Assamese does but in the Bengali script. Speakers of Santhali hope that this initiative brings more importance to the language and that it is preserved over generations.

You may also like: Tigers, Tribals & Volleyball: Melghat Is Hosting A Sports Event Unlike Any Other!

Shikha Mandi, a radio jockey, became India’s first to host a show in the language in November 2017. Pashupati Prasad Mahato, an anthropologist, told HT, “The scope of higher education in Santhali is increasing over the past few years. Coming at this juncture, this will increase the scope of reading in Ol Chiki script and enthuse Santhali speakers to pursue higher education in their mother tongue.”

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Nestled amidst the forested hills of Panchgani in Maharashtra, there is a little-known art village where the ancient legacy of Adivasi handiwork is quietly being carried forward by a group of skilled tribal artisans for almost a decade now.

Every day, these artisans, both men and women, get together under an old Umbar (Ficus glomerata) tree located in the middle of their land to conjure up magical artefacts fashioned out of metal, with a contemporary touch.

The Devrai Art Village (DAV) was established by Suresh Pungati, a noted Adivasi artisan, and renowned documentary filmmaker, Mandakini Mathur after the monsoon of 2008, with the vision of preserving the timeless heritage of Adivasi metal artistry, lest the craft phases out.

The establishment strives to empower the craftsmen by giving them new design ideas and marketing possibilities, right in the lap of nature, where it is not looked upon as a mere resource but where plants, animals and humans cohabit the same space, and have an interdependent relationship, and where art can reflect the true sacredness of nature.

“If I think of the beginning of inspiration for DAV, the old tree of Umbar that stands in the middle of our land comes to my mind. Its extended branches that almost touch the ground create a natural cave of green-coloured light. This magical space was an invitation to sit under the tree and soon a platform was created,” says Mandakini to The Better India.

The inception of the art village took form when Mandakini met Suresh, who hails from the Naxal-hit village of Gadchiroli and at the time was employed as an art teacher in the local government school.

He shared the dire state of Adivasi artisans, who were often caught in the crossfire between the state and Naxal insurgents in the region and how their craft was suffering in the process, in addition to lessening demands for their painstakingly crafted artefacts.

“The Adivasi youth, in particular, have been at the constant risk of being forcibly picked up by the Naxals if they stayed put in the region or had to leave behind the craft practised by their family for generations in search of better employment alternatives, which more or less was limited to construction work. We started out with four Adivasi craftsmen under the guidance of Suresh, who belongs to the Madhia tribe and today, we have a community of 35 craftsmen and craftswomen, which includes individuals and families from the region as well as few artisans from Chhattisgarh,” explains Mandakini.

Suresh was brought up in Baba Amte’s ashram in Anandvan, where he had the opportunity of learning various forms of tribal art and craft. In fact, for his relentless and dedicated involvement towards tribal community progress and development in and around Gadchiroli, Suresh was awarded the ‘Adivasi Sevak Puraskar’ by the state government in 2002.

The village was set up on a plot belonging to Mandakini with no funding or monetary contribution other than what she and Suresh could put together.

Fortunately, the initial sales meant that they were able to sustain their dream and since then, they have witnessed an increase in demand for their artefacts, that, besides their in-house store and a newly-established one in Gadchiroli, are mostly sold through exhibitions and retail stores across the country, including Kala Ghoda. One can also approach DAV for customised articles based on their ideas and concepts.

Besides taking young apprentices under their wing, and giving them a two-year-long intensive training, DAV also organises workshops led by their master craftsmen and craftswomen in various cities and towns across India. The village often finds interns from prominent design schools, including NID, flocking to the premises; they get a first-hand exposure of how one can reinvent ancient metal artistry that has evolved to meet modern-day aesthetics.

Providing a safe haven for these artisans to carry forward their legacy, DAV also gives them the scope of infusing contemporary ideas into the traditional craft of Dhokra, which the artisans along with Mandakini and Suresh, together conceptualise and brainstorm together at the organisation.

In fact, ‘Rock-Dhokra’ is their pioneering craft form, which as the name suggests, fuses the age-old craft of Dhokra with rocks as the centrepiece that lends these artefacts a refreshingly new aesthetic dimension.

“The concept is unique in its cross-pollination of ideas—between the old and the new, urban and the rural, truly Indian in spirit but universal in appeal. Following much experimentation, we realised that not every rock or pebble could be used for these artefacts—only those that were really hard and could withstand high temperatures along with the metallic components. Finally, we found that only river pebbles were the best for this purpose and since then, we’ve been creating this form and even got it patented,” shares Mandakini.

Not just Rock Dhokra, the artisans have also been experimenting with bamboo craft as well as organic casting and have fashioned fusion artefacts using terracotta as well.

“Currently, we are working on ceramic works that have been laced with brass inlay. We are positive that this too shall materialise well soon. Another traditional-contemporary art form that we can proudly mention are our molten metal murals that are finding more and more takers,” she happily adds.

One needs to visit DAV to truly understand and witness what goes on behind the process of creating these artefacts magically fashioned out of metal in the midst of nature.

Providing a platform for the ancient metal artistry to survive in contemporary times as well as sustainable livelihoods for Adivasi artisans, Devrai Art Village stands out as a beacon of hope for these marginalised communities by helping them break free from the endless circle of Naxal insurgency and unemployment and we hope that more such organisations come up across the country to conserve the art and crafts legacy of our Adivasi communities.

Check out this short film shot by Devansh Mathur about the tribal artisans of Devrai Art Village:

You can follow Devrai Art Village on their website as well as their Facebook page.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

While states like Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu are renowned for their coffee and vast expanses of coffee plantations, little is known about the forested valleys of Andhra Pradesh’s Araku Valley where coffee is grown in abundance and even exported abroad!

In fact, the coffee, which is organically grown by Adivasi farmers from the region, recently found global recognition, when ‘Araku Coffee’ won the prestigious Gold Medal for the best coffee pod in the Prix Epicures OR 2018 Award in Paris, France.

This coffee made its debut in France last year when the brand opened a café store in the capital city and managed to win everyone’s hearts amidst heavy competition from popular Colombian and Sumatran bean varieties.

I urge all of you to applaud the adivasi farmers in Araku region and the @arakucoffee team in Paris which won the prestigious Gold Medal for the best coffee pod in the Prix Epicures OR 2018 Award in Paris, France. @anandmahindra @kris_sg pic.twitter.com/4pjV6SBgUh

— Manoj Kumar (@manoj_naandi) October 9, 2018

Started in 2000, Araku Coffee took off as a tribal empowerment initiative led by Naandi Foundation, the NGO, which aimed to uplift the marginalised communities from a life of exploitation, unemployment and deprivation.

The foundation later established a social enterprise named ‘Araku Originals’ to give the coffee a global identity in 2008 and began drawing buyers from countries like Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, and France.

Interestingly, coffee was originally introduced in a neighbouring valley in the late nineteenth century by a British man, before slowly making its way to the Araku Valley by the mid-1950s.

You may also like: From Chikkamagalur to Arakku Valley: Tracing Coffee’s Ancient Connection to India

Back then, the AP government had stepped up and established the Girijan Co-operative Corporation (GCC) in 1956, with the sole objective of providing dignified livelihoods to the tribals of Araku Valley by engaging them in coffee cultivation and production.

One could even go on to say that it was the hard work and commitment of the tribal farmers that laid the foundation for the coffee grown in the Araku Valley to thrive this well, and it is indeed wonderful to know that it has now acquired a global identity and won an extremely prestigious award.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.