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Sudhi & Devendra |
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Fellow’s Profile
Devendra, a graduate in mechanical engineering from Jodhpur University, decided against the norm to return to his native place and indulge in farming leaving a lucrative career. He gradually got drawn into the social problems of the area and local issues with the community. Armed with a masters degree in Social Work, his wife Sudhi added momentum to Devendra’s initiatives in his ancestral village Jhiri. SRUTI’s Fellowship support to Devendra and Sudhi commenced in April ’98. They are living along with their two children, Pari and Manas in a small but beautiful cottage constructed on their ancestral land. The compound also houses the buildings for the Alternate school and Sheds for the handlooms, put up for providing learning and livelihood opportunities for the schoolchildren.
Devendra possesses good ability to relate with local people in the work area of his sangathan. Being a native of village Jhiri, gives him an added advantage of acceptability in the community. He is a leader with conviction who encourages and promotes local leadership. He is a good facilitator and guide for other activists and volunteers in the sangathan. Devendra used to write for the special edition of a magazine called “Observer of Rajasthan Patrika”. He used to share his views on issue of reservation for weaker sections of the society through his articles. He still writes for a magazine called “Janmukti “on the topics of political economy.
THE ORGANISATION: HUM KISAN SANGATHAN
Hum Kissan is a community based organisation (sangathan) of farmers and labourers. Starting out as a discussion forum, the organisation took concrete shape in '91-92 after some local people came together to protest against irregularities in processing of IRDP loans. It was felt that if such issues have to be tackled from time to time, then the group would require a formal name and hence it got its title "Hum Kissan". The Sahukari (money lending) system is deeply entrenched and farmers are forced to sell their produce at prices dictated by the Sahukars. Migration of villagers is rampant due to seasonal farming and lack of other livelihood opportunities.
Hum Kisan has a visible presence in Manohar Thana block of District Jhalawar. The sangathan has a strong team of volunteers spread across 50 villages in Block Manohar Thana at present. Of a total population of over 1.2 lakhs, almost 92% (1 lakh) of the population is based in villages. 19% of the total population consists of Scheduled Tribes namely Bhils, Kanjars etc. and almost 9% constitute for the Scheduled Caste. The Lodha community comes under OBC category and they are the key members of the Sangathan. The Block has a poor sex ratio of 930/1000 (953 below 6 yrs) and the area of concern is that it is the lowest (928) in ST community. Jhalawar, formerly a part of the district of Kota, was established in 1838 A.D. by Zalim Singh. It falls under the Hadot region of Rajasthan state in western India. The district consists of 7 blocks and Manohar Thana consists of a 100 villages, the main work area of the Sangathan.
This is a semi-arid area that receives an average of 943 mm of rainfall annually. In fact, the district is also known as Cherapunji of Rajasthan. 40% of the total population is into cultivation and 7% of the population, mostly Dalits and Tribals work as agricultural labour. The Lodhas have small landholdings of 1-2 acres. Monsoon is the main source of irrigation. The agricultural produce is sold to private dealers and sahukars to repay their previous loans and take new ones. Most of the villagers are into perpetual debt cycle. The sangathan has initiated few cooperatives of Tendu Patta, Milk and Handloom to benefit the villagers by countering the private money lenders and grain dealers. The sangathan has also pressurized the Block officer and the Tehsildar for fixing a support price for their farm produce.
Endevours of Hum Kissan –
Education
Livelihood Initiatives
Youth Cultural Team
Religious coexistence
Effective Governance
The sangathan is running an education centre, “Manthan” for the last 6 years, where children of sangathan volunteers and other marginalised communities access education as day scholars and hostelers.
Children studying in a class
Several scientific and practical methods are used for education. Children are showing 100% pass results and Manthan acts as resource centre of various activities of the sangathan
Devendra and Sudhi are using education as an effective mode for social change. The school’s curriculum is designed in consideration with “learning through practice” for village children.
The objective of developing such pupil participative curriculum is to keep them associated with their traditional source of livelihoods like farming. Children who have undertaken Matriculation Exams from National Open School have shown 100% results in comparison to 30% pass results from other government schools.
Children exploring computers, donated by Microsoft
Hum Kissan is also working for economic empowerment of villagers associated with the sangathan. In fact, the top leadership in the sangathan believes that a social change is not possible without liberating people from their poverty. Activities related to development and welfare of people has to be taken simultaneously with struggle. Therefore, in year 1993, Hum Kissan bagged its first tender for collection of tendu patta (Tendu leaf), Tendu Patta Cooperative was run and managed by the sangathan for 7-8 years. The cooperative faced closure due to opening of market to private investors of all states. But, it has generated an annual profit of Rs.3 lakhs for 250 families for 8 years. Tendu Patta Cooperative,
Earning livelihood from hand loom
Jhalawar was one of the 5 cooperatives formed in Rajasthan and this particular effort proved helpful in raising the minimum wage of labour from Rs.11 to Rs.32. It also curtailed the prevailing corrupt and exploitative practices by the contractors. Similarly a milk cooperative was also run for 3 years and it suffered losses due to poor availability of grass and perishable nature of milk. It also generated annual profits of Rs.18 thousand for around 20 families.
At present, a handloom cooperative is being run from the school premises. 12 looms are generating livelihood for about 30 families in the village, Jhiri. Products are being marketed in Rajasthan and to Fab India and West Side in Delhi. The looms are donated by Weavers Service Centers (WSC), Ministry of Textile and the trainers were brought from WSC Jaipur and Baran. 30 looms have been set up in another village Churalia, by WSC through a World Bank project. The villagers, at present are being trained by trainers from WSC.
Products ready for the market
Vasundhra Raje Scindia, the present Chief Minister, who heads the BJP govt. in the state, is the sitting M.L.A. from the district and her son Dushyant Singh at present represents the Parliamentary constitution of Jhalawar The state government is accused of having a communal agenda in their activities and the Block is under a severe grip of religious fanaticism. The members of the sangathan and Manthan education centre are under regular pressure and threat from the local VHP brigade. The VHP is left free to spread hatred against minority communities under patronage from state government. One can see hoardings like “Hindu Rashtra Ke Hindu Gaon Me Aap Ka Swagat Hai” (welcome to a Hindu village of a Hindu Nation) at the village entrance. Trishul distribution ceremonies and holding of Shakhas are periodic features
One of the several boards erected on a 25 kilometers stretch
Realizing the importance of perspective building process in addition to economic independence of people, the sangathan has started activities for promotion of peace through democratic activities. The sangathan is trying to promote a culture and religious coexistence through its cultural team, libraries, debates and its magazine “Herboley”.12 libraries have been made functional from the year 2006 in villages with support from Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF). These are acting as resource centers for sharing diverse religious literature, news and views. Village youth are able to read literature and news papers are made available in these libraries. Youth cultural teams trained by Devendra and other theatre experts also address the issues of religious and caste based hatred (being spread through various religious fanatic groups) through their performances in the villages.
The existing social evils like, strong caste discrimination, Parda Pratha, child marriages etc. are rampant in Rajasthan due to its “glorious” feudal background. Such precarious social fabric is serving as fuel to the fire of communal hatred. Devendra and his family are acting as a source of inspiration for others in the sangathan. Personal relationship between Devendra, Sudhi and their children is appealing to the youth and their families, associated with sangathan and they are emulating that in their life also. The sangathan is into frequent dialogue with villagers through the cultural team against prevalent superstitious beliefs and practices. Results of such interventions are very heartening. People in villages have started visiting certified doctors, instead of the “Witchdoctors” they visited earlier because of prevalent superstitions.
Village youths have started questioning and rationalizing the religious fanaticism. Violence against women has decreased drastically in youth and volunteers associated with the sangathan. Some of the villagers have also started questioning the conventional practice of child marriage for their children. They are also encouraging their spouses to shed the “Parda Pratha”. Youth associated with Sangathan are visiting other areas/sangathans for holding Dalit solidarity meets within the state.
Library for village youth – supported by Rajiv Gandhi Foundation
The regional songs and music of the Hadot region in Rajasthan, is being used creatively by the young cultural team of the sangathan. Talented youth from Manthan School and villages are identified by Devendra and Sudhi for the cultural team. They learn through participating in the theatre workshops and watching performances by trainers and theatre experts. The team puts up performances on different developmental and struggle based issues.
The sangathan has come a long way since its inception. The core group members were docile by nature due to the socio-political nature of the region. Regular intellectual inputs have now made them articulative. Positive guidance for campaigns against erstwhile rampant corrupt practices has acted as a moral boaster and they have become vocal to any social or economic suppression. The sangathan is practicing good community organization through its core group and village level committees. Each village has volunteers that act as local leaders.
The village volunteers organize village level meetings and mobilize villagers on various issues. Different village and Panchayat level meeting and trainings are organized by the help of local leaders. The strength of the sangathan is voluntary physical and financial involvement of villagers. Most of the activities are being carried out without any external monitory support. The volunteers are involved in planning of major activities. All the rallies, trainings and exposure/solidarity visits are being planned and implemented by the volunteers of the sangathan
Public hearing on NREGA - held at Manohar Thana
Geeta – an inspiration
Geeta is an 18 years old mother who became the first female from a village viz. Jhiri to pass class Xth examination in 2007. Jhiri is a village in hinterland of Rajasthan that shares its boundary with Madhya Pradesh. Geeta dropped out from the government school from class VIIIth due to her Gauna (marriage). She returned to her village due to some marital discord and resumed her education from Manthan (learning center for rural marginalized children). She was encouraged to resume her studies by Sudhi and her support had helped her in clearing class Xth exams from Open School . The achievement had boosted her confidence and she is now determined to pursue higher educations. She also started earning her livelihood from handlooms cooperative at Manthan. She is now a dexterous weaver now and therefore, is successfully earning her livelihood from a handloom installed at her own house.
Geeta - sharing her vocational skills with her daughter
