Manikaka is fond of social service. He belongs to Bajaniya Community and lives in settlement near Chhaniyar village of detroj block of Ahmedabad district in Gujarat. For past many years Manikaka is visiting Mamletdar and Collectors office for asking for housing plots for his village mates as well as Bajaniyas residing in nearby villages. Manikaka has studied till std 7th and can read and write applications. Manikaka never misses an opportunity to represent their issues and demands in any of the meeting held by Minister or leaders.
Manikaka has not even reached his 60’s but struggles for survivals has made him little older than his actual age and he looks beyond 70’s. Manikaka strongly believes in social service and involved himself in every little work that would benefit fellow community members. He is suffering injustice against his own family members by Patel. He and his wife work as daily labour and put their children into schools. Elder Jagdish went upto S.S.C, younger Kiran 8th Std and daughter Jyotsna upto 6th. Manikaka is working as labour for years in the farm that belongs to Patel. As Jagdish turned 16, as per traditions of Bajaniya Community[1], he was of the age of getting married. Manikaka borrowed Rs.40,000/- from the Patel by agreeing to the condition that after marriage, Jagdish and his wife would also join with Manikaka and his wife to work on the Patel’s Farm. Jagdish left his school after marriage. 4 people from Manikaka’s family started going as farm labour in Patel’s Farm. After five years of their work, they were informed that more than 50% of their debt is still to be paid, a younger Kiran also joined to Patel farm by leaving his school. With time Kiran too got married, again some money was borrowed from Patel and one labour was added to Patel’s farm after his marriage.
In these areas of Ahmedabad, a farm labour is paid Rs.15,000 to 20,000/- a year with grains to feed his family. Engaging an entire family as farm labour is not the usual practice in this area. But Manikaka’s family and many others from Bajaniya community are engaged for generations with exploitative conditions and low wages. At times, when Manikaka asked for some money to meet his daily needs. He was asked to mortgage his ration card. Two year back, Manikaka could pay back the entire loan borrowed from. His sons are working GIDC as labour in Kadi, Mehsana district. Their children go to school. Manikaka stays and his wife stays in his settlement near Chhaniyar village. His sons send his Rs. 200 to 300 monthly. Manikaka has to struggle to survive. This time, when I visited his settlement, he talked about his struggle, “After monsoon, there were Kankoda[2] grown near the river bank, which I sell that and earn some money. I went to Rampara village around 3 km from Chhaniyar to sell my kankoda to the president of one Gandhina organization working there. I remember we also had one meeting in the same organization and the president has talked about supporting us. But when I reached there I found that president has changed. I approached new president, and he asked for price of one Kg of Kankoda. I said Rs.30 a kg. He bargained for Rs.10 per kg. What can I say to him? I refuse to sell. People working in Gandhian organization didn’t understand our struggle? If he would have gone to big mall, he would have given whatever price is being asked by them without bargaining. But when question comes of us getting some extra money, people feel of being cheated.”
In spite of his daily struggle Manikaka thinks beyond to work for betterment for his community. There are five more such Bajaniya settlements in Detroj block of Ahmedabad viz. Karannagar, Ghatisana, Visatpura, Ranchhodpura, Nani Kadi. All these settlements are not part of the adjacent village. These settlements have no water, electricity, road or sanitation services. Average distance form nearby village in 3 to 3.5 km. Gajarakaki, an old women from Chhaniyar settlement said, “When I came here after my marriage, since then I have been struggling to fetch daily water. See I have lost my hair by daily lifting vessels of water on my head for years. Still my settlement has not got drinking water facility.” Eight year old Mukesh lost his life last year by snake bite. Snake was inside their small hut! Sanjay resides in settlement near Ghatisana village and studies in 9th Std. He scored 80% marks and stood 4th in the class. As his settlement does not have electricity connection, he studies in Street Lights of the village which is quite far from his place. His parents are worried as he comes in the night from dark, lonely lane after finishing his studies.
Bajaniya community hardly gets regular work. Thus they had to face food un-security. Their children are malnourished. Every settlement has one or two physically challenged person. The ratio of addiction to smoking and tobacco is high. Communities were not aware of NREGA, but they all have applied to village secretary for getting some work. Village secretary has given them pass book saying that their accounts have been opened in the post office, but they are still to get their Job Cards.
Most of the Bajaniya families stay in small mud hut/house which is given support with wood poles. They don’t have capacity to repair their house even. Kantibhai, one of the resident from the settlement urged, “We are not in the list of the government for backward classes, Please ask government to include us in backward classes list.”
Vikasati Jati Kalyan Khatu of the state government is meant for upliftment and welfare of Nomadic and de-notified tribes. The Director of the department Mr. Vanzara says that his department is giving priority to nomadic tribes out in their list of Other Backward Class (144 casts). There are special provisions for Nomadic and de-notified tribes. But question is why Bajaniya’s of Kadi, Detroj, Patan, Sami, Harij districts don’t even know about such provisions for them?
Mittal Patel (09099936011 - M)
Vicharata Samudaay Samarthan Manch
(An initiative promoted and hosted by JANPATH, a state level network of voluntary organizations in Gujarat.)
[1] Bajaniya is one amongst 40 nomadic communities residing in Gujarat. These communities usually reside outside the main village in settlement. As traditionally these were nomadic communities, till today, they are not considered as part of the village and are does not have permanent house to stay.
[2] a type of vegetable popularly eaten in Gujarat
Manikaka has not even reached his 60’s but struggles for survivals has made him little older than his actual age and he looks beyond 70’s. Manikaka strongly believes in social service and involved himself in every little work that would benefit fellow community members. He is suffering injustice against his own family members by Patel. He and his wife work as daily labour and put their children into schools. Elder Jagdish went upto S.S.C, younger Kiran 8th Std and daughter Jyotsna upto 6th. Manikaka is working as labour for years in the farm that belongs to Patel. As Jagdish turned 16, as per traditions of Bajaniya Community[1], he was of the age of getting married. Manikaka borrowed Rs.40,000/- from the Patel by agreeing to the condition that after marriage, Jagdish and his wife would also join with Manikaka and his wife to work on the Patel’s Farm. Jagdish left his school after marriage. 4 people from Manikaka’s family started going as farm labour in Patel’s Farm. After five years of their work, they were informed that more than 50% of their debt is still to be paid, a younger Kiran also joined to Patel farm by leaving his school. With time Kiran too got married, again some money was borrowed from Patel and one labour was added to Patel’s farm after his marriage.
In these areas of Ahmedabad, a farm labour is paid Rs.15,000 to 20,000/- a year with grains to feed his family. Engaging an entire family as farm labour is not the usual practice in this area. But Manikaka’s family and many others from Bajaniya community are engaged for generations with exploitative conditions and low wages. At times, when Manikaka asked for some money to meet his daily needs. He was asked to mortgage his ration card. Two year back, Manikaka could pay back the entire loan borrowed from. His sons are working GIDC as labour in Kadi, Mehsana district. Their children go to school. Manikaka stays and his wife stays in his settlement near Chhaniyar village. His sons send his Rs. 200 to 300 monthly. Manikaka has to struggle to survive. This time, when I visited his settlement, he talked about his struggle, “After monsoon, there were Kankoda[2] grown near the river bank, which I sell that and earn some money. I went to Rampara village around 3 km from Chhaniyar to sell my kankoda to the president of one Gandhina organization working there. I remember we also had one meeting in the same organization and the president has talked about supporting us. But when I reached there I found that president has changed. I approached new president, and he asked for price of one Kg of Kankoda. I said Rs.30 a kg. He bargained for Rs.10 per kg. What can I say to him? I refuse to sell. People working in Gandhian organization didn’t understand our struggle? If he would have gone to big mall, he would have given whatever price is being asked by them without bargaining. But when question comes of us getting some extra money, people feel of being cheated.”
In spite of his daily struggle Manikaka thinks beyond to work for betterment for his community. There are five more such Bajaniya settlements in Detroj block of Ahmedabad viz. Karannagar, Ghatisana, Visatpura, Ranchhodpura, Nani Kadi. All these settlements are not part of the adjacent village. These settlements have no water, electricity, road or sanitation services. Average distance form nearby village in 3 to 3.5 km. Gajarakaki, an old women from Chhaniyar settlement said, “When I came here after my marriage, since then I have been struggling to fetch daily water. See I have lost my hair by daily lifting vessels of water on my head for years. Still my settlement has not got drinking water facility.” Eight year old Mukesh lost his life last year by snake bite. Snake was inside their small hut! Sanjay resides in settlement near Ghatisana village and studies in 9th Std. He scored 80% marks and stood 4th in the class. As his settlement does not have electricity connection, he studies in Street Lights of the village which is quite far from his place. His parents are worried as he comes in the night from dark, lonely lane after finishing his studies.
Bajaniya community hardly gets regular work. Thus they had to face food un-security. Their children are malnourished. Every settlement has one or two physically challenged person. The ratio of addiction to smoking and tobacco is high. Communities were not aware of NREGA, but they all have applied to village secretary for getting some work. Village secretary has given them pass book saying that their accounts have been opened in the post office, but they are still to get their Job Cards.
Most of the Bajaniya families stay in small mud hut/house which is given support with wood poles. They don’t have capacity to repair their house even. Kantibhai, one of the resident from the settlement urged, “We are not in the list of the government for backward classes, Please ask government to include us in backward classes list.”
Vikasati Jati Kalyan Khatu of the state government is meant for upliftment and welfare of Nomadic and de-notified tribes. The Director of the department Mr. Vanzara says that his department is giving priority to nomadic tribes out in their list of Other Backward Class (144 casts). There are special provisions for Nomadic and de-notified tribes. But question is why Bajaniya’s of Kadi, Detroj, Patan, Sami, Harij districts don’t even know about such provisions for them?
Mittal Patel (09099936011 - M)
Vicharata Samudaay Samarthan Manch
(An initiative promoted and hosted by JANPATH, a state level network of voluntary organizations in Gujarat.)
[1] Bajaniya is one amongst 40 nomadic communities residing in Gujarat. These communities usually reside outside the main village in settlement. As traditionally these were nomadic communities, till today, they are not considered as part of the village and are does not have permanent house to stay.
[2] a type of vegetable popularly eaten in Gujarat
Let us cooperate in bringing out before the world the facts and realities of the life of the denotified and nomadic communities of India. Though I am not involved in social work in the field, my e-journal Mukt-Saad is an effort in the direction of bringing together on one platform all those who are active, socially or intellectually, with this sector, each in his or her own manner. I invite articles on the socio-cultural background as well as the socio-economic reality of each particular aommunity in this section of society.
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