ABUJH: THE LEGEND OF THE GAWADE FAMILY

In the Narayanpur district of Chhatisgarh, a dense forest called Abujhmarh still stays un-surveyed and hence of an obscure demography. Accounts of journalists seem more reliable than the state census as the population or the density changes overnight. It is then that one realizes that stories are more reliable than facts are. The stories of local residents, the tribal people, leaving their homes at midnights due to the fear of Naxals and Maoists and of the police. But why are they afraid? When a child is born among one of the three tribes that the forests are home to; the Murias, the Gonds, and, the Marhias; he or she is destined to either join the forces or perish at home or…die.

The insurgents who stay aloof, far away from these poor people, and show up only when it’s time are the ones who decide that child’s fate. The Red Republic, colloquially known as Laal Salaam, are the rebel-rural rulers of Bastar and the people against the system. So, participation in elections, schools and hospitals is prohibited. If one would imagine the picture of the locality, because no one knows the reality, it would be of a total illiteracy and incapability to avail any medicinal or healthcare facility. However, Sanku Gawade had once wished to differ or rather be rebellious. He decided to educate his children and hence, sent them to schools. His son Ramesh and a daughter. The daughter couldn’t clear matriculation but Ramesh passed his Intermediate examination and prepared himself to join the Police, some day. Yes. It was one of the few families who believed that joining the Police would have been the best way to fight the insurgents.

But, somehow, the Naxals came to know about this audacity. Maybe it was someone from among the villagers. Sanku had to send Ramesh away, to a nearby village, before they would’ve arrived. They arrived and asked for the son. When they could not find him, they took Sanku’s younger brother in hostage and killed him later. As a message. The grandfather, in rage, went to the police station for justice. But the opposite happened. The police thought that he was a Naxal-courier and thus, detained him. He was beaten to death in custody. Routine or rage…who knows! Poor Ramesh returned to a deserted home. Where did they all go? An elderly figure who had stayed back, told him, “To Chhota Abujhmarh.” About 10 families like the Gawades had left to the outskirts of Narayanpur, that very night, to settle somehow, in self-made hutments. About 2000 families, who have heard of the legend, have left for what is now known as Chhota Abujhmarh. Although this settlement hasn’t yet been recognized by the municipality, it is from here that we come to know about the stories of the real Marhia tribe that once lived in Abujhmarh. 

A NEW LIFE

Ramesh is now a constable (Hawaldar) in District Reserve Guard (DRG) and is always out on patrols in DRG and CRPF camps, especially on election duty, when the entire district is vulnerable to Naxal attacks. Youngsters like him have been joining the Police in the past few years, only for the security of their families. However, it’s better here. A family doesn’t have to think twice before sending his son/daughter to Police, schools or hospitals. Now, they don’t have to die of common cold. They can vote and choose someone who might better their lives or maybe stand as a representative in an election. Democracy is anyway, a better choice. They can’t go back to their village but stay here on their own with the littlest possible interaction with outsiders. They will anyway have to let go of their old way of shooting arrows into an intruder’s head to protect themselves. They will survive so that the generations to come live.

The above is the best background for the following plots:

A young recruit at Narayanpur Police Station in Chhattisgarh takes up a challenge to kill all the ten within the 3-km-radius but finds no one shooting arrows in the head throughout his encounter.

OR

A young tribesman resolves to shoot an arrow right onto the head of a new lunatic recruit at Narayanpur Police Station. He soon finds out that the latter used to be one of the Marhias. 

ABUJH  |  MARH

Unknown |  Hill