- Fading identity amid urban growth – nomads were crucial to the British era in a variety of sectors, including acrobatics, handicrafts, animal husbandry, storytelling, tattooing, fortune telling, and ayurvedic medicine. However, these nomadic tribes have lost their jobs, status, and identities in modern society as a result of modernization and rural expansion.
- They suffered greatly as a result of unplanned urbanization over the years; the majority of the nomads ended up on the streets begging, however others are still attempting to make a living through acrobatics, animal shows, and the sale of ayurvedic remedies. Numerous nomads prefer to go by unusual names such as “Parking Bediya,” “Platform Bediya,” and even “Lal Badshah” and “Bahubali Bediya,” which are both easily found. The term “Bediya” or “Bede” (in Bangla), which means “forest dwellers,” refers to a society that originated in northern India and has since spread throughout the nation, with a substantial population in Bengal. Muslims who converted to Islam referred to themselves as “Sapuria,” and their primary line of work was snake-taming. A team of scholars from Kolkata has been quietly working hard on these Bengali tribes for more than two years in an effort to mainstream them due to concerns over their disappearing identity.
- Additionally, they are attempting to connect the nomads with professions that would allow them to earn a living without panhandling on highways and train stations. Director of Praajak, an NGO that works to improve the lives of nomads in Bengal, Deep Purkayastha, told News18.com, “We have been working on this project for more than two years, and as we dug deeper, we discovered some intriguing facts about these nomads and their way of life. Our entire goal is to integrate them into society and provide them with a respectable way of life.
- There are ten denotified tribes in West Bengal, including the Bediya (Bedia or Beria), Karwal Nat, Bhar, Dhekaru, Maghaiya Domes (Moghaya), Gond (Gonda), and Lodha (Kheria or Kharia), Lodhas, Sabars, and Dhikaros, according to the Renke Commission Report, 2008, which was based on research done by the late author Mahasweta Devi. There are 38 nomadic tribes in total (according to the Renke Commission Report, 2008): Abdal (Dafali), Bagdi (Duley), Bahelia, Bajkar (Bazigar), Bantar, Bauri, Bedia (Bediya), Beldar, Bhind, Bhuiya (Birhor), Chakma, Dhawa, Dhimal, Doai, Fakir (Sain), Gareri, G (Nath). Purkayastha explained “Nomad-O-Nomics” in more detail and said, “For instance, take the Bediya or Bede community. Almost 750–800 families, including 40 in Alipurduar, 150 in Jalpaiguri, 175 in Malda’s Harishchandrapur, and nearly 200 in Malda’s Mithipur, were contacted by us. They are great at collecting honey and bamboo crafts are their specialty.
- Unfortunately, the widespread use of artificial hives for beekeeping has had a negative effect on Bediya’s income. Previously, Bediya would collect honey from jungles and sell it while wandering the streets. Nowadays, clever and appealing packaging is more appealing to consumers, and Bediya lacks this skill when it comes to branding its organically harvested honey. They also don’t look well-dressed, and others are suspicious of them. Over time, they eventually resorted to begging in order to survive. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment established the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NCDNSNT) on November 22, 2003. On March 16, 2005, it was reestablished since the previous commission had struggled to advance the welfare initiatives for nomads. Beginning on February 6, 2006, the commission began to operate. Purkayastha also made note of the lack of identification documents for the Bediya, like as voter ID cards, Aadhaar numbers, etc. “It’s shocking that so little action has been taken to implement their reforms.
- In order to stop them from begging and to make them self-sufficient, we have taken the initiative to ensure that they have their identity cards. If at all possible, we will also try to connect them with honey-based units or bamboo-craft enterprises. We discovered that some of the National Register Citizens (NRC) were defrauded when the problem was still brewing by touts who demanded payment in exchange for Indian citizenship. We were made aware of the situation and instructed them not to give any money to any such individuals, he continued.
- The late German anthropologist Aparna Rao estimated that nomads make up about 7% of India’s population. In reference to this project, Mrinmoy Maitra, the project coordinator for Praajak, stated: “Like Bediya, nomads like Madaris are superb street performers who engage the public with performing monkeys and bears.
- They have excellent communication skills. Although the monkey and bear dance has been outlawed, people still engage in it in rural regions. They are quite good at deciphering animal feelings and psychology. Why can’t we hire them in the wildlife department with basic training? Or we could train them to be delivery boys due to their communication skills. Nobody considered that, therefore they continued to live in poverty. If there is a will, there is a way.
- Although there are many more Madari families in Bengal than we have encountered so far, we have not yet met any of them. The Sapuria or Sanpurey, a Hindu Bediya community that converted to Islam, specialize in snake charm and operate as snake catchers. The Mal nomad population uses ayurvedic drugs. They make oil out of the scorpions they import from Rajasthan.
- “We mingled with the Mal and Sanpurey people in the Bengali cities of Barasat, North 24 Parganas, and others. Their expertise in ayurveda, herbs, medicinal plants, snake venom, and other animal-based treatments amazed us. Their expertise was underutilized, so we considered how to link them up with pharmaceutical businesses that produce ayurvedic medicines, according to Maitra.
- In order to train nomads like Behrupiya (impressionists in traditional performing arts), Sonajhuri (who relocated from Nagpur to Kolkata and is mostly interested in scavenging for gold dust), and Shah (acrobats and magicians), the researchers are active in talent mapping.
- “Since reintegrating them into society is most important, we are concentrating on educating their children. Since they move about, it is challenging for them to fix their education. As a result, we are training one of them (who has a foundational understanding of primary education), and he has been given the responsibility to teach others even if they are wandering around, Purkayastha added.