The Plight of the Invisible – A story of Nomadic and De-notified tribes of India

While reading one famous book by a famous historian, I came to know something about the Indian Hockey team of 1928 which won the Olympic Gold Medal. This team was captained by a person named "Jaipal Singh". He was a Munda from the eastern part of India. During the formation of our constitution in 1946, he made a speech before the house which goes on like this.

"As a Jungli, as an adibasi, I am not expected to understand the legal intricacies of the resolution. But my common sense tells me that every one of us should march in that road to freedom and fight together. Sir, if there is any group of people that has been shabbily treated it is my people. They have been disgracefully treated, neglected for the last 6,000 years. The history of the Indus Valley Civilization, a child of which I am, shows quite clearly that it is the newcomers - most of you here are intruders as far as I am concerned - it is the newcomers who have driven away my people from the Indus Valley to the jungle fastness... the whole history of my people is one of continuous exploitation and dispossession by the non-aboriginals of India punctuated by rebellions and disorder, and yet I take Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru at his word. I take you all at your word that now we are going to start a new chapter of Independent India where there is equality of opportunity, where no one would be neglected."

This speech was made in the context of providing an opportunity of equality to the tribal along with the mainstream people. His aspiration was realized at least on paper on 26 January 1950, creation of tribal states like Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, etc, and through de-notification of tribal communities in 1952. However, in-spite of many-a-such acts, the ground realities picture an altogether different portraiture of what was aspired.

The plight and these ground realities are brought beautifully into light by one such social reformer named "Mittal Patel". I was deeply absorbed by her emotional oration about the de-notified and nomadic tribes of India. She talks about the history of de-notified tribes and their pity. De-notified tribes are the tribes that were originally listed under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871. Once a tribe became "notified" as criminal, all its members were required to register with the local magistrate, failing which they would be charged with a crime under the Indian Penal Code. The Criminal Tribes Act of 1952 repealed the notification, i.e. ‘de-notified’ the tribal communities. This act, however, was replaced by a series of Habitual Offenders Acts, that asked police to investigate a suspect’s criminal tendencies and whether his occupation is "conducive to settled way of life." The de-notified tribes were reclassified as habitual offenders in 1959.

There are 315 nomadic and 198 de-notified tribes in India. Though the constitution guaranteed them reservation but these invisible people of the society remained at the mercy of society, administration and political system of the country. Mittal talks about how their primary occupation is inter-twined as an 'essential' for our vibrant Indian society. She goes on listing different nomadic tribes like Sarnia, Natda, Nat (Snake Charmers), etc and how their occupation had been badly ruined in this age of technology and yes ! thanks to thoughtless acts and policies. Tribal people have long being dependent on nature and especially forests and its produce. With the age of industrialization and urbanization they have been forced to move out either to re-rehabilitate or to wander. This has caused them to look for alternate occupations. 

An example of one of the worst affected are the tribals of Vadia village in Gujrat wherein, woman are forced to indulge in prostitution. I was shocked to hear that this happens right from their birth and all of the woman of this village have no other choice. Even their male family members act as agents of this business. Having no other means of livelihood and discarded by the so-called civilized society, it brings a shame to this Shining Country. 

The problems do not end for these ladies and for many more of the de-notified or the nomadic tribes. They have no identity of their own and have no access to any education. The organization named VSSM functional in Gujrat and manned by Mittal is trying hard to provide them these much needed amenities. They are involved in rescuing these ladies and helping them in marriages to restore their respect. They have a mission to provide these de-notified tribes the respect that they really deserve and not being branded as criminals. The efforts of Mittal Patel does qualify her to be called a “Social Reformer” rather than just a “Social Worker” 

The issue raised by Mittal Patal reminds us of what liberty, fraternity and social justice mean in the real context. It is for "We, The People of India" to initiate and help the disadvantaged sections of the society by giving them all they deserve after such exploitation. Be it forest produce rights, be it giving them identity, providing them education, giving them opportunities in employment or any other means that can uplift them and help them to be a part of the main-stream would be incomplete if our perceptions do no change that “they are out-cast”. 

Jaipal Singh is not alive today, but had he been; he would have also cried after seeing the India of 2013. Giving the status if being Indian to these tribes is what they really want. This is all, what they deserve. After-all, most of us are intruders only. It is the tribes who are the real Indians.

The link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8cZ2iJARPM 

This post is written for the Idea Caravan and Indiblogger in association with Franklin Templeton Investments. Franklin Templeton Investments partnered the TEDxGateway Mumbai in December 2012.

Warning Boards

Three young lads in sweet twenties,
wanted to conquer a land of wild seas.

Rocky cliffs and sailing mighty winds,
calling upon those lads of sweet twenties.

They sat on a thought to set roads towards the west,
then, tried pursuing their dads to their best.

You are kids! You have a little world of your own,
we are concerned for you child, trust me its very little known.

Said one "I do not intend to be coward like you,
I want to be with the world and not behind any few".

Said another "Trust me father, I am a son you would be proud of
I see your concern and I'll do nothing to make you cry of"

The third hardly spoke of a line,
I accept everything as you say and I promise to be fine.

Few more words did hurt the first father,
and convinced the rest but not really rather.

"Okay! I'll let you go,
but then, you will have a rule to follow".

"Done! I am there for any tit-bit ,
let it come as you know, who is paying for it."

"Do not swim in the waters on the sea-shores,
I've been there and I saw many-a-friends floating dead souls"

Casually the lad undermined and accepted those words,
He knew what to be forgotten, once he gets something from his purse.

Two days, after the lads of  twenties,
finally motored their ways to those mighty coaster-lies.

The air was fresh as never, and where,
the skies and waters blue for-ever.

They drink-ed and dined in joy for a day,
then rested in a cottage-hut near the bay.

There was nothing to disturb their calms,
but for a few waves breaking waters through palms.

The rebel boy now spoke in silence,I'll teach you what I am
tomorrow I'll ride over you and you will know "who I am"

Next morning, the rebel boy cried "Come guys, lets sail in the rock shores"
"There is nothing better than this for you sweet folks"

Thus they all reached that place,
where, natures's fury in smoky waters was at amaze.

But then, the third of them yelled towards a board,
This is the same, what my father had told.

"Life is too short, Do not Swim here, It will make you even shorter"
"It is no man, to try such adventure, it will only make your family weaker"

Those words did repel, all but one,
indeed not our rebel boy of twenty and awesome,

"You are morons, and you are cowards,
You are kids, but I am an adult now on-wards"

And, he jumped with joy into a thundering wave,
after-a-while which got lost in a twisty-grave.

Jumped one more to find, where his mate was,
but he too never returned to speak for any cause.

The third one was left standing alone, but to cry,
and those two mates floated, the next-day somewhere nearby.

Those lands and those wild seas conquered us cold,
and what happened to those fathers is a story not meant to be told.

"This is was my own Story O! my son of twenties"
"You heard me all, and now you are free to go those very seas"

"The Moral of the Story is too straight, which you also know,
"Listen to those warning boards, before anywhere you GO"


(C) Raj Jaipal

An Elegy of a Paramour

Dear love, you owe this night to me,

I am the lady you must be with,

Dine my sight; relax that eye-spree,

Comfort my soul, don't mention a kith.

When the food is over, curl-up those fingers round,

Don’t stand! I will be with the cloth,

Look those eyes, where-in I am lost and you are found,

I’ll then jump up to you like a moth.

Take me up-stairs, slow but sure,

Listen to my voice with hairs on your face,

Rest me in a place of just-us and so un-pure,

And then tell me a tale of that two-knotted lace.

I swear not to leave you now or ever,

It was me and will-be me on that only boat,

Please do swear my name dear at-least for-ever,

I’ll hold you like your skin coat.

But that song un-turned with a sight,

That old fagged lady turned up my hubby’s bed,

A look with which I frightened her that night,

Seeing that she tried stabbing but I did stab her red.

He moaned and I joyed and screamed,

He then slapped me and that broke my rhyme,

I put that dagger cutting his heart and thus he bleed,

I drank it all making ‘my love’ only mine,

Alas! I thought, It was just ‘he’ and me nearby,

And I believed him that he said “I am all your”

But I stabbed that traitor again, the moment I opened one eye,

And he poured down from inside me saying “I was never really yours o' my Paramour”

(C) Raj Jaipal

Learning Foreign Expressions

I have a beautiful friend and a person whom I can call my true guide in every way of my life. Whenever I try to learn something new, I would tell that person that I am now going to do something silly, so, kindly criticize. 

This time around, I was reading some foreign words and expressions. I was having some difficulty in remembering them, so thought why not, send it to that beloved in the form of a text-message and yes! it worked wonder.

Here's that message:

If I were to write how I won my battle of the odds. I will start de novo from the ad-antiquo, citing times of my first glimpse and that first blessing of the lords. It would be then a bonafide magnum opus of mine where-in I will narrate a tale of two humans and an epic of one-age. My dream of that el-dorado is the raison d'etre for me to write and bear everything unmerry with sang froid.

Now, to be true, it was just a summary of my dream to write something great for her. 

An Indian Farmer

I see every day of that burning heat,

aching legs of those bony feet.

I tire into many-a-filthy fields,

a pond of mud which never yields.

I am a soul known with a sickle,

quarreling wife and kids to un-mingle.

I am a sin that is discarded,

a troubled societal being retarded.

I am the man with no mates any bold,

pinching curses when I am slightly old.

I am the bye to adieu no more,

It was me but just a farmer off-that shore.

(C) Raj Jaipal

* Picture: Courtesy www.youthkiawaaz.com

Quit Smoking

I was tired that day,
And that heart ached in an un-fine way.

In my trouble I felt a beat un-heardly,
Then, told all this to a lady so friendly.

It went on with an un-beating that night,
A trouble and a concern for that lady of might.

Mumbled she with a small echo,
"How much do you smoke on a go?"

That anguish and those eyes,
Left no place for any noes or lies.

An illusive face in grim that he did disdain,
Becoming the very reason for his pain.

Finally, that persuasion came to a round,
"Do no bargain with me", You are my dearly found.

"You are a sinister and so be I"
"If you do not quit, then let me try."

It pricked as if a nail piercing by,
Left now nothing for me but to cry.



(C) Raj Jaipal

Scary Letters

Long ago, there was this dark road,

Where-in a bearded man lived in a shanty abode.

Everything merry passed him missing,

He then turned up his head and found a new wishing.

Turned up that age of sweet dreamy yore,

With her canvassed lass twined in each folklore.

Time passed by into another green day,

And turned up another lady from hay.

Deranged did found that old boy,

In a new thought of this unworldly joy.

But for that ‘second’, was a day in blue,

A thought in paint and which she never knew.

He painted her in shades of his letters,

In a dream for a girl which really matters.

Called it-up numbered like Friday the scary-ly,

Yes it was a dream indeed, and not just fairy-ly

A Funeral Song

Just when the moon lit light,

I woke her up asking 'you alright?'.

She muttered about a kin no more,
And the words I replied then meant 'no-shore'

A mere face of recollect in my despair,
Pale and grail as of nowhere.

Did she ever say a little line?
I thought I heard when she was fine.

Didn't knew how to have faith in a funeral song,
Its never been heard by me for long.

A departed soul of thine,
I believe 'that departed' hardly did connect mine.

Its a tragedy to console thy remorse,
A pity phrase never fitting, lay a-course.

It wasn't meant to harsh your grief,
But an honest condolence in brief.

(C) Raj Jaipal

It is Time That We Question Ourselves for Reforms Rather than Incremental Changes

The recent rape incidence of a 23 year old girl in Delhi, throws open a wide debate once more. It reflects the imperial derelicts of the past and our inefficiencies in coming up with authentic indigenous ways of serving the en-masses. The incident itself is just a degree more, in what the so called soft-gender is facing from time immemorial.

[Courtesy: thehindu.com]

The vagaries of this land are immense and our forefathers had tough times to gel-together to bind us in one mould of Indian Constitution. The document aimed at protecting the weak and added safeguards against any abuse directed towards the innocent. But, as truly said “It is easier to write constitutions than to run it” and this is what precisely is being happening all around us. There are so many voices “We want justice, we want peace”. Delhi, the capital of India is proudly boasting as being also the rape capital of India. And it is not just Delhi, where we find women being victimized so frequently, there are others too. The only reason for Delhi being at the centre-stage is due to the lack of reporting from other parts the country. 

Save My Childhood

[Courtesy: flickr.com]

Yesterday, I visited a garage for motor-bike washing. All the employees of the garage were busy in one activity or the other. I asked one of them "Gaadi dhool jaayegi kya?"

"Wahan khadi kar dijiye, ladka aa raha hai dho dega"

"Oye Bhalu, kahan hai be?"

"Bhalu?"

"Haan Bhaalu humara ek khatarnaak jaanwar hai"

Then a small kid comes and starts washing my bike. After washing, he asks me for Rs. 10 to get varnish. While he was polishing, I ask him "Teri umar kitni hai?"

The boy replied "Sir, 9 saal"

"Kitne paise dete hai yahan pe tujhe?"

"3000 rupiyye"

"Paise kya saare ghar pe deta hai?"

"Haan Sir"

"Aur papa kya kartey hai tere?"

"Upar hai"

"Upar matlab?"

"Chhat pe"

"And Mummy?"

"Dono Saath hi hai"

"Kaise?"

"Ek TB se, ek Cancer se"

"Ghar kahan hai pe hai phir?"

"Punjab mein?"

"Phir tujhe yahan kaun leke aaya?"

"Garage waale bhaiyya, bhaiyya acchey hai"

"Tera school jaane ka mann nahi karta?

"Karta hai, yeh kaam chhod ke chala jaaunga 3 mahine ke baad. Mera naam bhi likha hua hai school mein. Abhi kuchh paise kamaa lun phir jaaunga. Achha aap mujhe 60 rupiyye hi do, polish aapki thi naa isiliye?

"Chal mein chalta hun, waise naam kya hai tera?"

"Dilip Kumar"

"Arrey waah, tu to yaar sach much ka Dilip Kumar hai", saying this I leave the garage and came back to my house. All along the drive back to my home, I was just thinking, what can be done to save this child. Complaint doesn't make sense, as the garage owner has given this singled child a new life to live. He is feeding him food and also behaves well. I cannot take him home as he does have a home in Punjab and he has a brother and moreover I do not have a stable future of my own. 

The Pain:

There are many-a-times when I am confronted with such situations and maybe we all are, at least in a country like ours. I tell you, it is very painful to see when those tender hands are subjected to harsh chores and occupations. Some of these works are even difficult for adults like us.

An Ever-Cynical Racist

Last month I met a person who was going back to his ancestral place after a gap of nearly 20 years. I asked him "20 years! Would it be appropriate if I could ask you "WHY 20 years?"

He politely said "It doesn't matter to me as I know even if I tell you, you could help me no more than nothing"

This very statement pricked as if a broken chip is pricking your body from your pocket, sometimes curious sometimes annoying. It took me a moment to gasp the meaning of those very lines, but after a while I could not help myself and asked him "Why 20 years, don't you like your hometown".

Mr. X replied back "It is not what you think, but the thing is that I am fed up being called an alien in my own place. The place I am going is not my hometown, it is the home for my parents and their parents, but what about me? I was born in a small nursing house in Delhi, I was taught to treat other people as uncles, aunts and sisters. Now I realize that they were neither my real uncles or aunts, nor my real brothers, sisters or friends"




[Courtesy: indianexpress.com]

Such an anguish and such grief brought a change of tone in the voice of that person. He realized this immediately and refrained from speaking a word more. Humanity seemed to have betrayed its own child, he was crying, he was asking for help, he was in anger, he was in fear, but we all turned our ears deaf to ignore the pained soul.

After a brief pause, I came back to him " What wrong has happened with you?"

The man replied "You have the same skin and you have the same colour but my eyes aren't like yours and I have a surname that you people can't spell. Now you know why I am termed as a "Chinky" and now you know why people like me have been threatened to leave this place".

"I feel terrible when I see other north-easterners leaving in jam-packed second class railway bogies, may be they aren't as rich as me. I wish I could help them but I don't have enough money to help them all"

"One friend of mine came to drop me at the station, he was crying and told me repeatedly not -to-leave, but I am left with no other option. I am worried for my wife and my small daughter. They might kidnap them anytime and can spoil their lives. This has already happened with one of my relatives"

"Police says 'Mind-your-dressing', but do you think that wearing the dress you like provokes barbaric feelings?"

"Our Laws boast about protecting us by providing reservations and restricting entry of outsiders in NE states, but don't you see how people treat us when we get those jobs."


"I have an ancestral home in Arunachal, people call it the land of rising sun, but I do not feel any development in that area. It might be because of nature or may be due to military or government, I don't know. All I know is that north-east people are the true Indians and they have been warriors ever since they realized that they are connected in one main-land. We do not like Chinese, yet we are called Chinese. Government is wary of Chinese aggression and developments cross the border. If I tell you that poor people are lured for food and country liquor to work for Chinese roads, would you believe that? But they do not want to be a part of China, they are Indians. What else can they do? If your bellies are empty you are left with no choice but to work for feeding it. Add to it you still love a country whose government does nothing or little for you. Still we are Indians and we have been taught to have tolerance and patience."

"Recently I was looking at the census figures, I find that NE India is as good as any other state or may be better, be it girl-boy ratio or literacy. This is in-spite of so few hospitals, schools or colleges here. Then why we are not loved by others."

" I do not want to compare but could you tell me why it takes 4 days to find a chief minister's body when it took just a few hours to find the body of a similar state's CM. The difference does not lie in the name of the states, but the difference lies in their treatment."

"Few years ago we started saving our forests and tress, the forest officials started destroying our huts and boats. They called police and then the rest is story. They said that they want development, but development means nothing if it not for man-kind. Our elders have taught us songs and rituals which connects us with our nature. Should we let axe-cutters destroy their soul? No one likes when his home is being burnt or a bulldozer comes thrashing fields. So did we."

"I am sorry but I could not stop myself" says Mr. X

[Courtesy: firstpost.com]

For a few moments I felt as if I am one of those accused. I was looking at that man who was just started, I wish I could hear him more. I myself is a blabber-mouth but after a long time did someone outspoke me. I was feeling that feel of being connected with that man.

"Did I Speak too much? You seemed to be very silent!" said the person.

I replied "No, no. I was just thinking that it is not the government which failed us but ‘we people’ are the most racist. We do not like Biharis in Maharashtra, South Indians in North, Assamese in Bangalore, Marathis in Bihar, and god know how many more.

We are Hippocrates when we are to attend functions of friends belonging to other religions or castes. We say that White-skinned people hate Indians. The hatred is even more when we see African students being ill-treated in my own place. Forget the UN fight against racism or government’s inability to deal with the Assam insurgencies, our media is also handicapped. The evil lies in the very roots of our upbringing. I wish all were born without a surname, without a religion or without a caste in this great country, but then there are other problems also. Brother-hood is of no meaning if minds do not meet and hearts do not connect. Everyone find brotherhood when times are not-so-good. May you find good brothers in every place! Treat me as your brother, I wish you all good luck, May you have a happy journey”


[Courtesy: deccanchronicle.com]

Saying this, I shook hands with him and de-boarded the train. I looked outside for the rickshaw and asked him to drop me to a nearby hotel. He told me “Saabji 30 rupiyye lenge lekin aapko bata dete hai ki area achha nahi hai, wahan ********* rehte hai ”

“Chalo chup-chaap! de denge tumko 30 rupiyye”

Parliamentary Ethos

While reading a book on Parliamentary Democracy in India, I came across our former Lok - Sabha speaker's concern over the functioning of present day parliaments. While expressing some of the facts about the conduct of the house members and what impact has this on our exchequer he seemed to be utterly worried. It might be an exaggerated anticipation of mine but yes he was somewhat worried.

Why was he worried? I am not concerned about his fears or his anxiety nor I am any penny biased over him but the facts written as a statement of his made me realise something very important.

Often I work for 300 hours a month like most of my country fellows and that too away from our near and dear ones just to earn what my people of the house (parliament) waste every minute by disrupting its working. The 14th Lok Sabha met for almost half number of days (332) as compared to our 1st Lok Sabha due to utter chaos, grave abuses, unnecessary adjournments and frequent walk-outs. 

Why! are they so special to be such flamboyant? It may be not just me but millions who have to toil their daily muscles and limbs to earn and then part away a share (in the form of taxes) so that we can have better policies aiming our own development (better roads, better goods distribution, better education and many better services). But what if a member disdains from the house itself for over a major part of the term? Be it a film actor, be it the sole protector of Bengal, be it the J&K assembly or be it the cash-for-vote furor in the house, they simply do not have the right to misuse public money by not allowing the proceedings of the house to go forward. 

I would be least apologetic to any of them as I care of my country-folks who are so involved just to find ways for keeping their bellies contented rather than wasting time over the policy makers and policy controllers of the nation. Their day starts with less than Rs. 31 and ends with less than Rs. 31. The other worry for them is when will they have their dreams fulfilled of having better sanitation, better drinking water, better shelter in times of distress and better ways of livelihood. Actually most of them never dreamt of things such as these but they are forced to dream every five years and then forced to forget the same very next year.

What a shame! the rulers throwing chairs, abusing each others, walking out of the house as if they were rambles, passing appropriation bills without any need of discussion and the most important of all "enjoying holidays from the parliament when they are supposed to be making policies for the ones who are paying day and night for their above mentioned acts".

By mere expression of my sentiments is not going to work out any means of change, but I along with my country-people want to ask my respected MPs and MLAs is that aren't we forgetting the golden examples set up by our Constitution framers? Aren't we bringing disgrace to all those who died in val-our for creating up a set-up as of today? Aren't we bringing unwanted activism from all sorts - be it from a Baba or a Civil Society or be it our own Judiciary? Why do we have to waste time resolving disputes rather than putting in a constructive thoughts where disputes are a least possibility? Where is that "Social Democracy" we enshrined in our only law of the land?

So many of these questions! I shouldn't have thrown up like this.