Gangadhar Buruda
Migration Geography
1938 - Malkangiri - Odisha (India)
Koya tribal who never migrated
“We, Adivasi (tribal - Koya tribe) people, can live with everyone (on the Dandakaranya project). We Adivasis did not have the strength to fight them (the migrated Bengalis). Since the government granted them land, we could not say anything. The government says that the tribals benefited from the project (Dandakaranya). But our forest area got destroyed, which was our main source of livelihood.”
Interviewer – Mohana Chatterjee
Summary – Sumallya Mukhopadhyay
Transcript – Sumallya Mukhopadhyay
Portrait Image - Aurgho Jyoti
Interview Location – Malkangiri, India
Interview Date – 23 October 2021
Summary
Gangadhar Buruda was born on 5 March 1938 at Malkangiri. He had spent his entire life in the region, witnessing how it changed after refugees from East Pakistan were rehabilitated in Dandakaranya. Till 1936, Malkangiri was part of Madras Presidency. After that, it was inducted within Orissa. Gangadhar Buruda recollected staying with Telugu and Odia people in the region. After the Partition, as refugees were rehabilitated in the region, the tribal people lost much of the forest area. Gangadhar Buruda felt that such losses were a big blow to the tribals in the region. He also admitted that nothing much had developed in the region except for transportation facilities. The canal and irrigation projects undertaken were mostly directed in areas where Bengalis lived. In short, as Gangadhar Buruda believes, the tribals did not benefit much from the Dandakaranya project. Most people had failed to learn about the government schemes because they were not educated. Similarly, the economic condition of the tribals had not improved.
Gangadhar Buruda was elected as the Block chairperson. Over the years, the relationship between the tribals and the Bengalis had remained the same, according to him. They simply co-exist without much hostility. He is of the opinion that women in the Koya tribe are respected and given equal status to that of a man.
Transcript in English
Question: Namaste! What is your name?
Answer: My name is Gangadhar Baruda.
Question: When were you born?
Answer: 5 March 1938 in British India
Question: Which tribe do you belong to?
Answer: Koya tribe
Question: Before Independence, how was this area?
Answer: Before Independence, this area was part of Madras Presidency of Visakhapatnam district. There were huge areas of land, and Telugu people lived among us.
Question: Where did they go?
Answer: They lived here traditionally; they belong to this area; they still live here.
Question: Okay! So, they are still here!
Answer: This area belonged to Madras Presidency, after 1936, it came under Orissa.
Question: What was the condition of your tribe when you were a child?
Answer: At that time, we used to eat fruits, cultivate our land. There was nothing lacking. We ate whatever we got.
Question: How was farming back then? Did you cultivate rice?
Answer: Yes. We used to do farming and maintain our land.
Question: Can you tell us about specific cultural practices of the Koya tribe? Some things that you feel demarcate your tribe from other tribes.
Answer: There are many tribes here, Koya is one of them. Nothing so special about it.
M: Can you tell us about the history of the Koya tribe?
Answer: We were part of Madras Presidency. We are also present in parts of Andra. Our people live in many such areas.
Question: How did your tribe react after the declaration of the Dandakaranya project?
Answer: We, Adivasi people can live with everyone.
Question: How did you feel when you first encountered a Bengali?
Answer: na, na! See, we adivasis did not have the strength to fight them.
Question: And how do you feel about the Dandakaranya project?
Answer: Since the government granted them land, we could not say anything.
Question: Did the tribals benefit from the Dandakaranya project?
Answer: The government says so. But our forest area got destroyed, which was our main source of livelihood.
Question: Irrigation, canal…
Answer: When it comes to irrigation, I feel that it has not happened everywhere.
Question: What is the situation now of the irrigation plans?
Answer: Irrigation has happened in areas where the Bengalis live, not in tribal areas.
Question: any other development?
Answer: only there has been improvement in communication, nothing else.
Question: Over the years, how have the relationship changed between the two communities?
Answer: They cannot meet our challenge, we have plenty of people. (pauses) What do you mean exactly?
Question: I meant, how do you stay together?
Answer: We live together. They have also been granted citizenship. Earlier, we used to stay with people from Orissa. For us, Adivasis, it is nothing much; we can live with everyone.
Question: You were once a position holder. What were your personal experiences?
Answer: administration position, it means that wealthy people will feed on the poor, big fish will eat the small fishes…What do you mean exactly?
Question: You were the Block Chairman after the election. Did you not notice anything?
Answer: All of us belonged to the same tribe. We contested the election. That’s it.
Question: How have the Koya tribe developed or how can they develop further?
Answer: To be honest, development will take time. But the benefits we were supposed to get never arrived. None of the tribals have shops and houses. We did not have the strength to fight.
Transcript in Hindi
प्रश्न – नमस्ते , आपका नाम ?
उत्तर – हमारा नाम है गंगाधर बारूदा।
प्रश्न – आपका जन्म किस साल हुआ था?
उत्तर – १९३८ मार्च ५ में, मतलब ब्रिटिश इंडिया में ।
प्रश्न- आप किस ट्राइब में बिलोंग करते हैं?
उत्तर- कोया ट्राइब
प्रश्न- बिफोर इंडिपेंडेंस, यहाँ का हाल कैसा था?
उत्तर- बिफोर इंडिपेंडेंस,ये एरिया मद्रास प्रेज़िडेंसी में था, विशाखापटनम डिस्ट्रिक्ट । हम तेलुगु लोगों के साथ रहते थे।
प्रश्न- वो लोग कहाँ चले गए?
उत्तर- यहाँ का ट्रेडिशनल ट्राइब है सब, वो लोग अभी भी है ।
प्रश्न- अच्छा । वो लोग अभी भी है?
उत्तर- १९३६ में ओड़िसा में शामिल हुआ। उसके पहले मद्रास प्रेज़िडेंसी में था।
प्रश्न-आपके बचपन के टाईम पर ट्राइब का हालत कैसा था?
उत्तर-उस टाईम पे फल वग़ैरह खाते थे, खेती करते थे, वाँटिंग कुछ नहीं था। जो मिलता था, खाते थे।
प्रश्न – खेतीबाड़ी कैसी थी? चावल का एग्रिकल्चरल प्रोडक्शन कैसा था?
उत्तर- खेतीबाड़ी करते थे, वो हम खाते थे, मैनटैन करते थे ।
प्रश्न- आपके ट्राईबल एरिया का कुछ स्पेशल कल्चर है, जो आपके कोया ट्राइब को दूसरे ट्राईबज़ से अलग करता है?
उत्तर- बहुत ट्राइबज़ थे, कोया ट्राइब भी था, ऐसा कुछ नहीं था।
प्रश्न- कोया ट्राइब का हिस्ट्री बताओ आप?
उत्तर-हम मद्रास प्रेसीडेंसी में थे , आन्ध्रा एरिया में भी । हम लोग बहुत जगह में है ।
प्रश्न – दण्डकारण्य प्रोजेक्ट अनाउंस होने के बाद , आपके ट्राइब का रिएक्शन क्या था ?
उत्तर – आदिवासी लोगो का दो क़िस्म का ये है , हम लोग सबके साथ रहते है ।
प्रश्न – आपको कैसा लगा जब फर्स्ट टाइम बंगाली को एनकाउंटर किया ?
उत्तर – नहीं , नहीं , देखो! आदिवासी लोगो के पास वो नहीं था , मुक़ाबला करकर कुछ रोकने का ।
प्रश्न – और दण्डकारण्य प्रोजेक्ट के बारे में आपको क्या लगता है ?
उत्तर- गवर्नमेंट ने उन लोगो को ज़मीन दिया , तो हम क्या ही कुछ बोल सकते है ।
प्रश्न – इस प्रोजेक्ट से ट्राइबल्स का कुछ डेवलपमेंट हुआ है?
उत्तर – गवर्नमेंट तो बोलते है, लेकिन हमारा सब जंगल बर्बाद हो गया , जिस से आदिवासी लोग चलते थे।
प्रश्न – इरीगेशन , कैनाल , वगेरा ……..
उत्तर – इरीगेशन में बोलता हूँ , सब जगह नहीं हुआ ।
प्रश्न – अभी क्या सिचुएशन है इरीगेशन का ?
उत्तर – इरीगेशन सिर्फ़ बंगाली एरिया में हुआ है , ट्राइबल को नहीं मिला ।
प्रश्न – और कुछ इम्प्रूवमेंट ?
उत्तर – सिर्फ़ कम्युनिकेशन इम्प्रूव हुआ , और कुछ नहीं ।
प्रश्न – ओवर द ईयर्स , इन दोनों कम्युनिटी का रिलेशनशिप कैसा था ?
उत्तर – वो लोग हमारा मुक़ाबला नहीं कर सकते , हमारे पास तो लोग है ……. आपका मतलब क्या है ?
प्रश्न – मतलब आप लोग एक साथ रहते है ?
उत्तर – एक साथ तो रहते है । उन लोगो को नागरिकता मिल गया , पहले ओडिया लोग रहते थे , फिर ये लोग आये । हम आदिवासी लोगो को फर्क नहीं पड़ता। ओवर द ईयर्स , रिलेशनशिप सेम है । हम सब मिलकर रहते है।
प्रश्न – एक टाइम पे आप पोजीशन पर थे , तो आपने क्या एक्सपीरियंस करा पर्सनल लेवल पर?
उत्तर – एडमिनिस्ट्रेशन पोजीशन , माने , बड़ा आदमी तो छोटे आदमी को लूटेगा , बड़ा मछली छोटा मछली को खाएगा …….. आपका मतलब क्या है ?
प्रश्न – इलेक्शन के बाद आप ब्लॉक चेयरमैन बने थे , तो आपने क्या नोटिस किया?
उत्तर – ट्राइब के ही लोग थे , उस टाइम इलेक्शन लड़े थे , मुक़ाबला किया था ।
प्रश्न – आपको क्या लगता है कोया ट्राइब में क्या डेवलपमेंट आया है और क्या आना चाहिए ?
उत्तर – डेवलपमेंट में टाइम लगेगा , लेकिन जो डेवलपमेंट होना चाहिए था , नहीं हुआ । किसी भी ट्राइबल लोगो के पास दुकान, घर नहीं है । हमारे पास मुक़ाबला करने को ताक़त नहीं है ।
