TRIBAL VOTERS HUMAN RIGHTS UNCARED

Ever since 60 years, the tribal India is participating in the democratic way of mistiming the Government. They have submitted their way of ruling or administrating in favour of the Government thinking that something more and better days they shall see in the form of education and economic development specially. Much to their dismay, they have been consistently or regularly being let down in their hopes and expectations from the Government. So much so that the situation has been growing from bad to worse, and now it is moving towards total deprivation and desolation. Where it shall end, they do not know but certainly no hope for the future is filling in their hearts and minds day by day.

In this case one can clearly notice in the Lok Sabha contituency of Ratlam-Jhabua(MP), where two tribal veteran leaders Kantilal Bhuriya(Congress) and Dileepsingh Bhuriya(BJP) are contesting the General election of April-May 2009. The voters who are mostly Bhils in this constituency besides some educated ones who are non tribals, from the towns etc, are not much enthusiastic to vote. In spite of having all the assurances from the Centre and state Governments, billions of rupees have been poured in this region for the tribal development, the sustainable development is seen not even 20% except on the papers. The Bhuriya leaders on the contrary have enhanced themselves and not fulfilled the hopes and expectations of the indigenous populations. Besides this was a major tribal zone in the country, with poverty stricken tribal population with international focus for development, where the sympathy of the Centre was always there, but all through the years both the Bhuriyas continuously and unfailingly exploited the tribal voters, leaving the whole region now backward, deserted and desolate where the 70 % of the tribal population has become semi nomads and more are in the same process being drone to it.. In such a deceitful situation tribal voters are not much eager to pay attention to the politicians appeals to woe them.

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Oh! Tell Me My Mind

This poem is a sung piece of poem, composed by Mahipal Bhuriya a famous tribal poet of India. In this poem he envisages a tribal society of India which is literate, classless, based on the noble tribal values of the country, where all shall enjoy the fruits of the economy, where there no disparity in the society, no one fights and make use of the corrupt courts,lawyers or legal system. The poet is concerned about basic human rights of women or girls.

Oh! Tell me my mind
Up to which class should I study..?

Such a class I should study
That gives me endless knowledge

Then no one may utter abuses
And no one may ever fight

No one shall break social unity
Hence no one should come to settle disputes

No one should go to courts
And seek corrupt lawyers

No one should raid
No one should rob my goats

No one should lift cattle
And carry away my bulls

No one to rob at mid night
May break in my house


No one should abduct
My companion Radi from Bhagoria festivals

No one should over eat
And, non should starve in my land...

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MAMAYAN

Human Right Teachings of Mama Baleshwar Dayal

Mama Baleshwar Dayal was one of the greatest persons of the 20th century who led the ancient warring and violent race, called the Bhils in the Freedom Movement of India. He introduced an ideal notion or model of Adivasi Seva in Bhilanchal by his genuine life of a humble and simple Adivasi Sevak for the last 6 decades of the last century. He arose to the Adivasi human right scene for the protection of much neglected or marginalized indigenous peoples of the country for the last over 20 centuries for which Mahatma Gandhi, Thakkar Bapa, Ram Manohar Lohia and many other socialist leaders of the 20th and 21st century hold him in high esteem. Under the leadership of Mama the Bhils too contributed their due share in various ways in the Freedom Movement of India. Mama Baleshwar Dayal was earlier an active Congress Party worker since his college days. But later when he was rusticated from college, escaped to Jhabua region to take shelter in Jhabua State, he saw the perilous conditions of the Bhils in the state.

Mama was deeply moved experiencing himself the social pathologies of the Bhils in the 12 Princely states of Bhilanchal including Jhabua while leading morchas for their rights going even to jail, fought for the Bhil human rights for which Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru disagreed with Mama. Mama was against the breaches of Bhil rights in the 12 Prince States of Bhilanchal region. Pandit Nehru did not favour the Bhils but the Deshi Maharajas, due to which Mama strongly disagreed with Pandit Nehru and immediately left the Congress party and joined the team of then socialist leaders headed by Ram Manohar Lohia and others. Mama led the Bhils for the first General election and won many seats for the socialist party in Bhilanchal.

Mama the socialist leader hails from U.P. Mahipal Bhuriya the human rights worker of the tribal or Adivasi India and the India tribal human rights activist has written an important book in Bhili the language of the Bhils, entitled 'MAMAYAN'. The book 'Mamayan' based on the 50 important teachings of the great socialist leader and the Bhil Guru Mama. The font memories of Mama the Bhil Guru shall never be wiped from the memories of the Bhils to whom they worship today as a deified hero. In several places of Bhilanchal Mama's life size statues are erected, temples are built, Bhajans are recited, and the Bhils offer him aarti, pooja, observe fast and organise festivals in Bhilanchal increasingly today.

The book comprises of the 50 main teachings of Mama Baleshwar Dayal. It is based on the from oral sources in Bhili and the oral tradition or authentic oral narrations of the disciples of Mama from among the Bhils and non-Bhils. Among all the books written on Mama this is most authentic book since it is based on the life experiences of Bhils Mama's own simple and naive disciples in Bhilanchal. Mamayan is an interesting volume waiting for a publisher to support its printing. These relevant teachings shall redeem, improve, empower and enhance the Bhils in all possible ways in Bhilanchal, protect the Bhil over all tribal rights and alert them from the fraud ones, misleading NGOs. Besides, all these it shall also protect over all human rights of the Bhils and other tribes in India and serve as a model for the ideal tribal service (Adivasi seva) and not as a fraud that many NGOs are indulging in Bhilanchal. Hence the book MAMAYAN should be printed and published so that the admirers and followers of Mama should familiarise and re-vitalise the valuable teachings of their unforgettable Bhil Guru and the great socialist leader of India.

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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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DUNGAR VIDYAPEETH: RESTORATION OF TRIBAL EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS

A process of tribal degeneration, regression and deprivation was on rampage in 12 Indian Princely States of Bhilanchal since a few centuries till the arrival of Mama Baleshwar Dayal the national socialist leader in early thirties of the last century. Forced labour for the maintenance of Maharajas' life style, raising of local taxes from the poor Bhils, depriving tribals of their own pre-historically inherited land and forests, not introducing social welfare schemes for indigenous populations, attributing abominable image to Bhils where as the tribals were 'anndata' (giver of food / benefactors / sustainers) of the Deshi Maharajas as Mama rightly addressed them and in return Maharajas were 'landlording' over the tribals much inhumanly and unjustly which is still described in the oral tradition of the Bhils. Due to the Indian Freedom Movement, influence of Mahatma Gandhi and other socialist leaders in the country, the mood towards tribals or indigenous peoples human rights was positively changing in their favors. Mahatma Gandhi had good contact with the Bhils of Gujarat in India, who gave Father of the Nation valuable support. So Mahatma Gandhi supported the cause of educating the Bhils initiated by Mama Baleshwar Dayal. Thakkar Bapa too supported the initiative of Mama and took keen interest for their educational rights in the state of Gujarat.

With the kind support of some generous Seths (merchants) in Thandla (Dist. Jhabua, MP), Mama Baleshwar Dayal admitted together with the students of Jain community in a Jain community schools. Very soon Mama realised that piece meal strategy in tribal educational field shall not suffice for the Bhils. They soon need a school of their own with an independent campus. Hence he moved to Bamania a small railway station between Ratlam and Dahod on Delhi-Mumbai railway line, acquired land and opened an ashram school that made a history for the restoration educational, cultural and social rights of the Bhils. This particular historical institution was named 'Dungar Vidyapeeth' ( Mountain University) with a far sighted vision that one day, this shall be develop in a big residential Bhil College Campus, for a tribe of the royal past. Mama Baleshwar Dayal had a vision to restore the ancient Bhils states in a new and modern way, in the form of a New Bhil State which he was dreaming to carve in the form of BHILANCHAL (Bhil Country). And from this newly carved Bhil State( Bhilanchal) within the framework of Indian Constitution would aptly called BHILANCHAL.

Considering all these he started Dungar VidyaPeeth. Within a short span of time Dungar Vidyapeeth got huge support of many rich seths (merchants) of Bhilachal. He gathered 200 boys and 150 girls for women's liberation. Quite a few Banias (traders), Brahmins etc. rendered their valuable services to Dungar Vidyapeeth in upbringing Bhils to Sokyar (high caste) level a great missionary venture indeed Mama and his team initiated in early thirties of the last century. In the course of time members of the Bhil community were trained well in formal education and were elevated to the posts of teachers, etc, to impart value education and elevate centuries old culturally, socially suppressed and deprived Bhils.

The zeal of Mama's team was admirable. Venture proved to be very fruitful and overall impact of the Dungar Vidyapeeth were multifarious ones. It generated new wave of thinking in the whole of Bhilanchal of which the modern day politicians and administrators have no knowledge. Dileep singh Bhuriya is well aware of it brought about significant social and cultural transformation among the Bhils. The desired changes within the federal states in Bhilanchal could not bring through even with the millions of Rupees and the huge projects of NGOs. The Bhils were able to conduct themselves well in society and their own public responsibilities independently and intelligible manner. Non tribals sensed Mama's great Bhil Movement as a social and political threat which later on Mama had to pay by losing his traditional and loyal Bhil friends among whom a political rift was conveniently created which was based on new and corrupt value system. Thus with the change of time and due to no sustainable system the Mama Bhil Movement stands today in weakened state even though no collapsed. It stands in the good hope for revival by the socialist’s leaders or the people with the similar social ideology.

Today we need socialist and selfless leaders like Baleshwar Dayal (Mama) among the Bhils who walk on the footprints of Mama. Otherwise, with the present methodology of tribal development in Bhilanchal, it shall fill the pockets of social workers the Bhil region. And among the perennially deprived Bhil community poverty will ever rule, unless junior and the Bhil Mamas put on his spirit and bring in the spirit of revival in Bhilanchal. The thought appears to be a utopia but it is possible if new Mamas re-walk on the foot prints of Mama Baleshwar Dayal once again.

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MAMA Baleshwar Dayal-THE MESSIAH OF BHILANCHAL

A Man Who Worked Tirelessly to Restore Overall Human Rights of Bhils the Deprived Indigenous Peoples of Remote Past

Historically the Bhils are the largest and the most important tribe of Indian subcontinent. The tribe inhabited Central, Northern and Western parts of India since prehistoric times. Many of them are found even in the South and Eastern parts of India. Prior to the coming of other peoples to Nishad Desh, or Bhilanchal, etc. they lived happily in their own states and had achieved a certain level of social and cultural development whose over all growth was disturbed by the incoming peoples and invaders hence they are suffering regression and exploitation till today.

Those who are narrated as Dasyus, Rakshsas and Asuras are the Bhil or Nishad heroes of the ancient Bhilanchal or Nishad Desh. It is this Bhil race that has vehemently suffered the breach of total human rights, socially, culturally, politically, geographically, even religiously in other words successively deprived in each century and rendered them in modern India today as semi nomads, vanvasi, powerless, impoverished and in various clandestine ways being deprived of chances of development, possibly a process, slowly and silently geared to wipe them out from the face of the earth.

The Bhils have rich social, cultural, political, and religious folklore perpetuated to this day by their oral tradition, word of mouth. The Bhil myths, legends, folktales, proverbs, riddles, rituals, rites, cultural symbolisms, depict their traditional wisdom, indigenous culture knowledge, native values, folk religion, a whole system of maintaining and governing their society, Adivasi states, inner life and social institutions of the Bhil the tribe. Dr. Wilhelm Koppers SVD, Dr. Brijraj Chauhan, Dr. T.B. Naik. Dr. Nemichand Jain, Dr. S.L. Doshi, Dr. J.K. Doshi, Dr. Stephen Fuchs SVD, Leo Jungblut SVD, and many other serious scholars have described the royal past of the bhil. In the records of the princely states especially in the Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan by Col. James Tod, and others, records of Kathasaritsagar, oral traditions such as oral epichs of the tribe, that once upon a time these particular states belonged to the Bhils, the Nishads, Bhilas of the past centuries.

Gradually as Muslim invasions intensified, irresistible, the Rajput ruling families or clans took shelter in the land or states of the Bhils of Nishad Desh suppressing and repressing them continuously. Ever since even the remaining states of the Bhils gone with the political, social and cultural invaders the records of whom found in many references of in Hindu political history. The themes are ignored for further researches in social sciences since it the past states would be credited to the Bhils but it is urgently needed for the protection of the Bhil human rights. And today the Bhils still inhabit in the thickly populated regions of their own ancient regions, in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are systematically being deprived, bit by bit even today what is still left over with them. The process of modern way of assimilation without developing their personal and social resources, sanskritisation, massive conversion to Hinduism, deprivation is socially rendering them sheer Dalits or including them only in fourth section of Varna-Jati system of the Indian society.

It is to this land and this social and cultural background, in the district of Jhabua a place called Bhabhara, Dist. Jhabua, in Madhya Pradesh, Mama Baleshwar Dayal a famous Gandhian, freedom fighter and socialist leader arrived in Bhilanchal from Etava district of U.P. Mama knew the pre history, history and royal past of the Bhils well. Seeing the Bhil Langoti in Bhabhara in Jhabua district then in the year in early thirties, was much grieved. He thought, is this the only material symbol or historical remnant of the royal Bhils of the past, to speak their glorious history....and the modern tribal development in India......? From that day on Mama vowed to redeem the Bhils in all possible ways thus gaining socially, culturally and even politically the status of Bhil Messiah. Since he worked for the total Bhil development and as a socialist leader the Indian history other political parties could have made use of his strategies for the tribal development in India have conveniently forgotten him.

Mama Baleshwar Dayal was born in a place called Nivadikalan Dist. Itava, (UP) on March 10, 1905 in a high class Brahmin family. While he was studying in the college, participated in the Indian freedom movement for which the British Government's rules that, was rusticated from the college. Mama left UP and arrived in Jhabua State, to a remote place called Bhabhara the place of Chandrasekhar Azad. In early thirties of the last century Mama Baleshwar Dayal started Bhil Ashram in Bamania with a noble vision to educate the Bhils through Dungar Vidyapeeth (Mountain University) from where he started his Bhil Movement for the overall development of the tribe. He was a member of Congress party, worked with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and other prominent political leaders of Congress in British India. Mama, was the first to begin formal education for the Bhils be it Indian political movement for Freedom, Indian politics, opposing 12 Princely states in Bhilanchal for the abolition of taxes, trained a violent tribe in Ahinsa (non violence), Panchayati Raj, edited Bhili news paper in Bamania called Gobar, taught them how to dress well, use of local herbs, bare foot social and political worker, lived in Bhil style in a tapari (Bhil hut), ate makka no roto( maize roti), trained social and poitical leaders, starved like the Bhils, lived in the company and village of the Bhils, animated to abandon Daru (country liquor), freed from forced labour (beggar) of Maharajs, showed them the art of living, increased their swabhiman (self-respect), gave them concept of Bhilanchal ( Bhil country), advocated for the round the year employment, worked for women's liberation, promoted water shade or water conservation programmes, revived Bhil Panchayats, fought for tribal Arakshan (reservation), fought for Bhil land rights, advocated to grant them fair prices for agricultural products, conducted huge public meetings in indigenous style or with no much expenses, consistent man, did not divert Bhil funds or cheat them in money matters , printed books and pamphlets in Bhili, symbol of Bhil society and unity, composed bhajans and stories in Bhili, and many other contributions Mama Baleshwar Dayal made for the Bhil in Bhilanchal for which the Bhils addressed him with love and honour Mama meaning mother's own brother.

Mama Baleshwar Dayal was rich at heart but not with money, a loyal man to his vision and people, Lived till his death in abject poverty and simplicity. For all his plans and implementation of his vision the Brahmins, Seths and Jain community supported him with sufficient money and service. Seva (selfless service) to the Bhils and their development was their main mission. In coming contact with the Bhils, they grew in all fields but their Guru remained same poor, austere, simple, humble Hungry and alone. The Bhils made tremendous progress in that transitional period but Mama decreased in health and wealth. They increased day by day. Many times he went to jail for fighting for the Bhil human rights. Days or nights he remained Hungry, sick and even thirsty. Walked bare foot for thousands of miles in Bhilanachal guiding his Bhil children who worship and honour him as deified hero......Lived and loved them for over 7 decades in a Bhil hut which he himself maintained.

The hut in the Bhil ashram of Bamania, still bears the testimony of that Fakir and Bhil saint whom India and the media does not remember but the illiterate and badly exploited Bhils still do even today. Never raised huge funds from India or abroad and diverted like the NGOs today in Jhabua. Under his shadow the Bhils grew to maximum heights. But under the shadow of the some 150 NGOs working in Jhabua region the Bhils are growing poorer day by day socially, culturally economically and even politically. Mama often alerted the Bhils saying that you are being enslaved under Deshi Imperialism from whose chains of slavery you shall find difficult to be freed if not impossible. In near future before the Bhils are fully exploited and annihilated, will a new Mama in the form of a Messiah, take incarnation to free the Bhils from Deshi imperialism....?

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APPEAL FOR EDUCATION

In the country side of indigenous peoples, often schools are standing without teachers and students. A times for days together no classes. Of course definitely the schools may be on records, including teachers, but in actual situation it has no existence . In this case government has opened a school for the tribal or indigenous children education to respect their educational rights. Mother makes an appeal to her girl child to go to school. It is a rare chance and a priviledge. The poem narrates a simple appeal to her small daughter.

In our village
There is a school
Daughter, go to study.
In our home
When you are educated
There shall be tremendous joy
Darling,
Go to school

If fees demanded
Shall pay willingly
Darling,
Study with other children
It shall be
Beneficial to study
Darling,
Go to school.

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