TRIBAL CULTURAL RIGHTS

The tribal India or the indigenous peoples of pre-historic times had their own high cultural ideals, values, views and world views which they retain with pride in their oral literatures even today. They are not low as they are discriminately projected in the various writings in the country by mainstream society, or in the earlier centuries by the incoming Aryans, encroaching to their original ancestral territories, culture and societies calling them Asuras then killing and capturing their resources. The process of social and cultural encroachment, corruption of noble indigenous values still continuously goes on un-noticed and un-protected in various forms. The indigenous cultures of India are thus under no proper measures for their human rights protections. In the oral traditions of the tribal India and other ethnic groups, there are many similar accounts or literary documentary evidences of depiction of the indigenous social and cultural values, useful for the protection of their cultural, human or indigenous rights of tribal or indigenous India. The following poet-try or folk song is the result of such seduction from the part of the king is preserved in the oral tradition of the Bhils depicing strength of moral character of a Bhil maid and the fallen character of the local Rajput prince.

The Bhil Maid and the Raja

"O Bhildi ! If you would like to see the palace, come with me;

for I love you sweet girl."

"Your majesty ! My courtyards are just like your palaces,

I will not come to your palace."

"O Bhildi ! If you would like to see the horses, come with me;

For I love you sweet girl."

"Your Majesty ! My bulls are like your horses,

I will not come to your palaces."

"O Bhildi ! If you would like to see the nobles, come with me;

For I love you sweet girl."

Your Majesty ! My farmers are like your nobles,

No, I will not come to your palace."

"Then, if you would like to see the princesses, come with me;

For I love you sweet girl."

"My village maiden are like your princesses,

No, I shall never come to your papace."

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TRIBAL HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORT

Rajiv Gandhi Chair for the contemporary studies situated at Barkatullah University, Bhopal (MP) India, has successfully organised three consecutive seminars for the human rights support of tribal or Adivasi communities of India, dealing with their social, cultural, economic and developmental rights, under the efficient chairmanship of Professor S.N. Chaudhary. These three national seminars of high standing are:

1. Tribes and Their Indigenous Knowledge ((2006)

2. Tribal Development (2008)

3. Tribal Economy: Status and Possibilities (2009)

All the three seminars dealing with the overall human rights of the tribal communities in India in which at least not less than three dozen senior and reputed social scientists from all major universities of India have participated for serious consultation with keen interest in shaping the future policies and programmes of the Central Government of India dealing with the tribes in the country. The scholars so far dealing with the subjects were found to be having highly sympathetic attitudes towards the overall development of the tribal communities. The papers presented in these seminars are edited and published regularly by Prof. S.N. Chaudhary the head of the Rajiv Gandhi Chair for the contemporary studies. Prof. Chaudhary has genuine interest in development of the tribal communities of India. It is likely that such studies and consultations will eventually through new lights on the shaping of the tribal developmental policies and programmes in India.