HUMAN RIGHTS FOR INDIGENOUS FESTIVALS

India is the land of multi religions, castes, ethnic groups, cultures and festivals. But as we see, in individual and public life, only one group's culture, religion, languages and specially festivals are giving prominence all through the year. The other indigenous cultural festivals particularly are conveniently neglected thus causing massive folkloric erosion at the grass root level of the indigenous populations of the country. Where as the Brahmins, Rajputs and other prominent castes and ethnic groups put all together are less than 20% in the country. On the contrary the indigenous populations of the country who are Scheduled Castes(SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Communities(OBC) are nearly 80% in the country and these very peoples are who are the majority in the country are forced directly or indirectly to flow all the cultural ways of the minority. A huge breach of human rights in the country.

There are many indigenous people’s festivals which should be highlighted and put on the national map of the festivals of India are being systematically ignored and only the festivals of one community and religion are being given importance in India. One such great festival is ignored and interfered a times is Bhagoria of the Bhils of India. Should this continue to happen...?
Some of the important indigenous peoples or tribal / Adivasi festivals of India are:

Phagu(Oraon)
Bhagoria( Bhil)
Gal(Bhil)
Gad(Gad)
Sarhul(Santhal)
Garia(Tripura tribes)
Mahua Flower(Gond)
Joom and Navana(Tripura)
Akha Teej (Bhil)
Manga (Gond)
Dhanboni (Chhotanagpur)
Kharci Puja (Tripura)
Rath Mela (Chhotanagpur)
Manga and Cucumber festival (Gond)
Dhurti Rath (Chhotanagpur)
Jitia ( Chhotanagpur)
Navai (Bhil)
Karma (Oraon)
Ker Puja ( Tripura)
Ropa (Planting of Chhotanagpur)
Moi Muri (Santhal)
Ghotal (Gonds and Oraon)
Gai Gohari (Bhil)
Juwara ( Bhil)
Millet Festival (Gonds)
Garba (Bhil)
Ghanshyam Dev festival (Gond)
Shad Nonglrem (Khasi)
Nayakhani (New grain arrival, Chhotanagpur)
Sohrai (Santhal)
Tusu Mela ( Chhotanagpur)
and many others which are of high importance are ignored and not given place in the national society and culture.

Another fact which is more important is that the original tribal culture and basis of the festivals are being polluted and perverted due to external influence and pressures from various sources. The originality and purity of the tribal festivals together with the tribal festivals forms, traditional festivity, indigenous nature, local structure, traditional organisers, and if need be tribal priest must be maintained to respect their culture. In the case of Bhagoria the administration has very less respect for the great tribal fest of not only India but of the world where there is so much of interference, beating those celebrating, chasing before the time is over one can easily see in the Bhil land.

Website Designing By Black Soft

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.

Web 2.0 Development By Black Soft

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."

Web 2.0 Development By Black Soft

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.

THE SYMBOLS OF TRIBAL HUMAN RIGHTS

If we see the social, cultural, religious and above all the political history of the Bhils and their struggles for survival in India, we find that among many tribal groups, the Bhils of North and Western parts of India have fearlessly fought most against more powerful invaders to their land such as Aryans, Muslims, Rajputs, Marathas, British etc, all through the history, loosing each time due to the lack of unity among them in spite of having bigger number against their better organised foes and also have no proper weapons to face them in battles. In all their social and political encounters, their weapons and strategies weaker than their more powerful enemies. The Bhil tribal heroes, saints and leaders, who led their Bhil people, some of their names can be mentioned to recall their memories.


They are:

Tantya Bhil
Begda Bhil
Kasumor Damor
Babo Halun
Valmiki Bhil
Dosara
Shabri
Muktaphal
Rajsingh Drashta
Bhilraj Yam
Lasodia
Galia
Vishvanath
Mauji
Gulia(Gulu)
Jyotishwar Maharaj
Bhagat Joria
Rupsingh
Bhima Naik
Khaja Naik
Bhagoji Naik
Kajar Singh
Puno Bhil
Limbaram
Mama Baleshwar Dayal and many others.


Website Designing By Black Soft

HUMAN RIGHTS FOR EDUCATION

Since over a decade of years or more, all over India a strong urge is being felt among the tribal youth especially among tribal girls who being females, are badly deprived by the parents, and governments in imparting and letting the female children go to schools in proper age, owing to which the tribal girls suffer in their daily labourer's jobs in and away from their tribal habitats. In such a sensitive situation tribal girls from the Bhil region of Jhabua (MP), narrates their feelings in the folksong in this manner:

Uncle !
There is a school on the hill top
Of our village
Let me go to study.

I do not care,
Whether I study
Up to fifth class or eight,
I am but an ignorant girl.

If,
I go to school,
My mind will be enlightened,

Uncle !
You are
Smothering me,
With your possessiveness
And love
Which makes you
Keep me at home.

I may
Even study,
Up to eleventh class or twelve.

Cast aside,
Your paternal dominance
And,
Let me go to school!


Website Design By Black Soft

HUMAN RIGHTS TO WORK FOR FOOD

After a long time, nearly after 7 years of starvation and deprivation, the poor or the poorest tribals of India namely the Bhils who are the worst exploited in the history of North India, were seen working on the road sight near a small ancient Bhil town of Bhagoria Bhils called Bhagor. The towns of Bhagor, Jhabua, and many others in the surrounding were once upon a time foundation of the Bhils and their states, chiefdoms and kingdoms from whom in the course of history Marathas, Rajputs, British, Muslims and others snatched away their tribal establishments, a fact well known in the tribal history of North India especially in the writings of Brijraj Chauhan, S.L. Doshi, T.B. Naik, W. Koppers, L. Jungblut and many others. But today over the years of deprivation and degradation which continues up to this day in various forms the Bhils who ruled a vast region of land once upon a time reduced to total misery socially, culturally, administratively, linguistically, and in many more areas of life.
It is surprising to note that highest amount of funds allocated to this district by national and international agencies. But, it is doubtful whether they get even 2% of what is a given to them. But one can notice all around in the region of Jhabua and it surroundings JVC and other heavy machines are utilised to deprive them further of their basic funds. What is most deplorable that not a single major political party genuinely cares for them, their immediate needs and development, except the Hindi daily News papers? The Indian riche persons have grown richer and richer like this. Do the Bhils and other tribes have no right to work.... at least for relief funds which needless to say come for them....?

Website Design