Monday, May 01, 2006
A few days with tribal areas of Bastar
After a long time, almost more than 25 years, I am moving around the tribal belt of Chhattishgarh. I am trying to analyze the changes occurred in their life during this period. I am saying changes and not development, as I am not sure how to term it.
Firstly let me look at their attitude towards life; nothing has changed. Their attitude towards life is - live for today, do not bother about yesterday and not about tomorrow. Earn whatever you can for today, spend it on food and liquor, and do not save anything. They live as if there is no tomorrow. They do not have any ambition to construct big building, no worry about children’s education, fat bank balance, nothing.
I am observing a peculiar scenario. Here I am paying the daily workers on weekly basis. And invariably they have long weekends. Friday evening after collecting their weekly wages they never turn up on Monday. As they continue to suffer from hangover from weekend drinking. They have to spend all the money. How much I try to council them, they respectfully listen to me, nodding their heads on agreement. But come Monday and at least 8 out of 10 are missing.
But how to term this attitude, good or bad?
One-way to look at it is - bad. One cannot expect any development with this type of attitude. When you do not look for future how can you have any development? Hence there life has not changed much.
Incidentally the outside agencies are providing helping hand. It is really paradoxical that Govt. schemes for helping the poor indirectly making them lazier. Now they need to work less and have more time for drinking.
For me it is a great educational experience. All these years I am a strong votary of helping the poor and underprivileged for their upliftment. Personally I am involved in various development schemes. But the direct outcome of these schemes really gives me a new train of thought.
There is one more angle to it. I was discussing this aspect of their life with a few city-based friends and faced with a counter argument from some of them. It is argued, how one can term this attitude of these people towards life as BAD. Due to this attitude they have less social problems. It is a proven fact that these people suffer less physical ailments. They hardly suffer from High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Indigestion and all other ailments the people of modern society face. No doubt till recently they were exploited by the outsiders. But there were hardly any social problem like theft or any other criminal activities. The life is very simple and safe. Then how can you term this attitude BAD?
Firstly let me look at their attitude towards life; nothing has changed. Their attitude towards life is - live for today, do not bother about yesterday and not about tomorrow. Earn whatever you can for today, spend it on food and liquor, and do not save anything. They live as if there is no tomorrow. They do not have any ambition to construct big building, no worry about children’s education, fat bank balance, nothing.
I am observing a peculiar scenario. Here I am paying the daily workers on weekly basis. And invariably they have long weekends. Friday evening after collecting their weekly wages they never turn up on Monday. As they continue to suffer from hangover from weekend drinking. They have to spend all the money. How much I try to council them, they respectfully listen to me, nodding their heads on agreement. But come Monday and at least 8 out of 10 are missing.
But how to term this attitude, good or bad?
One-way to look at it is - bad. One cannot expect any development with this type of attitude. When you do not look for future how can you have any development? Hence there life has not changed much.
Incidentally the outside agencies are providing helping hand. It is really paradoxical that Govt. schemes for helping the poor indirectly making them lazier. Now they need to work less and have more time for drinking.
For me it is a great educational experience. All these years I am a strong votary of helping the poor and underprivileged for their upliftment. Personally I am involved in various development schemes. But the direct outcome of these schemes really gives me a new train of thought.
There is one more angle to it. I was discussing this aspect of their life with a few city-based friends and faced with a counter argument from some of them. It is argued, how one can term this attitude of these people towards life as BAD. Due to this attitude they have less social problems. It is a proven fact that these people suffer less physical ailments. They hardly suffer from High Blood Pressure, Hypertension, Indigestion and all other ailments the people of modern society face. No doubt till recently they were exploited by the outsiders. But there were hardly any social problem like theft or any other criminal activities. The life is very simple and safe. Then how can you term this attitude BAD?
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Dear,Friend
This Divine Land of Bastar is enriched with natural beauty which makes it a
paradise for tourists.The deep forest area between bushes and bamboos where one
always feel the absence of sunlight, wide and thick forests, between high
mountains cool flowing streams, There are so many places which are worth
seeing, not only in Bastar district, but also in the neighbouring districts of
Dantewada and Kanker, which are in Bastar division.
Please Visit For More Detail
http://desidirectory.com/india-travel-guide/Default.asp?OrdDate=0&txtKeyword=
&page=3
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This Divine Land of Bastar is enriched with natural beauty which makes it a
paradise for tourists.The deep forest area between bushes and bamboos where one
always feel the absence of sunlight, wide and thick forests, between high
mountains cool flowing streams, There are so many places which are worth
seeing, not only in Bastar district, but also in the neighbouring districts of
Dantewada and Kanker, which are in Bastar division.
Please Visit For More Detail
http://desidirectory.com/india-travel-guide/Default.asp?OrdDate=0&txtKeyword=
&page=3
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