I arrived on the 1st of November at the Raipur airport, with signboards and advetisements all announcing that one had landed in MINERALGADH which is of course synonymus with 36garh and any attempt at development and the reason for all the naxalite led violence which has 36garh in the news every day. The 1st of November also happens to be the day Chhattisgarh was founded in 2000. So nine years on, except for a half page ad in the Hitavada, which had Dr. Raman Singh, the current CM and a list of achivements that his government claimed, (http://news.hitavadaonline.com/news/), a very respected and the oldest and largest circulated English daily in Central India, there was nothing else to suggest that Chhattisgarh was indeed celebrating nine years of statehood.
It probably has very little to boast of. Chhattisgarh to day is in a very complex state of affairs, a lot can be attributed to the combination of the tribes and their neglect over the years and to the interest that private industry, multinationals and government have expressed due to its mineral wealth. There are many interesting features which makes it very distinct from other states of India.
It probably has very little to boast of. Chhattisgarh to day is in a very complex state of affairs, a lot can be attributed to the combination of the tribes and their neglect over the years and to the interest that private industry, multinationals and government have expressed due to its mineral wealth. There are many interesting features which makes it very distinct from other states of India.
1. Tribals
2. Forest Area
3. Mineral Wealth
4. Naxalism
As i started understanding Chhattisgarh better, i think it would be unfair if i were to do a quick and dirty note on it. So i am breaking this into 3 different blogs,
the first is going to focus on the rural haats ( markets) which are the nerve centres of the rural economy and how life revolves around it for the average Chhattisgarhi.
The second will revolve around the tribals, development or should we say underdevelopment, tribal rebellions, the fifth schedule of the constitution and PESA.
The third will revolve around the mineral wealth, the various interests and the Naxalism.
So if any of these interest you, please read ahead.
On to the first
the Rural Haat
People arrive at a haat
Haats are periodic markets where villagers assemble at a particular place at least once a week (sometimes biweekly) to buy and sell products. They may vary in the intensity of their transactions depending upon the season but they are fairly stable. They serve the village in which they are located and neighbouring villages, normally 5-10. The villagers come to buy a range of daily necessity and services as well as sell a host of products and services.
India is estimated to have 47,000 haats among its 600,000 villages, which is one haat for every 13 villages or so. On an average transactions worth 2.25 lakh are reported per haat day through the 300 odd stalls in each haat at about Rs 900 (US$ 20)per stall. At 47,000 Haats and 52 weeks, that amount tos to 55000 crores or US$ 1200 million. This was as per a study in 1995 and one could safely assume that this would have easily doubled if not more in the last fifteen years to reach 100000 crores or US$ 2.5 billion. No small business by a bunch of small businesses.
The beauty of the haats, is their clockwork mechanism at being set up, the diversity, the colour and the uniformity with which they have happenned across the country for so many years and will probably continue to happen. Truly India's Rural Supermarket.
A Haat just before it starts
Some people have arrived, as the cycles suggest
At the entrance of the haat, are the weighing scales
Snack shops - a must at every Haat
Setting up shop takes an hour to two
People cycle in with produce on the handle and on the back
China made products have taken over our rural haats too
Imagine you can get your clothes repaired, ruffued, and actually place an order
this week and get your clothes at the next haat, try them on behind a tree.
this week and get your clothes at the next haat, try them on behind a tree.
A full scale cycle repair shop, better than the ones you get in urban india
Belts are at a premium, this guy took a full two hours in setting up his shop
Footwear under a Banyan and enough space to walk around and try them before deciding
A big spread of China made again
Vessels for the kitchen - the same kind of different sizes - Made for large joint households
make-up time
Clothes for kids
one of my favourite sights - though i have been across the country - such a range of pots and spread out right on the back side of the haat - i have rarely seen a sight like this.
Maize cobs spread out on the rooftop waiting for the crowds to come in before they would be roasted and sold at 25 paise a roasted cob with lemon and salt
FMCG stop-shop
Mobile tea shop - hops stall to stall and is at 50 paise a glass
The spice kings are here - ChilliRaja
bangles for the family
Water is a big requirement, whether for making tea, snacks, keeping the vegetables fresh or quenching one's thirst - the Kawad man is on a roll and probably does about 50 trips during a haat of 4-5 hours and gets 2 rupees per trip. We are not discussing water quality; just the availability is enough
The lady has got her spread of handkerchiefs and bindis all ready
Another guy selling soap of all kinds and shapes
garments, clothes ready to be bought and stitiched up - you can select, window shop, bargain as much as you want and will be attended
Jewellery also available
Our tobacco merchant has fancy coloured packaging
Note books, text books on sale - some presence of education ???
Slates also - these ones retailed at Rs 10 / slate
The spice king as the wind blows across his shop and deposits some on his face
Lovely fresh green vegetables - fresh off the farm - Reliance Retail - Ha!
Very relaxed tomato seller
resting against his plastic crates
Pulse counter being set up
A full scale cycle shop
Weighing scale in front of the government procurement counter
Support prices offered by the government only for rice and corn - question is who decides whether the rice is patla grade A or not
Read the terms and conditions of procurement (everything in the not so fine print )
Some farmers arrive with their produce by hiring a pick up
Potatoes and Onions - how can we have a haat without them?
This shop took three hours to be finally set up
our man has a smile - but no customers as yet
Potatoes being filled into the samosa outer as our lady yells out orders
Finally the first victim
The tribal women make their appearence - they have walked 7-10 kilometres with their little produce
Resting after a long walk - they are on time and can wait some before setting up shop
Grandpa with school going grandchildren retailing kothmeer
Old man - neatly dressed - all the jhadus are ready
Oil
some more tribal women start laying out their small fresh vegetable shops
This lady is at least 60 years old and has only what you can see to sell - it fetched her 43 rupees at the end of the day and that is the only cash income with which she will support her family for the rest of the week. most of it will be spent in buying oil, salt and other essentials, before she sets back on her eight kilometre walk back home
Lock and key - laid out by size
This guy also sold peacok feathers - talk of diversity in products
two tribal men sell tubers with speciall shaped knives for carving them out
here is the special - chicken - sorry - desi chcicken - much better tasting than their urban brothers & sisters - the broiler - for dinner
Another bunch of ten tribal women with children - all from the same village - they had about fifty kilograms of vegetables between them
Spice man with a different set of spices
Seed shop - a new entrant into haats these days - mostly sell in loose and there is no guarantee whether you are buying seeds which are beyond their useful life
Special ones - ready to be skinned
A elderly tribal lady haggles over 10 rupees of oil - her contribution to the household for the next week
Pulse counter finally ready
the poorest lady i met in the haat - she made 23 rupees at the end of the day
if you thought all was well in the haat, then you are wrong - watch the women hurrying away to one side of the road
A guy from the weighing scale shop attempts to force the basket of the lady's head
Women walk fast and furiously to evade the weighing scale men
This lady was surrounded by three men who each tried to force the basket of her - her children were up ahead
But all credit to her - she did not give in
Some women did not escape - they now have to wait as their backets have been seized and taken for weighing
No one of course bothers the men
people stream into the haat as it picks up around noon time
They have all made it after a long walk - now have to sell - hopefully get a good price - buy essentials and trudge back home - a weekly affair
