Tribal rituals in agriculture

Badwani, MP, July 6 (UNI) Driven by superstitious belief, tribals in western Madhya Pradesh still perform various rituals during different stages of farming every year.

Prominent tribal groups like Bhils, Bhilalas and Bharelas, after the onset of monsoon, start tilling their land after formal worship of the farm and agriculture implements. In traditional practice ''Saat Kawe'', a farmer ploughs the field seven times, while his wife or any elderly woman sprays the seed.

Elaborating the tribal custom, District Panchayat President Makan Singh Solanki, himself a tribal, said about 8 to 9 farmers ploughed fields in groups for faster work and to help each other. Farmers do not go for shave or hair cut during the period of sowing.

Bhopal-based Barkatullah University's Sociology Professor Sunil Choudhary said the reason for not shaving and abandoning hair cut is merely to devote themselves for farm work.

''To protect the germinated seeds from evil spirits, farmers placed blackened pots or bull's head skeleton on a bamboo pole in the pattern of scare-crow'', Mr Solanki said.

Author of a book titled 'Tribes and Their Indigenous Knowledge', Mr Choudhary said oxen is part and parcel of tribal life. They even want to use its discarded parts to keep the evil omen away. It also creates fear among the people and animals and thus helps untampered growth of the crop.

This is one of the old tradition among the farmers of various communities to safeguard their crops from the animals and birds. It is prevailing even before the British rule in India, said Mr Choudhary.

According to Mr Solanki, farmers never paint their house with fresh cattle dung in rainy season apprehending that odour of fresh dung will attract tiger to their house.

''Fresh dung is used after 'Diwasa' in which deity 'Bap Dev' and green fodder are worshipped'', said Mr Solanki.

Clarifying this practice, Mr Choudhary says there is no scientific reason behind this tradition. They follow it as their ancestors did it.

Some practices prevailed as they were adopted by other communities due to migration or amalgamation of culture.

Normally, farmers do not consume the new crop before the 'Nawai' festival. In Nimar region in western Madhya Pradesh, an equal ratio of all foodgrains and lentils are mixed and cooked into a 'Khichahda' during the festival. Later, it is offered to the deity before distributing it to all.

Tribals also dance on this occasion after grooming themselves in special attire, Mr Solanki added.

UNI