West Medinipur- Tribal Communities-2

Munda Tribal Festival Dance

Munda Tribal Group-These kind of tribal communities is Non-Aryan and are the original inhabitants of ancient India. According to history, their origin was from Jharkhand and thereafter they were spared in various parts of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and also other parts of the country.

The Munda tribal community had great contributions to India's independence.At the time of India's freedom movement, entire Munda tribal group were involved indirectly in such freedom movement and some of them were took direct part in freedom movement;Birsa Munda was one of them. In Munda tribal groups, Birsa Munda is a respected name as they worship him as their god. In 1900 Birsa Mundas had died in Ranchi Jain suspiciously; then his was nearly 25 years. He had dedicated his life for India's independence. His dedication is still acknowledged with honor not only by the Munda people but also by the Government of India.

Munda Women Wearing Colorful Dresses

Munda group has their own religion called Singbonga; Singobonga means Sun God. They fully rely and believe that Singbonga is the supreme power and such Singbonga is always protecting them from all evils' power and also give punishment of their sins. After established of British rule for India, most of the Christian Missionaries were come to India and they mostly started their work to do well for common people and converted mostly poor people and tribal class to Christianity; thus the major portion of the Munda group is to christens.

The cultural side of this tribal group is very strong. They have their own dance form and songs by which they can be identify separately. The Nupur dance is one most popular form of dance of them; they wear Nupur in their ankles and dance in various festivals of joy.

The work culture of this tribal group is also similar like Santali tribal group . It is the fact that the occupational life of the tribal communities is majorly depending upon the forest. Since from the ancient time, tribal communities' lives was nature dependent. Since from the ancient time they are collecting woods from the forest and selling those woods in the local market and earn money which leads their families. As the time passed, their work culture is changed like earth cutting, labor works at various construction sites, and also land cultivations.

Earlier they had no enough knowledge of cultivation as their food habit was very peculiar; they are generally animal flesh eaters; as per their need they would go forest and haunt animal and arrange their food. Thereafter, in the long run, government preserved forests and separated them from their nature-life and rehabilitated them in other places with some cultivation lands with knowhow of cultivation.

The society of Munda community has their own identical arrangement; there has sub-group of Munda tribe community and the name of those sub-groups is Patar, Mahali, Kampat etc. among those sub-groups, some subjects are common; Gotiora- is common in every Munda village, where the traditional cultural songs, dance and also music are practiced by the young Mundas under the guidance of experienced seniors. Another common thing is Panchayat heading of a surpanch or group of surpanch who controlled the entire society and every villager is bound to obey the decision of the Panchyat. Another common thing is Akhra ; this kind of Akhra is the place of entertainment of Munda tribes. All festivals of the Munda tribes are celebrated together. 

Dhanbad- A Coal Mines District

View of Bokaro  Steel City

I was transferred at Dhanbad and lived there for four-five years approximately. Dhanbad is basically Coal mines and industrial district. In earlier at my time of living, it was under the state of Bihar on India.  Dhanbad was constituted in the year of 1956 by the Indian Parliament. In earlier most, at the time of colonial British rule, Bengal-Bihar-Orissa was together as a block. Actually this is the place of tribal like Santali, Koll, Val, Munda tribes. Earlier it was spread up to Nagpur and called Chota- Nagpur.

Dhanbad City

Damodar River is the main river of this district. It joints Bokaro, Konar and Barakar rivers. The Barakar river bridge joints Bengal and Jharkhand. The other rivers covering Dhanbad are Mayurakshi, Koyal, Sankh, Son, Auranga, More, Bansoli, Kharki, Swarna. I lived at Katras which is near the Bank More of Dhanbad city. From Howrah there are three-four trains are available which are directly go to Dhanbad. Black Diamond and Coalfield, these two trains are regularly up down up to Dhanbad. Steel express and Saktipunj, these two trains also regularly up down from Howrah, but they go to Bokaro & Patratur respectively via Dhanbad. Other than these trains, there are local trains from Assansol station. Except all these are so many long distance trains which also stop at Dhanbad station. It is also possible to reach to Dhanbad by road.

Fire Chamber of Steel Factory 

 Purulia, Bankura, these districts of Bengal are very nearby of Dhanbad. Different types of mother language speaking from different religions people are living at Dhanbad. Various religion festivals are famous at Jharkhand like Chatra Exhibition, Lawalong Exhibition, etc. culturally Dhanbad is also sound; rock art, per-harappan poetry, pre-historic cave paintings are also famous. The tribal’s dance and songs are most famous in India. Woodwork, paintings of pitkar, ornaments of tribal, doll, baskets are made of stone all the significant of Dhanbad’s rich culture and crafts.

The climate of this place is very hot at the summer time and also very cold at the winter time. Almost it can be said the climate is extreme. In the year 2000, Jharkhand was declared as a new state.

  There are so many visible places like; Maithan Dam- it is nearly 45 km from Dhanbad station. Here is boating facility.  Charak Pathar. This is the local name of this place. This is a large piece of white stone and thus this place name is like that. Chati Gobindapur- here is two pillars; one is in the name of Emperor Asoka and next one is in the name of Sher Sha. Gopalpur- this place is in Nirsa & Chirkunda, it is the significant for an ancient pillar of Emperor Ashka, Jhinjhipahari- this place is significant for an ancient temple of Lord Shiva, it was found at the time of digging for coal mine, Maithon Dam- from Dhanbad it is 52 km. it is constructed on the river Barakar. Here is a power station DVC. Here is a lake with resort for staying. Boating with fishing is also the attraction of this lace.

 Just within few km, there is a very old temple Kalyaneswari.  Panchet Dam is another attraction of Dhanbad. It is situated at the height of 134 fits of the Panchet hill. Bokaro steel plant is the next attraction of Dhanbad. It is approximate 47 km for Dhanbad. Thereafter so many other places are there to visit like, lower & upper Ghaghri water falls, Koel river view spot, Lodh Fall, Sadani Fall,etc