Experiences from a tribal village

I was walking hurriedly towards Ambavi when suddenly a man whose face was familiar, stopped me and made a request. This request was bitter than any of the requests I have ever had. He became so cruel in my eyes that I felt strongly to thrash him, at least with words. I was in a hurry and I kept walking. The man actually said to me to look for if there is somebody sick or in great need of money and willing to sell any livestock. I felt as if, the human has lost its very essence and this is inhumane. Some people say that this is a market economy. Then what actually it is? The question kept ringing my mind for few more days and I arrived at a conclusion that it is shrewd exploitation. Shrewd in a manner because even the victim is not sure if he was exploited?


Another incident complemented this belief of mine. I used to work from 08 hours to 14 hours usually because in the evenings people are mostly drunk and I least wanted to invade their leisure time. One day, I was determined to finish a certain number of interviews and I worked until 19 hours. I knew it was late but my place was only 3.5 km by walk. People advised me not to go to Thobawada (the place where I lived) and spend the night in Ambavi. I had already heard of stories of recent looting incidents. Notwithstanding the earlier stories and the repeated advices I decided to return to Thobawada. One of the villagers volunteered to escort me to some distance. I happily agreed and continued with him with a lot of confidence in me. We walked to some distance chatting about different issues like politics and after a while he asked can you go alone after here? I saw no reason to say no and he left after advising that not to respond or listen to anybody’s calls and cries, in my way. I found a stick lying beside the road and I felt lucky to pick it up. I used not to carry any valuables except a Rs.2 coin for emergency, my Development Diary and a notebook. After thirty yards, I could feel the haunt. I decided to run and I continued running for more than 2 km. I could stop only when I the houses and electric poles of Thobawada started appearing. After that day, I never stayed past 17 hours in Ambavi.

Both these incidents made me think why it happens? Why have the tribal resorted to looting the passersby? This is certainly not what they are known for. This has never been their profession. Ultimately, I concluded that it is the mainstream which has made them become so. The exploitations of generations has transformed into the form of looting and beating. This has not happened in all places but will for sure, given the cruelty of the mainstream will expand to other places. The time is now for the mainstream to stop and watch their treatment to tribal. This will be in the mutual interest of all.


(Note: Ambavi is a tribal village in Jhadol block, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India).