The Tribal Of Chhattisgarh - Chapter 3 and 4

 

Chapter-Three

When Raj and Rakesh  opened the drain it was full of bats and insects, but a ladder went down towards the basement. They came down, according to Rakesh, it was 5-10 meters downward. The basement contained 3 rooms: one kitchen where only 3-4 utensils were present and a biogas induction to cook food. A drawing room which contained a bed, chairs and a couch, attached with a bathroom. It was the  sign that someone from outside came for researching on the tribe.

   They both planned to live in that house for a temporary basis. They kept their bags in the hall and discovered some sewage systems which eventually travelled a pit which changed the sewage into biogas fuel. And the same fuel was used into cooking. It seemed strange for them because, this much technology in a small undeveloped village felt impossible! When Raj went to the kitchen he saw a book named ‘ Indian  tribes- Munda & Birsa period’. He started reading it and informed Rakesh about it. Rakesh asked him to read this book and collect knowledge about the tribe. There was a diary letter in the book which wrote:

“ Hey Diary,

                     Today, I went to the bazaar of Birsapura. It was a normal market as others. Full of clothes made of cotton, jute and wool , rugs and fried sizzlers made of potato and meat. Vegetable farmers selling their produce, children running and eating rissoles and drinking juices of various types of  fruits. People were buying these products in so cheap prices i.e.,  15 bugs, 25 bugs and 50 bugs {in US Currency}. I went their in a strange attire for me but, not for the tribal. They wore jute shirts, worn-down and nail-ridden half-pants. Pants were considered to be wore only by businessmen and rich merchants. The market was busy that day, because it was a ‘Survar’ or Sunday according to them. The people talked in Bengali mixed Maithili and a slight touch of Odyssey. I understood Maithili. That’s why I listened to them and talked to them. But, unfortunately, I cannot go towards the center of the village. Though, I really found out many things and its sufficient for my book.

-         Andrew D’Souza”              

This diary letter gave much information about the Birsa tribe. The two travelers started their research from this. They bought some regional clothes from the shops near the railway platform. And then……………

 

Chapter-Four

 

“Savdoo edekka?” “Tumbaadum firsum edekka?” “Akka, ke krana” “Timsum mali ledekkapatta man tunda sodyati” “Ored station-chu” “Gamvat”

Meaning:

“What to do of these outsiders?” says a tribal.

“Lets talk to Sardar [leader] about this? What you say?” says another.

“Sardar, can we throw them in the well or leave on the boat to the next shore.”

“Or leave them on the railway station!!”

“OK!”

Yes! If you think, that were caught by the tribal. Yes, your thinking are totally right.

                      They were caught ruthlessly. The Sardar ordered them to leave them on railway station. But, the story starts from:

“Don’t you talked more, Raj,” Raghav exclaimed. “Ok….” Raj interjected. The tribal doubted on those both, because, they were talking in a different language. A small kid who listened their gossip, complained about them to the subedar of police. The police caught them both and took them to the Sardar of the tribal police. Where Sardar ordered the police to leave them on railway station. But, the two didn’t understood their concern of leaving them the railway platform. Raghav slept on a bench for night and Raj on the floor, because of the unavailability of more benches.

        Another morning, a priest-cum-fakir came to them searching for some food. They denied because, they had only some of it left. But, the priest mainly came to tell him that he will help them research………But, the hidden and unknown truth was that, the priest was the only person speaking Hindi in that village and he was including some English words in that. When Raj asked him he said

“ I’m Vishnu Basulal. I was a Sanskrit and Mythology teacher in Banaras Hindu University. But, came a tragedy in 2019. On the order of my superiors, I came to Birsapura to teach Hindi language to all villagers. But, when I came here none of the villagers was interested in learning the language. Because, they believed that their tribal language known as Bhatra a mixture of Maithili, Odyssey and Bengali is the greatest, And when I asked them to connect with the outer world they said that they are not-interested in connecting with the outer world. From then they kept me for all paper work and give me some rice and wheat and some pulses for feeding every month.” “And I’m happy here and I have also called my family to live here with me,” He added. “So, you are now the permanent resident of Birsapura.” “Yes, I’m. I like this place. No stress, just work for food to live and it results peaceful to me.” Vishnu interrupted.

                                    Raghav and Raj agreed to the man and said they will reside in his home. Raghav and Raj went to his home made of clay covered with hard-hay and leaking water near the bed. The dropping of water from the ceiling to a mug kept, hasty noise ‘tip-tip-tip-tip-tip’.

Priest gave Raghav an artificial beard which we brought with himself to play with his children. And also gave an artificial long-Rajput moustache to Raj which he has for the same reason. And his wife gave them her makeup kit which she brought from Banaras. She gave them to make themselves brownish-black tone, so, that they can match with the tribal. And then they went in the residential area and then………