[Reader-list] Independent Fellowship-Posting 3

[rajaram bhadu]

Study of cultural Transition in urban slums of Jaipur city : Posting – 3

Nagtalai is the second site of this study. This is inhabited along 
the Jaipur-Delhi national highway and now is a part of metropolitan 
city. The jhuggis are spread over in the U shaped valley and on the 
stairs of aravali hills beside the fourlane road. People believe that 
there was a talai (Pond) in the valley and snake-charmers used it to 
set their snakes free on the auspicious day of the nagpanchmi. So 
basti called as nagtalai. Earlier there had been more than 50 bhattas 
(lime kilns) and the labour engaged in this work settled down here. 
Simultaneously the mining work at nearby hills also began and the 
labour involved in the mining work also settled down here. At present 
Government banned the mining work. Bhattas also closed due to the 
lack of demand of chuna (lime). Only two bhattas are in working 
order. The families working at bhattas emigrated from Bihar who now 
live here.

More than 300 families are residing here, in which umber of muslims 
is larger than hindus. The muslim population was not in majority 
before one decade. During these years, many muslim families shifted 
here from UP. They purchased jhuggis that belonged to hindus on high 
prices. Among hindus, mostly are kumhars (potters) and balais (SC), 
in other castes; meena, brahim and bania families are living here 
together. Earlier kumhars worked transporting lime and stones using 
their donkeys. After the declining in the bhatta-work, they began to 
send their younger generation to learn automobile work with 
mechanics. Now, most of the kumhar families have adopted this trade. 
Many muslim families are also engaged in the this trade. Some people 
from this basti are working in Government services. A large number of 
the people from nagtalai work at transport nagar and anajmandi. 
Anajmandi located opposite side of the basti after crossing the 
highway. Some people are engaged in different types of works in the 
city.

Babulal sharma, who resided here since 1969, told us that communal 
riots of 90s affected the basti but any incident of violence was not 
occurred at that time. Whenever Rishigalab nagar affected seriously 
with the violence of the riots and several families suffered with the 
consequences of it. In nagtalai, on the initiative of the both 
communities, they controlled the communal tension in the basti. Since 
than there has been no communal incident took place in the basti. If 
any conflict seemed to arise people of both communities come forward 
and solved the matter with common understanding.

Babulal quoted one case, which happened before some years, one 
cyclist came here to demonstrate his performance in the basti. He got 
police permission for it with the help of local people. A large 
number of audiences gathered at the place of the show. During the 
show, a muslim boy dared to tease a hindu girl. This action provoked 
the hindus and they began to beat the muslim boy. Some persons tried 
to stop this practice and suggested to hand over the case at thana 
police. Before the situation worsened, the family member of the 
muslim boy came there. They understood the matter reasonably and not 
favoured the boy. Ultimately the matter resolved peacefully.

Most of muslim families are engaged in the gem-polishing work at 
their own residences, Hindu people also share this work. Habitation 
of this basti is ideal one in which the jhuggis of hindus and muslims 
stand adjoining to each other. They exchange the things. There are 
two hindu temples in the basti. Muslims also contribute donation in 
Jagaran and Janmastami puja celebrations organized at mandir. 
Likewise muslims distribute purchased sweets from market on the 
auspicious day of id, domestic sweets doesn't acceptable by hindus. 
Families of both communities, which have more intimate relationship, 
share food and participate specific occasions collectively.

But caste is still the primary social unit in the basti. Though 
casteism do not in dominating position but its effect can see to some 
extent. Untouchability is not visible or outwardly. Families of 
different castes assemble together at the various occasions i.e. 
marriage feasts etc. on the basis of close relationships. Nobody 
objects on this type of case. If any person from dalit community 
wants to organize a feast for higher caste people, there is a 
condition that any higher caste family should arrange preparation of 
foot and then all higher castes people may attend this feast. 
Discrimination between muslims also exists. Local muslim community 
promulgated the aggressive image of immigrants UP muslims. But their 
behaviour not approved this conception. They are considered inferior 
by local muslims and called as muchhiwale (Fishermen). But all muslim 
attend namaz together in the same masque situated in adjoining colony.

The Bodh Siksha Samiti (an NGO) has been running a Bodhshala for more 
than a decade in this basti. Bodhshala is providing alternative 
primary education for children. But admission of a certain number of 
children is a limitation of bodhshala. So rest of the children use to 
go another school running on the opposite side of the road, for upper 
primary and higher education children attend other school beyond the 
basti. Two girls have studied up to graduation, some bahus 
(housewives) are educated secondary and above level. New educated 
generation does not believes in discrimination on the basis of 
religion and caste.

Several families of nagtalai have shifted in the city after selling 
their houses. They felt well-being status economically. Some people 
rented their houses or shops to another residents at the basti and 
shifted himself in the planned colonies of the city. Economic well 
being ness supported their social mobilization Citizen keep distance 
with basti communities and consider them inferior. One graduate girl 
of balai family engaged with a teacher of Jodhpur city. But after 
some time boys family have broken the engagement at the ground that 
it was not possible that bridegroom can reach at the door of the 
bride on horse-back. Actually the house of the girl is situated at 
the hill and the path is very narrow and zigzag. But another side, 
people who came here after migration from villages and other 
town/cities are replacing previous families. Radhesyam who came here 
from a village of chakshu block rented a jhuggi in the basti. His 
family is living in a part of jhuggi and in outer part he is running 
a shop. This shop is running continuously as before but now ownership 
have changed.

There are many shops in the right side at the main road of the basti. 
Among these shops women are also working in bakery works. A group of 
people can be seen playing with cards in the varandas of some shops, 
which remain closed. TV sets are common asset in the basti. According 
to one shopkeeper Agarwal the readership of newspaper is 30 percent 
in this basti. There is also a video parlor where a group of children 
may be seen involved in the video-games. The use of liquor is very 
common in the people here.

  Paldi meena is an erstwhile state period village situated at 
Jaipur-Agra national highway no. 11 at a distance of two km. from the 
old rampart of Jaipur. The village has now become a part of Jaipur 
municipal corporation and the agricultural land lying behind the 
village has been converted into the residential scheme. The Jaipur 
Development Authority (JDA) has erected housing colonies for the 
families of low-income groups and families of below poverty line 
(BPL). Alongside these colonies, JDA resettled about half a dozen 
urban slums, which are shifted from the city under operation pink.

This is my third research site where two slums-OTS and university 
slums-are relocated here under rehabilitation scheme of JDA. It is 
interesting to note that people still called here these habitations 
as OTS and university basti. Both are located between a common road, 
one side of this new colony, low income scheme stands and on the 
other side a big colony established for resettlement of some small 
unplanned colonies which were existed before around the airport and 
now shifted here due to the extension plan of airport premises. JDA 
allotted big size of plots for these families as the compassion. The 
plots have allotted to the slum's families are small in size i.e. 80 
sqr. yds. and as loan 50 thousand per family also provided in advance 
to construct houses. Yet many families are living elsewhere and some 
of them intend to sell out there allotted plots. Scenario of old 
bastis here lies in memories alone while a difference between 
rehabilitated slums scheme and colony of shifted families from 
airport is obvious. Hence in the area various signboards of 
properties dealers appear for the purpose. There is a high spacious 
community hall for the slums rehabilitation colony but till now it 
isn't open for public use. A board is also stands here of kachhi 
basti punarvas vikas samiti whereon the names of its office – bearers 
are mentioned.

70% families of OTS and university slums have resettled here but out 
of these families people who already were in confirmed services or 
doing any regular business, even now are continuing there as usual. 
The rest have become jobless. If these people go to city while living 
here, will have to bear three times fare in conveyance and time too. 
Construction work in this area is the only scope in which both man 
and women of basti try to seek work.

Families who shifted from OTS basti are mostly harizans while in OTS 
basti included dhobis (washermen) also some savarn castes are common 
in both bastis. Families coming from OTS were already familiar with 
each other. Now families of both bastis are intermingling.

Kanchan (25) seems overjoyed while living and enjoying the facilities 
available here, she tells us, things here are allright and good, 
everything is pleasing, basic amenities like electricity and water 
are available, houses are open and spacious. Environment of the new 
colony is quite different from the slum. But only problem that every 
one facing is lack of work or job. Besides this medical facility and 
transportation also are big problems. To pick up a bus, one has to 
walk on foot for about more than one km. up to Paldi Meena. Children 
attend a private school here. The liquor also did not lag behind and 
has made its appearance as before.

Kanchan valmiki studied up to VII standard and belonged to a village 
in Dausa district. She came in OTS basti near her sister before her 
marriage took place. None other any caste consider here as 
untouchable. She attends marriage and other ceremonies of other 
castes.

Now I give a case from my first research site. Khemraj used to live 
in a village of Bikaner (western Rajasthan). He was a worker in an 
NGO where from the honorarium he was getting, was not enough for 
support to his family including 5 children. Frequently prevailing 
drought and famine conditions increased his troubles to face 
hardship. He came to Jaipur where he began to work in an NGO. Even 
after working round-the-clock what he got as salary was for less than 
the minimum wages of a labour. In spite of he had to send his wife to 
work in the house of secretary almost free of any remuneration. At 
last he left the service of NGO and shifted himself to live in the 
slum-Manoharpura.

Khemraj belongs to jat caste (savarn), now he is living here in a 
house of bairwa (SC) as his tenant. He has no discrimination with 
this bairwa family. Now he has engaged a thhela (trolley) of 
vegetables in subjimandi of this basti. His wife also sells vegetable 
at the same place in front of the thhela of her husband. Children 
also seem playing and supporting around their parents. The eldest 
daughter is attending a cheep private school after school time, she 
give help her mother at the shop and in the kitchen. Khemraj was a 
member of the bhajan mandali in his village. Here he attends jagrans 
celebrated usually in shiv mandir of the basti. Here bairwas used to 
sing nirgun while khemraj recites sagun bhajans. Khemraj also 
hammered a nal (horse - shoe) in his thhela on the advice of a 
shanicher follower. In the basti a tantrik also applies incarnation. 
Both husband and wife here stand in a queue and are living to win 
over the mountain of miseries and misfortunes.

Raja Ram Bhadu