Work That Supports Habitat Protection, Human Lives & Property in Wild Habitats of Tharuhat of
West Champaran Bihar
(All the images are subject to IPR)
West Champaran Bihar
(All the images are subject to IPR)
Tharuhat - land of Tharu Tribe is located in the northwest corner of Bihar near Nepal border in one of the most backward district of Bihar - West Champaran. It has the only tiger reserve of Bihar - Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR).
The Tharus are an ethnic group indigenous to southern foothills of Himalayas. Most of the Tribe live in the terai region of Nepal. Some Tharus also live in the terai region of India - Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The land of Tharuhat is very fertile even more fertile than that of Punjab and the Tharus are very peace loving people - very simple and gentle, straight forward and transparent.
The Tharus of Uttar Pradesh ( now Uttarakhand also) have been recognized as Schedule Tribe almost five decades ago. But their brethren of West Champaran could not get the same status thus throwing them open to all kinds of exploitation and oppression, torture and traumatization, plundering and looting by the non- tharus. Non-tharus are called bajis in local parlance.
Problem of the Tharuhat & the Tharu Community :
Tharus are indigenous tribe living in the most inhospitable condition,and have been kept deliberately out from the list of Schedule Tribe for more than five decades for obvious reason.
Mushrooming of different estates such as Dumaria Estate, Shikarpur Estate with their own parallel government called "Sarkar Raj" leading to extreme exploitation and subsequently displacement of the Tharus in their own natural habitat.
Attack on the Tharus' social, political system, economic system and thus on their indigenous culture would have led to wiping out of their culture and dwindling of the community.
One the one hand deprived of their forest rights, on the other hand allegedly making them responsible for deforestation and wood smuggling in their own land by the administration & other vested interest groups.
Tharuhat has been Mini Chambal. Most of the dreaded dacoits used to operate from Tharuhat making the forest their safe refuge.
Tharuhat has been infested by Maoists - Lal Salam (CPI ML) who created terror in the simple tribal community and encroached upon their land.
My Activity in Tharuhat for more than three decades:
 |
| Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha in Tharuhat - the land of Tharu Tribe Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha |
I have been active in the Tharuhat since 1987 (now almost 32 years) when I first went to this inhospitable region for my fieldwork based on participant observation for my PhD on "the Tharu Tribe of West Champaran" from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Submitted my Thesis in 2009 and degree awarded on 8.9.10. My PhD Thesis is available on net also.
by A Kumar - 2009
Keywords: Social Science social change. Bihar West Champaran tharus. Upload Date: 29-Apr-2014. University: Jawaharlal Nehru University. Completed Date ...
Researcher: Ajay Kumar
There was no electricity, no communication (landline even), no transport, no proper road, no proper bridges on the rivers, no health services, no educational institutions, no media. The region was completely cut of from the Bettiah, the district headquarter of the most backward district West Champaran, and known as Mini Chambal as being safe refuge for dreaded dacoits, and also infested by Maoists (Lal Salam). I stayed in the hut of Tharu tribe for months together amidst continuous threats from dacoits, Maoists, forest and other local officials, and such people mostly other than the Tharus. Even today I visit the area which is now experiencing the wind of change.
Apart from doing my research work in the most inhospitable region amidst continuous threats, I continued to raise the forest rights issue of the Tharu Tribe with Bakhari Bazaar village on Ramnagar-Gobardhan road being the epi-centre, as I continued to make them aware of their rights and their identity, as I continued to advise them for fighting their genuine rights of being given Schedule Tribe status, deprived since almost more than five decades and thus providing free-for-all opportunity to all kinds of vultures to exploit them to the maximum, encroaching upon their land and forest making them uprooted from their natural habitat, wiping out the social system and culture of the tribal community, and attacking on their very existence in the natural habitat and environment.
| Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha interacting with a Tharu on Medicinal Plants in Tharuhat Image (C) Dr Ajay Kumar Ojha |
Leaving in one of the most difficult area with difficult terrain with no basic facility was a great challenge. It took many visits to the area before I could finally convince the tribal people, and managed to stay in their village. Then, facing all the eyes looking at me with suspicion with no support of mine available during initial period. Slowly and gradually I could convince on of the most respected and influential person of the area Shri Shankar Mahto of Bakhari Bazaar village, and shared his hut for staying in the village. Thus confidence building started in the area. I became part of them slowly & gradually, adopting cultural relativist approach rather than ethno-centrist.
My interaction with the people of Tharu community instilled confidence in them and encouraged them to believe in themselves, and fight for their genuine rights. Apart from raising the issue of forest rights, they were inspired to fight for their inclusion in the list of Schedule Tribe - which has been the root cause of all the sufferings & suppression, adversity and anguish perpetrated on them for decades. I wrote articles also for creating awareness, and finally the Tharus of West Champaran got Schedule Tribe status in 2003.
My effort and activity have created awareness among the tribal people about their rights including forest rights. They started taking pride in their own identity and heritage, they became Schedule Tribe and thus process of encroachment of land and forest by the outsiders slowed down and also suppression & oppression of the Tharus to a great extent. They have started getting government jobs now through reservation and this is creating a ripple effect in the Tharuhat and also empowerment of the community.
I have been also highlighting the status and achievements and also problems of the Tharus and the Tharuhat in the natural habitat through regular contributions in my Blogs and You Tube. Series of articles on Blog and also video including interviews of the Tharus in the natural surroundings have not only instilled pride and confidence among the community but also brought the plight and uniqueness of the community on the global level.
