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Honey bee publish details |
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| District |
Narayanpur District |
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| State |
Chhattisgarh |
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| Category |
25th SHODHYATRA |
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| Title |
Aesthetics of Anger and Alienation: Bastar Shodhyatra-Part II |
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| Details |
We walked through a grove of very old trees, with creepers intertwining, as if to remind us about how strength without tender scaffolding may be betrayed, actually give way.
In the morning at Benur, we learned from two herbal healers, Buddhuram and Sukhaluram Kachlam about the way they dealt with snake bites and other ailments. They used Aritha fruit (Sapindus trifoliatus L.) to heal a wound, and the bark of Beeja trees (Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb) for stomach ache. After facilitating them the Shodhyatris went to Singluram Kachlam’s house having a herbal garden. He offered yatris a herbal bidi which reportedly cures sinus and migraine. The cleanliness in and around his house once again reminded the Yatris how particular the tribals here were about hygiene and sanitation.
He had grown a tall variety of brinjal, not found commonly in the region. He also showed an abnormally big pod of a tree, similar to Amaltas (Cassia fistula Linn.). On the way to Kulhargaon, Yatris saw an unusual sight.
There were tombs, which were decorated with clay sculptures depicting the occupation of the person buried there. Yatris were intrigued as to why local communities would commemorate the memories of certain individuals in this manner? We were told that when an outstanding person passes away, his decorated tomb also has his sculpture to inspire younger generation. A herbalist, a teacher and such other people were remembered in this manner. Bhaluram, adept in making such tombs told that this was a special institution in this region.
Lessons in management of common property resources
Shodhyatris were welcomed at Kulhargaon by mitanin associates (National ASHA health worker scheme was modeled after mitanin scheme of Chhatisgarh, a public service which was among a very few things which worked here). The women were adorned with a variety of traditional jewellery and appeared more forthcoming and knowledgeable than the men folk. Sampath Sahu, a ten year old boy, had collected 115 varieties of plants and herbs and had knowledge about almost each variety. Shodhyatris learnt a lot from the villagers and they shared a lot of new practices with us. We finished our meeting here and walked towards Nayanar village. On the way we saw more tombs like that of a herbal healer, hunter, dancer and carpenter. Each celebrating the skills, outstanding achievers, creating role models for younger generation.
We reached Nayanar in the afternoon and had lunch there. This was one village where we saw togetherness and unity amongst all the villagers; they helped and supported each other. The shodhyatris came to know about a unique practice at this village where all the villagers would throw fish in a lake and on one particular day in the year, they would all fish together. Also, “Gotul” was a place in the village where the villagers would store grains together and they would also use this place for any social or cultural function. This was indeed a lesson in the management of common property resources by mutual understanding and respect.
Kakshar is the traditional dance of this village which has been passed down from generations. A dance troupe attired in their traditional costumes presented their dance to the delight of the shodhyatris. Such was the energy in their dance that some of the shodhyatris also joined them and enthralled the villagers.
The villagers shared a unique story with us about a bird called Vijapethe, which alerts them by chirping “boske vitke” (sow the seeds). The farmers sow the seeds then and, they believe, within a few days the rains comes too.
We then walked towards Punghaarpal village. On the way we saw a kind of tree that most of us had not seen earlier. It was completely white in colour and devoid of leaves and bark. Adding to its beauty was the white light of setting sun falling on it.
When we reached Punghaarpal, Mohun Dugge prepared herbal tea for all of us. His wife made traditional food and served us all. It was amazing to see the herbarium made by his son who had collected a variety of plants found in the region. After thanking them, the walk resumed towards Edka village. A request was made on behalf of the villagers to get him transferred. This was the only wish of the villagers. Nothing else was demanded or suggested at all, through entire walk.
A life dedicated to art and craft: Devnath Singh Chakradhari
First thing in the morning at Edka, around 30-35 women from the village brought traditional food for us. The group was headed by the woman sarpanch. After breakfast, shodhyatris proceeded to meet Devnath Singh Chakradhari who enjoys tremendous respect among the villagers as a good artisan, and more so, as a great teacher in Bastar. He is more than 90 years old. He had taught his skills to many others in and around his village.
The shodhyatris could see the art work by one of his students too. When asked to share his experience, he said, all his life he has not done anything other than practising and teaching art. He lives in one of the most inaccessible parts of the globe and has no sizeable market for his art work. What makes it even remarkable is his desire to teach others and not having even an iota of grudge for not being commercially successful. He wishes to have a training school wherein he would teach fellow artisans about the nuances of the art. Most of the shodhyatris thought
that this craft could be further developed with present day technologies and marketed in international markets.
An encounter
While walking to the next village, suddenly a plain clothed man rushed towards us and before we could fathom the reason his action, the entire shodhyatra team was surrounded by armed commandos. Two more persons served us a notice on behalf of the Superintendent of Police, asking us to appear before him,in his office. The SP claimed that the yatra was unauthorized. He ignored the fact that he himself had given the letter of introduction to our staff several months in advance while preparing for the Shodhyatra. A few of the yatris went to the SP’s office, the rest stayed back in the school to spend the night there. Everybody wondered whether the yatra would continue and could this be a backdrop for more ominous things to happen. Later in the night when the yatris came back from the SP’s office, it was learned that SP had decided to file a case claiming yatra to be illegal. He also called the media and a false news was flashed about the so called violation of the law without incorporating Yatris’ views. Next day, the yatris were asked to distribute the summons to everybody they had met. As per their version, everybody who hosted yatra in different villages was an extremist leader or a sympathizer. Nothing could be more ridiculous. We did not need more evidence to understand why the conditions were so unfair for the local communities. We also did not understand why police behaved with so much insensitivity towards them. Eventually, the Chief Secretary very kindly intervened, the summons were cancelled and yatra continued.
While the events were unfolding at Binjli, yatris interacted with a locally well known herbal healer, Ratandhar Vaidraj. He regretted that outsiders were stealing their knowledge and the villagers were not getting benefitted. He said, “People have come here and taken unique herbs like rashnajhari, netraharra, ishwarimul, bhuiaawla, chiraita etc. There is no method to prevent this kind of poaching.” We felicitated Ratandhar and discussed the tremendous scope that existed for value addition in traditional medicine in Bastar. One of the problems he shared was that a pharmacy which he had set up with the help of forest department had to be suspended because some bigger companies had filed a case that it was not Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliant. Issue remains whether for promoting in situ value addition in forest areas, GMP guidelines should not be modified without compromising the quality norms.
Trees with brain!
At Keralapal village we had a village meeting organised through mitanin associates. The mitanins in this village were very well aware of first aid methods. They also mobilised transport to the nearest hospital. The mitanin scheme is one of the well functioning grassroots public program in Bastar.
When the issues about deforestation and loss of bio-diversity were being discussed, a villager, Modaram Pottai, shared an insight about how they conserve trees. He said “while human beings have their head on the top, the trees have their head on the bottom!” Just as humans would die if we remove the head, would not a tree die too if its roost were damaged, he asked? In order to utilize the wood and not harm the tree we should prune branches from one side only at a time. This will ensure that we get the wood without harming the tree. Also, if branches need to be cut for fuel wood after some time, then the ones on the opposite side should be cut so as not to harm the tree. This seemed a very sustainable practice. After the meeting we had lunch and started the walk towards Subhgaon.
At Subhgaon, shodhyatris visited Chanci’s house. He had preserved 25 quintals of kodo millets for twenty years. Although, he was hesitant to let us see the same, he told us about his unique effort. The fact was corroborated by his neighbours too. He said that there is no value for this product in the market and that is why he has not sold it. Whatever be the reason, the fact that he had preserved it for 20 years is commendable itself. The discussion on traditional methods of storage and conservation with him could not last long as the shodhyatris had to reach Palki village before it was dark.
In the meeting at Palki, Ratandhar Vaidraj, who had met us earlier at Binjli came for further discussions with the shodhyatris. The main concern, according to him, was the pilferage of valuable medicinal plants from the jungles of Abujhmar. Also, he was worried about the practice of imitation by local herbal drug manufacturing companies. To quote him, “These companies are always on the lookout for unique knowledge so that they could make new products and profit out of it. Also, once the knowledge is acquired, the local healers who provide inputs are sidelined from the profits that the company makes in due course.”
The matter being discussed was foremost on the mind of every shodhyatri. All along the journey, one could observe bio-diversity and comprehensive medicinal knowledge among the practitioners of traditional medicine.
In the end...
On the last day of our Shodhyatra, yatris discussed the paradox of rich biodiversity and still so much poverty with local tribal communities at Mahaka village.
We concluded our Shodhyatra by felicitating Mehruram, a herbal healer, and a centenarian, Chanduram of the same village. Before dispersing, yatris reflected on the lessons learnt. It became clear that unless it was decided not to let any raw material go out of forest without in situ value addition, people would actually remain poor. Similarly, the methods and tools of sustainable extraction were needed if productivity had to be improved. Water conservation was grossly neglected and initiatives by the extremist in this regard (they had built a few tanks) won them some natural support. If the peace had to prevail, then justice had to be ensured. So much extraction of natural resource from the region for so long without any benefit sharing with local communities could not be allowed to continue any more. This region should not be used as a place of punishment posting. In such cases, the real punishment was given to people and not the staff posted on that basis. The knowledge, institutions, culture and technologies need to be revisited if a purposeful partnership had to be forged. But if the State wishes to spend more money on fighting with its own people, rather than bringing about genuine participatory development, then one has to realize how long the struggle for social justice ahead is.
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| Volume No. |
Honey Bee 22(1) & 22(2) 4-9, 2011 |
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