The annual Jungle Raksha Bandhan Utsav not only reinforces the link between tribal communities and forests, but also helps them claim forestland pattas under the FRA
Mayurbhanj,
Odisha: Hundreds of acres of forestland in
Mayurbhanj district of Odisha are safe today, thanks to the Jungle Raksha
Bandhan Utsav organised annually by the tribal communities here. As part of the
festival, they tie rakhis to the
trees with a promise to protect them from illegal felling and forest fires.
In the summer season, people actively
participate in clearing dried branches and dead trees from as many as 750
village forests in 21 blocks of the district. They repeat the process every
three or four days to keep forest fires at bay.
“Be it celebrations or funerals, we need forest
produce. However, we did not understand its importance until about three
decades ago. At that time, timber mafias from West Bengal and Jharkhand ruled
the roost here,” said Mohan Murmu (50), a village committee member of Hatimada
in Suliapada
block.
According to him, the situation became so dire that
they had to travel about 10km to access basic forest produce. Food scarcity was
acute, forcing villagers to migrate to Kolkata and Midnapur in West Bengal.
In those tumultuous days of 1992, some tribal families in Hatimada understood the
importance of their village forest and formed several groups with around 10 people
in each to offer full-time forest protection. This way, they managed to save
150 acres of forestland!
Hatimada again set an example in 2004, when the tribal communities launched a unique tradition of tying rakhis to trees. Soon, the entire district followed suit.
On the eve of the ritual, the priests officially invite the villagers, decked in traditional attire, to the celebrations
Every year, preparations begin with a community
meeting before Rakhi Purnima,
presided by the Majhihadam or the Santhal head priest of Sajanti village, and
Dehuri Nayak, another priest. A decision is made on budget allocation and
other festival-related matters. In addition, rules to ensure forest protection
and procure minor produce are laid out.
On the eve of parvan (ritual), the
Majhihadam and Dehuri Nayak officially invite the villagers for the
celebrations. Men and women join the parvan in traditional
attires, and dance to the tune of madal
and dhamsa.
The Nayak takes mango leaf, sal leaf, honey, ghata, kalasi, jhuna and deepa to the forest and begins the rituals. As per the tribal tradition, the priest ends the prayer with a chant in Santhali language: "Johar bo goshain maranburu tehenja dinre ne tobe alele banga amkana ar amm sala tapal segei le dahayada abad dinge nankage amho alia dukh bujhani aleha amle rakhami" (Oh universe, today, on this auspicious day, we offer you prayers unitedly and commit to taking care of you. Please take care of us and bear all of our sorrows. Give us health, food and rain.)
The long road to protection
Even though forest protection began in 1992, the
road was not easy or safe for the villagers.
“Timber mafias threatened us several times, but we did
not give up on our forests,” said Rebati Hansda of Hatimada. As a result, the
situation improved in a few years’ time. The sal trees started to grow again,
and the canal near the village had water even in the dry months (April to June).
It also helped irrigate the nearby lands in the kharif season.
“Mayurbhanj is famous for the Similipal Biosphere
Reserve. In 2004, we learnt the locals were protecting village forests, but not
in a systematic way. The participation
of women was also very low,” said Bibekananda Pramanik, honorary wildlife
warden, Mayurbhanj.
The villagers and the forest department did not
share a good relationship then. “Introducing a joint forest management
programme was a difficult task. But after a series of meetings, it was decided
that at least one man and woman would join the protection committees.”
“The forests were geographically demarcated into clusters and villages close to a cluster became a part of that cluster. The protection committees gradually evolved into management committees that laid down the rules for accessing forest produce,” he said.
(Above) The Gunfa stream which has been revived due to the forest conservation efforts, strengthened through traditions like tying rakhis to trees
A green paradise
Once a barren land, Hatimada is now known for its
green cover. This became possible by the consistent efforts of 170 Santhal
families residing here. Panmani Hembram, a local, said the families depend on forest
produce for sustenance, be it the leaves of mahua,
sal and tendu, or turmeric and
mushrooms.
“Santhals neither celebrate Raksha Bandhan nor have
guardian deities. Our sacred land is the forest, and our Gods are animals and
trees. We call this land jahira, where no one can enter,”
Hembram explained.
According to Hatimada’s Dehuri Nayak Khelaram Murmu,
all tribals follow the decisions made by the village committee as laws. “In
2004, SPARDA, a local NGO, first came forward with the suggestion of tying rakhi to trees, but we refused. Later,
we realised that it was like a sacred bond of promise to protect the forest. We
then took it up wholeheartedly.”
Neighbouring villages of Kankani, Dandiadiha,
Kalajhori, Keutunimari and Santungadua have adopted the practice since then.
“Multiple village forests have come together to form a mahasangha, through which we appeal to the government regarding
land rights under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and other associated rights,”
Murmu said, adding that 38 people have received lands in the village under the FRA.
Thanks to the extensive conservation efforts, Mayurbhanj district now has the distinction of accessing maximum forestland pattas/individual rights under the FRA, says Dr Sweta Mishra, a researcher on the FRA and tribal livelihoods.
“So far, 52,820 people have received forest land pattas or individual rights over land under the FRA. About 69,023 people have submitted land rights claims under the FRA, of which 65,014 are tribals,” she added.
Community members put on a dance to welcome the priests to the
The district committee has approved land pattas for 53,035 people, under which
14,288.15 hectares have been allotted, Mishra said. In addition, 717 gram sabhas have been given both
community rights and community forest resource rights under the FRA, by which 1,51,413
hectares of land has been assigned.
These rights allow gram sabhas to manage their own forests and gather forest produce. If
sustained, these measures will go a long way in alleviating poverty, attaining
development goals and achieving climate justice.
Edited by Rashmi Guha Ray
The cover image, captured by Prativa Ghosh, shows a tribal woman tying a rakhi to a tree
This article is a part of a 101Reporters' series on The Promise Of Commons. In this series, we will explore how judicious management of shared public resources can help the ecosystem as well as the communities inhabiting it.
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