PROTECTION OF TRIBAL CULTURAL RIGHTS AND FOLKLORE

The ancient tribal India had unique a culture, folklore or life style of its own which is still persisting since over the last many centuries. But but due to lack of genuine awareness about the goodness of their ancient and modern day tribal or indigenous cultures, degenerative forces have been rapidly vanishing these age old indigenous cultures and folklore of the even major tribes like Bhils, Gonds, Santhals and others in the Indian subcontinent who are not able to retain, innovate and promote it even in the modern times. Practically all the developmental agencies, administration, including Indian missionary organizations have been contributing one way or the other to the loss of tribal’s cultures. Most of the tribal communities even though closely adhering to their languages, cultures and folklore, the non tribals impose their own languages and cultures unjustly disregarding the tribals' own culture, languages and folklore. This contributes negatively to the loss or tribal cultures or to the degeneration of the indigenous cultures. The non tribals have very intelligently drilled the of ideas in the mind of tribals that their age old cultures are not good, for renouncing or making the tribals deliberately omit several good elements of their own folklore as utterly 'useless' and so called 'uncivilised' (jungali). In such an contradictory cultural situation of renouncing and retaining, the whole of tribal India, especially the illiterate section of the indigenous communities are very strongly striving to project themselves as ideal, good (not junglai), in front of so called 'civilised world' (sabhya samaj / sokyars) at least by uttering a few words of Hindi or regional languages, dressing in their costumes, putting action shoes, holding even a mobile telephone st, etc, in the markets and other public places. A sad situation indeed, with no mental courage or strength of their own, to strive to preserve their cultures, they are making unsuccessful efforts to wash away the stigma (kalank / dag) of being 'uncivilised'......adivasi and so on, because the others socially, culturally and linguistically rejected them in a consistent and silent way.

Hence to be one with people of the land of Bhilanchal, Mama Baleshwar Dayal moulded himself to be an Adivasi Bhil in this social and cultural context a real one. In attaining his desired goals to be like Bhils simple, poor, humble, honest, loving and caring their culture and society, protecting their Bhili language and Bhil folklore, Mama Baleshwar became BHILL GANDHI in true sense of the term. The protection of the cultural and folkloric rights of the Bhils Mama much genuinely projected cultural and folkloric elements of the Bhils in his own personal culture and Brahmanical personality. Thus not only became cultural catalyst for the Bhils positively but direct promoter and protector of the same with vision and proper understanding for the tribes in India. A great Brahmin of our time.


Mama Baleshwar Dayal, was a man of far reaching vision for the tribal development in India, perfect humanist, correctly understanding the tribal as human persons more than the social and cultural anthropologists, was his. Mama had deep love for the culture and folklore of the tribal communities especially of the Bhils. He accepted them and their tribal way of life as good and sublime, with much zeal and solidarity with them as these folks are. No degeneration of good tribal cultural and folkloric elements in any way was let go in vain. Hence no cultural and social bias of imposing deshi imperialism, that is why no question of remaining away from them like the ways of administrators and a times missionary organisations are. Mama respected Adivasi philosophy, was supportive to them, animating the Bhils to remain rooted to their Adi culture, preserve, promote and innovate to suite it better in the national mainstream of India today.

Hence mama and Adivaisi Bhils were successful in many of their developmental, cultural and folkoric ventures. Mama was not a superficial man as many NGOs fluttering around with verbal professed social service (Bhil Seva), he was a man of solid and serious character which he developed being inspired by them over the years. In the course of time the Bhils built him and Mama built them. He was a bold personality in whom the Bhils could lay their trust and confront with Ahinsa the British Government, Princely States and Indian Government as well. He was one with them and they were one with him. Hurpal Ganawa from Mal Hat (west of Meghnagar) says to respect the Bhil culture and Bhil way of life style he walks with them on the footpaths of the Bhils village to village speaking their languages, eating with them and sleeping in their own houses, not to exploit them but to support them. He celebrated all the Bhil festivals with them in their own villages.

Mama safeguarded the Bhils, their cultures, folklore, humanism and their human rights connected to it. To Nathuram Mirdha the Central Minister, he assertively spoke in the favour tribal self governance rights, that not that the Panchayati Raj rules should come from Top to below , but they should go from below up. He was very right and it is due to this failure of the Central Government to perceive the crux of the problem the Panchayati Raj's has failed in the tribal areas because their panchayats were pure, and holy, uncorrupted.

To the Bhils Mama spoke Bhili, maintained and respected their culture and folklore. Adivasi panchayats and the big meetings (aam sabhas) he would host in the Bhil style, no much expenses with roti and kando ( maize chapatis and onions), in some open ground with a self made loud speaker, under trees, on the river banks and so on.

It is in this cultural or social context one can assert that Mama was a unique personality in protecting and fostering the tribal rights in India. We need today Mamas in tribal India and not the managers or social work organisations for the tribal development and also protectors of the social and cultural human rights.

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