Die Weltenbummlerin

In der Naehe von Agra besuchten wir die verlassen Stadt mit einer Festungsanlage.
Die Geisterstadt liegt 40 km westlich von Agra, sie wurde im Mongul-Stil in mitten fruchtbarster Landschaft erbaut.
Architektonist ist die Anlage echt ungewoehnlich und glechzeitig brilliant.
Mich faszinierte die Bauweise enorm.
Die Gebaeude sind sehr gut erhalten. Neben den Plastgebaueden steht die Moschee jama Masjid. Auf diesem Gelaende gibt es viele Grabmaehler. Einge sind aus Mamor und sind filigran bearbeitet worden.
Ein ca. 12-jaehriger Junge fuehrte uns duch das Treiben auf den Hauptplatz, durch einige Gaenge und zeigte us die verschiedenen Grabmaehler. Er erklaerte uns welche Grabmaehler von welchen Personen sind. So zeigte in welchem Mahl ein Kind, eine Ehefrau oder ein Ehemann begraben wurde.
Ehefrau und Ehemann werden nebeneinander vergraben. Ein Kind bekommt einen kleinen weisen Sag. Auch die verschieden Farben hatten alle eine Bedeutung, so bestand ein unterschied zwischen hell und dunkel grau und gross und klein und schwarz.

Eine der bedeutendsten heiligen Staedte in Indien ist Varanasi. Viele Inder pilgern nach Varanasie, damit sie sich mit dem heilgen Gangeswasser "reinwaschen" koennen.
Varanasie ist die Stadt Shivas.
Es ist fuer die Hindus jetzt auch noch erstrebenswert in dieser Stadt zu sterben.
Diese Stadt hat mich sehr beeindruchkt. Sie ist sehr vielfaeltig und sie spiegelt eine grossen Teil des indischen Lebens wider.


Am Bahnhof von Varanasie haben wir ein kleines Abendheuer ueberwunden. Ich telefoniert von einem oeffentlichen Telefon und versuchte verschiedene Leute des Touristenbuero, wo wir faelschlicherweise eine sogenannte Tour gebucht hatten, zu erreichen, damti wir abgeholt und zu unserem Hotel gebracht werden.
Ein grosses Wir/Warr tobte am Bahnhof und am Bahnhofsvorplatz.
Die Leute sass und lagen am Boden und nebenher liefen die Kuehe durch die Menschenmassen durch.
Endlos viele Taxis und Rikschafahrer warteten um ihre Geld zu ihren Familien nach Hause bringen zu koennen.
Laufenden Bauarbeiten wurden von einer Gruppe Handwerkern durchgefuehrt. Wie ..sehr langsame Fliessbandarbeit..liesen die Arbeiter ein Stein nach dem anderen aus einem Lastwagen heraus bevordern.


Die Stadt ist zauberhaft und gleichzeit ueberwaeltigend.
Mit der Fahrradrikscha fuhren wir in die Altstadt.
Hier wurden wir am Markt abgesetzt.
Die Altstadt ist wie ein Labyrinth, die Gassen verzweigen und veraesteln sich immer wieder. Es ist nicht moeglich in der Altstadt mit Auto, Rikscha oder Bus durch zu fahren. Es kommen nur alle Fahrrad und Motorrad fahrer, langsam durch die Gassen gebraust.
Wir gingen vom Markt ein kleines Stuekc durch die Altstadt und erreichten den Dasawamedh Ghat.
Hier setzten wir uns auf die Marmor-Stufen eines Tempels und beobachten das Treiben und blaettern im Lonely Planet.
Sehr bald bekammen wir von zwei Maedchen gesellschaft, ein kleiner Junge kam auch dazu.
Sie zeigten uns Postkarten und stellten uns in einem sehr guten Englisch fragen und erzaehlten uns einiges.
Sie fuehrten uns durch die verwinkelten Gassen der Altstadt hin zu den brennende Ghats. Hier traffen wir den jungen Inder der uns einiges erzaehlte.
An den Ghats finden verschriedene Rituale vom Leben und Tod statt. Es geschieht in aller Oeffentlichkeit.
So hatten auch wir die Moeglichkeit bei den Burning-Ghats die Zeremonien zu verfolgen.
So konnten wir dir Rituale hautnah mit erleben.
Wie die religioesen Traditonen praktiziert werden, erklaerte uns ein junger Inder auf einem Dach eines Hauses.
Von diesem Dach hatten wir direkte Sicht zu den Verbrennungstellen. Wir konnten alles sehen, richen, spuehren und miterleben von der Ferne.
Der Rauch des verbrennenden Holzes und alles drum herum war auch noch Tage spaeter in meinem Sinn. Die tiefen Traditonen und die religioese Einstellung dieser Menschen und dieser Stadt zog mich in ihren Bann.

Flames of Natural Fire, the Drum Beats, Cultural Delight And an Oath to Fight All Odds --- Adivasi Sangama 2008

Reported by S Nanda Gopal

``Forest is our homeland. We are its rightful owners and shall resist any effort to evict us. We love our mother nature and shall do all that we can to conserve and protect all life forms in and around our habitat.’’
The message was loud and clear as thousands of Adivasis joined hands to pledge before the sacred fire that it was time for the sons and daughters of the forests to initiate a new freedom movement to safeguard their traditional boundaries and their cultural identities.
The occasion – Adivasi Sangama 2008. A unique congregation of original inhabitants of forests that took the town of Kushalnagar in Karnataka, by storm.
October 30, 2008 will surely herald a new beginning for the brethren of different tribal communities from the southern states of India who have been consistently fighting all odds to establish their rights over their homelands. It was also a matter of pride for each of those from Jenu Kuruba, Yrava, Male Kudiya, Betta Kuruba, Soliga and other tribal communities present at the congregation, to realize their strength, their rich traditions of the past and a hopefully bright future ahead.
Words fail to describe the enthusiasm and zeal of these innocent Adivasis who are a subject of ridicule, oppression and humiliation in the hands of the privileged richer sections of this vertically divided social structure. Here they were all at ease with themselves, leaving aside their routine struggle for livelihood in the plantations of the affluent class.
The beginning of the two-day convention aptly indicated the road map for the deliberations and also the road map for the future. Gently rubbing the twigs of special tree which happens to be among the first friends of the tribal communities the world over, a band of Jenu Kurubas successfully produced fire, reliving the practices of their fore fathers who first discovered the power of `Fire’. With the naturally generated fire, the torch was lit to be handed over to octogenarians Akkammajji and Kenchanna who in turn ignited the Adi Jyothi, thus declaring the opening of the mega event. The presence of senior activists of the likes of Pradeep Prabhu, Roy David, tribal leader J P Raju and others brought solemnity to the proceedings.
Further more was in store as the two veteran leaders of the community Akkammajji and Kenchanna reminisced their younger days and enthused the crowds with their ever mesmerizing and self composed songs that continue to be an effective weapon in every struggle of these sons of soil, even to this day. Their voices might have been fading physically, but the songs echoed its spirit in all proportions.
The flaring flames of the naturally lit Adi Jyothi was further fuelled by the awe inspiring address of Pradeep Prabhu, one of the architects of the Forest Rights Act 2006, which has now come as a boon to the Adivasis for realizing their dreams of self-rule. An advocate at the Supreme Court that he is, Prabhu exhorted the all the tribal brethren to rededicate themselves to initiate a novel and intensified struggle to regain their lost home lands. The assertion of rights in the most vocal manner shall only ensure the effective implementation of the Act, he opined.
To express solidarity with the Adivasis of South India, there was a delegation from the remotest yet volatile district of Khalahandi district of Orissa, actively participating in the deliberations.
The fight, lobbying and convergence of tribal movements for the inclusion of scheduled areas under the fifth schedule of the Indian constitution, thus empowering the tribal communities with the provisions of the PESA (Panchayat Raj Extension of Schedule Areas) Act of 1996, fight against any moves for eviction of forest tribes from their habitats, implementation of Forest Rights Act in its letter and spirit were the focal issues addressed by Prabhu.
While the new moon was yet to show up in the clear sky, the flames of the Adi Jyothi rendered that perfect ambience to the RMC Grounds, the venue of Sangama, for an evening filled with natural instincts, colour of traditional grandeur, latent talent and unimaginable stamina and more. The Adivasi Kala Mela, the cultural treat by various Adivasi groups enthralled the gathering. The tribal group from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu stole the limelight with their versatile presentation of traditional folk art forms and sheer energy.
The second day of the event was even special. The town of Kushalnagar in the picturesque district of Coorg will be eye witnesses to one of the most vibrant and disciplined public rallies in the recent times as thousands of Adivasis walked along the streets and junctions, exhibiting the strength of unity. Shouting slogans, singing and dancing their way through, these under privileged sent a clear signal to the majority populace that they can no longer be taken for granted.
Culminating at the venue after the young and the old took to streets; the rally overwhelmingly resolved to intensify its struggle to assert and establish their traditional rights and warned the policy makers, the corporates, the forest department and all others concerned, of dire consequences in case of any move to oust them from their homeland.
Inspiring the mammoth gathering to vow in the name of their motherland to leave no stone unturned to achieve their objectives aimed at witnessing a better tomorrow, Pradeep Prabhu thundered that it was time to declare a new freedom struggle – for the freedom of forests and its traditional inhabitants. ``Your last drop of blood may be required to ensure a secured and independent living for the generations to come,’’ he voiced.
Called the Kushalnagar Declaration, the resolutions of the two-day meet included:
• Inclusion of Scheduled Areas under the fifth schedule of the Indian constitution.
• Empower Gram Sabhas as per the provisions of PESA Act to establish self rule.
• Strongly condemn the notification of the Forest Department to declare Critical Tiger Habitat in an alleged ploy to evict the traditional forest dwellers and demand the immediate withdrawal of such notification that violates the very essence of the Forest Rights Act.
• Adivasis have, from time immemorial enjoyed a healthy coexistence with nature and its bounty and thus it is the onus of the Adivasis to conserve and protect plants, animals, natural resources and each and every spic that the forests have in offing.
• Condemn the proposed move to execute the Greater Talacauvery project aimed at facilitating corporate and multi-nationals to acquire forest lands for commercial purposes.
It could be an affair of just a couple of days, but has heralded a new era for the traditionally deprived Adivasis to reassert their constitutional rights and regain lost grounds in the battle for survival against the high and mighty. The writing on the wall is now very clear – The Adivasis are no longer cocooned in the shackles of ignorance and oppression, but have declared a war towards their freedom. And, more importantly, the freedom of their forests.
(Writer is a freelance journalist and HR Consultant, associated with activities of National Adivasi Alliance. The report has been compiled following the deliberations of Adivasi Sangama 2008 organised by Budakattu Krishakara Sangha, sponsored by Coorg Organisation for Rural Development and supported by Siemenpuu Foundation, Finland, at Kushalnagar on October 30 and 31.)