Socio-cultural structure of villages in Bhilwara district

I wandered in some villages for data collection of mine Labour in the duration of block placement. On the same time, I observed the socio-cultural structure of villages in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan. I used the approach of “perspectives from below’ for the analysis of this structure.

Mewari is the local language of this district. Because, its a area of mewad region, which was the kingdom of Maharana pratap. By the name of this region, language known as mewari. So, sometime it was tough to me for understand.The caste system is functioning very strongly in this region. The structure of village is based on the caste system, which is discriminate and exploit to lower castes. Scheduled castes houses are outside or lower side of the villages. Caste is the identity of everyone. Without caste they don’t have any identity. Everyone asks caste to someone, when he meet first time. Exa. “Which is your caste?” saying is…Balai, bhangi, bhil(tribe) vaishnav, Jat, Rajput, Gurjar. There is no concept of surname. So, the identity is shows on the caste.

Some villages names are on the caste, which are showing the caste identity and the domination of their caste in this village. Exa., Brahmano ki sareri, Balai kheda. Every caste group in the village, shows their caste identity, where they are staying. Exa., Balai mohalla, Bhangi mohalla, Jat mohalla, Rajaput mohalla. People write their caste name on the vehicles and T-shirts. Exa., Jat, Gurjar, Rajaput. Their concept of “we” means, their caste. Their caste is everything to them.

Upper caste people has lots of land, so they are doing farming and taking a several production. Lower caste people has land, but its very few, which is not enough to their livelihood. So, they are doing Labour work with farming. Bhil (Tribe) community is socially-educationally very backward, they don’t have land. So, they (men and women-both) are doing the work as a Labour in the mines. The owner of mines are upper caste, which are exploit to them. Proportion of education is very low in every community (upper and lower caste). Only meghawal (balai) community is taking an education within the scheduled caste, which is conscious about their plight. They are agitating against the caste system and struggling for their rights.

Religion is doing very strong work, which is based on superstition and illogic. It is dominated on every caste. When I met to two scheduled caste boys, which are belongs to bhangi caste (valmiki), we discussed with them about their issues of religion. They asked to us about our caste and they said, that is they are belongs to bhangi caste and we are “ Jaibhim wale”. But, they are practicing Hindu religion. They said, cow is their sacred animal, so the slaughter of cow is not fare, its against to our religion. They have tease about the Muslim community. Peoples don’t aware about the religious issues.

Child marriages are happening till now, when child don’t conscious about them and their body. When they don’t take their decision. I met a teacher, he did their children marriages under the age of 18. It is happening in poor people and Dalit community.

Ramdev baba meghwal- is a god, which is dominated on every caste. According to meghawal community, its a god of scheduled caste and upper caste saying its god of them. Now is a season of ramdev baba yatra. So, people are going for that by walking from very long distance with colorful flags. There is a drawing of baba ramdev, who is sitting on the horse. Every village has a temple of baba ramdev. Before, some year ago, journalist Bhanwar meghwanshi wrote a book on baba ramdev and he proved that, its not a god, baba ramdev was born in meghawal community and did some social reforms.

Women has wear the traditional dresses of Rajasthan. Very few women are using the saris and salwar kamij. “Ghunghat” /(padada paddhati ) tradition is continuous till today in villages. Women covered their face by the odhani , when they go to the outside of home. When  any elder man come her house she covered her face and they don’t sit on the chair. They have sit on the land.

Men has tie  the “pagdi” on the head, which is traditional. But, its also a castiest. Because, its  decide a colour. It means which colour can use the particular caste person. Every caste has decided a colour of their pagdi. If this rule is not follow any lower caste, so upper caste beat him and happened the atrocities. Before some years ago this incident was happened. It means “pagdi” is also a identity of their caste.

Conclusion:

Its my overall observation of this area, which is saying about the caste, religion, gender and traditional issues. So, there is a need to education and social consciousness. Now Dalit student taking an education (meghawal community) in Rajasthan, but its their primal phase. Change will be come after the long struggle, by the way of Ambedkarite movement.

Sharad D. Kodane

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