Lesson -12

Know More About ...



1. Have you ever been to any tribal village?
2. Tell something about it.

It was the middle of June, and it had not rained for several weeks. The grass was brown, the leaves of the trees were covered with dust. Some people in their traditional dresses and turbans on their heads were standing and talking. A young boy Sattu pedalled off down the main road of the village, scattering the stray hens and the villagers. Just then a visitor came there.

Visitor        :   Hey, will you please help me?

Sattu :   Why not? But what type of help do you want?

Visitor        :   Could  you please tell me the name of this village as well as your name?

Sattu :   The name of my village is Khattali and mine is Sattu.

Visitor        :   I would like to know more about your society, its lifestyle, its art and culture, its food and festivals.

Sattu :   I belong to the  Bhil tribe. My uncle is a Guruji in our village school and he can tell you more about our life style, art, festivals etc.

Visitor        :   That’s fine. I will be delighted to meet him. Let’s go.
                  
(Sattu takes him to his uncle.)

Sattu :   Meet my uncle, Shri Jam Singh.

Jam Singh  :   Hello, Sir !

Visitor        :   Hello Jam Singh !

Sattu :   Kako ! He wants to know about our society, our life style, festivals, art and culture.

Jam Singh  :   We belong to the Bhil tribe. It is believed that the word ‘Bhil’ is derived from the Dravidian word for bow (Tamil and Kannada- bil) which is our characteristic weapon.

Visitor        :   Do we find Bhils in other parts of India also?

Jam Singh  :   Yes, besides Madhya Pradesh we’re also found in Gujrat, Rajasthan and Maharastra. But the maximum Bhil population is in M.P. mainly in districts- Jhabua, Dhar, Khargone, Barwani, Ratlam etc.
                  
(Jam Singh and the visitor go round the village and stop in front of a house.)

Visitor        :        What a beautiful house ! Tell me something about your houses.

Jam Singh  :   We love forests and therefore settle near forests. We get several types of forest products, wood and bamboo to build our houses. Our houses are mainly made up of wood, bamboo and with tiled roofs. The bamboo walls are plastered with mud and cowdung. The walls are decorated with Pithora painting. Some, who are good at wood carving carve designs on the pillars and the doors of their houses. There is always a cattle shed adjoining a house. Some people construct pucca and semi-pucca houses also.

Visitor        :   Will you please tell me which other tribal people live in Madhya Pradesh?

Jam Singh  :   Other tribes which live in Madhya Pradesh are Gonds, Korkus, Baigas, Bhariyas etc.

Visitor        :   I’ve heard about Gudani, Bundani and Cheenha? What are they?

Jam Singh  :   These are art forms of Korkus and Gonds. Korkus decorate their doors by “Gudani” and their walls by “Bundani” and “Cheenha” is a colourful wall-painting of the Gonds.

Visitor        :   Now-a-days  these  art  forms  are  getting  recognition  at  the international level also. I think Pema Fatya and Ram Singh Urveti also belong to your society.

Jam Singh  :   Pema Fatya is a Bhil artist but Ram Singh Urveti is a Gond artist.

Visitor        :   Somewhere in a magazine I came across a word “Gatla”. What is it?

Jam Singh  :   Actually it is a memory pillar which is stone-carved and oil-painted. It is erected by the Bhils in the memory of a family member who has met with an unnatural death.

Visitor        :   Tell me something about your dresses.

Jam Singh  :   Oh ! Yes, the men wear dhoti, bandee and coloured turban and the females wear colourful ghaghara with polka, kanchali etc.

Visitor        :   I’ve heard that you people are very fond of ornaments?

Jam Singh  :   Yes, we are very fond of ornaments. Both men and women wear ear-rings and  finger-rings.  Other  ornaments are hansli, har, jhumka, nose-pin etc.              

Visitor        :   It  seems  that  tattoos  are  quite common in your society.                

Jam Singh  :   Yes, it is quite customary amongst us. We call it “Godana.”             

Visitor        :   I’ll be pleased to know more about your fairs and festivals.              

Jam Singh  :   We  celebrate  ‘Divasa’,  ‘Diwali’, ‘Navai’ (a festival when people start consuming corn and other agricultural products, vegetables etc after offering them to God)

Visitor        :   I’ve heard a lot about the “Bhagoria Haat”. What’s that?

Jam Singh  :   The weekly market a week before Holi, is celebrated as Bhagoria. We dance, apply gulal on the faces of our relatives and friends and offer them sweets and snacks, ice-candies etc. The children enjoy a ride on the swings.

Visitor        :   Teejan Bai is a famous tribal singer of Pandvani music. Which dance forms are popular among Bhils?

Jam Singh  :   “Solo” is a famous dance of Bhils. Other dance forms, which are popular among the Bhils, are Lahari, Pali, Dandavadi, Ghodo, Dang Solo and Chalavadi.

Visitor        :    Rani Durgawati was a famous ruler of the Gond dynasty. The palaces and different folklores related to the rulers of the dynasty throw some light on their administrative ability, bravery, and mature leadership.

Jam Singh  :   Yes, the tribals of M.P. are known not only for their glorious cultural heritage  and  their  colourful  life  style  but  also  for  their administrative system within their societies. Now I have to go because my nephew who had gone to exhibit his paintings in U.K., is about to come.

Visitor        :   Thank you, Jam Singh.

Jam Singh  :   You’re welcome Sir.



EXERCISES

Read and Learn

dynasty      
folklore      
stray 
customary
weapon      
mature       
scatter        
recognition
pedalled-off
cow-dung    erected       
tiled roof
stone-carved        
tattoo         
exhibit       

Word Power

A.   Underline the silent letter in the following words and read the words aloud.


edge  
tomb
palm
adjective    
bomb
could
badge
comb
walk

(B)   Add suffix-'ly' to the following words and make sentences of your own, with the same derivatives:

eg. sudden + ly = suddenly

beautiful    
simple        
general
quiet 
main 
actual


Comprehension

A.   Answer these questions:

Q.1   What does the word 'Bhil' stand for?

Q.2   Mention the names of tribal rich areas in M.P.
Q.3   What is 'Gatla'?

Q.4   What kinds of dresses do the Bhil women wear?

Q.5   What are the important dance forms of Bhils?

Q.6   Mention some of the names of the tribal personalities who have got recognition at international level.

Q.7   Write a short note on the Bhagoria Haat.

B.   Say Yes or No.

(i)   Do the Bhils live in pucca houses?

(ii)   Are they fond of tattooing?

(iii)  Are the Bhils proficient in stone craft?

(iv)  Is Teejan Bai famous for singing Pandvani?

(v)   Do the Bhils like colourful dresses?

Let's Learn

Compare these two sentences:

1.The hunter killed the tiger.

2.The tiger was killed by the hunter.


Both the sentences mean the same thing. The only difference between them is that in the first sentence the subject (hunter) is the doer of the action: that is, the subject is active. The verb killed is, therefore, said to be in the Active Voice.

In the second sentence, the subject (tiger) is the sufferer or the receiver of the action: that is, the subject is not active, but passive.The verb was killed is, therefore, said to be in the Passive Voice.

Active Voice         Passive Voice


                            


*When the verb is changed from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice , the object of the Transitive Verb in the Active Voice becomes the Subject of the Verb in the Passive Voice.

*Passivization of Intransitive verb is not possible because intransitive verb has no object.

*Sometimes the subject in the Passive Voice is understood and it has to be supplied while changing the form into the Active Voice; such passives are called Agentless Passives.

e.g. One must say one's prayer.   Prayer must be said (agentless passive)

A.Now change the following sentences into passive voice; the verbs are given in the brackets for your help; the first one has been done for you:

(i)   My mother writes detective stories. (are written) Detective stories are written by my mother.

(ii)    The children are flying kites. (are being flown)

.......................................................................................

(iii)    I have done the work. (has been done)

.......................................................................................


(iv)   She cooked food. (was cooked)

.......................................................................................

(v)   They were painting the house. (was being painted)

.......................................................................................

(vi)   You had sold the car. (had been sold)

.......................................................................................

(vii)  The villagers will guide you. (will be guided)

.......................................................................................

(viii) We will have done our work. (will have been done)

.......................................................................................

(ix)  A Gond woman is painting the walls. (are being painted)

.......................................................................................

(x)   The boy gave me a toy. (was given)

.......................................................................................



Let's Talk

Read the following telephonic conversation between friends. Complete the further statements based on the advertisement of ‘Trade Fair’ given in ‘Let’s Read Exercise’ -

Raman        :  May I talk to Suman?
Suman        :  Yes, speaking. Good morning.
Raman        :  Good morning. Are you interested in visiting the Rural Trade Fair running in Bhopal Haat?
Suman        :  O, Yes. I will be coming with you in the evening to visit the trade fair.
Raman        :  Do you know about the important features of the fair?
Suman        :  No, this is my first opportunity to visit a Rural fair.
Raman        :  It is being held from 2nd October to ________.
Suman        :  You were talking about the important features.
Raman        :  Yes, the important features are _____________.
Suman        :  Is there any speciality related to the dress material shop?
Raman        :  __________________________________.
Suman        :  Will there be any cultural programme also?
Raman        :  _________________________________.
Suman        :  I am really excited about visiting the fair. O.K. Bye. We’ll be meeting tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Raman        :  Bye.

Let's Read

Here is given an advertisement of a Rural / Tribal Trade Fair. Read the given information and answer the questions that follow:



(i)   What are the main attractions of the trade fair?

(ii)   Name the venue of this trade fair.

(iii)  What is the duration of this fair?

(iv)  Who is organizing this fair?

(v)  How many stalls are there in this trade fair?

(vi)  What types of dress materials are available in this trade fair?

Let's Write

Compare the bar diagrams and write a paragraph on the basis of the questions given below.

Population of S.C & S.T of M.P According to the Census of 1991





Population of S.C and S.T of M.P According to Census of 2001.



(i)   Which district, according to the census of 1991 and 2001, has the maximum population of S.C & S.T?
(ii)  Which districts have almost the same population of S.C & S.T in both censuses?
(iii) What was the total population of S.C & S.T in Dhar, Jhabua and Barwani in both the censuses?
(iv)  Which district has the maximum growth in S.C & S.T population?
(v)  Which district has the minimum population of SC/ST according to the census of 2001?



Let's do it

Visit Manav Sangrahalaya / any tribal village / talk to your teacher and collect more information about different tribes of Madhya Pradesh.