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Asur Community: Seclusion from Durga Puja Festivities

PWOnlyIAS October 26, 2023 07:29 2590 0

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Context: While most of West Bengal enthusiastically celebrates Durga Puja, the Asur community practices seclusion during this festival.

Asur Community: Seclusion from Durga Puja Festivities

Asur Community: History, Culture, and Challenges

  • The Asur community is a small Austroasiatic ethnic group living primarily in the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.
  • Historical Background of Asur Community: 
    • According to anthropologists, the Asurs were originally inhabitants of the Indus Valley but were forced to leave their homeland due to the Aryan migration. 
    • They migrated to the Chota Nagpur Plateau before being relocated by the British to North Bengal in the 19th century to work in tea plantations.
  • Population: According to the 2011 census, the Asur Community population in India was around 33,000.
  • Language: Asur Community speaks Asur language, which belongs to the Munda family of Austro-asiatic languages.
  • Occupations of Asur Community:
    • Asurs are traditionally iron-smelters. 
    • They were once hunter gatherers, having also been involved in shifting agriculture. 
    • However, the majority of them shifted into agriculture with 91.19 percent enlisted as cultivators in the 2011 census.
  • Recognition:
    • The Asurs were officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in 2014.
    • They were also recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in Jharkhand.
  • Divisions  within Asur Community:
    • The modern Asur tribe is divided into three sub-tribal divisions, namely Bir (Kol) Asur, Birjia Asur and Agaria Asur. 
    • The Birjia are recognized as a separate scheduled tribe.
  • Religion of Asur Community:
    • The Asur religion is a mixture of animism, animatism, naturalism and ancestral worship.
    • Their chief deity is Singbonga. Amongst the other deities are Dharati Mata, Duari, Patdaraha and Turi Husid.
    • They celebrate festivals like Sarhul, Karma, Dhanbuni, Kadelta, Rajj karma, Dasahara Karam.
  • Mythical Beliefs:
    • The Asur people are believed to be the descendants of the demon Mahishasur who, according to Hindu mythology, was killed by the goddess Durga. 
    • This association with Mahishasur has led to the Asur people being stigmatized and discriminated against by other communities.
  • Several Challenges Faced by Asur Community:
    • Poverty: The Asur people are among the poorest communities in India. 
    • Lack of education: They have one of the lowest literacy rates in India. 
    • Discrimination: They are often stigmatized and discriminated against by other communities. 
    • Loss of culture: due to assimilation and marginalization.

Understanding the Vulnerability of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India

  • PVTGs are more vulnerable among the tribal groups in India.
  • Characteristics: they are mostly homogenous, with a small population, relatively physically isolated, social institutes cast in a simple mould, absence of written language, relatively simple technology and a slower rate of change etc.
  • Government of India follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs:   
    • Pre-agricultural level of technology.
    • Low level of literacy. 
    • Economic backwardness. 
    • A declining or stagnant population.
  • Need for Identification of PVTGs: Due to their increased vulnerability, PVTGs require a larger allocation of funds as more developed and assertive tribal groups tend to take a significant portion of these tribal development funds.

The Evolution of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India: A Historical Overview and Current Status

  • In 1973, the Dhebar Commission created Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) as a separate category, which are less developed among the tribal groups.
  • In 1975, the Government of India declared 52 such groups, while in 1993 an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75 PVTGs.
  • In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
  • The categorization of PVTGs is done by the Ministry of Home Affairs and not by the Ministry of Tribal affairs.
  • Among the 75 listed PVTG’s the highest number are found in Odisha. 

PVTG

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Asur Community FAQs

The Asur community is a small ethnic group primarily living in Indian states like Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya, and Chhattisgarh.

The Asurs were originally from the Indus Valley but were relocated to North Bengal by the British in the 19th century after working in tea plantations.

As of the 2011 census, the Asur population in India was around 33,000.

They speak the Asur language, belonging to the Munda family of Austro-asiatic languages.

The Asur people were officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in 2014.

PVTGs are the most vulnerable among tribal groups in India, characterized by factors like a small population, isolation, low literacy, and economic backwardness.

India recognizes 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) as of now.

The highest number of PVTGs is found in the state of Odisha.

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