Bhasha Research and Publication and University of North Colorado conduct study on marginalised communities
A six-day photo exhibition showcasing the life, culture and heritage of the Chhara community began on Tuesday at the Satya Gallery in Navjivan Trust Campus in the city, as part of an awareness project about the need to bring marginalised communities into the mainstream.
Chhara community is one of the Denotified Tribes, staying in a part of the Sardarnagar area. Unfortunately, they are associated more with crime rather than the diverse skill-set the community has, experts say.
The photo exhibition is the result of a joint study conducted by Baroda-based Bhasha Research and Publication and the Department of Anthropology of the University of North Colorado. The study attempts to preserve the cultural heritage of marginalised and nomadic communities to understand the interaction marginalised, migrant, native and refugee communities have with rest of the society and how they preserve their culture and heritage.
TARGETTED BY LAW
|
- Gajjar said that often, men from such communities are arrested for no reason and women end up providing for their families. Under such circumstances, children are deprived of education
- Dakxin Chhara, however, said that the community has 100% literacy
|
The Chhara community was selected from India, while native American community were selected from the United States of America (USA).
"It is necessary to understand how such communities are able to preserve their culture and heritage amid adverse and sometimes hostile environments," said Sandhya Gajjar, managing trustee of the Bhasha Research and Publication.
"Whether it is USA or India, such communities are not able to get into the mainstream. While there are efforts being made for the welfare of the community, these remain mainly on paper and very little impact is seen on the ground," she said.
Chhara is one of the tribes that the British had included in The Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 and since then the community has been labelled as such.
"We are just like any other community. Just as there are criminals in other society, there are some here as well, but we have drama artists, lawyers, journalists, photographers. While there is some change in the mentality of the people, overall acceptance of the community has still not happened," said Dakxin Chhara, a film producer, who has won awards at national and international levels. However, he has not been able to secure a home loan, just because of the community he belongs to.
The central government had formed two commissions for the upliftment of the Denotified Tribes, but no action has happened on the ground. The Renke Commission had submitted its report in 2007, while Idate Commission has submitted its report in 2014. Now a board has been set up under the NITI Aayog to submit its recommendations on the rehabilitation of nomadic and denotified tribes.
Gajjar said that often, men from such communities are arrested for no reason and women end up providing for their families. Under such circumstances, children are deprived of education. Dakxin, however, said that the community has 100% literacy. Chetna Rathod, one of the members who participated in the program, said that the situation of the native Americans in USA is also the same. "One of the girls was so depressed that she is not able to speak properly. This is the extent of marginalisation and victimisation such communities suffer," she said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Sandhya Gajjar")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}