Dr. Mohinder Kumar
Mangu is one of the few villages in Laddakh which has huge marketable surplus in truck loads of vegetables. This has been made possible by commercial farming, with differentiated marginal and large holdings on hilly land.
Village is located in the interior of Saspol block in Leh district, 80 km from Leh city. The village is home to a world famous Mangu Monastery. The village is mountainous though a part of its farm land lies in plains surrounded from four sides with hills and mountains so that it appears like lush green lake with wheat cultivation overlooking houses and an elegant and majestic monastery situated on the hill top. A combination of green, golden, white and crimson red colors makes village a heavenly place for residents of Mangu. At higher altitude of hill, a watershed structure has been created by villagers by channeling water from nallah into long pucca drains to cultivate land on slopes. Sarpanch is retired Subedar (with Major honorary rank) in the armed forces, with 13 Colors and 3 Stars decorated to his service in glorious career, as he fought in wars and claims to have seen death several times from very close. An imprint of his leadership quality is visible in the level of development attained through cooperation and goodwill in village which looks like abode of peace and tranquility.
Area wise Mangu is a small village of 150 acres, including 20 acres of common land. However, 90 acres of forest land in Gera (adjoining village) with very good plantations (different species of trees) and hilly land with green grass cover in summer is their subsidiary source of economic survival even as sheer physical survival is not an issue. The entire area and road from Saspol to Mangu, particularly surrounding Mangu village, is dotted with large number of nallahs, green wild tree cover and apricot trees.
Total population of Mangu is 800 living in 104 households spread over 6 hamlets (mohallas). All villagers are Buddhists, Scheduled Tribes and speak Laddakhi (Bhutia, Gotia) language.
Class differentiation in land ownership is a prominent feature of Mangu. Smallest holding in village is 3 kanals (less than half acre) owned by Sarpanch; the largest holding is 100 kanals (12.5 acres). Mutual relations among villagers are good (despite economic / class differentiation) and villagers help each other in the farming operations on mutual goodwill and cooperation basis. They sow crops like wheat, vegetables (with marketed surplus) and fruit trees like apricot, apple, walnut. Vegetable cultivation includes potato, pea (matar), onion, tomato, shalgam, carrot, mooli, etc. Use of chemical fertilizers has come down significantly and consciously because farmers observed that upper layer of soil on the hill had become “hard”. So, they do organic farming.
Literacy rate in the village is 70%. Villagers are educated and well cultured. Political theorist Antonio Gramsci said that culture is “superfluous” entity (implying neutral, inert concept of no useful purpose) from economic/ development point of view -this village has demonstrated it practically with facts. Sarpanch expressed that rich traditional culture in village coexists with superfluous expenses by villagers on wine, meat and extravagance (for example sattu offerings to entire village after a person’s death). Gram Panchayat often intervenes and makes efforts in convincing villagers to stop indulging in many superfluities prevalent in the village traditionally since long. Now consumption of wine and meat has come down significantly. Extravagance on offering sattu has also reduced considerably due to efforts made by Sarpanch and Gram Panchayat.
Now villagers are more focused on economic development. They understand that question of “rich culture” and “rich traditions” cannot be confounded with the so-called superfluity of modern development. Rich culture may not be substitute for economic development in such a way as to replace the latter. Rather culture represented and delegated by pompous colorful dresses can coexist with progressive changes for economic development. Leadership by Gram Panchayat drove Mangu village to a position where they have reached a State of marketable surplus in vegetables and fruits co-existing with traditional culture of colorful attires and costly wears. While other villages in Leh district are subsistence-oriented and farm households purchase food grains and vegetables for six months in a year, Mangu is self-sufficient and even sells marketable surplus produce (vegetables) to outside markets loaded in trucks every year. On the question of political (electoral representative) empowerment of women in the village, Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat and villagers are quite clear that women aspire for real empowerment embodied in politics, cultural dresses, economy (working on farm land), doing Government job, and in living free without restrictions and coercive repression. Village women adored their forehead with “pairakh” (“feroza”) which is an ornament made from sea shell/ stone (moti) and silver “jhumka”. At the same time they are economically independent. However, women’s right to entitlements on landed property as per Hindu Succession Act 1956 is an issue that is still unaddressed. Sarpanch and villagers favored freedom of access to free ownership rights for women. It is rich economy that enabled villagers to preserve richness of traditional culture. Besides ornamental and decorative “pairakh” (“feroza”), they wear woolen “kos” (coat) which is basically long overcoat. They purchase it from market instead of using a hand-knit one.
Earlier they used to spin wool on spinning wheel (vertical pointed rod rotator) and weave woolen cloth at weaving machine “thaksha” (“charkha” of North India). Now that tradition has become almost extinct. Villagers prefer buying cloth and coats from market, since they can afford with their increased purchasing power. Tradition/culture could be both preserved and seen becoming extinct at the same time due to rising economic empowerment and economic progress. Now market (bazaar) is instrumental in preserving traditions and culture; it is market, which diverted villagers from crafting handmade goods. That is the reason Sarpanch expressed concern that “handicrafts are waning out from Mangu village”. Now villagers rarely take care of tradition, culture, crafts, handicrafts, handworks, artistry, etc. Mangu village has many achievements to its credit, including women freedom and economic empowerment, but arts and handicrafts are not being developed and promoted for future generations. Even “thaap” (iron “chulha” or oven) which used to be a tradition in each household is becoming a thing of the past. It has two burners and is operated with small handles. Gobar gas is supplied to burners by a pumping mechanism.
Mangu villagers celebrate Losar, new-year’s festival by performing pooja in Gompa. The village organizes archery competition every year. However, houses are now less colorful and decorative as these used to be until few years ago. A major change has come in recent years, that is villagers dither from demanding dowry and are opposing this malpractice particularly if pressure is exercised on daughter’s parents. Its impact is positive. Villagers have become more cooperative and mutually assisting one another in times of need. Credit (not charity) and give & take, is the basis of cooperation. Villagers still engage in traditional practice of borrowing items of daily chore like tea leaves, sugar, aata, oil, salt, etc. from neighbors, with understanding that the same shall be returned. Rather, it is “compulsory” to return things borrowed on credit. However, with opening of ration stores, people’s urgency of borrowing these items has reduced. Sarpanch’s father who was Lama, used to distribute his standing crops on credit in case someone was needy. Villagers have reminiscences of the idyllic and idealist past when it was uncommon to lock one’s house. People were “very honest”. They would drink homemade “sattu” or “chhang” (intoxicant) -this would often lead to disputes and duels. Villagers find that their ancestors were gullible and innocent as compared to rational and more intelligent minds of today.
Villagers are satisfied with functioning of Gram Panchayat and Sarpanch, who created awareness on Kisan Credit Card (KCC) for farmers. But they are “not interested” in KCC. Reason for their disinterest is related to protracted procedures and documentation in banks. Sarpanch also approached Sheep Husbandry Department for arrangement of cattle feed in the village for sheep owners, but issues of the village proposed by him are not given proper attention by the Departments concerned. MNREGA is implemented in this village. Villagers are in favor of devolution of financial power/funds to Gram Panchayat.
Nature, natural resources, management and social culture are intertwined. There are many streams/ nallahs in/around Mangu. “Rantak” (watermill) is a part of their traditional culture since time immemorial. Watermill is popularly called as “Rantak” in Leh and “Ghrut” in Kargil. Kashmiri Muslims in valley called it “Ghrata”. There are 10-12 “Rantak” mills in Mangu village for grinding wheat and making aata. Five or six “rantak” mills were destroyed and washed away by flash floods in 2010 due to cloudburst. These were later repaired under MNREGA. One “rantak” mill is sufficient for 10-15 households. It needs investment. “Rantak” owner would charge fee for use of watermill. In older era, grinding fee or user’s charges, called “Jinsi” prevailed in the form of “sattu”. Those who were poor and could not afford to pay fee in cash or in “sattu” or in terms of a part of wheat flour, they would be expected to pay in terms of “fildur” which is basically waste flour (filth) accumulated on ground around grinding stones of “rantak”. “Rantak” owner would keep it (“fildur”) and use the same for cattle since it was not fit for human consumption.
For full text see www.excelsior.com/sunday-magazine
(Author works for NABARD. Views expressed are personal)Feedback:mohinder1966@gmail.com
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