Come join us in the Narmada Valley for the festival of HOLI
Holi is one of the biggest festivals of the adivasis of the Narmada Valley. It is a time of happiness and joy, a traditional cultural gathering of people of many different villages and different tribes, filled with the music of over 50 dhols (large drums), bansuris (flutes), ghunghrus (bells) and special songs of the adivasis. The traditional Holi dancing continues throughout the night. Several adivasi dancers are dressed in bright colours with painted faces and bodies, headgears of peacock feathers and musical instruments (as seen in the photo above).
The beautiful adivasi villages along the Narmada have been wrecked by the destructive Sardar Sarovar Dam being constructed in Gujarat. The dam, whose full planned height is 138.68 metres has currently been constructed upto a height of 110.64 metres. However, thousands of families are still not rehabilitated even though their lands and homes have been submerged. But the spirit of the people cannot be submerged.
The people of the Valley have been struggling for 20 years against this injustice, and continue to struggle, organised as the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). The life in the Valley continues despite severe hardships due to the rising waters.
The traditional Holi celebration is an affirmation of their right to preserve their way of life whilst struggling against their unjust displacement.
Come join the celebration of life and the struggle in the Narmada Valley
The program details:
14th March: As far as possible, visitors should plan to reach Baroda (also called Vadodara) by 9 am . From there we will travel by road to Hapeshwar in Gujarat (3 hours) and take a boat to JALSINDHI village in Madhya Pradesh (about 1 hour). 14 th March is also International Day Against Large Dams, which will also be commemorated on this day. Night-stay in Jalsindhi.
15th March: Travel by boat upstream from Jalsindhi (6 hours). Reach BHADAL village in Maharashtra for another Holi celebration. Night-stay in Bhadal.
16th March: Leave Bhadal in the morning, travel by boat to Kakrana (1 hour), then travel by road to Badwani in Madhya Pradesh (3 hours). There will be one meeting with dam-affected people of this region.
Getting to Baroda : Baroda is located on the main Western train line on the Delhi-Mumbai route.
Leaving from Badwani: Badwani is 4 & ½ hours by road from Indore (to catch trains to Delhi, Kolkata, etc), 5 hours by road from Khandwa (to catch trains to Delhi, Bangalore, and the South) and 7 hours by road from Baroda.
Please call or email if you need more details about travelling to the Valley, or to inform us that you will be joining us.
CONTACT:
- NBA office at Baroda, Gujarat. Ph: (0265) 2282232, 09879536407. E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED]
- NBA office at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh. Ph: (07290) 222464.
- NBA office at Dhadgaon, Maharashtra. Ph: (02595) 220620.
- Ms. Pervin Jehangir (Mumbai): (022) 22184779, 09820636335. E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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"I may disagree of what you say, but I will defend to
the death your right to say it."
-Voltaire
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SAVAD RAHMAN
subeditor,MADHYAMAM daily,
pooppalam, perinthalmanna,kerala,
india
cell:(91)-9846085873
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