Anthony Dias

XISR, Mumbai, India

Unlocking the secrets of Life and Love through Mythologies, Stories and Fables

Complex culture/s; Castes and Social Hierarchies

Many Religions and Religious practices

Where antiquity and modernity live side by side

Where great wealth and extreme poverty co-exist

Population:

1.2 Billion + …..And growing!!!

Categories:

Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SCs), Nomadic and De-notified Tribes (NT-DNT), Muslims, Christians

Unity in Diversity

Namaste

Elephant at temple

Walking bare foot on burning coal

Muharram (Islamic ritual)

Hindu religious ritual

Bull fight during Pongal festival

The practice of sati

Maha Kumbh Mela

Hindu Religious Ritual

Poverty

Rampant Illiteracy

Chronic Malnutrition, Hunger and Starvation (resulting in deaths)

Unemployment and under-employment

Growing rich-poor divide (inequality)

Societal unrest (Naxalism/Maoism)

Economic Development: To lift people out of poverty, ignorance, ill-health, etc

Nehruvian Model – Large industries, Mega Projects (Dams, Super Expressways), Mining…

Land Acquisition on a massive scale leading to Displacement

Conservation projects (National Parks and Sanctuaries) also led to Displacement

Environmental Laws affected livelihood of STs and NTs-DNTs

Cernea’s 8-fold Impoverishment Risks

LandlessnessHomelessnessJoblessnessLess/No access to CPRsFood InsecurityHealth lossSocial DisarticulationMarginalization

Dam(n) Project

Crashed Dreams by construction

An army of DISPLACED (uprooted) joining the landless, jobless; creation of the new poor (deprived and impoverished).

Wealth created gets concentrated in a few hands (against the Constitution of India).

Results in growing INEQUALITY

Threat to societal peace and harmony

Is Development ‘State Violence’?

(people not consulted; forced displacement, secrecy, exclusion from compensation, state-sponsored impoverishment)

Singur and Nandigram: Protests and Police Firing resulting in deaths

Conflicts all over the land

Naxalism and Maoism

Subsistence level and dignified living

Great Dependence on Forests (Safety Nets when crops fail)

Food, Fuel, Fodder, Medicine, Solace

Entertainers/Acrobats, Shepherds, forest dwellers, hunters and food gatherers, snake charmers, monkey trainers.

Modern way of life, high technology, land acquisition and forest and environmental laws have affected their livelihood, way of life and culture. There is a threat to the tribal way of life (culture)

Naga tribe

Bhatra tribe - Bastar Chattisgarh

Khond tribe

Nomads

Sahariya Tribe

Dhangar

Silai leaves are the main source of income of Dongri Tribe.

Mahua fruit

Summer livelihood – Sal seed

Honey comb

National bird

Royal Bengal Tigar

Widespread social discontent … Due to exploitation and injustice

(Rich and powerful becoming richer at the expense of the poor and the powerless)

Rise of Naxalism and Maoism Innocent tribals caught in the cross-fire Violence de-stabilizes the nation triggering Debate: Law and Order or Development

Deficit?

TINA: There is No Alternative

“You cannot make an omelet without breaking an egg/tomato”

People and the Environment will have to pay the price of development; that is how it is

Some people will have to make Sacrifices; that’s how life is

There will be ecological imbalances; cannot help it

TAMA: There are Many alternatives

“Next to killing a person the worst you can do is to displace her/him.”

Look for sustainable/ethical models of development

- Minimum or zero impact on the environment

- Minimum or zero displacement of people

The most vulnerable should be taken care of; limit consumption…

“The world has enough for our need but not enough for our greed”.

Mahatma Gandhi

“Another World is Possible”

World Social Forum

Concluding Thoughts

Welcome to mysterious India