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Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
HistoriCity: Enigmatic Bastar a mix of ancient tribal culture, Hindu influences
An ongoing security campaign in Chhattisgarh's Bastar remains underreported, and lately, overshadowed by the India-Pakistan conflagration. Being an ignored sidebar of Indian history, however, is not new for this forested region bordering Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra. Bastar is a geologically rich area known for massive reserves of bauxite, iron ore and coal. Its ecology is diverse, dependent on primitive forests, and topography tough with numerous hills and hundreds of seasonal streams and rivers, making this region one of the least assimilated in mainland India. Coveted for timber and minerals, the Bastar region, roughly spread over nearly 7000 square kilometres, is populated by indigenous tribes such as Marias, Gonds, and their subdivisions; the Bastariya identity today also comprises Hindu castes and communities. Over the last several centuries and particularly since the colonial period, it has remained a region mired in enigma and indigenous struggles for equality. The history of tribal cultures in Bastar is a rich resource in itself; however, as is the case elsewhere, it has to be extracted out of oral stories as well as mainstream Hindu histories. This is a difficult challenge, since the continuous process of interaction between the two makes it hard to establish chronology and causation. The bare facts internalised in most accounts, tribal and non-tribal, are that in the 14th century, Annam Deo (1313-1358 CE) a member of the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, pacified the region by defeating the Nagavanshi chiefs (Barsoor is believed to be their capital) and declared himself king. The Kakatiyas belonged to the non-elite castes i.e., Brahmin and Kshatriyas. Over the last seven centuries, while being recognised as rulers, they have remained on the fringes of royalty in India. Bastar region is believed to be the Dandakaranya forest, of the epic Ramayana, where the trio from Ayodhya suffered hardship, and from where Sita is abducted by the Ravana. Danteswari, Manikeswari and Mawli About 350 kilometres from Raipur, lies Dantewada, in south Bastar. In popular imagination, it evokes images of armed conflicts between security forces, and cadres of the banned group CPI (Maoist). However, it is home to the Danteswari temple, which the Puranas tell us is the site where the tooth of Sati, Shiva's consort, fell. While the king as god, imbued with the divine right to rule, is a well- known template across the world, in Bastar, the kings have been titular priests of goddess Danteswari, giving them divine sanction and legitimacy to rule. The temple precedes the 14th century arrival of the Kakatiyas. According to inscriptions recovered at Jatanpal, the local Nagavanshis, built the temple in reverence to goddess Manikeswari in the 11th century. Subsequent to their victory, the Kakatiyas co-opted the local deity and remoulded the tradition according to Hindu Puranic lore of Sati and her Shakti Peethas. However, Goddess Manikeswari too seems to have been an avatar of a local tribal deity, known as Mawli (meaning Mother), and whose non-human or unanthromorphised shrines can still be found across the region. Sundar wrote: 'A Barsur inscription speaks of the Nagas as worshippers of Manikyadevi or Manikeswari, who was an incarnation of Durga or Mahisasuramardini. Hira Lal (noted historian) argued that the Kakatiyas merely adopted the same Goddess and renamed her Danteswari'. Celebrating Dussehra in Bastar Dussehra, which is celebrated across India as Durga-Puja or Navratri, is a nine-day festival in the lunar month Asvina (September-October) that culminates on Vijay Dasami (victory day). This 10th day traditionally commemorates Ram's victory over Ravana, or goddess Durga's defeat of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. In Bastar, however, the local goddess Danteswari replaces Durga as the central deity, making Dussehra the state's most important festival. Bastar's celebration features distinctive elements: the worship of professional tools such as weapons, throughout the festival, ceremonial processions on the ninth day, and animal sacrifices, particularly of buffaloes. The 10 days historically marked the beginning of military campaigns, timed with the end of monsoons. The festival centers on elaborate royal assemblies and processions where the king entrusts the kingdom's welfare symbolically to the goddess, in the form of a sceptre or sword, ensuring prosperity and protection. These rituals evidence a complex blend of pan-Indian and high-Hindu traditions with Bastar's unique local customs, creating a multi-layered celebration that encompasses religious, political, and cultural significance. HistoriCity is a column by author Valay Singh that narrates the story of a city that is in the news, by going back to its documented history, mythology and archaeological digs. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
The Print
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sexist jibes to communal remarks, the many controversies of MP minister Kunwar Vijay Shah
Such was the furore over his comments that it prompted Shah to resign from the BJP-led state cabinet. However, just four months later, in August 2013, Shah was reinstated during a cabinet expansion. A probe by his party led by then state president Narendra Singh Tomar had cleared him of wrongdoing, it was reported. The episode highlighted the political heft of Shah. Worse, Shah had made the objectionable comments about Chouhan's wife Sadhna Singh and BJP functionary Nirmala Bhuria while addressing tribal girls at a summer camp in Jhabhua district. Bhopal: In April 2013, Kunwar Vijay Shah, then tribal affairs minister in the Madhya Pradesh government under Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was in the headlines for making several sexist and objectionable remarks against women, including the chief minister's (CM) wife. A decade later, Shah—who has remained a cabinet minister since 2003 barring a few years in between—is once again in the spotlight, this time for communal remarks. At a speech in Mhow earlier this week, he said India had taught a lesson to those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack using 'their own sister'. It was understood that he was referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who had briefed the public on Operation Sindoor. The remarks drew outrage and condemnation across party lines forcing Shah to issue an apology on 'X'. Madhya Pradesh BJP president V.D. Sharma summoned him to his residence and, according to party sources, issued a stern warning. Protests broke out across the state, with the Congress workers burning Shah's effigies. State Congress chief Jitu Patwari along with party workers landed at Bhopal's Shyamla Hills police station demanding an FIR, but was sent away with the police taking cognisance of their written complaint Wednesday. Sharma sidestepped questions from the media about Shah's resignation. 'The BJP has sensitive leadership. If such incidents happen, immediate discussions are held. The central leadership has taken note. That sister is a daughter of the country, and those who work under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership are a matter of pride for us,' he said. On Wednesday, the Madhya Pradesh High Court took suo motu cognisance of Shah's remarks and directed the police to register a case against him. Sources in the BJP said national president J.P. Nadda has sought a report from Sharma, and the state unit is now awaiting instructions from the central leadership. When asked if there would be action against Shah, a senior BJP leader told ThePrint: 'With the high court taking cognisance of the matter and ordering an FIR, something is certain to follow.' Also Read: Madhya Pradesh BJP in troubled waters—pet crocodiles, millionaire constable & mass tehsildar strike Shah's political career & influence Kunwar Vijay Shah, a descendant of the Raj Gond tribal royal family of Makrai princely state, has over time become the BJP's most prominent tribal face in Madhya Pradesh. According to the 2011 Census, the Gonds—numbering over 43 lakh—form the second-largest tribal community in Madhya Pradesh. Shah first contested elections in 1990 and has since won eight consecutive terms as MLA from Harsud. His first cabinet berth came in 2003 in the Uma Bharati government when he was made the culture minister, followed by stints as tribal affairs minister (2008–2013), school education minister (2013–2018), and forest minister post-2020, after the BJP returned to power in Madhya Pradesh. Following BJP's win in the 2023 assembly elections, Shah was given three portfolios: tribal affairs, public asset management, and Bhopal Gas Tragedy relief & rehabilitation. Shah's wife Bhawna Kushwaha has earlier served as mayor of Khandwa, and his son Divyadita is a member of Khandwa zila panchayat. With 47 of 230 assembly seats reserved for tribals in Madhya Pradesh and another 30 where tribal votes are believed to play a decisive role, Shah's role as a tribal leader is strategically vital to the BJP. In 2018, tribal consolidation behind the Congress led to a significant loss for the BJP, which saw its tribal seat count drop from 31 in 2013 to just 16 that year. 'Of the 230 assembly seats, nearly 73 are influenced by tribal votes,' said Prof Yatindra Sisodia, director at Madhya Pradesh Institute of Social Science Research, to ThePrint. 'While Shah's influence outside his constituency is debatable, within BJP circles, he remains one of the most visible tribal faces—particularly in western Madhya Pradesh where voting patterns often fluctuate.' Sisodia added that Shah's political seniority and tribal identity have secured him a privileged status in the BJP, even as he continues to be a source of discomfort to the party with his several controversial remarks. Shah's previous controversies In 2020, while serving as forest minister, Shah was accused of halting the shoot of the film 'Sherni', starring Vidya Balan, reportedly after she declined an invitation to dine with him. Shah denied the allegation, claiming it was Balan's team that had invited him and that he had declined due to scheduling conflicts. Three years later, in December 2023, principal conservator of forests, Aseem Shrivastav, had to order a probe after a video surfaced showing a person said to be Shah partying inside a tiger reserve with forest guards cooking nearby. The incident came to light with wildlife activist Ajay Dubey registering a complaint against Shah. In 2017, as school education minister in Chouhan's cabinet, Shah in a bid to instil patriotism in school children had ordered school students in Satna district to respond to roll calls with Jai Hind, instead of 'yes, ma'am'. Sisodia said: 'Over the past few months, the BJP has offered its leaders a long rope when it comes to inflammatory remarks—be it Pritam Singh Lodhi, or Chintamani Malviya. The question now is: will it make an exception in Shah's case?' (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Vijay Shah's comment on Col Qureshi is a mindset that has gone unchecked for years
New Indian Express
03-05-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
The buffalo roams our mythscape
Says Asko Parpola, 'Early Harappan cultures started moving toward the east and south in about 3,000 BCE. That the Harappan water-buffalo cult had reached peninsular India by the late Harappan or Chalcolithic times is suggested by the large bronze sculpture of a water buffalo discovered in 1974 at Daimabad in Maharashtra. Throughout south India, village goddesses have been worshipped through water buffalo sacrifices.' The Vindhyas still have buffalo-totem worshippers like the Marias and Gonds, pastoral herders who wear buffalo horns on festive occasions and were gradually pushed into the forest by food-producers, probably goddess-worshipping Dravidians. The Marias also worship Danteshvari Devi—they worship both the victorious goddess and the defeated deity. Mysuru, formerly Mahisha-ur, is named after Mahisha. A huge statue of a moustachioed figure of Mahisha holding a sword and a snake stands at the foot of the Chamundeshwari Hill, at the top of which stands the temple of Durga as Chamundi. There is a sub-caste called Mahishi in Karnataka, whose followers still worship the buffalo and goddess Chamundi. Less than 100 km from Mysuru are the Nilgiri Hills, home to the pastoral buffalo-worshipping Toda tribe, whose origins are shrouded in mystery. The vegetarian Todas venerate the buffalo, whose horns adorn their temples. So sacred are buffaloes to them that no other nearby tribe was allowed to own any. The cairns of the Nilgiris, deserted by the Todas, are called moriarumane or house of the Morias (Marias). Mahishamati, south of river Godavari where the Gonds live, is also named after Mahisha. Founded by King Mahishmat (meaning rich in buffaloes), the region was ruled by Nila of Dakshinapatha, whose subjects were called Mahishakas. In Maharashtra, the demon Mahsoba (Mahisha+baa or father), killed by Parvati, is venerated by some castes. Both Mahishamati and Mahsoba are situated in the Vindhya region. The Van Gujjars are a vegetarian Muslim tribe who never eat their buffaloes or sell them for slaughter. Buffalo milk is their main source of income and a staple food. Caring for the water buffaloes is the axis around which the tribe's world revolves. Bhils worship the buffalo as Bhainsaasur, who lives in the agricultural fields. It's projected that the gentle buffalo god-king of the indigenous tribes was demonised by the food-producers who worshipped the mother goddess. The two came into conflict over land. The Karnataka communities who worship the buffalo were for centuries compelled by landlords to kill the buffalo and drink its blood as revenge-punishment, till the high court stopped the practice. Before killing, the Devi drank wine. She is described as anarya, or non-Aryan, indicated by her appetite for wine and blood. Durga was a non-Vedic goddess of a non-Vedic people. She is aligned to Kali and the Matrikas, who are wild, bloodthirsty and fierce. She is a warrior who excels in battle. Mother goddess worship is popular in Dravidian cultures, whereas Vedic gods were mostly male. Durga and Mahisha were deities of agricultural and pastoral peoples. Their mythic fight probably signified that of their followers. (Views are personal) Nanditha Krishna Historian, environmentalist and writer based in Chennai
Time of India
30-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
The forgotten Gonds: How the community in tamil nadu struggles for recognition and basic rights
Sameera is only 12 but already knows the cruelty of social discrimination. Bullied by classmates and ignored by teachers, she dropped out of high school last year. "They made me sit separately and laughed at me because I'm Gond," she says. "I still want to study, but not when I am treated like that." Sameera lives in Gondi Nagar, a tarpaulin-covered splinter settlement in Coimbatore that claims to be Tamil Nadu's only Gond enclave. Home to 1,500 people, it is tucked away in Sundarapuram, just a few kilometres from a bustling city centre. Yet its residents, originally from Central India, live without recognition, basic rights, or a sense of belonging. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai They are classified as scheduled tribes in states such as Odisha and Uttarakhand — the 2016 Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, includes them in Uttarakhand; Odisha recognises subgroups such as the Gond, Gondo, Rajgond, Maria Gond, and Dhur Gond. But in Tamil Nadu, while the govt has launched schemes to uplift tribal communities, the Gonds remain on the fringes. They lack community certificates, access to govt scholarships, and the right to be counted as part of India's official tribal landscape. Many children never make it to high school, and most families still live in tents. In Gondi Nagar, there are no drains, toilets are few, open defecation is routine, and children fall sick often. Women walk long distances for water. There is no access to healthcare, and girls as young as 14 or 15 are married off — some already mothers before they turn 17. Most Gonds earn a living selling jari booti (traditional herbal medicine). Some have turned to trading in auto spare parts, eking out a life through odd jobs. "Many women here are training as beauticians and work at salons," says 33-year-old Sangeeta, a school dropout. Families are large, with eight to ten children under one roof — or rather, under a tarpaulin stretched across four bamboo poles. Gonds are one of India's oldest tribes, once rulers of Gondwana, a region spanning what is today eastern Madhya Pradesh. "Gond", meaning hill dweller, was a label given by Mughal administrators, according to eHRAF, a compendium of world cultures by Yale University. Though the Gonds now live scattered across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Odisha and Maharashtra, the ones in Tamil Nadu are almost invisible. Their language, Gondi, is spoken only by a few; most speak Tamil or Marathi. Over the past three decades, with help from religious group scholarships, the Gondi Nagar community has seen 30 of its members graduate — some now working in MNCs, others as entrepreneurs or social workers. Sanjeet Samuel and Yacoob were among the first and still live in the settlement. "There are 350 families here and more than 400 children," says Sanjeet. "But in the past 10 years, only the children of graduates have made it to high school. Without ST status, we cannot opt for reservation or turn to the Right To Education Act, so education remains out of reach. Parents want better but can't do anything because they have no money. So, most children here are dropouts. Without community certificates, govt jobs and scholarships are ruled out." Yacoob says education gave him "social status". "Many want a similar change in their lives and in the lives of their children. Even for small things such as filling a form or visiting a hospital, the few of us who studied now help the rest in the community," he says. A corporation primary school was set up for the community, and 75 children have been enrolled, but only about 25 show up daily. Middle and high school children are referred to a corporation high school 2 km away from Gondi Nagar. Irregular attendance is a problem, says a teacher. "Many come to school late, unwashed, and leave by midday," says the teacher. "Parents are not interested in education." Artist D Anand Abraham, a member of the community, was nine years old when he came to Tamil Nadu in the 1960s and moved across districts such as Salem, Namakkal, Dharmapuri, and Dindigul until they settled in Coimbatore in the 1980s. "We first lived in Podanur, but we were evicted and shifted to Sundarapuram. This area is well connected," says Abraham. A few houses were built under slum clearance board schemes, but as the population grew, many were forced to return to living in tents, cooking and sleeping on the roadside. The Coimbatore district administration has now enlisted an anthropologist from the Tribal Research Centre, Ooty, to document the Gonds' culture and ancestry. "The study should conclude by May," says Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar. "If they're recognised elsewhere, we can propose reservations here too and issue community certificates." The development plan, says Giriyappanavar, focuses on housing, education, and sanitation. "Land verification is underway to build more homes nearby, ensuring the community isn't relocated. We are planning weekly reviews with NGOs, police, and officials of various departments. Once recognised, the Gonds will be eligible for land rights and welfare benefits under the tribal welfare board." To reduce school dropouts, a bridge course will train teachers from within the community to teach students in Marathi and Tamil. "This approach was introduced in Tirupur and has had positive outcomes. A temporary classroom will also be set up inside the settlement," says Giriyappanavar. "Sanitation will be improved with new toilets and regular cleanliness drives."
