TALE OF UNHEARD VOICE An observation on MAL community in Saltora: By Saradindu Uddipan

I was appointed to study on the communities those are excluded from modern development and living as inferior in Bankura district, West Bengal, India during 2010. I was come to contact with some indigenous communities have been facing critical problems for survival such as Santhal, Munda, Mahali, Bagdi, Bauri and MAL. This study on "SOCIAL EXCLUSION" was patronized by UNICEF during 2010 and Udayani was the responsible organization appointed me to this challenging project. Basically the broken heart people got hart from the governing class and lost their lands, forests and water bodies. Even they have lost their human values to trust other. They kept them speechless and continued a traumatic a life. I am sharing here such an unheard voice of MAL community in a short form.  

Location:

Udaypur is a village with mixed communities near Biharinath hill at Saltora Block, Bankura, West Bengal, India. It is popularly known as Baddi Para though Mal is the major community living here for a long time. Others communities are Bagdi, Bauri and Bangal(Kayastha). Udaypur is a notified backward village by the West Bengal Government in Tiluri Gram Panchayat.

Mal the most backward community among the Scheduled Caste don't have their cultivable land in this village. 42 households around 210 populations have acquired forest land and made their hamlets with mud and local materials. Most of the roofs of the huts are covered by rotten paddy straw. Some are by tarpaulin. A narrow passage is used as the outlet for both the animal and human.

Livelihood: Mal community is basically agricultural laborers. During the monsoon they get sufficient agricultural work. But most of the months they don't have any work. It steer them towards seasonal migration to other districts. It is reported by the villagers that, they only get 10 days work in a month. Minor forest product is the other source of income for the Mal community. The broomstick, branch of neem tree, collecting of Sal leaves sometimes help the community to their existence of life.

Mother and Child Care: Malnutrition among the children, adolescents and women is an acute hazardous in this village. No ICDS centre is running here by the Government to take care of. There is no Primary Health Center in this village. Pregnant women have no knowledge about National Maternity Benefit Scheme (NMBS) and institutional birth. The mortality rate of the new born baby is quite high.

Child Education: Only one Primary School in the village is responsible for the education and MDM of the poor children. The rate of the dropout is high due to:

a) Most of the boys are in social trauma.

 b) High School is 5 kilometer far from the village.

c) Financial burden is one of the major problems.

d) Cattle rearing and collecting of minor forest product is more important than education for them.

Social Trauma: Mal community in Bankura district was untouchable. Even they were identified as criminals by the others. They are still unaccepted by the Kayastha, Baddi and Brahmans. The ignorance and isolation throw them into the social trauma.

Exclusion of Identity and Dignity: But the history referred that, Bankura the part of ancient MALLABHUM governed by the Malla king. From ancient MAGADH to SAMATATA covering the modern states UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bengal they built a huge nation. The Bagdi community also gets into their identity from Malla origin. Mhamati Gautam Buddha took his last meal in Malla kingdom and achieved MAHAPARINIBBANNA. Unfortunately the community has forgotten their identity and dignity keeping slavery into the four fold system for a long time.