PELICANS AT BARACHAKA :BANKURA

 

 

PELICANS AT BARACHAKA :BANKURA

August 18, 2013 at 10:46pm

Pelicans  have come to Barachaka.  ‘May God with us this year’- Pranotosh  Tudu whispered.  ‘They  are our guests.  So long they are withus  we are not afraid of  drought. Don’t you see  that we getting abundant rains since their arrival.  Lake is full with water.  We shall harvest more paddy this year. Ghungru  is with us,”-  At a first conversation  you may be puzzled with Tudus’ words. No, heis not alone all the members of Barachaka speak in the same voice.  Ghungru is the nick-name of Pelicansthere.  An old lady sitting in  a cot asked us  to sit  by her. She was telling the story. It wasabout four decades back  there wereconsecutive droughts  in Bankura.  They all suffered  in absence of rain. Suddenly, a group of birds arrived in their village.Co-incidentally  there was downpour.  Adibasis thought that  Burima (deity) -   has favored them at last. There is a sacred grove at the end of village. Within a week thousands and thousands pelicans came and took shelter in the trees of the grove.  The Pahan declared those birds are harbinger.They are sent by  God.  They got the link between pelican;s arrival and  rains. All the members began to watch them. They kept strong vigilance so that poachers do not hurt the birds.   Tribal took vows not to kill them or touch their flesh. God’s emissary  is  indeed sacred to them. Thus, Pelicans found a safe place.  The  most amazing is that tribal promised  not catch fish in the lake adjacent tovillages. Pelicans were happy catching fish there.  Thousands and thousands swim in the lake freely- no enemy is there to disturb their life style.  Sooner the birds  recognized Barachaka as a haven.    Myths surrounded the  innocent tribal.  This belief is going on. Tribal wait for their coming.

Pelicans now move to the roofs ofhouses. They chirp in a distinct voice. Children enjoy Pelicans.  This is rare any where,  Co-existence of men andbirds is   not seen any where. The birdsstay for about six months. During this period they lay eggs, hatch them and make them adults.  By this time winterstarts and pelicans leave Barachaka. Pelican;s departure  coincides paddy-harvest .

Pelicans come during rainy season. This time  water flows in the lands, creeks and rivers. This  helps Pelicans catching  fish, snails ,frogs etc. easily. Pelicans know that during winter there will be shortage of  food and thus they leave for other places where rain starts.

Barachaka is ideally situated .It is five k.ms away from Chhatna and near to Susunia hill  and G.Ghati. Natural topography ,flora &fauna  here  magnetize all.  I hope, Eco-based tourism could be developed here with minimum cost.    

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Crafts,Culture & Agriculture: Rakhi Festival for Harmony

Crafts,Culture & Agriculture: Rakhi Festival for Harmony: Rakhi Festival for Harmony August 9, 2014 at 10:16pm: Reproduced from earlier notes Tomorrow is the full moon day of Shravana. ...

Rakhi Festival for Harmony

Rakhi Festival for Harmony

August 9, 2014 at 10:16pm: Reproduced from earlier notes

Tomorrow is the full moon day of Shravana.  Rakhi will be celebrated throughout the country cutting across all classes of the society. On this auspicious day Malabar region observes Nariyal Purmimal festival. Here,  Coconut is offered to the Sea representing the deity of Varun. In the South Rakhi is commemorated as Avani Avittan while in North India as Rakhsabandhan.

The day  witnesses  joy & excitement everywhere in different forms,cultures and customs.  The common focus is the well being and protection of the man-kind.

Rakhi has many legendary stories. In Mahabharata  Krishna was tied with thread by Drupadi. Inturn Lord Krishna escaped her from the humiliation of undressing by the Kouravas. In another legendary, Laxmi put rakhi onto Baliand freed Lord Bishnu from his territory.

In Jain literature Rakhi /Rakhsabandha has been mentioned several times. It is pompously being celebrated by Jains since long time back.

Apart from mythological sayings,it is said that wife of the Great Alexander tied rakhi on Pru-the mighty king of India.In reorganization of rakhi Puru did not hurt Alexander and who returned safely.

The first recorded  Rakhi between two communities was found duringthe Moghal period under the regime of Humayun.  Katharina-the queen of Merwar sent Rakhi tothe King Humayun to protect her kingdom from  the invader Bahadur Sah . Interestingly, Humayun reached Merwar as soon as he received Rakhi-gift and  recovered the kingdom from Sah. Thishistorical evidence made Rakhi popular in Rajasthan.

 I may quote Rakhi popularity among non-Hindus written by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in his memoirs,Tuzk-eJahangiri:
‘[On the occasion of the Raksha Bandhan festival] Hindu nobles would tie rakhis on my father’s hand, decorated with rubies, pearls and other precious jewels. When this became too much to bear, my father instructed them to tie only a simple silk thread on his hand. In my time the [Hindu] nobles also did the same, and then I also issued an order that they tie only a silk thread on my hand.’
Rakhi became a national festival during the reign of Akbar. From Al Badaoni’s account in Muntakhabut-Tawarikh,we learn that rakhi meant an amulet formed out of twisted linen rags andthe festival was celebrated by almost everyone in the emperor’s court. On theday of the festival, the courtiers and others adorned the Emperor’s wrist withbeautiful strings of silk, bejeweled with rubies, pearls and gems of great value. Jahangir described the festival as "Nighadasht" and celebrated it like his father.
Rakhi got community  festival irrespective of religion in Bengal by the hands of Rabindranath Tagore. He called upon both Hindus & Muslims on Rakhi day to revolt against Bengal Partition during 1911. Rakhi was exchanged irrespective of religion faith. Partition was annulled.
Let us observe Rakhi in asocial sense without hurting anybody and strengthen our society.

Need for Community based Eco-tourism at Barachaka

 (  Recent posts from many on Barachaka surfaced my memories. I am reproducing  my past experience again. It was posted in my Development blog:2012)

My recent visit to Barachaka tribal village near Chhatna, Bankura attributed to a strong mind-set for developing community based Eco-tourism there.  Creating an eco-tourist spot in Barachaka would definitely impact the tribal and nature. Rural tourism has been growing in a tremendous way.  A minimum effort and outlook can make appropriate tourism development here using habitats, landscapes, natural endowments, local culture and tribal values. Responsible tourism at Barachaka would help  generate awareness of and support for conservation of migratory Pelicans. The most value of tribal of the village for those birds is an exemplary living example for present and future generations- the practice of co-existence between birds and humans.

The concept of eco-tourism has changed from earlier thoughts. Now a day it does not identify eco-tourism as a centre of nature observation crowded by visitors and a place of marketing. The International Ecotourism Society has rightly defined ecotourism as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of local people.

The term ‘community-based ecotourism’ takes this social dimension a stage further. This is a form of ecotourism where the local community has substantial control over, and involvement in its development and management, and a major proportion of the benefits remain within the community.

. Some further general characteristics of ecotourism have been identified by UNEP and the World Tourism Organization as:

• involving appreciation not only of nature, but also of indigenous cultures

prevailing in natural areas, as part of the visitor experience,

• containing education and interpretation as part of the tourist offer;

• generally, but not exclusively, organised for small groups by small, specialized

and locally owned businesses,

• minimizing negative impacts on the natural and socio-cultural environment;

• supporting the protection of natural areas by generating economic benefits

for the managers of natural areas;

• providing alternative income and employment for local communities;

• increasing local and visitor awareness on conservation

Barachaka-is uniquely situated in the heart of Bankura District.   This village is entirely inhabited by Santhals. They have been maintaining  their sanctuary  of sacred groves with different kinds of trees along with the traditional norms of not cutting or damaging trees. They worship the sacred place .Its a pride to them. For the last 35 -40 years Pelicans are taking shelter in the mini-forest of the village.

Pelicans know that the place is safe for them. Coexistence of Pelicans and tribal at the same place is a rare event. Tribal love them. They constantly watch them and keep them safe from poacher’s hand.  A big lake is there serving fish for Pelicans. Apart, some water-bodies also supply food for Pelicans. This situation is going on . Tribal do not catch fish from ponds so that pelicans do not get fish.  Nature’s love is the morale of the village.   Within short distance from Barachaka one can go to Susunia or G-Ghati,Amarkanan  for pleasure .Chatna-the place of Chandidas is also an another attraction from here. There are vast untapped lands for plantations. Keeping all these information a-priori  there can be a community managed tourism centre here.

 The process of developing community based tourism needs planning,developing and managing resources and available natural resources . Visitors’ provision for access to natural and tribal culture heritage ,accommodation ,transport and arts& handicrafts of local people  are to be prioritized before launching such program.

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Appropriate recreational and special interest activities, such as trail walking,photography and participatory conservation programmes, may also be part of Ecotourism. This kind of sustainable use relies on local knowledge, provides significant local income, and encourages communities to place a high value on wildlife, resulting in net Conservation benefits.

A Travel from Kalyani to Khanakul 

Day before yesterday I got a call from Krisnemdu Dey. He is a young guy having much  working experience   among the farmers. In past I saw him organizing Krishmelas at his native place. I have much regard to this fellow for undertaking hard work in remote places. I  also found him in the terrain of Jhaldah,Purulia visiting rural people. Similarly I saw him roaming Sundarbans. It is always joy to share with him. Krishnendu requested me to make a visit to some SKUS in Tarakeswar & surroundings . I could not deny his call.

Yesterday , we started at 8.30 a.m.  We moved to the same route what I frequented. The driver was a new person to the way and I had to guide him all through.   We halted at Sultanpur. I am always fixed  and  skeptic when I cross the Sultanpur. Every time I see a dilapidated palace from the road. The grandeur structure always attracts me whenever I pass through . There are many stories I heard about the palace. Many times I heard it is a ghost-house- no body can stay here at night. Someone tried in past but became insane. A brave guy from kalyani tried to pass sometimes with his friends but left the house in midnight.. So many extended and fabricated stories I heard. All these left an inner compulsion of visiting it. However, every time  I targeted but failed. This time we were sipping cup of tea in a roadside at Sultanpur. A local fellow  joined in our conversation and said all these stories are bogus and aired for fun. “ You may visit it. See  the decaying Zamindary ...the structure has magnificent art-works..” Getting his words I asked Krisnendu to visit it. We had our friends Basab Chandra and Bishnudhyan. They were also egar to see it.It was a walking steps from the tea stall.

 It is a grand structure. It reminds the powerful Zamindar Giriza sankar Mukherjee who built it about 200 years back.  With the withdrawal of Zamindary system ,the decedents moved to Kolkata & other cities. Dilapidated arch and the finest artefacts remind the glorious days at Sultanpur. The building is about to fall with history.  On reaching there I took some photographs. I found a lady pasting cow-dung on the walls as if she is the owner of the building  . On my query she asked “ You see the part of building..it is extended backward. That portion is well maintained”.

“why?”

“ The grand mother is staying. She is eighty years old but steady. She lives alone. Her sons and relatives failed to move her from the palace”

This  is attachment and sticking to heritage. However, as we had limited time we could not meet the lady as well as the intact part of the mansion.

Then we passed through Mahanad. Bhaktas were marching on the road. There were both men and women carrying water pots on shoulders.  Mahanad is a halting spot to those devotees going to Tarakeswar.

As soon as we crossed Gurap.. the car was found  with faults. Anyway it was made to fitness by a local mechanic.  This time paddy sowing was continuing in the fields. There were also lowlands submerged with water. One thing I noticed that farmers of Dasghara and particularly in Tarakeswar adjoining areas were harvesting jute. Jute sticks are mounted on the roadside. Bunches of jute-fibres were hanging with the support of bamboo sticks and wires.  All along you will smell odors coming out from retted fibres this time.

Sooner we came to Dasghara. We went to Bengal Agri Trust.  This trust has been adopting modern technology  in farming. I saw their drip irrigation system. They have installed a number of mini deeptubles and made the surroundings greenery all out the year. They have been producing potato-seed  for the last two years. They have been keeping touch with KVKs and Scientists for technology adoption. I was surprised to see poly-sheet mulching in the field. They will grow water-melon. According to them “using this technique we could harvest fruits when the market is in high demand.” They also said “ we are using poly sheet to avoid excess water whereas others use it as a method for conserving water.” I liked their experience.

Two KMs ahead of Tarakeswar  we turned around and reached to Kararia SKUS. It was nice to share with the Manager. Bivekanada SKUS is  a giant society now. It has diversified its activities. I was happy that they are engaged in fishing, cultivation,seed production  etc with their own staff. Profit is shared by the shareholders. They are competitor to other banks on the one hand and on the other  to middlemen and farias. By way I was learnt that SKUs has been managing a good number of SHgs.

“ How are these? Is there any body who have been independent of borrowings and self independently pursuing livelihood?”-i asked

“ A few of them have built up capacity. I can cite the example of Archana who came from a poor family and now is a solvent women. She and her group engaged in flower-marketing,basket marketing initially but now is with interior decoration. Now she is famous lady here”. Both the manager and myself tried to contact but failed. She might be busy with her works!  

Finally, we came to Tantisal SKUs.  There was a huge gatherings , All of them came to participate in an agricultural program arranged by the SKUs. We had our lunch there. After lunch the officials shared with me & friends in the office. 

This is also a growing SKUs and farmers friendly society. I was happy knowing that they have incorporated two women in the team management. Further I was said that 260 women are enrolled as members.  I have not seen anywhere where such good numbers are bonafide-members to a society.  The society has recently focused its attention to groundnut promotional activities. With support of NABARD & State Government they have installed a semi-processing groundnut unit. They are purchasing groundnut from members and after grading and sorting selling in the market. Farmers are getting higher price that what they would get at the hand of middleman.

Seed is the constraint to them. They have been purchasing old cultivars and adulated one. Similarly they were asking for introducing mechanization . All we shared and gave our suggestions.

Returned home  with experience of SKUs. Hope for co-operatives !

Itachuna Rajbari- A heritage Palace in Hoogly,India

 A few steps from Kalyani across the river Ganges will take you into the heritage Hoogly district. Different races from the world came and settled here. The elegant monuments of Portugese  stood at Bandel.. a pride of Bengal. If you go a little more you would find the past memory of Dutches-- again a little further have revealing relics of French ,Greeks and so on. Apart from cosmopolitan assemblages  there are confluence of regional  races & cultures. Jains adored this place as good as we love it. Similarly, Pathans and other warriors had their historic impression in Hoogly. We can not count how many cultures mingled  in Hoogly. Now, I shall focus to a rural village with mixed inter racial culture flowing over the time.

The village is none other than Itachuna. In older times it was called Bargi Danga. After the downfall of Mughal era,after the death of Aurangageb, Marathas became powerful. Many times they used to attack Bengal,Bihar & Orissa. The erect watch-towers  from Singur to  Arra, Purulia witness the threat of Maratha warriors locally called Bargis centuries back.  Bargis used to come ,loot and collect taxes. However, many of them never left the Bengal and began to settle here embracing local culture. A sect entitled "Kundaan" settled in the remote village of Hoogly now known as Itachuna. They amassed  huge wealth and property by their wit and strength. Subsequently they became Powerful Zamidars/Rajas of the locality. Over times they lost their identity of origin-Kunduans turned to Bengali title Kundu.. They harvested Bengali culture, Bengali cuisines,Bengali language and local deities.They became friend,guide and protector of local people here. They were pious and liberal. Their behavior towards subjects became a folklore even heard at the nook and corners of Itachuna.
A great place was built in the Bargiland. The palace was made by ita (bricks) and lime (chun) and hence it was called Itachuna Rajbari. The majestic,splendid architecture and structure is intact  although it is about 250 years old. Currently, a part of it is being used as heritage-stay.
The Bishnu temple within the palace is  another attraction of the palace. Still now the deity is worshiped.  Janaki da the old fellow memorize the golden days he saw in his early life.
The old fellow was guiding me to the artifacts kept for visitors. I could not count the number of rooms. The palace is a self-contained entity.  There are rooms for royal families. There are space for amusement and dances etc etc. The visiting room has a magnificent outlook . The  broom shaped Jharlanteen  is still hanging with a mute smile. Old rhythms and songs are heard at midnight  as said by the loyal caretaker.
A night stay here will  certainly refresh your mind.
 A stay here will  recall the Bengali proverb " Bargi aseche deshe..khajna debo kise"--" bargis have come.. Sir how could we repay our taes''.
 Janaki rightly said "Yea Bargis were there but they are  now with our culture..  we are in the same family we are not afraid of them.they are as like as ".  - 

Saragsuti (Cluster Bean) of Purulia: A time -tested crop of Dry lands

Last year during September I was  wandering through drought affected parts of Paschimanchal..   finally  I reached at Sindurpur, Purulia.  There people were passing through bad times, it was almost drought- there were no rains for about two months- fields were parched, instead  golden corns I found dislodged straws everywhere. Cattles were grazing on the paddy fields.. ponds,tanks & wells were dry in Dumurdi. However, after sharing their misery I was about to return Purulia. In the mean time I was searching for a restaurant to eat something. Luckily , I saw a small hotel on the road. I entered & ordered for chapatis.  The manager cum bearer brought chapatis with fried vegetables. 
Small  fried pieces were alike beans . How could beans reached to this shanty? Who are consuming high-priced vegetable here? I asked the manager..
" Is it bean?"
" no..it's Saragsuti"?
"What? "
" Oh you  know it as Gua-suti..many call it Kolkatta sim"
-" Gua Sim I have heared..but Kolkata suti?"
-" this vegetable  go to Kolkata  daily from here and it is now locally called Kolkatta Suti.. This is the only crop you can see under drought situation. Nothing is available other than Sagarsuti this time"

Can you show me some fresh vegetables?
"Oh..yes". He brought some samples. These were fresh,glossy and slender and replica of beans.
It was nice to taste it. I heard about Gua Sim which is called cluster bean  in my in-laws house at Purulia-ii.

I was interested on two aspects .. first about its name as Sagar suti & secondly is it a viable crop in Purulia.

I began to review some literature on it. I  was stuck that India is the leader of Gua-sim or cluster bean. Rajasthan produces 80% of the total bean produced in India. Further, during 2012 export earning from Cluster bean/Gua Gum exceeded the figure of Basmatirice.  Tremendous export potential of cluster bean  recorded. I got my answers to the first point.  Purulia district was the hub of jains. There are a number of Saraks who are originally Jains. Many of them were from Rajasthan .It might be Saraks brought it from Rajasthan or they were first eaters of this plant grown wildly here. As Sarkas are accustomed to this crop,its name became Saragsuti here. It is the part of historian to verify my hypothesis.

A few days back I went to Dumurdihi again. I raised the question of Saragsuti. My hands were hold back by a stout young guy..he is Jiban Mahata.
" come with me ..see my farm..it is a walking distance".
I came with him to his farm. It is by default a natural organic farm. The boundary was made of date-palm trees..There were heaps of cow dung collected from elsewhere.. there is no source of water.. land is too high..red lateritic. outside is barren.. no green is being seen. Surprisingly, I looked into the farm.. Green is everywhere..lust green crops were heading... i was pointed to the sagarsuti0shrubs.. these are one month old.. by this time there are pods on the branches of the crop..
" Sir see it.. last week I sold 2 kgs, in the market and got 50 rupees.. Gradually its price will decline but would never fall below Rs.15.00.  "
" What are uses apart from selling or consuming green pod"?
" Sir these are excellent cattle food. I use  it as pulses during off-season. Last year it saved me. It was drought but my sagarsuti grew".
  I did not talk about its export potential but shared the views that it could withstand drought and temperature. It is not an alien crop to them. With minimum efforts and costs it thrives well in the worst land. It has wide domestic market.
We are talking about drought in Purulia. It would be incomplete without  out Guar baean.a seasoned crop in Paschimanchal.