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White as Milk and Rice: Stories of India's Isolated Tribes
The Maria girls from Bastar practise sex as an institution before marriage, but with rules—one may not sleep with a partner more than three times; the Hallaki women from the Konkan coast sing throughout the day—in forests, fields, the market and at protests; the Kanjars have plundered, looted and killed generation after generation, and will show you how to roast a lizard when hungry.
The original inhabitants of India, these Adivasis still live in forests and hills, with religious beliefs, traditions and rituals so far removed from the rest of the country that they represent an anthropological wealth of our heritage.
This book weaves together prose, oral narratives and Adivasi history to tell the stories of six remarkable tribes of India—reckoning with radical changes over the last century—as they were pulled apart and thrown together in ways none of them fathomed.
The original inhabitants of India, these Adivasis still live in forests and hills, with religious beliefs, traditions and rituals so far removed from the rest of the country that they represent an anthropological wealth of our heritage.
This book weaves together prose, oral narratives and Adivasi history to tell the stories of six remarkable tribes of India—reckoning with radical changes over the last century—as they were pulled apart and thrown together in ways none of them fathomed.
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 23, 2020
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January 9, 2021
Purely from an anthropological stand point, the wealth of information that's been orally passed on from generation to generation in Indian tribes is worthy of study. But that isn't the case here. The tribal community of India are being forced to change their ways, their vocation and their traditional system of generating income by adapting to modern standards of livelihood and way of life. This adaptation comes with the cost of future generations of these communities losing the knowledge, identity and the very thing that makes the community, whole. The book only covers six of numerous tribes, but its a heartfelt effort that must be commendable. The author in her introduction makes it very clear that the stories are not representative of the entire tribe but that of couple of people who belong to them. I know its not needed here to make it explicitly so, but I believe when we talk about a community, it needs to be said.
The author further notes the tragedy of losing expressions, emotions in translation, and some remained untranslated because the translators themselves were embarrassed. I wonder at this point, if what we consider mundane, the daily, the normal - how much of that is luxury? How much of that is privilege? The rapidly changing diaspora outgrew the tribes and renamed them, for them, modifying their identity over and over - sometimes in fear, sometimes in bigotry and always, always, marking them as "them" and not us. It should barely come as a surprise that there is deeply rooted identity issues among these tribal folks due to years of injustice, the author concludes.
The title is ironic and is relevant. The kurumbas were once feared due to their sorcery and witchcraft practices and thus shunned from getting education or employment. At some point in post colonial India, the word "Alu" in kannada meaning "milk", implying good and harmless, was added as prefix to the Kurumbas. The author notes that its quite possible that certain section of tribe did this to remove the negative air surrounding them around the locals to be more acceptable. The Halakkis get their name from the word "halakki" meaning "rice that's white as milk". Halakkis have suffered apathy from the mainstream society and their populace has unfortunately dwindled over the years.
The Halakkis of Ankola - I have grown up hearing stories about Halakkis. Where I come from, there was this thing spread that sometimes they sing songs that are prophetic. Especially if they were sung at you in anger. It was something girls in my school gossiped and I remembered while I read this chapter. In coastal towns during monsoon nights, they perform their version of the great Indian epics. They are marvelous to listen to. Very few, if at all, instruments accompany them. There is extreme poverty, lack of education and there isn't a way to get out of it without an overhaul of infrastructure from bottom up. Its a struggle that every family in this community is facing. The author follows Sukri, a middle aged Halakki woman - her life, her upbringing, her story and her songs. She sings songs about nature, everyday life, sex, rice and God Shiva. To the women of Halakki who sing songs, sex isn't something exotic. Its an everyday thing and also a complex thing; it was both and neither. The complexity of such lyrical undertaking is given to her ancestors who have originated this traditions and have managed to upheld it for centuries. Listen to the woman speak for herself here - Sukri Bommagowda
The Kanjars of Chambal - Even in my childhood I heard stories about dacoits of Chambal, from relatives who went to the cities nearby or the stories that printed in paper. In post colonial India, Chambal valley became deeply ingrained in the modern lore with violence and conspiracy theories. In this chapter the author de-tangles the belief of caste and takes back the narrative to the origins of this sect which is surprisingly historic. The originals were rebels, soldiers and people who were fleeing onslaught of Khilji who was attacking the kingdom and killing Rajputs who ruled the land. They took shelter in the forest and thus it began. Over decades the forest became shelter to those who rebelled against society and those who were shunned. It was a place of solace to those who couldn't find themselves to live in the boundaries of society. The bhagi
The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris - Author here chooses to narrate here the story of Mani, a Kurumba boy living in foothills of Nilgiris with his parents and siblings, in a small mud hut. Mani watches life going by, world expanding around him but the forests diminishing with constant deforestation to make the tea estates bigger. His friend Siva takes him deep into forest hunting for honey by following the bees, tracking them through painfully diligent of the pollen signature in the air and marking the hive with leaves. The narration turns darker knowing where Mani's friend gets his bruises from - a smoke bomb exploding, fire near his hut, protests in the town. Mani hesitatingly asks if his friend is a Naxal Its a heartbreaking moment because his friend is protesting and fighting for preservation for the forest, for himself, for the poor people who live in outlier of villages denied of education, job and anything that local government has to offer. All he wants is to be left alone in the forest and the forest to be left alone. He doesn't get why people don't seem to understand this.
The Marias of Bastar - Their language has no future tense because their lives function around availability of natural resources around them. And we know how natural resources work in modern day. Everyone wants to own it. This community worships hills, trees and forest which is right in their backyard. They live close to forest, have no taboo when it comes to sex and make alcohol out of flowers. They grow their own food, herbs and even a kind of tobacco to smoke. They are restrictive to their own areas and rarely move out of the outskirts villages they harbor. They are harassed by the village folk, the army and the naxal clan that resides deep in forest. Stuck in the middle, the community struggles to make ends meet.
The Khasis of Shillong - In Shillong, the author follows two sisters - Wansuk and Syrpai belonging to Khasi who follow matrilineal principle of descent, residence and inheritance. There is a community organization that is formed to undo the non-tribal and British influences on the community. There are multitude of reasons why many from the community started converting to Christianity. Given the nature of society, there is a general weariness with non-Khasi men seeking Khasi women, seeking inheritance and exploitation of tribal status. The sisters sadly have to fight for the right of their land, their property and their house in the name of "expansion".
The Konyaks of Nagaland - Its a community led system where young men and women work together in villagers fields - irrespective of whose field it is. We hear about Naga tribe as an abstract concept. Living in no mans land, a man raised in Delhi visits back home. His journey is a look into the world - a world that once was rich with flora and fauna with now dwindling animals, suffering deforestation and general ignorance from mainstream. They exercise a communal way of living - elderly and older siblings take care of the young, while the elders work the fields. Face tattooed, they have a unique representation in society. With Christianity sweeping the land, the community was met with "civilized" and "not-civilized" terminologies for probably the first time and thus impacted overall harmony. There is head-hunting, that involves literal cutting of head. They are fiercely independent and that's all they want to be.
------------------------------------
I know. I know there are lots of schemas, policies, laws, legal precedence, practices, principles, that are in place for the tribal community. But unfortunately for them, many are unaware of it. And those who are have to cut through thousands of yards of red tape to even make an appointment let alone get access to the supposed infrastructure that's in place. The corruption is rampant and for communities that's already marginalized, its even hard to get to when we look at the way their entire communal living is set up. If I go a step ahead and take couple of tribal communities in my own state who wander from city to city. They don't really have a stable home and they prefer it that way. They raise their children on the road, they live on the road and spend their entire lives on the road. When we talk about infrastructure or any sort of bureaucratic nonsense, we get first slapped with monumental paperwork without consideration for the tribal lifestyles. The size of these communities are thinning with every passing day.
While the world goes global and smaller, I wonder about the future of Adivasis.
The author further notes the tragedy of losing expressions, emotions in translation, and some remained untranslated because the translators themselves were embarrassed. I wonder at this point, if what we consider mundane, the daily, the normal - how much of that is luxury? How much of that is privilege? The rapidly changing diaspora outgrew the tribes and renamed them, for them, modifying their identity over and over - sometimes in fear, sometimes in bigotry and always, always, marking them as "them" and not us. It should barely come as a surprise that there is deeply rooted identity issues among these tribal folks due to years of injustice, the author concludes.
The title is ironic and is relevant. The kurumbas were once feared due to their sorcery and witchcraft practices and thus shunned from getting education or employment. At some point in post colonial India, the word "Alu" in kannada meaning "milk", implying good and harmless, was added as prefix to the Kurumbas. The author notes that its quite possible that certain section of tribe did this to remove the negative air surrounding them around the locals to be more acceptable. The Halakkis get their name from the word "halakki" meaning "rice that's white as milk". Halakkis have suffered apathy from the mainstream society and their populace has unfortunately dwindled over the years.
The Halakkis of Ankola - I have grown up hearing stories about Halakkis. Where I come from, there was this thing spread that sometimes they sing songs that are prophetic. Especially if they were sung at you in anger. It was something girls in my school gossiped and I remembered while I read this chapter. In coastal towns during monsoon nights, they perform their version of the great Indian epics. They are marvelous to listen to. Very few, if at all, instruments accompany them. There is extreme poverty, lack of education and there isn't a way to get out of it without an overhaul of infrastructure from bottom up. Its a struggle that every family in this community is facing. The author follows Sukri, a middle aged Halakki woman - her life, her upbringing, her story and her songs. She sings songs about nature, everyday life, sex, rice and God Shiva. To the women of Halakki who sing songs, sex isn't something exotic. Its an everyday thing and also a complex thing; it was both and neither. The complexity of such lyrical undertaking is given to her ancestors who have originated this traditions and have managed to upheld it for centuries. Listen to the woman speak for herself here - Sukri Bommagowda
The Kanjars of Chambal - Even in my childhood I heard stories about dacoits of Chambal, from relatives who went to the cities nearby or the stories that printed in paper. In post colonial India, Chambal valley became deeply ingrained in the modern lore with violence and conspiracy theories. In this chapter the author de-tangles the belief of caste and takes back the narrative to the origins of this sect which is surprisingly historic. The originals were rebels, soldiers and people who were fleeing onslaught of Khilji who was attacking the kingdom and killing Rajputs who ruled the land. They took shelter in the forest and thus it began. Over decades the forest became shelter to those who rebelled against society and those who were shunned. It was a place of solace to those who couldn't find themselves to live in the boundaries of society. The bhagi
The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris - Author here chooses to narrate here the story of Mani, a Kurumba boy living in foothills of Nilgiris with his parents and siblings, in a small mud hut. Mani watches life going by, world expanding around him but the forests diminishing with constant deforestation to make the tea estates bigger. His friend Siva takes him deep into forest hunting for honey by following the bees, tracking them through painfully diligent of the pollen signature in the air and marking the hive with leaves. The narration turns darker knowing where Mani's friend gets his bruises from - a smoke bomb exploding, fire near his hut, protests in the town. Mani hesitatingly asks if his friend is a Naxal Its a heartbreaking moment because his friend is protesting and fighting for preservation for the forest, for himself, for the poor people who live in outlier of villages denied of education, job and anything that local government has to offer. All he wants is to be left alone in the forest and the forest to be left alone. He doesn't get why people don't seem to understand this.
The Marias of Bastar - Their language has no future tense because their lives function around availability of natural resources around them. And we know how natural resources work in modern day. Everyone wants to own it. This community worships hills, trees and forest which is right in their backyard. They live close to forest, have no taboo when it comes to sex and make alcohol out of flowers. They grow their own food, herbs and even a kind of tobacco to smoke. They are restrictive to their own areas and rarely move out of the outskirts villages they harbor. They are harassed by the village folk, the army and the naxal clan that resides deep in forest. Stuck in the middle, the community struggles to make ends meet.
The Khasis of Shillong - In Shillong, the author follows two sisters - Wansuk and Syrpai belonging to Khasi who follow matrilineal principle of descent, residence and inheritance. There is a community organization that is formed to undo the non-tribal and British influences on the community. There are multitude of reasons why many from the community started converting to Christianity. Given the nature of society, there is a general weariness with non-Khasi men seeking Khasi women, seeking inheritance and exploitation of tribal status. The sisters sadly have to fight for the right of their land, their property and their house in the name of "expansion".
The Konyaks of Nagaland - Its a community led system where young men and women work together in villagers fields - irrespective of whose field it is. We hear about Naga tribe as an abstract concept. Living in no mans land, a man raised in Delhi visits back home. His journey is a look into the world - a world that once was rich with flora and fauna with now dwindling animals, suffering deforestation and general ignorance from mainstream. They exercise a communal way of living - elderly and older siblings take care of the young, while the elders work the fields. Face tattooed, they have a unique representation in society. With Christianity sweeping the land, the community was met with "civilized" and "not-civilized" terminologies for probably the first time and thus impacted overall harmony. There is head-hunting, that involves literal cutting of head. They are fiercely independent and that's all they want to be.
------------------------------------
I know. I know there are lots of schemas, policies, laws, legal precedence, practices, principles, that are in place for the tribal community. But unfortunately for them, many are unaware of it. And those who are have to cut through thousands of yards of red tape to even make an appointment let alone get access to the supposed infrastructure that's in place. The corruption is rampant and for communities that's already marginalized, its even hard to get to when we look at the way their entire communal living is set up. If I go a step ahead and take couple of tribal communities in my own state who wander from city to city. They don't really have a stable home and they prefer it that way. They raise their children on the road, they live on the road and spend their entire lives on the road. When we talk about infrastructure or any sort of bureaucratic nonsense, we get first slapped with monumental paperwork without consideration for the tribal lifestyles. The size of these communities are thinning with every passing day.
While the world goes global and smaller, I wonder about the future of Adivasis.
April 13, 2020
I'm generally wary of reading non-fiction books. I find my concentration wavering often distracted by littlest things. I read Lost Generation by Nidhi Dugar Kundalia last year capturing the lost professions of the bygone generation. When I saw her new book 'White as Milk and Rice- Stories of India's Isolated Tribes' , I was excited to read it, delve into some of the lesser known communities in India.
Bringing to us 6 stories of tribes - Halakkis, Kanjars, Kurumbas, Marias, Khasis and Konyaks the book attempts to cover a portion of them across the length and breadth of India. With lots of additional references , tit-bits , local terms it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
The majority of tribes mentioned are animists i.e. they regard elements of nature holding spirits and worship them. Each of them having a distinct language, culture, clothes and community practices. Each of these are narrated as stories by a protagonist charting out their history, origins and daily life. It is noteworthy to mention that while the practices could be respective to a family or local to the area it does shed light for us into their lives.
Halakkis of Ankola with their dwindling population popular for their songs, style of draping saree and beaded jewelry mostly work in the farms of 'nadavas'. Narrated by Sukri, a Padmashri award winner the traditional songs are part of oral tradition passed on across generations. Speaking a unique dialect of Kannada, Sukri's life is instrumental for social cause.
Kanjars of Chambal, believed to be the Rajputs who were pushed away by multiple invaders , are ex-dacoits who were once extremely feared. Hoonkar, once known for his activities now even with a life turned around has to attest to police of his presence while also getting blames for crimes not committed.
Kurumbas of Nilgiri, considered to be sorcerers characterized by their yellowed teeth are descendants of Pallavas and perhaps the oldest natives of Indian subcontinent. While all they wish is to live in peace in forest going about their daily lives, encroachment of forests has pushed them to take drastic measures. Told from Mani's eyes, a kid in his teens who would have perhaps had better ideas if not for the bullying in school!
Marias of Bastar, a sub division of Gond, speaking Halbi( transitional between Oriya & Marathi) and Gondi from Birsu's eyes we learn of the adversities faced by villages caught between the hide and seek of army and the Naxals. Quite open minded, in gothuls - a community space for the youngsters where they meet every evening for various activities premarital sex here is not a taboo while various contraceptive techniques are followed . Mahua flowers from which a local liquor is made is also a part of their identity.
Coming to Khasis of Shillong, Wansuk and Syrpai Rynjah octogenarian sisters reminisce of days before the evangelization and of their matrilineal society. Following a indigenous religion 'ka niam khasi' , the matrilineal system also has its own burden. The youngest daughter is the 'khuddah' who inherits the home and has to uphold the traditions. With the arrival of British , many of them converted to Christianity for various reasons.
Finally with Konyaks of Nagaland, Pangshong is on a quest to find his origins after being sheltered by his parents who followed Christianity. A no man's land in Indo Burma border, they are ruled by 'Angh' and follow different rules. With churches emerging, a lot of practices discontinued, the headhunters also haunted by their previous endeavors and their origins, tattooed faces is assessed.
Providing a succinct outlook into these tribes, we learn of their present, past and outlook for future. Several practices have been shed keeping an eye on the present times but many are lost to tide of time and dwindling population. Extremely appealing with the POVs from the protagonists we cannot help but wondering about what is up for them in future.
Rating: 4.25/5
Bringing to us 6 stories of tribes - Halakkis, Kanjars, Kurumbas, Marias, Khasis and Konyaks the book attempts to cover a portion of them across the length and breadth of India. With lots of additional references , tit-bits , local terms it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
The majority of tribes mentioned are animists i.e. they regard elements of nature holding spirits and worship them. Each of them having a distinct language, culture, clothes and community practices. Each of these are narrated as stories by a protagonist charting out their history, origins and daily life. It is noteworthy to mention that while the practices could be respective to a family or local to the area it does shed light for us into their lives.
Halakkis of Ankola with their dwindling population popular for their songs, style of draping saree and beaded jewelry mostly work in the farms of 'nadavas'. Narrated by Sukri, a Padmashri award winner the traditional songs are part of oral tradition passed on across generations. Speaking a unique dialect of Kannada, Sukri's life is instrumental for social cause.
Kanjars of Chambal, believed to be the Rajputs who were pushed away by multiple invaders , are ex-dacoits who were once extremely feared. Hoonkar, once known for his activities now even with a life turned around has to attest to police of his presence while also getting blames for crimes not committed.
Kurumbas of Nilgiri, considered to be sorcerers characterized by their yellowed teeth are descendants of Pallavas and perhaps the oldest natives of Indian subcontinent. While all they wish is to live in peace in forest going about their daily lives, encroachment of forests has pushed them to take drastic measures. Told from Mani's eyes, a kid in his teens who would have perhaps had better ideas if not for the bullying in school!
Marias of Bastar, a sub division of Gond, speaking Halbi( transitional between Oriya & Marathi) and Gondi from Birsu's eyes we learn of the adversities faced by villages caught between the hide and seek of army and the Naxals. Quite open minded, in gothuls - a community space for the youngsters where they meet every evening for various activities premarital sex here is not a taboo while various contraceptive techniques are followed . Mahua flowers from which a local liquor is made is also a part of their identity.
Coming to Khasis of Shillong, Wansuk and Syrpai Rynjah octogenarian sisters reminisce of days before the evangelization and of their matrilineal society. Following a indigenous religion 'ka niam khasi' , the matrilineal system also has its own burden. The youngest daughter is the 'khuddah' who inherits the home and has to uphold the traditions. With the arrival of British , many of them converted to Christianity for various reasons.
Finally with Konyaks of Nagaland, Pangshong is on a quest to find his origins after being sheltered by his parents who followed Christianity. A no man's land in Indo Burma border, they are ruled by 'Angh' and follow different rules. With churches emerging, a lot of practices discontinued, the headhunters also haunted by their previous endeavors and their origins, tattooed faces is assessed.
Providing a succinct outlook into these tribes, we learn of their present, past and outlook for future. Several practices have been shed keeping an eye on the present times but many are lost to tide of time and dwindling population. Extremely appealing with the POVs from the protagonists we cannot help but wondering about what is up for them in future.
Rating: 4.25/5
June 27, 2020
The sort of book that's tough to bucket - rather like the stories it tells. The author takes us along on a journey into the lives of people I (we?) know of, but don't quite know.
The Alu Kurumbas? The Nilgiris is home. I know the quaint colonial towns, the buzzing Badaga "hattis", even the token Toda mund. The forests and the people who live there? Oh yes, interesting chapter in Grade 8 social studies.
In south-east Rajasthan, I've seen 'Kanjar bastis' on village maps - pointed out by health workers for high malnutrition rates and resistance to immunisation. A little click of the tongue, some rhetoric, more hand-waving and it's on to the 'next big question'.
But - where did they come from? What do they say (or sing)? What are their fears? Who are they? Nidhi Dugar Kundalia lays it out. As-is, and without romanticisation. In her own words, it is a "humble attempt to not bring this margin to the centre, but to make the margin a place of reality". She does that, and how!
The Alu Kurumbas? The Nilgiris is home. I know the quaint colonial towns, the buzzing Badaga "hattis", even the token Toda mund. The forests and the people who live there? Oh yes, interesting chapter in Grade 8 social studies.
In south-east Rajasthan, I've seen 'Kanjar bastis' on village maps - pointed out by health workers for high malnutrition rates and resistance to immunisation. A little click of the tongue, some rhetoric, more hand-waving and it's on to the 'next big question'.
But - where did they come from? What do they say (or sing)? What are their fears? Who are they? Nidhi Dugar Kundalia lays it out. As-is, and without romanticisation. In her own words, it is a "humble attempt to not bring this margin to the centre, but to make the margin a place of reality". She does that, and how!
October 9, 2021
Finished reading this book , and I must say Nidhi has done a wonderful job of writing about the marginalised tribes , hitherto I was not even aware about .
The book is throbbing with the stories of India’s diverse isolated tribes . She has chronicled the lives of six communities of India’s heartland and the culture of each tribe , elucidated unabashedly and succinctly , giving a glimpse of Indian diversity and their people.
Be it the Halakkis of Ankola , whose women are famous for singing , having song for each occasion ; the protagonist Sukri, got Padma Shri award for her euphonious singing ….
The Kanjars of Chambal , their sole means of subsistence being loot and kill, heisting ; forest vagabond and terrorism their modus operandi, rearing and eating lizards …
The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris , their knowledge of sorcery and necromancy make them a revered tribe…
The Marias of Bastar , follow a peculiar tradition of ghotul, which needs to be read by the reader, implausible but nevertheless true …
The Konyaks of Nagaland and The Khasis of Shillong are interesting tribes too …
A good read for sure !
July 18, 2020
How do we conceive the notions of civilised vs modern or that of the normal vs abnormal? Do we look beyond the conundrums of our lives to understand the vast hetrogeneity of culture and people around us?
•
With the coming of the colonial state and the expansion of modern state in the post independent India, tribals have always been looked with enigma or as problematic categories on the path to development? Cultures that do not seem to fit in the mainstream risk being ignored and ridiculed. In White as Milk and Rice Nidhi Dugar Kundalia takes us to the lives, history and emotions of 6 isloated tribes, namely Halakkis, Kanjars, Kurumbas, Marias, Khasis and Konyaks who have managed to preserve their own ways of life despite the clamour to 'modernise' them. The majority of tribes mentioned here are animists- they regard elements of nature as holding spirits and worship them.
•
Treating the subjects empthetically without the bias of eurocentrism, Kundalia selects one or two people from the community to tell the story of the community. of course, it is by no means a total account but what she brings to the fore is the wide diversity and the various coping strategies that the tribals have employed in the face of constant pressures to make them a part of the mainstream. The stories make us cognisant about their changing relations and their own designs of development. As she writes, 'my humble attempt is not to bring margin to the centre, but to make the margin a place of reality' and she manages to do that successfully with this book.
•
The Halakkis by Ankola is narrated by Sukru, a Padma Shree awardee for her folk songs and how sings her way through life, also using the traditional songs for social upliftment. Sukri is the ambassador of her culture to the outside world.
•
The Kanjars of Chambal is about an ex-dacoit community who were once believed to be Rajputs. This is the story of one of the most feared communities and how their life has changed with the influx of development pushing them into an impoverished life.
•
Kurumbas of Nilgiri are considered to be sorceress and magicians to cure people of their ill health or minds. Told from the eyes of Mani, a young boy who is always ridiculed by the others has pushed him further into a forest making him question eveything around him
•
Marias of Bastar live in a sexually permissive house, ghotul allowing them to explore their urges before they finally settle down. Told from Birsu's eyes we learn that pre martial sex is not a taboo but a way of life amongst the Marias. What the story evocatively brings to light is the plight of the tribals who are caught at the crossroads between the Naxals and the Army.
•
The last 2 stories focus on the North East. Talking about the pitfalls of matrilineal society and it puts a difficult burden on the lives of women this is the story of two octagenarion sisters who have seen Shillong change tremendously. This story also makes us aware of the faultlines between the tribals and non-tribals and how violence has become a tool to preserve the culture from further dilution due to the presence of outsiders.
•
The last story is about the head hunting community of Nagaland told from the eyes of Pansgshong who has grown up in Delhi, but is
drawn back to Nagaland to learn about his culture from his grand-uncle Wangloi, a once-fearsome warrior.
•
The Stories are insightful and they also delve into the problems that the modem state imposes upon the tribals. It is also about women are constantly working, as men are always drinking. The stories make us see and appreciate the communities and the diversity that thrives around us. It also makes one wonder how life will turn out for them in the near future.
•
With the coming of the colonial state and the expansion of modern state in the post independent India, tribals have always been looked with enigma or as problematic categories on the path to development? Cultures that do not seem to fit in the mainstream risk being ignored and ridiculed. In White as Milk and Rice Nidhi Dugar Kundalia takes us to the lives, history and emotions of 6 isloated tribes, namely Halakkis, Kanjars, Kurumbas, Marias, Khasis and Konyaks who have managed to preserve their own ways of life despite the clamour to 'modernise' them. The majority of tribes mentioned here are animists- they regard elements of nature as holding spirits and worship them.
•
Treating the subjects empthetically without the bias of eurocentrism, Kundalia selects one or two people from the community to tell the story of the community. of course, it is by no means a total account but what she brings to the fore is the wide diversity and the various coping strategies that the tribals have employed in the face of constant pressures to make them a part of the mainstream. The stories make us cognisant about their changing relations and their own designs of development. As she writes, 'my humble attempt is not to bring margin to the centre, but to make the margin a place of reality' and she manages to do that successfully with this book.
•
The Halakkis by Ankola is narrated by Sukru, a Padma Shree awardee for her folk songs and how sings her way through life, also using the traditional songs for social upliftment. Sukri is the ambassador of her culture to the outside world.
•
The Kanjars of Chambal is about an ex-dacoit community who were once believed to be Rajputs. This is the story of one of the most feared communities and how their life has changed with the influx of development pushing them into an impoverished life.
•
Kurumbas of Nilgiri are considered to be sorceress and magicians to cure people of their ill health or minds. Told from the eyes of Mani, a young boy who is always ridiculed by the others has pushed him further into a forest making him question eveything around him
•
Marias of Bastar live in a sexually permissive house, ghotul allowing them to explore their urges before they finally settle down. Told from Birsu's eyes we learn that pre martial sex is not a taboo but a way of life amongst the Marias. What the story evocatively brings to light is the plight of the tribals who are caught at the crossroads between the Naxals and the Army.
•
The last 2 stories focus on the North East. Talking about the pitfalls of matrilineal society and it puts a difficult burden on the lives of women this is the story of two octagenarion sisters who have seen Shillong change tremendously. This story also makes us aware of the faultlines between the tribals and non-tribals and how violence has become a tool to preserve the culture from further dilution due to the presence of outsiders.
•
The last story is about the head hunting community of Nagaland told from the eyes of Pansgshong who has grown up in Delhi, but is
drawn back to Nagaland to learn about his culture from his grand-uncle Wangloi, a once-fearsome warrior.
•
The Stories are insightful and they also delve into the problems that the modem state imposes upon the tribals. It is also about women are constantly working, as men are always drinking. The stories make us see and appreciate the communities and the diversity that thrives around us. It also makes one wonder how life will turn out for them in the near future.
June 25, 2021
The stories are more like an excuse to narrate the peculiar cultures of the tribes. In fact, they serve as a medium to connect the academically significant details about the tribes without making them boring. It is a very well-researched book. In the end, you will find an annotated bibliography, wherein some folklores, descriptions or stories behind culturally significant places, objects and practices have been mentioned.
Also, the language of the book is delightful. It is a short read that one can finish in one sitting and every single page is so beautifully written. A sincere piece of advice - don't skip the introduction and bibliography. Read every single thing written in the book. I bet you will not regret it.
The most impactful stories, I believe, were The Kanjars of Chambal, The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris, The Khasis of Shillong, and The Marias of Bastar. And yes, as Shyam Benegal has rightly quoted for this book, it changes the way you look at people. Tribals are often understood as primitive and ignorant. But we rarely attempt to understand what shapes their beliefs and livelihood. As we think, they don't live in an orderless society. Instead, they live in a highly ordered society based on some traditional and deeply rooted belief systems, which are often based on the laws of the jungle - survival of the fittest. We end up misunderstanding this as barbarism because of ages of colonial brainwashing. Some practices are actually barbaric and meaningless if you consider the present time but the laws, instead of reforming only the evils, have also taken away what belongs to them in the pretext of civilizing them.
Also, the language of the book is delightful. It is a short read that one can finish in one sitting and every single page is so beautifully written. A sincere piece of advice - don't skip the introduction and bibliography. Read every single thing written in the book. I bet you will not regret it.
The most impactful stories, I believe, were The Kanjars of Chambal, The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris, The Khasis of Shillong, and The Marias of Bastar. And yes, as Shyam Benegal has rightly quoted for this book, it changes the way you look at people. Tribals are often understood as primitive and ignorant. But we rarely attempt to understand what shapes their beliefs and livelihood. As we think, they don't live in an orderless society. Instead, they live in a highly ordered society based on some traditional and deeply rooted belief systems, which are often based on the laws of the jungle - survival of the fittest. We end up misunderstanding this as barbarism because of ages of colonial brainwashing. Some practices are actually barbaric and meaningless if you consider the present time but the laws, instead of reforming only the evils, have also taken away what belongs to them in the pretext of civilizing them.
March 28, 2021
Fascinating!
May 23, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyed reading about the sociocultural cornucopia that even the hamlets of India are!
This is a small but impactful narrative of the life styles of a few people from six different indigenous tribes from various nooks of our country... very amusing and enlightening.. loved reading it.
This is a small but impactful narrative of the life styles of a few people from six different indigenous tribes from various nooks of our country... very amusing and enlightening.. loved reading it.
June 27, 2021
4.5 rounded to 4
A great collection of life stories of people from six different tribes from around India. I really appreciated that the author took efforts to be inclusive in terms of the geographical expanse of India, and given the length of the book, did a commendable job (albeit there could have been a little more diversity as per my thoughts, but I understand that these interviews and working with people take an immense amount of effort and time).
A great collection of life stories of people from six different tribes from around India. I really appreciated that the author took efforts to be inclusive in terms of the geographical expanse of India, and given the length of the book, did a commendable job (albeit there could have been a little more diversity as per my thoughts, but I understand that these interviews and working with people take an immense amount of effort and time).
December 26, 2022
It took quite a long time to finish this book and at different points of time tried to abandon it. Bit something kept pulling me back.
These are stories that need to be told. The stories of the tribal people needed a voice, and the author was really brave in taking this up. Kudos to Nidhi.
But in my opinion, the writing lacked something(Kinda felt a little newspaperish to me). It wasn't powerful enough for these stories.
These are stories that need to be told. The stories of the tribal people needed a voice, and the author was really brave in taking this up. Kudos to Nidhi.
But in my opinion, the writing lacked something(Kinda felt a little newspaperish to me). It wasn't powerful enough for these stories.
April 10, 2021
"But she worried her people were honest and simple; too simple to understand complex politics and government systems. They thought the world around them was fair and square, hardworking and straightforward--pure like milk."
"The fields in those would grow potato now and mustard then. Since they flattened the land and fertilizers came in, they never wait for the land to heal. It goes from rice to more rice and then rice. How weary must be the field, destined to exist in the future, having existed in the past; thought it was not always a field. It once used to be a forest."
"In the Gondi language of the Marias, there is no future tense because their lives function around the availability of the natural resources around them: land, forests and water."
"They all want power. Them and the political organizations and the NGOs. All we want is to live peacefully in the forests."
" 'In the name of mining, the government is taking away the lands of the forest people' ... For Birsu, her sense of soul and livelihood was inextricable linked to the forest, and the bait of money that development seemed to offer held little attraction. "
"The fields in those would grow potato now and mustard then. Since they flattened the land and fertilizers came in, they never wait for the land to heal. It goes from rice to more rice and then rice. How weary must be the field, destined to exist in the future, having existed in the past; thought it was not always a field. It once used to be a forest."
"In the Gondi language of the Marias, there is no future tense because their lives function around the availability of the natural resources around them: land, forests and water."
"They all want power. Them and the political organizations and the NGOs. All we want is to live peacefully in the forests."
" 'In the name of mining, the government is taking away the lands of the forest people' ... For Birsu, her sense of soul and livelihood was inextricable linked to the forest, and the bait of money that development seemed to offer held little attraction. "
July 29, 2021
Being of Indian descent myself I always think of India as a potpourri of cultures within a country, so many states with so many cultures, languages and customs. What I failed to register is even within the states there is such a myriad of people and tribals are one sect that I didn't even realize still exist, trying to hold on to their ancient ways in a place that does not respect these traditions.
September 13, 2022
I am going to put this aside for time being, there is nothing wrong with the story, in a way it really goes in-depth with the life of tribal people. But I hate the way it is written, in a way the writing style is more like word to word translation from a local language which looses its strength and meaning when you try to put them together. For instance if I want to say -"The path was clear on the bright sunny day and it beckoned me homewards" - and I would write it - "The road, was not clustered, with any leaves, or dust. The sun was shining, it left light on the road, so it felt like my home was calling me to come back" - the more page you read the more you get strained.
Practically I did not get mood to pick up from where I left and its been probably more than a month, now I feel like reading something better. while books like "All the light we cannot see" makes things emotional that you get lost and don't get courage to finish, then there are books like this which will make you get lost and wonder how such a thing was published without any improvement.
The stories in the book has real depths and meanings. But the writing style needs to justify it. This is my personal opinion.
Practically I did not get mood to pick up from where I left and its been probably more than a month, now I feel like reading something better. while books like "All the light we cannot see" makes things emotional that you get lost and don't get courage to finish, then there are books like this which will make you get lost and wonder how such a thing was published without any improvement.
The stories in the book has real depths and meanings. But the writing style needs to justify it. This is my personal opinion.
Read
May 23, 2023this book was really insightful and a good start for people who want to venture into understanding tribal lifestyles and the intricated politics around their lives! not rating this because it is a non-fiction documentary of six different tribes across India, and it was really provocative in many ways!
April 16, 2021
Picked up this book solely because I work with tribal communities and hence I was interested to read more about them. Wasn’t disappointed a bit. It has some good stories and trivia on isolated tribes of India, although I wish there were more!
Read
January 16, 2023The completion of this book comes with the realisation that how little I know of my own country and its people. Extremely illuminating and at times deeply surprising!
June 5, 2025
Each story in the book is unputdownable. The language flows beautifully through the narrative, providing a glimpse into the everyday lives as well as life stories of various cultures around India. Definitely recommend reading it to expand your understanding of the country’s culture as well as the problems that marginalised communities face.
Read
July 27, 2021Being from mainland India, my knowledge of the various Indian tribes, their cultures and their struggles is rather abysmal. This book presents an anthropological insight into the remote worlds of the indigenous tribes that "we" have sworn to destroy in the name of 'development'. I also really liked how the author foregrounds narratives of women and girls, even in stories where the protagonists are men, she makes sure to give adequate space to the supporting women in his lives.
November 13, 2020
This book has 6 stories of 6 different indigenous tribes of India. Who are they? Where do they come from? What are the customs and traditions that they follow? Where do they live now? How did they get there? How do they live now? Journalist Nidhi Dugar Kundalia, who is the author of this book, introduces the readers to a new character from each tribe in each of the stories and then lets the readers experience the culture, history and lifestyle of each of the tribes via the eyes of this character.
The 6 tribes introduced here are : The Halakkis of Ankola, The Kanjars of Chambal, The Kurumas of the Nilgiris, The Marias of Bastar, The Khasis of Shillong and The Konyaks of Nagaland. Here's how the book got it's title (in the author's own words): "'Alu' in Kannada means milk, implying good and harmless like milk. Before this, the tribe was feared due to their sorcery and witchcraft practices, and it deprived them of employment, education and integration and interaction with the other tribes in the region. It is quite possible that in order to remove or impair the negative opinion the local people entertained of them, certain sections of the Kurumbas themselves might have added the new prefix of Alu for improved status and wider acceptability. Another tribe documented in this book, the Halakkis, subjected to years of antipathy from mainstream society, credits its name to the rice they grow, which is white as milk. The title White as Milk and Rice, hence, is not irrelevant to the theme of the book."
There are lots of labels attached to these indigenous tribes. One such label is 'savages'. As the author says, "Each time a new set of invaders charged into the Indian subcontinent, the Indian tribals were pushed further back into the shadows, where they learnt to survive on what was available. Subsequently, they came to be known as 'savages'. In the recent past, thanks to modern encroachments and development, they have been forced back into 'civilized' society, which they neither understood nor were prepared for." .
This is a well-written book about some of the marginalized people of Indian society, who find themselves at the crossroads now, having to choose between their age old traditions and lifestyle (lead in harmony with nature) to being integrated into the modern society. I really enjoyed getting to know the people in these stories. More than anything, I appreciated how the author wisely chose not to take any stance on the underlying current issues, but instead chose to present a more neutral perspective, with respect and empathy for the people she tried to represent here. "White as Milk and Rice, is, then, my humble attempt to not bring this margin to the center, but to make the margin a place of reality." .
The 6 tribes introduced here are : The Halakkis of Ankola, The Kanjars of Chambal, The Kurumas of the Nilgiris, The Marias of Bastar, The Khasis of Shillong and The Konyaks of Nagaland. Here's how the book got it's title (in the author's own words): "'Alu' in Kannada means milk, implying good and harmless like milk. Before this, the tribe was feared due to their sorcery and witchcraft practices, and it deprived them of employment, education and integration and interaction with the other tribes in the region. It is quite possible that in order to remove or impair the negative opinion the local people entertained of them, certain sections of the Kurumbas themselves might have added the new prefix of Alu for improved status and wider acceptability. Another tribe documented in this book, the Halakkis, subjected to years of antipathy from mainstream society, credits its name to the rice they grow, which is white as milk. The title White as Milk and Rice, hence, is not irrelevant to the theme of the book."
There are lots of labels attached to these indigenous tribes. One such label is 'savages'. As the author says, "Each time a new set of invaders charged into the Indian subcontinent, the Indian tribals were pushed further back into the shadows, where they learnt to survive on what was available. Subsequently, they came to be known as 'savages'. In the recent past, thanks to modern encroachments and development, they have been forced back into 'civilized' society, which they neither understood nor were prepared for." .
This is a well-written book about some of the marginalized people of Indian society, who find themselves at the crossroads now, having to choose between their age old traditions and lifestyle (lead in harmony with nature) to being integrated into the modern society. I really enjoyed getting to know the people in these stories. More than anything, I appreciated how the author wisely chose not to take any stance on the underlying current issues, but instead chose to present a more neutral perspective, with respect and empathy for the people she tried to represent here. "White as Milk and Rice, is, then, my humble attempt to not bring this margin to the center, but to make the margin a place of reality." .
June 7, 2020
A nice read...
To know a country and her rich culture, you need too know her people. A nice book that helps you understand the life and traditions of 6 tribes from India...Enjoyed reading it....
To know a country and her rich culture, you need too know her people. A nice book that helps you understand the life and traditions of 6 tribes from India...Enjoyed reading it....
August 22, 2021
For more reviews visit my website: https://blogalvina.com/
Author of "The Lost Generation: Chronicling India's Dying Profession", Nidhi Dugar Kundalia enalways raises her voice on social, cultural issues, meticulously documenting human lives and struggles. Therefore her book "White as Milk and Rice" is no altercation of her genius in this field. Though by profession a journalist she proves no less competency in her writings.
Stories of India's Isolated Tribes:
Kundalia involves deep in the lives of tribal people through the method of storytelling. Various tribal hamlets scattering in assorted parts of India like Ankola, Karnataka; Jhalrapatan, Rajasthan; Coonoor, Tamil Nadu; Baster, Chattisgarh; Shillong, Meghalaya; Mon district, Nagaland.
Kundalia, with a detached yet sympathetic brush, draws the lives of :
• Halakkis of Karnataka,
• The Kanjars of Chambal,
• The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris
• The Marias of Bastar,
• The Khasis of Shillong,
• The Konyaks of Nagaland,
With minute details the author takes us to the premises of each tribe and shows their lives under the lens. Their rituals, customs and their hard toil for existence particularly of women in the double edge of social domination and economic scarcity covering a wider swath of India.
Details of each tribe:
Six remarkable tribes of India are brought to the limelight through six spokespeople.
Halakkis are popular with their songs and their ethnic ways of dressing themselves with sarees and beaded jewellery. Narrated by Sikri who was later awarded "Padmashri" for her unique presentation of traditional song, upholds the story of their community with a passive yet painstaking baritone.
Kanjars of Chambal were once fierce dacoits who didn't hesitate to kill people mercilessly for stealing things. They are ruthless bloodthirsty robbers defended from Rajputs. Hoonkar is representative of his community of dacoits.
Kurumbas of Nilgiri is an ancient native tribe and descendent of mighty Pallavas. They are considered witches and sorcerer's for their yellowish teeth. They also practice ancient cults of occult nad magic power s. Encroachment of civilization affected their lives pushing them to the corner.
In Birsu's voice, we learn about the Marias of Baster. Caught between the double knot of army and Naxals the villagers face the utmost adversities to cope with their struggle of existence.
Wansuk, Syrpai and Rynjah three octogenarian sisters who belong to the Khasis of Shillong recall the days of their matrilineal culture.
Finally, we meet the Konyaks of Nagaland through the voice of Pangshong who sets in a quest for his origin.
Anthropological value:
In addition to that, the book inherits a great anthropological value. The richness of experience that she shares with the readers is worthy to study. The tribal communities of India, being forced to change their ways of living under the pressure of modern decolonisation and urbanization are losing their original colour and ethos.
The title:
The title hints at the simple mundane lifestyle of the tribes. Milk rice and the whiteness symbolises their ethnic purity and innocence.
Alvina’s Verdict:
With indubitable portrayal, untainted by personal opinions kundalia's book is a truthful representation of the indigenous life of India. And to know India it is very wise to probe deep into the lives of her indigenous habitats.
Author of "The Lost Generation: Chronicling India's Dying Profession", Nidhi Dugar Kundalia enalways raises her voice on social, cultural issues, meticulously documenting human lives and struggles. Therefore her book "White as Milk and Rice" is no altercation of her genius in this field. Though by profession a journalist she proves no less competency in her writings.
Stories of India's Isolated Tribes:
Kundalia involves deep in the lives of tribal people through the method of storytelling. Various tribal hamlets scattering in assorted parts of India like Ankola, Karnataka; Jhalrapatan, Rajasthan; Coonoor, Tamil Nadu; Baster, Chattisgarh; Shillong, Meghalaya; Mon district, Nagaland.
Kundalia, with a detached yet sympathetic brush, draws the lives of :
• Halakkis of Karnataka,
• The Kanjars of Chambal,
• The Kurumbas of the Nilgiris
• The Marias of Bastar,
• The Khasis of Shillong,
• The Konyaks of Nagaland,
With minute details the author takes us to the premises of each tribe and shows their lives under the lens. Their rituals, customs and their hard toil for existence particularly of women in the double edge of social domination and economic scarcity covering a wider swath of India.
Details of each tribe:
Six remarkable tribes of India are brought to the limelight through six spokespeople.
Halakkis are popular with their songs and their ethnic ways of dressing themselves with sarees and beaded jewellery. Narrated by Sikri who was later awarded "Padmashri" for her unique presentation of traditional song, upholds the story of their community with a passive yet painstaking baritone.
Kanjars of Chambal were once fierce dacoits who didn't hesitate to kill people mercilessly for stealing things. They are ruthless bloodthirsty robbers defended from Rajputs. Hoonkar is representative of his community of dacoits.
Kurumbas of Nilgiri is an ancient native tribe and descendent of mighty Pallavas. They are considered witches and sorcerer's for their yellowish teeth. They also practice ancient cults of occult nad magic power s. Encroachment of civilization affected their lives pushing them to the corner.
In Birsu's voice, we learn about the Marias of Baster. Caught between the double knot of army and Naxals the villagers face the utmost adversities to cope with their struggle of existence.
Wansuk, Syrpai and Rynjah three octogenarian sisters who belong to the Khasis of Shillong recall the days of their matrilineal culture.
Finally, we meet the Konyaks of Nagaland through the voice of Pangshong who sets in a quest for his origin.
Anthropological value:
In addition to that, the book inherits a great anthropological value. The richness of experience that she shares with the readers is worthy to study. The tribal communities of India, being forced to change their ways of living under the pressure of modern decolonisation and urbanization are losing their original colour and ethos.
The title:
The title hints at the simple mundane lifestyle of the tribes. Milk rice and the whiteness symbolises their ethnic purity and innocence.
Alvina’s Verdict:
With indubitable portrayal, untainted by personal opinions kundalia's book is a truthful representation of the indigenous life of India. And to know India it is very wise to probe deep into the lives of her indigenous habitats.
August 2, 2021
India is not only a vast land but also unique for its diversity!! Even a lifetime is not enough to explore and experience the beauty of our country. I always felt fortunate that since my father was in the Army, we made home in the different and (mostly) secluded parts of India. Our prolonged stay gave us a close look of the culture and tradition of those places.
But when I read this book, I felt my knowledge about them was so shallow. We were posted for three years in Bangalore and never did I hear about the Halakkis of Ankola (Karnataka) or the Kurumbas of Nilgiris.
There is a distinct culture throbbing in every nook and cranny of our country. This book is a beautiful collection of stories of isolated tribes of India and gives detailed accounts of their lives. The stories are about six tribes from different regions of India – the Halakkis of Ankola, Kanjars of Chambal, Kurumbas of Nilgiris, Marias of Bastar, Khasis of Shillong and Konyaks of Nagaland.
The author enumerates the daily activities of the tribal people and the ways adopted by them to sustain life. These tribes have been living in harmony with the nature and the immediate environment. Though they lead a difficult life but they are at peace. The city life is a lure for a few and some have already taken to it.
Here again the author empathetically writes about the challenges faced while the tribal people embrace life outside their close knit tribe. They are mostly ostracised and do not find easy acceptance. Some of them thus rebel and even join the naxal movement.
This books gives insight about how looting and killing was a way of life for the Kanjars. The Maria adolescents practice sex as an institution before marriage but with rules. The Konyaks, of Nagaland took pride in killing and collecting human heads. The Halakki women sing throughout the day. Each tribe has its own religious beliefs which predominantly gives importance to forests and their produce. These Adivasis still live in forests and hills and represent the cultural wealth of our nation.
Though I enjoyed reading this book and it took me on a journey to different places but I found something amiss. I realised I was unconsciously comparing it with the writings of William Dalrymple and Gerald Durrell, which are far more impactful. Nevertheless, this book is a must have for anyone who wishes to know more about Incredible India and its people!!
But when I read this book, I felt my knowledge about them was so shallow. We were posted for three years in Bangalore and never did I hear about the Halakkis of Ankola (Karnataka) or the Kurumbas of Nilgiris.
There is a distinct culture throbbing in every nook and cranny of our country. This book is a beautiful collection of stories of isolated tribes of India and gives detailed accounts of their lives. The stories are about six tribes from different regions of India – the Halakkis of Ankola, Kanjars of Chambal, Kurumbas of Nilgiris, Marias of Bastar, Khasis of Shillong and Konyaks of Nagaland.
The author enumerates the daily activities of the tribal people and the ways adopted by them to sustain life. These tribes have been living in harmony with the nature and the immediate environment. Though they lead a difficult life but they are at peace. The city life is a lure for a few and some have already taken to it.
Here again the author empathetically writes about the challenges faced while the tribal people embrace life outside their close knit tribe. They are mostly ostracised and do not find easy acceptance. Some of them thus rebel and even join the naxal movement.
This books gives insight about how looting and killing was a way of life for the Kanjars. The Maria adolescents practice sex as an institution before marriage but with rules. The Konyaks, of Nagaland took pride in killing and collecting human heads. The Halakki women sing throughout the day. Each tribe has its own religious beliefs which predominantly gives importance to forests and their produce. These Adivasis still live in forests and hills and represent the cultural wealth of our nation.
Though I enjoyed reading this book and it took me on a journey to different places but I found something amiss. I realised I was unconsciously comparing it with the writings of William Dalrymple and Gerald Durrell, which are far more impactful. Nevertheless, this book is a must have for anyone who wishes to know more about Incredible India and its people!!
July 27, 2021
📑 : 256
🔖 : #nonfiction
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🌳 Have you ever thought of the vastly different lives of tribal communities, looked beyond the conundrums of our mundane lives to try to understand the vast heterogeneity of various cultures and people? Do you think tribal people are roadblocks to the path of modern developments? Cultures that don't seem to fit into mainstream risk being ignored and ridiculed!
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🌳 The book is a charmingly brilliant endeavor to humanize tribal lives in India. Instead of boring us with an academic account of tribes, Nidhi tells us the stories of six characters across six different indigenous tribes — Halakkis, Kanjars, Kurumbas, Marias, Khasis, and the Konyaks. Each tribe is succinctly distinct from the other and have their own traditions and living practices!
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The Halakkis always sing their own songs that are soothing to the ears and do not accompany any musical instruments. The Kanjars were infamous for being feared dacoits. The Kurumbas were feared and ridiculed for their sorcery and witchcraft practices. The Maria women practice polygamy before marriage as they believe lust is healthy and beautiful when performed with the right people. They even have special places to cater to their sexual needs! The Khasis follow the matrilineal principles of descent, residence, and inheritance. The Konyaks live in a no man's land and are haunted by memories of war brutalities and head-hunting. All the tribes have managed to preserve their own ways of life, despite the clamor to modernize them.
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🌳 This book is a brilliant chronicle of the dehumanized tribal lives. As Nidhi says, it is her humble attempt "to not bring this margin to the center, but to make that margin a place of reality." And she does this with immense empathy and has aptly mixed non-fiction with elements of fiction perfectly! She is acutely aware of her non-tribal background and her major part of the research included taking notes on their silences!
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🌳I read this book for #underratedbooksreadathon and these stories are a heartfelt effort to educate us on the tribal lives!
August 14, 2023
Eye opening, educative, and heart warming.
This book has opened my eyes, and brain to parts of India I knew nothing about, and parts I knew very little of. It has made me question my own instinctive reactions to questions of 'morality' and 'barbarianism' with forced religion and oppressive, most likely white washed codes of conduct. It also reinforced my guttural belief, that ours is a country, unlike many others, that has thrived BECAUSE we believed and practiced in building communities and less in breaking them down. With all our combined and individual greed, and space, and wants, we've also become fairly selfish - in the need to want to do life only for ourselves and our ones. The ones we chosen for us, by blood, and the ones we choose, by law. Each story in this book is a testament to the fullness, identity, safety and sense of belonging - being proud of your community brings.
I took away lessons on imperfections, and acknowledging that every human is different, that every story is different, and that everyone's journey is their own. And everyone also chooses to be the hero of their own story, IN THEIR OWN WAY. And that it does not matter at all, whether that feels like a hero to you or not.
I think the intention of this book was to bring, more into the mainstream, cultures and stories of our neighbours, whom we've forgotten over decades to acknowledge and respect. To me, these stories also reminded me of ancient people in Mexico I recently read about in Born To Run, the Tarahumara, of a people who likewise, worship nature, retreated as far as they could to survive, and still do, who are one with nature in a way that we have all collectively forgotten to be.
I've always heard that our land is an ancient one, and there has been ample evidence of it too, Nidhi Kundalia's book is just another brick in the foundation of said evidence.
This book has opened my eyes, and brain to parts of India I knew nothing about, and parts I knew very little of. It has made me question my own instinctive reactions to questions of 'morality' and 'barbarianism' with forced religion and oppressive, most likely white washed codes of conduct. It also reinforced my guttural belief, that ours is a country, unlike many others, that has thrived BECAUSE we believed and practiced in building communities and less in breaking them down. With all our combined and individual greed, and space, and wants, we've also become fairly selfish - in the need to want to do life only for ourselves and our ones. The ones we chosen for us, by blood, and the ones we choose, by law. Each story in this book is a testament to the fullness, identity, safety and sense of belonging - being proud of your community brings.
I took away lessons on imperfections, and acknowledging that every human is different, that every story is different, and that everyone's journey is their own. And everyone also chooses to be the hero of their own story, IN THEIR OWN WAY. And that it does not matter at all, whether that feels like a hero to you or not.
I think the intention of this book was to bring, more into the mainstream, cultures and stories of our neighbours, whom we've forgotten over decades to acknowledge and respect. To me, these stories also reminded me of ancient people in Mexico I recently read about in Born To Run, the Tarahumara, of a people who likewise, worship nature, retreated as far as they could to survive, and still do, who are one with nature in a way that we have all collectively forgotten to be.
I've always heard that our land is an ancient one, and there has been ample evidence of it too, Nidhi Kundalia's book is just another brick in the foundation of said evidence.
May 21, 2021
Book title – WHITE AS MILK AND RICE
Author – Nidhi Dugar Kundalia
Publisher – Penguin Random House India
No. Of pages – 241
Frankly, when I went for this book, my expectations were different. I don’t know why but I had thought that the book will have stories from mythology of the various tribes of India.
But once I had read through the introduction by the author, I grasped that it was going to be something totally different from my initial expectations.
There are six stories but each story takes you to a different territory in the vast expanse of India, ranging from the hills of South India, the chambal ravines in the west, the forests of Central India and finally culminating in the North East.
You peek into the ordinary lives of some extraordinary tribals and the back stories of the protagonists and their tribes enrich your knowledge of many aspects of their history. Their daily struggle to keep their unique culture alive amidst the all encompassing march of modern life is what enriches the stories to the next level.
By the time you reach the end of the book, you know something more about the Halakkis, the Kanjars, the Kurumbas, the Marias, the Khasis and the Konyaks. And wonder whether they have lost their heritage or are we, the so-called modern denizens of this world, the real losers.
The author injects charm and pathos into each story.
A Common thread which runs through all stories is how the tribals take only that much from the forest, as is required for survival and don’t exploit it for greed.
I must thank the author, Nidhi Dugar Kundalia, for staying in their midst for a long time and documenting a vanishing way of life, weaving charming stories and enriching us, the lay readers.
Yatindra Tawde
Author – Nidhi Dugar Kundalia
Publisher – Penguin Random House India
No. Of pages – 241
Frankly, when I went for this book, my expectations were different. I don’t know why but I had thought that the book will have stories from mythology of the various tribes of India.
But once I had read through the introduction by the author, I grasped that it was going to be something totally different from my initial expectations.
There are six stories but each story takes you to a different territory in the vast expanse of India, ranging from the hills of South India, the chambal ravines in the west, the forests of Central India and finally culminating in the North East.
You peek into the ordinary lives of some extraordinary tribals and the back stories of the protagonists and their tribes enrich your knowledge of many aspects of their history. Their daily struggle to keep their unique culture alive amidst the all encompassing march of modern life is what enriches the stories to the next level.
By the time you reach the end of the book, you know something more about the Halakkis, the Kanjars, the Kurumbas, the Marias, the Khasis and the Konyaks. And wonder whether they have lost their heritage or are we, the so-called modern denizens of this world, the real losers.
The author injects charm and pathos into each story.
A Common thread which runs through all stories is how the tribals take only that much from the forest, as is required for survival and don’t exploit it for greed.
I must thank the author, Nidhi Dugar Kundalia, for staying in their midst for a long time and documenting a vanishing way of life, weaving charming stories and enriching us, the lay readers.
Yatindra Tawde
April 24, 2023
I was initially put off by the way sentences were formed in this book, however, I resolved to finish the book that I'd started. There was no other reason to continue reading it. The language of the book is a mess. The book is full of misandry. The author of the book flaunts it as a book on marginalised tribals. The book is half truth.
The author continues with keeping her protagonist as a female member of a tribe and ranting about their difficulties without so much as giving even an afterthought to the male members of that tribe. She continuously portrays the male members as drunkards, misogynists and irresponsible. Surely, all males wouldn't be so. But she continues picturing them as such.
The affairs and conditions of tribals is a sensitive subject which requires careful approach but the author seems to have successfully satisfied herself on propaganda of female superiority even on such sensitive topic.
True, all men are not responsible, but that doesn't generalise all men. She doesn't care to portray a man or even a male child's day to day activities, their lives and their problems and struggle with ever encroaching State.
I would congratulate her for getting penguins to publish her utter rubbish.
You cannot simply write about 5 people and claim that book to be about tribals. That makes the book rather a book about stories about 5 people - and that too women.
Except for the last story, I did not enjoy this book at all.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I'd request everyone to keep away from this book and keep your brains open and not get swept away by an author promoting misandry.
I would rather recommend reading How to Tell the Story of an Insurgency: Fifteen Tales from Assam by Aruni Kashyap.
The author continues with keeping her protagonist as a female member of a tribe and ranting about their difficulties without so much as giving even an afterthought to the male members of that tribe. She continuously portrays the male members as drunkards, misogynists and irresponsible. Surely, all males wouldn't be so. But she continues picturing them as such.
The affairs and conditions of tribals is a sensitive subject which requires careful approach but the author seems to have successfully satisfied herself on propaganda of female superiority even on such sensitive topic.
True, all men are not responsible, but that doesn't generalise all men. She doesn't care to portray a man or even a male child's day to day activities, their lives and their problems and struggle with ever encroaching State.
I would congratulate her for getting penguins to publish her utter rubbish.
You cannot simply write about 5 people and claim that book to be about tribals. That makes the book rather a book about stories about 5 people - and that too women.
Except for the last story, I did not enjoy this book at all.
I would not recommend this book to anyone. I'd request everyone to keep away from this book and keep your brains open and not get swept away by an author promoting misandry.
I would rather recommend reading How to Tell the Story of an Insurgency: Fifteen Tales from Assam by Aruni Kashyap.
August 19, 2023
Gosh what an exhausting book. A premise that held so much promise – 6 stories of individuals from tribes across India – just read like a set of patronising stories told from the outside in. Reading this triggered an intense conversation about how stories can be told with an authentic voice, or whether it was important to tell stories that the writer knows. I don't know if there's an overarching solution to this problem, but surely some effort needs to be made to find a rooted and connected way to write the stories of people you have no way of knowing deeply.
The format also really irked me. It seemed like the writer couldn't decide if she was writing fiction or non-fiction, and whether as a reader I was being educated or drawn into the lives of these 6 characters. Footnotes and references to Acts and history just distracted me from what should have been a story with context woven in. Tribal stories need to be told. And in my experience, most people want to know, care, and understand the lives of those so far away from our own. This just... did not offer me that.
The format also really irked me. It seemed like the writer couldn't decide if she was writing fiction or non-fiction, and whether as a reader I was being educated or drawn into the lives of these 6 characters. Footnotes and references to Acts and history just distracted me from what should have been a story with context woven in. Tribal stories need to be told. And in my experience, most people want to know, care, and understand the lives of those so far away from our own. This just... did not offer me that.
May 10, 2024
This book gave me insights into a part and culture of India which was nearly unknown to me. Along with the stories of the chosen protagonists the writing also brings in historical details of how the tribes were formed, takes a good look at their culture - the good and the bad, and the very starkly present conflict due to the impending assimilation into the outside world. It's bittersweet, with mostly older people reminiscing about days gone by when they were more disconnected with the outer world. The pain of losing the traditions of the past, which provided comfort in their familiarity and consistency - and the lure of the future, especially the one promised for the next generations, is very evident.
For me this was an informative read, with a constant second tab open for more research on the tribes over the internet.
For me this was an informative read, with a constant second tab open for more research on the tribes over the internet.
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February 26, 2021This book brings to us narratives (which seem to have a fictional bend) from the tribes that still continue to exist in our country, how they came to be, and how they manage to survive even today when everything around them has changed completely, including their own younger generations. The author has presented the stories through the lives of 6 protagonists, one from each tribe from the regions of Ankola, Chambal, Nilgiris, Bastar, Shillong, and Nagaland, all accompanied with a wealth of footnotes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
3.5 stars
While the book sets out admittedly only to capture the current life of the tribe( and it achieves this), for a novice reader with no background, a large part of the context is missing. I had to read up on the history prior to delving into the chapter about them to actually enjoy what I was reading.
While the book sets out admittedly only to capture the current life of the tribe( and it achieves this), for a novice reader with no background, a large part of the context is missing. I had to read up on the history prior to delving into the chapter about them to actually enjoy what I was reading.
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