Satpuda Maati, Satpuda Maans: The Living Lifestyle of Nandurbar's Tribal People
1. Pahatechi Suruvat — Morning in a Pada
Day starts before sunrise. In a typical pada on Toranmal road:
- Ghar: Houses are still mostly kavlaru or mittiche, with cow-dung flooring. Walls painted with Warli or Bhil art during festivals. Now many have PMAY gharkul with tin roof.
- Chulha: Women light the wood chulha. Tea is made with gud not sugar. Men go to check janglat or shetat.
- Paani: Till today, many padas walk 1-2 km for water. Handpumps run dry in summer. Girls carry ghagar on head — this is why “school drop” happens.
Badal: Ujjwala gas, nal yojana reaching slowly. But forest = life. Without it, no lakud, no mahua, no medicine.
2. Poti Sathi Kaam — Livelihood
“Jangal ani Sheti, hech aamcha ATM aahe” — elders say.
| Season | Kaam | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Monsoon | Jowar, Bajara, Varai, Tur, Mirchi on slopes | No tractor reaches. Dahya or shifting cultivation banned now, so yield low |
| Winter | Wheat, Harbhara in valleys. Collect Hirda, Behada, Mahua flowers | Mahua = liquor, laddu, oil. Main cash income |
| Summer | Tendu patta collection, bamboo work, migrate for sugarcane cutting | Full families go to Gujarat/Karnataka for 4 months. Kids miss school |
| Full Year | Goat, desi chicken, bamboo tokri, warli painting, majuri | SHG women make godhadi, papad, pickles now |
New Badal: Young boys learning mobile repair, driving. Girls doing ANM, nursing, police bharti. NEET/JEE dreams from Akkalkuwa are real now.
3. Jevan — What’s on the Plate
Food is satvik, local, and seasonal. No pizza, no parcel.
- Daily: Nagli/bhadli bhakri + urid/mix dal + mirchi cha thecha + wild bhaji like kurdu, loti, kardai
- Monsoon Special: Bamboo shoots curry, mushrooms from jangal, crab from nala
- Festival: Mahua laddu, khichdi with dal, kombdi/chicken for Indal
- Drink: Mahua daru for festivals & medicine. Hira from mahua fruit. Tea 4-5 times a day
4. Boli, Bhakti ani San — Culture
Boli: Pawari, Bhili, Kokni at home. Marathi in school. Hindi with doctor. Kids speak 3 languages by age 8.
Dev: Vaghdev, Gaavdev, Dongaryadev, Kansari Mata. No big temples. A stone under a tree is enough. Nature = God.
San/Tyohar:
- Indal — biggest festival. After harvest. 5 days dhol, nach, mahua, new clothes. Full pada dances together
- Holi — Ger dance, men become “jhinga”, collect wood for holi from each house
- Diwali — Dive not fataaka. Cattle worship. Bamboo craft sold in bazaar
- Akhaj — marriage season. Dhol-tasha, no band baja. Community decides, no dowry
5. Kapda ani Olakh — Identity
- Men: Earlier dhotar, bandi, pagdi. Now shirt-pant. But pawri topi on festivals
- Women: Lugda till knee, kapad blouse, heavy silver kadu, tode, bindi. Young girls: salwar, jeans too
- Tattoo: Godna on hand, face. Each line has meaning — protects from evil, shows clan
6. Shikshan ani Swapna — The Big Change
10 years ago: School till 4th, then goat grazing.
Today: Dhadgaon has NEET aspirants. Akkalkuwa girls in nursing college. Toranmal boys in ITI.
Problems Still: Hostel seats full, travel 60km daily, books in English but student thinks in Pawri, migration breaks study.
Solution Satpuda Digital Hub wants: Free NEET mocks in Marathi. Videos in Bhili. Career list: “police bano, teacher bano, doctor bano”.
7. Pudhe Kay? — Challenges & Hope
| Challenge | Hope / Work Happening |
|---|---|
| Water, road, network | Jal Jeevan taps, 4G towers coming |
| Land rights | FRA patta filing by NGOs + CSC |
| Health | PHC + ASHA tai + Ayushman card |
| Culture | Youth YouTube channels in Pawari,Bhili, Warli classes |
| Job migration | Local SHG, bamboo depot, Satpuda tourism |
Satpuda lifestyle is not “museum”. It’s living. They want WhatsApp, they want NEET, they want to sell bamboo tokri on phone. But they also want forest, dhol, and mahua tree to stay.
“We are not illiterate. Give us opportunity. Satpuda’s kids will win the world.”
