Crops Plantation: Ziro Vs Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh

This is July and here in Dibrugarh, the villagers are very busy planting rice. Rice is gold for us; it is main food of Assam as well as Arunachal Pradesh. Before visiting Ziro Valley (Lower Subansiri District, Arunachal Pradesh) I knew about Jhum cultivation only and never thought that Arunachal is also having agricultural lands like Assam. The rice cultivation in Ziro Valley, Arunachal is adequate for it present population and method of cultivation is slightly different than here in Dibrugarh, Assam.

hard-working women of Ziro Valley

Ziro is 5754 ft, above the sea level and famous for its cold and rains. There, women are the main cultivator of crops; from ploughing to harvesting. The women go forward while they plant crops in paddy fields while in Assam women/men go backward while planting, it started from April-May of English Calendar.  For ploughing Ziro valley women use spade only and dependent on an optimum water level; while in Dibrugarh, Assam people use spade, bull or power tiller, mud is more important than the flooded water.

the special crops between rice

pisciculture with agriculture

 Apatani people plants a special kind of crop along with rice, heard calling as milate/melate by local people which is use to prepare alcohol. Fish cultivation along with agriculture is a unique feature of rice cultivation in Ziro valley, while in Dibrugarh Assam people do not prefer fish on paddy fields because rain, soil quality, rice plant’s quality, locally available fishes from ponds and rivers etc. . 

Rupu Kobyang (Apatani Wristlet)

Recently, in 2016 the Apatani festival ‘Meoko’ I’ve gone through and experienced a rich cultural bond among Apatani People of Ziro Vallay amazed me a lot. After that few consecutive rituals related to welfare of the society and the agriculture I’ve experienced thoroughly, but I didn’t know the name of the big wristlet wear by the Apatani priests before Tage Yadi informed me about it. The aluminium wristlet has been uniquely used by Apatani priests at their right hand during rituals; that is what I’ve seen there. Also she has informed that Apatani people use the same during dance in the festivals along with their traditional dress, but I didn’t see anybody (common people) dancing with such ornaments during my stay there. The degradation of ancient culture has been seen with the advent of westernisation and Christianisation which is more rapidly transforming the cultural picture of the valley. Still a few people are exercising their ancient culture and maintaining the heritage of it is really appreciable. Apart from few things like demands of Costly Mithun for marriage in present days, the culture of Apatani is wonderfully great and suitable for that geographical location.

No Fear of Rape Anymore

 I've written this article to promote martial art among girl students of schools and colleges and was published in a Guwahati Based English Magazine 'the Line', September 2014. I'm forwarding the same again in my blog for larger audiences targeting both the rural and urban girls; specially to let them know the importance of martial art for self-defence purpose. Hope after reading this article those girls who do not aware about it will show their interest and join martial art classes after realising the importance. Best of Luck for them. 

               

“I am afraid of Rape.

            July 12, 2014 at 2:13am

I am afraid of rape.

Because, I am a woman.

Because, they think I am an object of lust.

………………………………………………………………….”

I have seen this note above was shared by my sister Sehnaz of Tezpur University, in a social media was an update by Miss Serem Susmita Singha of St Edmunds College(Shillong) showing her anxiety and fear of an invisible predator who might target her next.

Trouble

 Mere laws against sexual harassment is not the sole solution in male dominated world, has already been proven over the years. The violation rate against women can be reduced by supporting women to come out from their shells and raise a strong voice against the rapist. In India women’s desires are buried by social burden.

But advocating capital punishment of the culprits publicly, is not possible in a complex social system and it is seen that after the announcement of capital punishment by GOI, rapist kill the victims after raping them. Some people speak about moral education and cultural control over the society, which can help building good mind-sets about females of our society. But in an era of free flow of information from multiple sources which has altered the socio-cultural picture of the world’s societies through the World Wide Web is a biggest achievement of this century. The government of different countries are concerned over control by filtering is also not possible without the proper international coordination. Even that also is difficult because servers are being operated by private parties and filtering becomes useless to the advance proxy servers. Hence once your secret leaks out, it will be out forever.

This is the situation of porn contents in the cyber world. The available contents instigate sexual desire in the minds of the people of all ages and this is another big reason of rapes in India .But, this again is partially true.

 I don’t want to elaborate more about rape which is known to everybody, all discussion is distinctly made there in newspapers, books and channels.  I only want to express my concern about the cause and my simple suggestion to solve this serious problem through the spirit of martial art.

 Sometimes it is seen that GOI/GOA take some interest in girl’s physical education by martial art experts, but in a slow pace with sudden stop, no regularity when they could have gain fertilities to give a life to the dying culture of morality through martial art education which consists lots of moral and spiritual instructions and oaths of do’s and do not’s. Respect others and refrain from violent behaviours are two very fundamental mandatory rule of every martial art form. 

       

Generally a hard core martial art has two basic part sparring and set movements (KATA), besides these there are very hard practices before sparring and set movements. To get skill in this way require time and potential involvement in regular exercises. But apart from all these there are certain techniques which require mental intelligence rather than physical boldness, with the minimum body fitness one can start learningthese techniques handle day-to-day hurdles. Tai Chi is a good meditational practice as well as one can use it in defensive purposes.

          The women who are afraid of social devils I’m requesting them; please do minimum exercise in daily basis like running, jumping, rolling and then join a martial art class to learn self-defence techniques from experts which will help you to eradicate your fear. The close fighting techniques specially holding and choking by using pressure points of the body, joint lock, throwing and the attack on the weaker parts ofthe opponent by using punches and kicks are the general criteria ofself-defence techniques. There are thousands of techniques originated from these criteria; all these techniques needs is instant mind and body coordination for quicker attack or defence. In this way without caring any weapon, pepper spray, GPS wears a girl/woman can be self-sufficient.

 When somebody is attacked by more than one person, people often get confused and nervous. So always be brave to face such situation and make a way to escape from the weakest link of the mob by a sudden attack; starts from the one whose position is nearer to you seem to be weaker in attention, attack quickly to give a serious injury. Do not worry, others will run away after this attack. And the very important point for women against rapist is the learning of the techniques which teaches to break a hold and joint locks.  Because to unzip a girl for unholy attempt one need to hold boldly, this holds can be break and lock back the joints by using certain techniques. A systematic practical study of Martial art and self-defence under good coaches by the women will certainly help to recover from the fear of being raped. Therefore this must be mandatory for women studying schools, colleges and universities which not only support your self-defensive mechanism from external threat but also help in improving health and skill in this sport; which again support to form a stronger and happier society.

                             

Sam Kothal-an Endangered Jackfruit

Bhadoi Panchali, 07 July, 2016: This is the session of Jackfruit. Almost after a decade when I was visiting towards Dekiajan, I’ve seen the tree of an endangered jackfruit roadside bearing the history of many generations. Then some memories strike to my mind; earlier we had another Jackfruit tree near the road leads to Dihing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary, that tree was in an oil field and once that land was proposed for a public graveyard also.  But when late Kanak Gogoi started opening a Dhaba “Maa 97” the tree was cut down. That was hurting me a lot because that place is supposed to be a useful public place and the tree was the lone Sam Kothal (a comparatively smaller jackfruit) I’ve distinctly seen near my village. That place where that jackfruit was; is called Fasi-bam, the land of suicide, is belongs to OIL.   The public lands occupied by powerful and intellectual fox even after having money and own lands are something odd, am I right! Human greed has no limits. I’ve some stories where public lands are occupied by respected economically and politically powerful people; even Teacher and prominent leaders. Someday I’ll defiantly write about them.

That Jackfruit was important for me because I am a nature conservationist by nature, always gives importance of preserving various plant species in our locality. But the human needs are more with increasing population now a day and most of the trees are cut down for tea cultivations. The different kinds of fruit that were available earlier are rare now, ‘amul’ which has almond like taste; I could remember how I was collecting and tasting different fruits from domestic forest of our village.  The wood of this ‘sam kothal’ is being used to make Assamese drums; I am worried how long these kinds of trees will remain with us in our villages. 

VAT and Rural Poor Tea Tribe

Dekiajan, Bokulani Chariali, 07 july, 2016: A group of children of age group, 4-7 years old were seen collecting fern at roadside (Bakulani to Makum), at 2 afternoon, this is how rural poor are surviving healthier. The price hike of daily commodities has been affecting the budget of poor middle class families of this area. But any kinds of changes has not been affecting the poor's standard of living of rural tea tribe; they have been collecting daily commodities from roadside, especially small fishes and fern like vegetables. The daily wages of the daily labours increases from 40 rupees (three to four years back) to 100 rupees for domestic work, with a time meal. Recently the Sarbananda Sonowal lead Assam government decided to increase the rate of VAT from 5% to 6%. , but are these people using gas cylinder, packaged foods or expensive dal like food items? Will it affect their lifestyle?
The agriculturally poor depends on daily wages for rice only, otherwise they collect locally available vegetables like fern, deer’s foot, Skunk vine, bamboo shoot, Green Amaranath and taro; and fishes like Stinging catfish, Minnows, Flying Barb, Assamese Snakehead, climbing Perch and Gangetic Mudeel  etcetera.  In more recession time some of the rural Tea tribes depends more on hunting rat and birds. After spending decades on observation; their economic condition is seen same comparatively though they are getting more political and social participation. Behind it there must be many reason, among them one very important reason is lack of inspiration and guidance for development. By taking the advantage of which Christian missionaries are transforming them religiously, but how far they are successful is questionable in terms of social and economic development. Providing expensive English medium school and education is not enough in a state like Assam where primary to high-school, education is almost free. In state politics the representation from this tribe is adequate and they are having a good organizational grip, still the reasons of their poor economic condition is distinct, they are mostly landless and depend on tea garden, their usual habits of alcoholism and illiteracy is prominent. Only few members of the community could come out from such pathetic condition after Indian Independence. This means those who are working for the development of these people are not succeeded yet.

Personal announcement: I will write more specific stories by elaborating the status of tea tribes of Assam particularly of Dibrugarh District and share with you soon.