‘Adi-dharam’: Tribal Philosophy about Jharkhand’s Culture and its Struggle for Sustainable Existence

Author(s): Prof. Amit Amar Soren and Dr. Shaweta Singh

Abstract:

Man is a tribal animal and its tribalism started millions of years ago soon after its evolution and once they started to live a anthropographic life. Historical evidence proves that man has been nomadic in nature and has survived with its existence in sustainability with nature. Geography explains it as the man-environment relationship or their co-existence with each other. This concept has been discussed in Geography as Dualism in Physical Geography and Human Geography and also in Determinism. The tribal (Indigenous) people of Jharkhand known as Adivasi have a close connection with the land, water, and forest. Adivasi culture is closely related to the three elements of nature- jal, jungle and jameen. Their way of viewing life is practice-oriented and cannot sustain without them. This paper tries to engage with the tribal philosophy, tribal festivals of Jharkhand to show how the festivals carry the ethos of Adi-dharma and tribal agitations to maintain Adi-dharam. The philosophy of Adi-dharam is about maintaining harmonious relationships with the other elements of the ecology. The rationale behind maintaining such a relationship is acknowledging the contribution of others in keeping the sovereignty of the tribal culture, rituals, practices including worship of nature, festivals, tribal food habits, attire, etc. The structure of the man environment relationships shapes the environmental identity of the Adivasi existence for sustainability. With increase in population the natural habitat of the Tribals shrunk and they were forced to adapt to the changing world. But the concept of tribalism is not only concentrated in its culture, society, traditions, etc. but it is related to its existence. This conflict between their changing environment and their tribal existence has sometimes turned into revolts, sometimes violent too. The tribal state of Jharkhand in its blooming days has faced a couple of tribal agitations in which ‘Pathalgadi in Khunti and Gumla’ and ‘Marang Buru’ disputes are the prominent ones.

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