Volume II,Issue IV, March 2026
Volume-II, Issue-IV, March, 2026 |
Received: 20.03.2026 | Accepted: 21.03.2026 | ||
Published Online: 31.03.2026 | Page No: | ||
DOI: 10.69655/atmadeep.vol.2.issue.04W. | |||
‘শালগিরার ডাকে’ উপন্যাসে দিকুদের আশ্রয়দাতা
সাঁওতালরা: আদিবাসী ও অ-আদিবাসী মেলবন্ধন
শিবরাম হাঁসদা, গবেষক, বাংলা বিভাগ, বর্ধমান বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়,পশ্চিমবঙ্গ, ভারত |
ABSTRACT | ||
This research paper examines the role of
indigenous communities, particularly the Santals, as protectors and providers
of refuge to non-tribal populations in Mahasweta Devi’s novel Shalgirar Dake.
While pre-Kallol Bengali fiction rarely portrayed the struggles of tribal life,
Mahasweta Devi, often regarded as the “Marang Dai” (elder sister) of Adivasis,
foregrounds their socio-cultural realities, resilience, and ethical values. The
study highlights how Adivasi societies, despite economic hardship, maintained
strong communal bonds, self-sufficient village systems, and egalitarian social
structures free from rigid caste hierarchies. During the devastating Bargi
invasions (1742–1751), widespread violence, plunder, and displacement forced
many non-tribal (Diku) communities to flee their homes. In this context, Santal
villages emerged as safe havens due to their unity, martial preparedness, and
relative autonomy from feudal and colonial control. Mahasweta Devi illustrates
that the Santals not only provided shelter to displaced artisans such as
blacksmiths, potters, and carpenters but also integrated them into their
socio-economic framework by offering land, food, and dignity. This humanitarian
inclusiveness transformed Adivasi villages into self-reliant, multi-occupational
communities, reducing dependence on external systems. However, the paper also
critically explores the long-term consequences of this openness. The gradual
infiltration of exploitative non-tribal forces, aided by internal betrayal, led
to economic exploitation, imposition of taxes, and eventual marginalization of
the Adivasis themselves. This shift culminated in resistance movements led by
figures like Tilka Murmu against colonial and feudal oppression. Thus, the
paper argues that Adivasi societies, often labeled “primitive,” were in fact
deeply humane, organized, and resilient, playing a crucial role as protectors
of displaced populations, while simultaneously becoming victims of systemic
exploitation. | ||
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