Tribals are in the danger of losing out their land which are entwined with their sense of identity. A Telegraph file picture

When ever there is the likelihood of a multi-purpose project, like the ones that are in the offing in various parts of Jharkhand at present, the phenomenon of mass-scale displacement becomes a reality.

Experts feel that there is the chance of mass-scale displacement of tribal population in the Singhbhum-Kolhan division, comprising East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan due to the multitude of projects that are coming up.

These projects will not only uproot primitive tribes from their traditional land, but will alienate them from the places of ancestral worship or the Aadin of their family deity, which they believe help in warding off evil influences on a family.

Especially for the Ho community, the concept of Aaidin plays a significant part in their life-cycle as well being a part of their tribal identity. The rites and ceremonies of the Ho are closely connected with the concept of Aadin on three different occasions ? birth, marriage and death.

Whenever there is a child born into the family, then as part of purification ceremony, two grains of pulses are put in water in name of dead ancestors on Aadin. When the newlyweds enters the family home then, the bride is first introduced to Aadin as the new addition to the family. Again after any death, the sprit or the soul is believed to be preserved in the Aadin.

The Ho ascribes three principal causes to their family? fortune or misfortune ? displeasure of their Bonga (God), and the presence of the spirit of dead and the shadow of witches. There has always been communal worship among tribals. But there has also been a parallel existence of ancestral family deity in each household. Such places are an integral part of the tribal identity.

Every day the first meal of home-made boiled rice and hadia is offered to aadin as a part of daily religious affairs. Only after the offering do the family members eat or consume hadia. This strong religious faith has been maintained from generation to generation since ages.

Every Ho household has aadin at its home. The life cycle of tribals right from birth, marriage and death revolves around aadin. The worship of this ?supernatural religious place? supposedly shields each family member from evils and calamity whether it is natural or supernatural or man-made.

Recently the Supreme Court has given permission to Jharkhand state?s water resource department to execute the Subernarekha Multipurpose Project (SMP), in which lakhs people are schedule to displace. Again the state government has signed around 41 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with domestic and foreign investors for installing steels plants in tribal belt of Kolhan.

These two likely projects will uproot tribals from their sacred places.

A resident of Roladih village under the Tatanagar block (West Singhbhum) Ganesh Bari, whose ancestral fertile land would be submerged under the SMP, said the existence of the Hos lie in Aadin. ?India is known for the co-existence of various caste and tribes. But the tribals? religious faith is different from others. Worshipping of family deity is very obvious in each household,? Bari explains.

He further points out that tribals have an emotional attachment with the aadin because their ancestors? soul rests there. ?One can only imagine the degree of bond with the place. Displacement from such sacred place will be suicidal for us,? Bari said in a choked voice.

A senior native of West Singhbhum district , Chandra Bhusan Devgam, said the ruling government?s ambitious projects are designed to uproot lakhs of villagers from their ancestral sacred places.

?The projects may bring prosperity to state, but at the cost of the religion of the indigenous people. This sort of development is not welcome by our community. An individual will lost their in-born rights to worship forever,? Devgam, who is also lawyer by profession, explains .

Religion plays an important role in life of tribal. Their beliefs in Aadin is engrained from the childhood. The cycle of religious heritage goes from one generation to another generation.

?Jharkhand has been curved out from Bihar for development and prosperity of both tribals and non-tribals. Tribals have great hope from new state. But it appears that tribals will lost right to worship in his own land,? Devgam adds.

Former deputy speaker of Bihar Assembly Devendra Nath Champia says the Constitution of India safeguards the religious rights of different community. ?The displacement of households in undivided Singhbhum will be direct attack on religion of tribal individuals. Tribal people will loose their Fundamental Rights, which are guaranteed by Indian Constitution of India, to worship. This is what none of the tribals like to compromise ,? Champia stressed.

Champia added that the future generation may not be able to see their forefathers? last remains ever if the projects are given the green signal.

Anupam Rana