Kheria Shabar. Yes, that was the identity I was born with. I, Jaladhar Sabar, was born in the tribal community at Kudah village under Kenda P.S. in Purulia district. My father was Late Naran Sabar and Late Rudun Bala Sabar was my mother. I tasted acute insolvency since birth. I read in Kudah Primary School where we used to get broken wheat grains and crushed milo to eat. I was subsequently admitted to Mahara School in class V, Kuruktopa Anandadip High School in class VI and Rajnowagarh DPM High School in class VII. I appeared in the Board Examination in 1978 but could not qualify.
The decade of nineteen fifties witnessed a mass eviction of the Sabar community which had been living in the forest land since time immemorial. The Kheriya Sabars were deprived of sympathy of both the villagers and the police. Keeping pace with those events the unrest soared to the brutal assault meted out on Balari Sabar whose hands, legs and waist were smashed. Even his son, Mangal Sabar was killed. The villagers of Bijoydih were the prime suspects. Similar punishments were inflicted upon the Sabars on mere suspicion of theft of resin from nearby woods.
To put a curb on such atrocities and to cleanse our community of false charges, Gopiballabh Singhadeo, a teacher from Rajnowagarh, Haradhan and Budhan Sabar of Dumurdih, Naran Sabar, Chunaram Sabar and Nanda Sabar of Kudah, Sambhu Sabar of Babuijorh, Suku Sabar of Baldih and Madan Roy of Deorang took the initiative of uniting the Sabars. But the first meeting lacked encouraging participation of Sabars from distant regions owing to coercion; only the neighbouring Sabars could join. These forerunners founded the bedrock of Sabar unity by instilling the thought of working in unison. This inception of unity in Sabar community, initiated by our immediate predecessors, struck the chord of togetherness and tenacity among us. This deep sense of unity resulted in ‘Sabar Samity’ – an association of our own. Gradually it unfurled its wings in the village, block and district levels.
It is undeniable that we are the descendants of the primordial communities which were attached only to forest; we are not naturally endowed with the knowledge of agriculture, hence we starve. Sheer hunger, sometimes, does compel a few of our brethren to commit some nuisance. But that does not vindicate the act of arresting us wantonly. This is unjust. Our children do not get the benefit of education in all respect. People relate us as the epitome of indolence as if we love being without work and activity.
Our association works hard to unite the Sabars and to restore their land. Besides, we also focus on conversion of our encroached lands into cultivable ones. Our motto is to bind our Sabar brothers and sisters together in harmony. To instigate awareness ‘Daal Parab’ in different corners of the district are arranged where discussions, dance, music and other constructive amusements get included. Thus we experienced a positive change both in the exterior and the interior of Sabar lives.
Like 1968, another memorable year in our history is 1983. On 12 th November of that year, because of the hard labour of our respected teacher Gopiballabh Singhadeo and a few other Sabars, Sri Prasanta Rakshit was entrusted with the task of making Mahasweta Devi present in the festival of ‘Sabar Mela’ at Maldih village. On that very day, almost three thousand Sabars declared her as ‘Sabar Mata’ – the mother of Sabars. Our association, too, assumed a new title – ‘Paschim Banga Kheria Sabar Kalyan Samiti’. We were honoured to have Mahasweta Devi as the working president in the midst of thirty three committee members. Her voice still resonates in our minds – “Since you’ve recognized me as your mother, I’ll be with you till the end of my life. In return you’ll have to promise that you’ll obey the association, send your children to school. The adults and elders will also have to have a little education. Those who are involved in anti-social activities must shun them and begin cultivating the land. You’ll never drink every now and then, especially in public. Sabar women must also come forward.” Just like a mother listens to complaints of her wards and rears and protects them, she spoke for us in newspaper, she spoke and persevered for our rights to the State and Union governments.
The Story of Self-independent Sabar Society
Our association took the followings steps:
To encourage farming and agriculture, Kitchen Garden Project was adopted on 1st August, 2020. 738 families joined the project voluntarily. We had two agricultural experts and 15 experienced farmers attached to this project. The yield was remarkable! Eggplant, tomato, chilli, corn, okra, paddy, cluster beans, French beans, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, garlic, spinach, carrot and what not! Besides, each and every Sabar household has begun to house a fruit plant. Saplings of mango, papaya and bamboo have also been provided. Those families were divided into 15 clusters and the Kitchen Garden Project was held successfully in 68 villages. Not only thankful, we are also grateful to the CRP members and the agricultural expert Sri Sudipta Satpathi. They worked their hearts out in managing and organizing the project among scattered Sabar neighbourhoods, supplying organic fertilizers, distributing seeds and saplings and setting up water pumps in the 15 clusters. Mere thankfulness will be too little to honour their labour, they deserve a lot more.
Membership:
Our target was 200, but we ended in joining 582 members. While our target was to collect a sum of ten thousand rupees, we collected twenty nine thousand three hundred and fifty rupees.
Youth Camp:
We arranged several discussions on anti-addiction activities, child marriage, development of agriculture, education and health welfare. The groups comprised twenty women and ten men from each of the fourteen villages.
Forest Rights Act:
We received 473 filled in forms from 41 villages.
Ration Card:
629 persons from 129 villages have submitted filled in forms. Rations cards are being distributed now.
Aadhaar Card:
857 forms have been submitted from 129 villages. The concerned District Magistrate has been requested to supervise the process.
Swasthya Sathi:
508 applications have been submitted. Many have already received Sasthya Sathi Cards.
Widow Pension:
22 applications have been received from 15 villages.
Caste Certificates:
609 applications have been received from 100 villages.
Stipend for disability:
38 beneficiaries from 19 villages are receiving a stipend of Rs. 1000/- P.M. each.
Job Card:
40 applications have been received from 4 villages.
New Bank Pass Book:
119 new bank accounts have been opened in 10 villages.
Voter ID card:
20 persons from 2 villages received voter ID cards.
CLC:
We’ve learnt that the children feel motivated to go to schools if the schools host attractiveitems for games and sports. To develop our children’s fondness for schools, 14 CLCs are currently being run by our association.
We felt that most of our children are deprived of education owing to migration. Still our community does not have sufficiently educated people to write even simple application letters for official works like loss of an important document etc., our association assists in such tasks. Nobody except the members of our association, not even other villagers co-operate with us. Due to such lack of support we are still lagging behind; many of us are still devoid of the benefits of various schemes adopted by the government.
Legal Aid:
In case of any sort of turmoil or any event of oppression upon the Sabars, the members of our association reach the place of occurrence within two to three hours on receiving telephonic calls and ease the situation by meeting the fellow villagers. For legal activities, the Sabars have to rely on the members of the association.
Health Condition:
The Sabars do not tend to get treated for diseases as they lack money power to afford wholesome treatment. The association thinks that many of the Sabars feel unwilling to move to hospital in fear of the distance between the health centre and the village. They prefer treatment in their own locality. Dr. Sangita Nayar of Ranibandh, Bankura has been holding health checkup camps in Sabar neighbourhoods and providing them with medicine at a very low cost.
During the pandemic situation, we faced problems due to poor network. We expressed our circumstances in Bengali newspapers, but as we don’t know English or Hindi, our endeavour remained mostly unnoticed.
Our Song on Corona Virus
Corona Virus ni Kheria Sabar Sabaike Shuryatanu:
[I would like to tell my Kheria Sabar friends a few words on Corona Virus.]
1. Novel Corona Virus ni ato darat hebak nai, ato darai kis hamar hebak
Rang niyam ga sob mani geney nai virus hebak. Ato darai kis hamar hebak.
[What is so fearsome about Novel Corona Virus? Why should we fear?
If we abide by some rules, the virus won’t be able to defeat us. So, why should we fear?]
2. Paschimbangar bairar hun keu kaj kuri aane, choudda din gharar bahire nikarita dibar nai, ekta ghare ek nai ruhit hebak
[If somebody returns to West Bengal after working anywhere outside, he/she should not step outside of his house for fourteen days. Nobody should live with him/her in the same room.]
3. Jadio ba se nikroi tahane kanhar pashak jabar nai, dhurar hun rajat kurit hebak
[Even if he/she goes outside, he/she must not stay close to anyone, distance must be maintained.]
4. Bahirar hun asar parei asha didik jarat hebak, mui nu bahirar hun virus check karat hebak
[If somebody comes from outside the state, Ashadidi (Asha worker) must be informed. He/she must be tested for probable virus infection.]
5. Nijar pindha denga ba bichhana pattar kakeu chhuit dibar nai, sabdhan hi sabaike ruhit hebak.
[Let not your clothes and bed be touched by anyone, all must stay alert.]
6. Pnair naga jwar niswash kashta hele sarkari daktarka dekhat hebak, cheeka khanga hele tuned, urmaal Dhaka ni chhikit hebak
[In case of acute fever and breathing trouble, he/she must visit the physician of government health centre. While sneezing or cough, the face must be covered with handkerchief. ]
7. Ragat haathe tunde annkhe haat tum diyana, saban di haat dhui niba, tarpare tand puichhiba na.
[Don’t touch your face or eyes with dirty hands. Wash hands with soap, then touch the face. ]
8. Sat khare khawar agui saban di kachcha kuiri haat dhui niba, Jaladhar balaya, sukhe raha bhana raha niyam ga sob mani chana, samitir hun sabaike tai jaratanu.
[Always wash your hands with soap before taking the meal. On behalf of the association, Jaladhar says, stay happy, stay safe and obey the norms.]
Mahar le shuru beta chhau, biti chhau, gaank bhana basa jyaratanu Mahar le Bad gaank garh ba dandabat kuritanu
[I convey my love affection to my brothers and sisters and tender my best regards for the elders and respected ones.]
Translated into English by Udayan Gautam