Celebrating mountain day without highlighting the cultural values of the mountain landscape would be incomplete. Devithans provide a fertile ground to testify for the rich cultural and biological diversity of the Sikkim Himalaya. The embedded belief system in societies lays the foundation of sacred sites which often evokes awe and reverence among the local people. It is a common phenomenon of relating sacred sites to the built environment such as temples, monasteries, churches, mosques, synagogues, and other religious architectural structures. Devithans, however, are distinct open natural sacred sites regarded as abode of local deities by the indigenous people in Sikkim Himalaya.

Devithans are indeed a conspicuous feature of the rural landscape in the biodiversity hotspot of the Eastern Himalayan state of Sikkim.  Apart from being an ethnic heritage, the devithans’ existence is founded on a strong animistic belief system and myths upheld by the indigenous people. They are, in fact, a production of the belief system which is reified by the biological diversity and hydrological regime– the objective reality of the place. The traditional religious customs and rituals performed at these sites provide cultural association of the people with their land.

Devithan at Labdang, West Sikkim/ © Abriti Moktan

The presence of pristine forests, hydrological systems in the form of water sources and springs, and biodiversity in these devithans make them unique community-conserved areas which reflect the intrinsic relationship of culture, spirituality and nature. Devithans, apart from being sacred sites, are also tied to the heritage of indigenous people, offering intergenerational transmission of traditional ecological, spiritual, and cultural knowledge, cross-cultural understanding, environmental education, and biodiversity learning.

Pokhari Dara Karzee is encircled by several devithans/ © Abriti Moktan

Devithan at Gangyep, West Sikkim/ © Abriti Moktan

The local people formulate and abide by regulatory practices which reify the idea of maintaining purity and sanctity of the sacred site. There are limited activities within and certain taboos governing these devithans. They are small patches of community conserved areas which are found within or at the periphery of the villages. They serve as an instrument for the local communities to establish their autochthony and sense of belonging to their land in a region having a complex social web. Devithans are not just places of worship but a dynamic site having cross-cutting matrices of cultural politics, social mobility, and ecological value.

Conservation is actually an outcome of daily practices which has a formal denotation in the present day. With cultural diversity being increasingly linked to biological diversity, scientists, academicians, practitioners, and policy makers have to take cognizance of the cultural aspects of societies which are crucial in devising sustainable future more so required in the present scenario with the global pandemic wreaking havoc in our lives.

Devithan at Chongri, Sindrabung and Kalsingh, Sopakha/ © Abriti Moktan

The culture, values, spirituality, and nature help us understand our existence in this world. Their interdependence makes them mutually inclusive and if one of them is threatened or endangered then it jeopardizes the existence of the others. The devithans exemplify community conserved sacred cultural areas in socio-ecological landscape outside of protected regions. They serve as an epitome of inseparable human nature relationships which has existed since the birth of humankind.

Socio-ecological landscape at Chongri and Nesa/ © Abriti Moktan

Abriti Moktan is a Research Associate at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Eastern Himalaya-Northeast India Regional Office, NH 10, Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim. ATREE works on issues of Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Livelihoods, Sustainable Agricultures & Food Systems, Climate Change. These are addressed through interdisciplinary research, field implementation/demonstration, training & skilling, dialogue, networking, outreach, and communication. www.atree.org

This article is part of one of the components of the larger assignment to ATREE—’Identifying, assessing, delineating and mapping areas with High Conservation Values (HCVs) and developing management recommendations/plans for them in SECURE Himalaya project landscapes in selected districts of Sikkim’—as part of the GOI-UNDP SECURE Himalaya Project.

This article was first published on The Confluence Collective produced as part of the celebrations for the International Mountain Day 2020 (11 December) as part of a series of articles for the month of December 2020.

The post Devithans of Sikkim Himalaya: A Cultural Embodiment appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

The problem among the tribal household had been long before the outbreak of disease. The closure of tea industries with limited scope for livelihood choices had already made the livelihoods vulnerable. Poor housing, low standard of living and very little scope for improving the livelihood conditions had plagued the tribal population much before the disease actually affected them. The serious failure of institutional mechanism to make the tribal livelihood stable was clearly visible prior to COVID. No serious action had been taken to improve the living conditions of the tribal belts in Duars region except for serious planning just before the election to get the votes. Now the similar process has already begun with day and night planning for acquiring the votes of the tribal population by making the false promises for the upcoming elections.

The problem of the tribal households have been multiple. Poor living standards and low level of education have been the common characteristics. COVID has in fact intensified the problem of the households where the poor children are not being able to attend their classes (digital) as the households are not able to afford the necessary condition required for attending it. The poor children are just able to hear about the digital classes being conducted elsewhere. The most important of all has been inability to meet the daily needs due to unemployment. The women forms an important contributor to the household income among the tribal population. Contribution made  the women as a maid in the urban households have been lost owing to the fear of transmission of disease by the masters who employed them. Now one can well imagine a situation where the only source of income has been constricted and the family of five on an average are to be fed without an employment.

The government has been stressing on PDS ( Public Distribution System) for the households but that too has not been very sufficient among on the households. PDS just supplies the grain which needs to be supplemented by Pulses or a green vegetables to be served on the plate for meeting the required nourishment. However, with the rising prices of green vegetables and unaffordable prices of pulses make the households to have their meal with a plate of Rice and Green chillies. As reported by Amir Munda, a tea worker  “ I don’t mind having my meal with green chillies and salt but my children cannot take this and I serve them with water and salt”.

This has not been today’s problem among the tribal households. They had already been under such stress much before the Tea Estates were shut down and the government did not take any initiatives to revive them. Majority of the abled members then had to migrate to distant towns for their livelihood with meagre saving which formed the part of remittances. After  the sudden lockdown, all these migrants returned home and are left with no choice but to see the starving children and malnourished parents at their native places.

There has been clear Institutional failure in terms of making the lives and the livelihood vulnerable among the tribal households of Duars. Failing to revive the tea industries before it got completely shut down was the biggest failure. The second failure of the government was it’s inability to provide alternative livelihood sources or to take the initiatives that would secure at least the nourished diet for the tribal population that has been hard hit by livelihood crisis. Besides this the failure of several government and semi government Institutions like banks, SHG’s and other micro financing institutions to have easy access to loans.  The problem has been very severe among the households with more dependent and old aged members in the family. The fear of disease have even kept the government inspections away from vigilance department especially in case of PDS system and MGNREGA which could have been the important livelihood sources. There must be an immediate actions and long term policies to be made keeping in mind the households that have been suffering from long term economic and health crisis before it becomes too late to mend.

Writes: Bipul Chhetri

The post COVID 19 and Livelihood Crisis among the tribal households in Duars appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

Of course, many of those who are today fighting for the tribal status also don’t seem to be aware of this. They randomly say we want the “Hill Tribes” status back, but do not know when and how did we exactly lose the status. What most don’t seem to realize is that the Gorkhas’ demand for ST status is not exactly ‘inclusion’ but a ‘reinstatement’ of the lost tribal status.

The question to the government should be ‘why and how’ did the Gorkhas lost the status, rather than self-reassuring and cheering at public events saying “We are Gorkhas and We Are Indians.” I somehow don’t understand the sheer desperation to prove our ‘Indian-ness’ and looking for approval from fellow compatriots.

If the ST status wasn’t sneakily snatched away in the, the Gorkhas wouldn’t have to keep reminding the nation that “we aren’t immigrants and we came with the land” and wouldn’t have been called ‘foreigners’ in their own country. 

Today, the ST issue has also become an easy fodder for the politicians, who time and again claim “The government that you elected has started the process of your inclusion” or “The 11 left out Gorkha communities will be included under the Tribal list of India as soon as the Government comes to power,” and this line keeps repeating every 5 years when elections are around the corner.

But why do Gorkhas need ST:  A Common Perception

To be honest, I raised my eyebrows when I first heard about the demand for ST status for Gorkhas. Don’t get me wrong. As someone born and brought up in the Northeast, I very well understand the benefits of being an ST student – the 5% relaxation, scholarship money, job reservations, and even the legal immunity in many situations.

As a general student, when you see your ST friends availing these benefits and facilities, it is natural to complain and whine about the discrimination. However, it also made me realize very early not to keep any expectations from the government, administration, or the system. There was no other option but to pursue meritocracy in life and career. Looking back, it is indeed satisfying that I did not have to seek relaxation or reservation for anything in my life.

One day, some of us friends were discussing the issue of Gorkha ST and why it is necessary to demand ST status even after 75 years of our nation’s Independence.

ST reservations and benefits were a temporary thing to help ‘under-developed’ communities rise up in their socio-economic condition and bring them at part with the rest of the nation. Going by that logic, the tribal list should be reducing as we progress socially and economically, and not increasing.

Those speaking in favor of the ST demand, said promptly and in unison “don’t you know about the reservation in jobs, education, promotions, scholarships, and even the financial supports STs provided by the government.” Not something I wasn’t aware of.

Others talks about the lack of development among the Gorkhas, and some believed reservation will allow Gorkhas to have a bigger voice in policy-making as it would help produce more IAS officers and bureaucrats.

A friend who has just passed out from a top university also shockingly accused me of being ‘upper caste’ and inconsiderate, and bluntly said that ST inclusion was to stop the hegemony of the upper caste. I wanted to slap him, but again he would have perhaps accused me of curtailing his freedom of speech.

Another friend, while trying to console me said that even I will also benefit from the ST inclusion, because my caste also ethnically belongs to one of the proposed communities for inclusion.

I understood the concerns that at our community lagged behind in terms of socio-economic progress and development, but I was not convinced that the demand for ST and the benefits of ‘reservations and relaxations’ will deliver us from this situation. But, I felt it wise to keep quite rather than putting my ‘pointy upper-caste nose’ into it

Is the ST demand all About Jobs and Reservations?

Can the demand for ST status be boiled down to our ‘communal’ aspirations and desire for economic progress? Does it only mean benefits and reservations?

If that is the case, why would the Government add more tribal communities to the ST list after 75 years to independence? Doesn’t it expose the government’s failure to bring development and integration of people? And why would other ST communities support inclusion of more tribes in the list and let them eat away their benefits and reservations? Shouldn’t they protest?

There seems to be a lack of understanding the significance of the ST status among general public.

Being a ST community most importantly means that you are Indigenous to the land and that the land is yours. The maato—ragat (land and blood) connection is what the ST status will establish. When the land is yours, your life, culture, and traditions are tied to it, and nobody can question your rights for any political propaganda.

The ST status, to me personally will bring an end to the ‘identity’ issue the Gorkhas face in terms of being labelled as ‘foreigners’ or ‘citizens of Nepal’ – a ethno-political propaganda that led to disastrous consequences in the 1980s across the Northeast, Darjeeling hills, Terai, and Dooars. Many were killed and thousands of families uprooted in this politics of outsider/insider.

The ST status, to a great extent, will bring closure to the search for the Indian Gorkha Identity. A sense of relief that our ancestral lands and heritage will be protected. And more importantly, not to be called ‘foreigners’ and be at the receiving end of all political propaganda. And no more need to remind the country that even we are Indians.

This article was first published on East Mojo.

The post The Lost Gorkha Tribes appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

When people think about caste-based reservation in India, often we think it started with Dr. B R Ambedkar and the constitution of independent India. My take on it is slightly different.

During the earliest Rig Vedic period, society was divided into Varnas (classes). Those who chose to pursue learning, philosophy and education were called Brahmins; those who decided to fight wars were called Kshatriyas; those indulging in trades and agriculture were called Vaishyas; and those who undertook menials jobs were labeled as Sudras.

During the the Rig Vedic times, Varnas were decided according to an individual’s choice and ability to undertake the tasks. The system was fluid in nature and change of one’s caste was a common practice. A Brahmin child could become a Kshatriya or a Vaishya according to his choice and ability, and a Sudhra could become a Brahmin by attaining education.

For instance, Aitareya Rishi was born as a Daasa, but he became a Brahmin of the highest order and wrote Aitareya Brahman and Aitareyopanishad. Aitareya Brahman is considered critical to understand Rigveda.

Even in Bagavad Githa, it is clearly stated that

“cātur varṇyaṃ mayā sṛṣṭaṃ guṇa karma vibhāgaśaḥ” [B.G. 4.13]

Which translates to mean, “The four fold system was created by ME in accordance with guna and karma.” Where: Guna means – nature, ones capacity and Karma means – activities based on the segregation of society for its effective functioning.

However with time Varna which was meant to define class, gradually got converted to Jaat/jaati (caste/race), and that is where reservation comes into play.

Original Reservation
I believe that reservation based on caste originally started in the 2nd century BC after Manusmriti was misinterpreted to suit those who were in a place of privilege, which greatly skewed the social order in favour of the Brahmins. Prior to Manusmriti caste system in India was based on merit – any individual depending on the vocation s/he chose for life and livelihood defined his/her caste.

However, things started to change after Manusmriti and its faulty interpretation allowed for reserving the posts of privilege, power and social standing for “upper caste” communities, while it grossly discriminated against the people belonging to the “lower castes.”

Everything from land to wealth, from political power to education, from trade to spiritual leadership was reserved for a select few, and that I believe is where reservation actually originated.

Historical Wrongs
Based on the faulty interpretation of Manusmriti, people belonging to the so called “lower castes” were made to suffer for centuries. They were treated as socially untouchables, who had no right what-so-ever over themselves, over their life, their family or their land. They were treated like a non-being, who could be dealt with in any way, shape or form.

Millions of people who were labelled as the “lower caste” or the “dalit” were subjugated to humiliation, discrimination, prejudice and made to suffer.

Varna system which was developed to define “classes” for better social order during the Vedic period, went on to become a means of controlling one section of our society and thus a scourge which our country is yet to get rid of.

Founding Principles

Given this, after India became Independent, the founding fathers of our Constitution introduced reservation only for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in an attempt to right this historical wrong. Their argument was that, within the 10 years the SCs and STs would have attained equality in the newly freed India. Dr. Ambedkar was against this caste-based reservation, and he had argued that if there were to be such reservations, then it should be confined to a maximum of 30 or 40 years, with no provision for extension. However others disagreed and the extensions have continued for nearly 70 years now.

The caste-based reservation system has today become a Frankenstein’s monster which is threatening to engulf our country, take Gujarat for instance when Patidar andolan for reservation broke out and turned violent, or Haryana where Jat andolan for reservation broke out and turned violent.

Nearly 70 years since our independence, and yet the discrimination against the SCs and STs have continued unabated in many parts of the country. Despite reservations, those who were poor have continued to remain in the margins. So definitely the system that is in place today is not working.

Flaws In The System

You may disagree, but I strongly feel that the benefit of reservations are getting more and more confined to the hands of an elite few, while majority of the SCs and STs continue to suffer.

Let me give you a real life example of my two very good friends (daju haru) Dorjey and Sangay. Dorjey is a driver. He works hard for his living and is doing his best to provide proper education and upbringing for his children. My other friend Sangay is a WBCS officer and much like Dorjey he is also striving to provide the best for his children.

While both of Dorjey’s sons studied at Ghoom Boys School, Sangay’s son studied at St. Joseph’s and his daughter studied at Loreto Convent. Later one of Dorjey ko son joined the driving profession, the other completed his undergraduate degree from Jorebunglow Degree College, Dorjey could not afford to pay the hefty fees and daily expense to afford his son to study elsewhere. Sangay ko son in the meanwhile completed his education from IIT Kharagpur, and his daughter completed her law degree from National Law School in Bangalore.

Both Dorjey and Sangay are STs.

Now be honest to yourself, and tell me this – which child has more chances of clearing IAS or WBCS or any other competitive examinations?

Let us assume for a moment that all of the three youths have same level of smarts and are equally hardworking, so if you had to put your money on any two of the above to make an IAS or WBCS who would you bet on to make it?

I am not sure about you guys, but I am firmly placing my money on both of Sangay’s children. As much as I love Dorjey ko chora, I don’t think that he stands a chance against these two youths who have received the kind of exposure which Dorjey’s son could never get.

There might be an exception every once in a while, but sad truth remains that every child born into privilege will always hold an edge over a child born into an economically or socially marginalized families.

And I think that is what makes our system flawed.

Changing The Parameters

Reservation based on caste alone as the critiera., tends to render people in the margins more marginalized. The above example I gave, shows how elites within a “reserved” category go on to usurp the opportunities, while others from the same group who are economically marginalized stand no chance to compete.

With education and hard work today Sangay is an elite, and not just amongst the STs, but also amongst the rest of Darjeeling denizens. He is a “Class A” government officer, and earns one of the highest salaries, perks and privileges that the state government has to offer. So he can afford the best for his children, and the chances that his children will continue to uphold their elite position in the society are very high.

Whereas Dorjey, despite his best intents, cannot ever hope to level the playing field for his children. His son will NOT get the kind of exposure, privileges, training and education like Sangay ko nani haru.

So is it fair to let Dorjee ko children compete with Sangay’s?

I think that now time has come for changing the parameters of reservation, even if it is based on caste or ethnicity. Wouldn’t it make sense that only one generation gets the benefit of such reservations in education, academia and jobs?

If my father is a WBCS or a Professor or a Police Officer or a Lawyer etc, then do I continue to remain marginalized? I don’t think so.

So if our government changed the parameters of reservation, and introduced the system of “expiration of reservation,” where by only those people who are economically marginalized a generation before can avail the facilities afforded under reservations. A system where people who attain the posts of privilege and economic well-being are automatically denied reservation for their next generation, as their children can avail the best of education and exposure and, are thus or should be, capable of competing with everyone else, without the need for any quota or reservation.

Let Economic Status Be the Marker

Wouldn’t it make sense to let those who are economically more deprived gain the facility of such a reservation system, and not let those who are already elite take advantage of the system to keep on remaining elite, while others from the same community continue to remain marginalized and thus discriminated against.

Perhaps time has now come for the Elite amongst the SCs, STs and OBCs to give up their claim to the Quota or reservation, much like how our countrymen are giving up their claim to subsidized cooking gas.

If we want a just and equal society, then we need to change it ourselves. Let us level the playing field ourselves, instead of waiting for the government to do so.

The post Caste-Based Reservation – Time we changed the parameters from equality to equity appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.