Mumbai: Adivasis struggle with ‘concrete’ realities

The 7,000 Adivasis including Warli, Malhar Koli, Konkona and Katkari communities inhabiting the 27 hamlets in Aarey Milk Colony are the worst placed of all the villagers within city limits. Discomfited daily by water scarcity, bad roads, nil street lighting, they must also  fend off leopards — and the advances of development.

Prakash Bhoir, from Keltipada, said, “Every family gets to fill water once in four days, so we trade it. The neighbour will give me a bucket when it is their turn to fill, and I do the same. We keep logs of this exchange.”

Land is central to the sustenance of the predominantly farming communities here. A variety of grains, fruits and vegetables are cultivated by the villagers in the forestland. But their occupation is under threat from development projects. Aarey Colony, spread over 3,000 acres is battling projects such as Metro car shed, Force One car plant, and a proposed zoo. A part of the land was given to Film City a few decades ago.

“Only tribals resided here. But development is bringing more and more people. Most of us fear losing our land to projects, even if we are rehabilitated. Where will we farm? In an SRA building? After the 2014 development plan, we had to raise our voice so that the 27 hamlets get demarcation in the DP,” Bhoir says. The traditional artwork, Warli, is also a source of income. 

But the community’s tradition is on thin ice, with the youth uninterested in folk culture, like tarpa dancing.

They prefer to marry within the community so they do not have to move outside. “We are not well connected with the people outside. Our parents prefer to look for partners for us from within the 27 hamlets in Aarey Colony,” says Vanita Thackeray.