Jhantipata

Jhantipata is a village fair as well as a carnival of the aboriginal people specially the Adibasi and the Dalits during the pre-monsoon. 40,000 people from different districts enjoy and purchase their useful things for cultivation and livelihood. The fair has been organizing traditionally from long years ago near the rail station of Jhantipahari of Chhatna Block, Bankura on 26^th Jaistha (2^nd week of June) every year.

The aboriginals enjoyed it with their drums and musical instruments. They performed Pata Dances and Natua Dance (the martial dance of Santhal). The Pargana Majhi and Disam Majhi had a talk on their oral tradition staying under the Sal trees at night. But lately the Diku business men have captured the Mela and pushed the adibasi out from their abode. They have been spoiling the adibasi youth with sexual provoked dance with a gate pass of Rs. 10. It indulges abusing the girls and adolescents inside the Mela.

Suradhani Mandi a teenage girl from Purulia district was the victim. She was gang raped and murdered by the alcoholic group of youth. The incident created a great depression among the Adibasi to take protection against alcoholism and illegal activities during the Mela time. Particularly we the staffs and animators of Udayani took initiative against it.

Organizing the Majhi Hadam (the village head) and the youth club members of 50 Adibasi villages the staffs of Udayani Social Action Forum formed an organization namely ADIBASI JAGARAN MANCH or ADIBASI AVEN GAOTA. Frequently they met together. Setting goals and objects they published a leaflet in Bengali as well as in Santali and request the Adibasi people to come and organize the cultural activities, which were thrown out by the Dikus (Non-Adibasi). They also request the mass to avoid alcohol and illegal activities. On the other hand the members of the Adibasi Jagaran Manch seek administrative help of D.M, S.D.O, B.D.O, Jila Parisad, Savapati (Panchayat Samity), Anchal Pradhan and the O.C. of Chhatna police station.            

Saradindu Biswas the MC described the main objects of JHANTIPATA and made an open call for reaching the target as well as the revival of traditional culture. So many beautiful groups came from different districts enjoyed the Mela with their rhythmic drums.

The main attraction of the JHANTIPATA was the marshal dance of SANTAL. It is such a dance that can identify the Santals as Territorial Army. 45 performers with their traditional costumes occupied the area in a circle. They used bamboo sticks in place of sword on their right hand and shield on their left hand to express their inner fillings.  With the rhythmic beat of DHAK, DHOL, JHUNJHUNI the performers moved anti-clockwise with different steps and expression.  One melodious SANAI (traditional blowing flute) created the emotion of heroic energy, anger, laugh and joy.

To get an entry and to organize JHANTIPATA-10 was very difficult for the Adibasi people. But the animators did this successfully.

At the end of the programme Amar Nath Murmu the Secretary of ADIBASI JAGARAN MANCH gave vote of thanks to the people and the associates who helped them made this programme success. He also made a call to the progressive minded intellectuals and enlightened aboriginals to help ADIBASI JAGARAN MANCH revamping the culture of MULNIVASI and empowering the solidarity movement for their dignity and identity.                                                                                

Hi, friends I am also feeling the same. Let us join our hands and make the nation portentous with our colorful cultural diversities.          

JAI BHIM- JAI BHARAT- JAI MULNIVASI