.

They Eat Meat!

Our aunt Panmuni-jhi began to eat regularly in restaurants

after moving to Vadodara in 2000. In Bhubaneshwar
where she had lived before Vadodara with her husband
Biram and sons Hopon and Rabishe would avoid eating
out, fearing infection and stomach upsets. On the days
when the family returned late from their village outside
Ghatshila to Bhubaneshwar, driving their Maruti Omni
on the National Highways 33 and 5, Panmuni-jhi would
be too tired to cook. They would then get their dinner
packed from one of the roadside restaurants. But so
paranoid was Panmuni-jhi about eating restaurant food
that her tummy would begin to rumble a warning even
before she had put a morsel into her mouth.
Biram-kumang would chide her, 'You cannot always
find food cooked to your standards.' Biram Soren was a
director with the Gramin Vidyut Nigam, a Central
government enterprise which provides electricity to villages.
He had been with the company for over twenty years. His
job involved regular travel, and he wasn't very particular
about food.
 iff
2 The Adivasi Will Not Dance ff
They Eat Meat! 3
Panmuni-jhi would say sharply, 'If I don't get food
cooked to my satisfaction, I will not eat.' Such questions made Biram-kumang and Panmuni-jhi 'l\\l
Biram-kumang couldn't argue with his wife. First, he even more nervous. Biram-kumang had not expected to be
hated useless arguments. Second, he knew of the high transferred, not at his age. With ten more years of service
standards which Panmuni-jhi maintained in the kitchen. left before retirement, this move would disrupt their lives.
Apart from cooking the regular dal-bhat and roti-tarkari, They would be, quite literally, moving from one end of the
Panmuni-jhi would experiment liberally, taking cues from country to the other.
cookery shows and magazines like Vanita and Meri Sabeli. Panmuni-jhi though, practical as ever, started contacting
She experimented with eggs, milk, semolina and pumpkins; her acquaintances in Gujarat. Jhapan-di, a cousin of ours,
even tomato skins and potato peels. She made idli using lived in Vadodara. Her husband worked with the Central
only semolina; eggless cakes in a pressure cooker; tomato Industrial Security Force.
pickle with a tart, tangy flavour; and numerous items out 'Hello, Jhapan. Yes, mai, your kumang has been
of rice flour. transferred to Gujarat.'
Rabi was fond of saying, 'If my mother is given cowdung, 'Oh! Will you be in Vadodara, jhi?'
she can make pitha out of it.' 'Yes. How is the place?'
Panmuni-jhi had also mastered several 'fancy' items 'The place is good, jhi. It's neat and clean and well
available in restaurants and roadside stalls: phuchka, masala arranged. Once you get used to this place you'll like it.'
dosa, chowmein, chilli chicken and the like. If she came to 'That we'll have to, Jhapan. I am more worried about
know that her sons had eaten chilli chicken somewhere, where to stay and what to eat. You see, Jhapan?'
she would make the dish at home and ask them which one
'I understand, jhi. And that might be a problem.'
was better.
'A problem?'
It was little wonder, then, that when Biram-kumang
'Yes, jhi. You see, the food habits here are very different.
learnt of his transfer to Vadodara at the end of 1999, one
You may have to stop eating quite a few things we take for
of Panmuni-jhi's immediate concerns was food.
granted.'
'What are we going to eat there:1' she wondered aloud.
'Like what, Jhapan?'
'They don't eat jill-haku in Gujarat, do they?'
'Er... for one, people don't eat meat here. No fish, no
Family and friends in Ghatshila were concerned, too.
They asked: 'Where will you live?' 'What will you eat?'
'Will you be able to manage in such a faraway place?'
chicken, no mutton. Not even eggs.'
'Oh!'
f.)
'Don't worry, jhi. There are people who eat meat. And

wi
 4 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 5

while they do sell meat and eggs in some places, those unit, just like Biram-kumang was. He had been posted all
things are not easily available. People here don't like to mix over India before Vadodara, where he retired after building
with those who eat meat and eggs. It's like that.' a house in the Subhanpura Colony. The Raos had two
'Oh! What to do then, Jhapan?' sons. The elder worked and lived in Germany, while the
'Don't worry, jhi. If you feel like eating eggs or chicken younger was a student of engineering in some other state.
you can come to our place. Inside the CISF campus Biram-kumang would never forget his first meeting
everything is freely available. No problem with that.' with Mr Rao after they had moved in. 'Mr Soren/ Mr Rao
said to Biram-kumang after they had made some small talk
over tea and biscuits. 'I hope you don't mind my asking
By the end of 2000, the Sorens were in Vadodara. While this. Could you please tell me a bit more about yourselves?
Rabi, who was in medical college, stayed back in Cuttack, Where are you from?'
Hopon, who was in Class 9, accompanied his parents and 'Yes, sure. As I said earlier, we are from Jharkhand/
was admitted to the ONGC Kendriya Vidyalaya, about Biram-kumang said.
an hour's drive from their new flat, on the ground floor of a 'You see, I have been to Jharkhand,' Mr Rao said,
house in Subhanpura Colony. It was a two-storeyed house surprising Biram-kumang with the slight hesitation he
of reasonable size, owned by the Raos, an elderly couple. began with. 'To Ranchi and Palamu... It was a long time
There was a hall-cum-dining space, two bedrooms, two ago; it was all Bihar then. Jharkhand became a separate
bathrooms, and a kitchen. There was a verandah in the state only a few days ago.'
front; a smaller verandah at the back; some space in the 'Yes, in November,' Biram-kumang said.
front which was patio, flowerbed and car park all in one; 'Er... Mr Soren, I hope you won't mind my asking
and there was a little kitchen garden at the back, A staircase this... Will you?'
on the side of the house led up to the first floor and to the 'No, sir. Not at all/ Biram-kumang said tensely. 'Please,
terrace. There was only one garage, where the Raos kept ask.'
their old Maruti 800, but a shed had been built just beside 'Er... Isn't Soren a tribal surname? Please, I just want
the front gate to house an additional car. The entrance to to know. For information's sake.'
the compound was common, through the front gate. Biram-kumang was shocked at being asked this so
The Raos were a Telugu couple from Andhra Pradesh. directly, especially by the gentle-seeming Mr Rao, but he
Mr Rao had been an employee of a Central government kept his composure.
 6 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 7

'Yes, sir,' Biram-kumang answered. 'We are tribals. Biram-kumang hesitated, then said, 'What is it, sir?'
Santhal.'
'You see Mr Soren... people may want to know about
'Please, I hope you don't mind, Mr Soren, I have nothing you. They are always curious. If they ask you where you're
against tribals. I have worked with tribals in my various from, please, will you just tell them that you're from
postings all over the country. I have even lived in Ranchi. I Jharkhand? Just that much, nothing more. Better still, can
respect all communities. And in this city, you see, even we you tell them that you've been transferred from
are outsiders.'
Bhubaneshwar? Mentioning a well-known city usually
'I... I understand that, sir,' Biram-kumang said, unsure clears the air quicker. You understand, don't you?'
what Mr Rao was getting at. 'Sure, sure, I do.' Biram-kumang relaxed a little. He
'You see, Mr Soren, I asked this because not everyone had been told to expect all this.
here might have the same attitude as me.' 'As for me,' Mr Rao added, 'if someone asks me, I'll tell
Biram-kumang was all ears. them I know you through colleagues and friends I know
'Vadodara is a strongly Hindu city,' Mr Rao continued. and trust. I'll say that you are a good person.'
'People here believe in purity. I am not too sure what this Biram-kumang forced a smile. 'That would be very
purity is, but all I know is that people here don't eat non- kind.'
veg. You know? Meat, fish, chicken, eggs. Nor do they Mr Rao heaved a sigh of relief. 'Thank you, Mr Soren.
approve of people who eat non-veg.' You see, even we used to eat meat and chicken. And eggs.
'Yes, sir.' Biram-kumang nodded. We used to have eggs for breakfast almost daily. My sons,
'Tribals, even lower-caste Hindus, they are seen as they eat non-veg. But not when they're here. When we
impure. I hope you understand.' Mr Rao seemed almost decided to settle herebecause this place is so neat and
contrite as he said this.
tidywe had to pay a small price. I hope you understand.'
'Yes, sir. I have some idea of this/ Biram-kumang said. Biram-kumang only said, 'Of course, I understand.'
'Muslims and Christians, they don't stand a chance 'But still we can't be sure. Who holds a grudge against
here. They have separate areas where they live. Cities whom. What tensions there are underneath ail the civility.
within a city. Separate bastis for Muslims, for Christians.' I don't know how many people here, in this colony, where
Biram-kumang kept nodding. we've lived for a decade or so, hate us for not being from
'Mr Soren, you seem like a good man, a family man. Gujarat. One can never tell. The family living in that house
We trust you. But could I ask you to do one thing?' there,' Mr Rao pointed to the house right across the narrow
 8 The Adivasi Will Not Dance
They Eat Meat! 9
street, 'the Mohammeds. Not everyone in this colony is
comfortable with their presence. So you see, one has to be Panmuni-jhi shook her head in disbelief.
cautious all the time.' 'Don't worry, jhi.' Jhapan-di laughed and patted
'That's right,' Biram-kumang nodded in agreement. Panmuni-jhi on the knee. 'When you feel like eating jill-
'Er... Mr Soren/ Mr Rao began hesitatingly again. haku, come to our place. Have you got your phone
'Speaking of caution, can I ask you for one more favour?' connection yet?'
Biram-kumang thought for a second or two. What else 'No, not yet,' Panmuni-jhi said. 'We'll get it next week
was coming? 'Yes,' he said. 'What is it?' or so.'

'Can you assure us that you won't cook any non-veg in 'All right, jhi. As soon as you get your phone line, call
my kitchen? No meat-mutton-egg-chicken-fish. Nothing.' us. Then we'll fix a date for a lunch or a dinner. A traditional
Biram-kumang came downstairs and recounted the Santhal mealdaka and sim-jill. Done?'
meeting to Panmuni-jhi, She only clutched her head in her After the landline had been fixed, the first call Panmuni-
hands and kept sitting where she was, silently, for a long jhi made was to Rabi at his hostel in Cuttack. 'Son, we
time. haven't eaten chicken for two weeks. Not even eggs!'
'That's good, Bo!' Rabi laughed.
'Good?'
Jhapan, where have we come?' Panmuni-jhi lamented on a 'Yes, at least you won't spoil your tummy. Each time
visit to her niece. you eat chicken you get indigestion.'
Jhapan-di said, 'Don't worry, jhi, you will get used to 'Not when I cook the chicken, son.'
this place.' 'Don't worry, Bo. Change your diet. You're getting
Panmuni-jhi asked in outrage, 'How can people dislike older. Old people shouldn't eat meat and eggs. They cause
those who eat meat? We need haku or sim-jill every Sunday, heart problems, cholesterol, fat, indigestion. And gout!'
and eggs nearly every day!' This only annoyed Panmuni-jhi more.
'What to do, jhi?'Jhapan-di said wistfully. Jyamon des,
tyamon bhes. While we can buy everything here in the
campus marketmutton, chicken, eggs, alcoholwe don't In spite of the restrictions on her diet, Panmuni-jhi fell in
do that outside. Anyway, nothing is available outside, not love with Vadodara within a year. The markets, the roads,
in the entire Vadodara bazaar.' everything was so clean and neatly arranged.
It was an old town but there was so much open space
 10 The Adivasi Will Not Dance
They Eat Meat! 11
and greenery. It was so unlike Odisha and Jharkhand. The
shift in loyalties was finally sealed when she went to eat at a Vadodara, their visits decreased in frequency. Still, they
restaurant in town. ensured a meeting at least once a month.
Similarly, their menu at Jhapan-di's too underwent a
'Let us eat outside today/ Biram-kumang suggested
one afternoon during a shopping trip. change. Jhapan-di would be more than eager to entertain
'Outside?' Panmuni-jhi was stunned. her aunt's family from Jharkhand, and would cook a lot of
chicken and fish. However, as the Sorens more or less
'Arrey! You have to eat out to see how the restaurants
here are. They are not like the hotels in Bhubaneshwar. stopped eating non-vegetarian food, and began enjoying
They're different. Cleaner.' the vegetarian meals that they often had at restaurants in
Curious, she followed Biram-kumang into an eatery. Vadodara, they asked Jhapan-di to not bother. Bhat, dal,
one tarkari, and for that token non-vegetarian dish, even a
It was a simple place, but spacious, airy andas
simple egg curry would do.
Panmuni-jhi noticed right awayclean. There was ample
space between the tables for patrons and staff to walk. The 'Of course, this city is neat and clean, jhi,' Jhapan-di
tables had white tops, but they had been cleaned so well said to Panmuni-jhi. 'This is one of the charms of living
there were no haldi stains, no stains from the bases of here. Everything here is in order. You haven't been to
glasses and cold drink bottles. Also, there were no puddles Ahmedabad yet, have you, jhi?'
of water accumulated anywhere, no dirt deposited in the 'No,' Panmuni-jhi said. I've heard about it, though. It's
a nice place, no?'
corners, no shoe or mud stains. It was like Panmuni-jhi's
own house. 'Nice? It's beautiful!'Jhapan-di's eyes shone. 'Such good
Biram-kumang and Panmuni-jhi ordered a Gujarati roads, you can lie down on them. And the markets and the
shops...'
thali each. Panmuni-jhi liked the taste of the food, plain as
it was. However, it was the cleanliness which made the 'Hmm... I'll ask your kumang to take us there one day.'
strongest impression upon her. 'You must, jhi. You see, jhi, cities in Gujarat too were
dirty. All kachra on the roads and congestion. But there
was a plague epidemic hereyou remember? Some six-
seven years ago?'
The Sorens would regularly visit Jhapan-di. But as the
family grew busierwith Biram-kumang's office and Panmuni-jhi nodded. She remembered. She had been
Hopon's schooland as Panmuni-jhi too got used to at the Ghatshila Railway Station one day that year when
the station master had announced that the Ahmedabad-
 12 The Adivasi Will Not Dance
They Eat Meat! 13

Howrah Express would pass through the station, and

eggs, and there were always a fair number of people at that
people had started moving away from the platform. As
shop. Biram-kumang or Hopon would go there, look
soon as the Ahmedabad-Howrah Express arrived, whistling
around to make sure there were no familiar eyes spying on
wildly as it thudded through, everyone had turned their
them, buy two eggs, wrap them up discreetly, put them in
faces away and covered their mouths, noses and faces with
their cloth shopping bag, and return home.
their palms or handkerchiefs.
If buying eggs was a difficult task, cooking one was a
'Ever since that outbreak, the government here has
mission in itself. Cooking more than one egg at the same
made sure that the towns and cities are kept clean,'Jhapan-
time was the same as getting caught. If Hopon ate one egg
di said.
on a given day, he would have the next egg only after a
'I tell you, Jhapan,' Panmuni'jhi often said tojhapan-di
week or so, when Panmuni-jhi was sure that the odour of
on their Santhali'lunch afternoons, 'I always tried to avoid
the egg she had cooked had wafted out of the house, out of
eating at roadside restaurants in Bhubaneshwar. Whenever
Subhanpura Colony itself.
Rabi and Hopon bought me any outside-food, I would fall
Also, disposing the eggshells was a problem.
ill. Stomach ache, gas. I was so scared I would hardly eat
Each morning, the Sorens would tie up all the garbage
outside. If your kumang asked me to eat out, I would tell
vegetable peels, wrappers, waste paper, tea leavesin the
him to take me to a good and clean place, an expensive
polythene bags they lined their garbage bins with, and
place, like Swosti or Mayfair, or I wouldn't go. But here,
either Biram-kumang or Hopon would throw these bags
Jhapan, I like eating outside.'
into the municipal garbage bin outside the colony. On
'I told you, you'll get used to this place, jhi.'
days the garbage included egg shells, they would go even
further. On some days, when they couldn't throw the
eggshells in the garbage, they would bury them in the
But old habits die hard. The Sorens did wean themselves
kitchen garden.
and quite successfully, to some extentaway from fish,
On days like these, Panmuni-jhi would miss the freedom
chicken and mutton. However, at times, they would crave
of Bhubaneshwar, and the cool sea breeze of the Bay of
the simple sin of an egg.
Bengal which touched each person in the same way. In
There was a small shop in a far corner of the market
Bhubaneshwar, Panmuni-jhi remembered, she would
near the Subhanpura Colony, run by an immigrant from
regularly cook two-egg omelettes for Rabi and Hopon.
Bihar. It was the only shop in the entire market which sold
She would make delicious katla-machh which all the
 14 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 15

Santhal women of the city would praise. And, of course, mirror-work for a three-year-old niece. She also picked up
there were the regular chicken and mutton dishes. The a traditional woodwork sofa from the artisans of Vadodara
aroma of eggs, fish, chicken and mutton dishes would waft district for her home. It was exquisitely carved and so
out of her kitchen and flow all over the HIG Housing finely lacquered that it shone. Their old sofa set was put in
Board Colony. No one raised an eyebrow, no one came to the back verandah and the new Gujarati sofa was installed
her house to grab her husband's collar and demand of him: in the drawing room. Panmuni-jhi further filled up the
'Soren, didn't I tell you not to cook non-veg:1' No. Instead, house with Bhitiya wall-hangings, bead-work torans and
her neighbours would only ask her: 'Bhoujo, ei dish tawmo vases.
kemti taiyar kawrochho?' And she would happily tell them In less than a year, the Sorens had settled well in their
how she had made the dish. new city. They had made friends, both in Biram-kumang's
In Odisha, Panmuni-jhi could be a Santhal, an Odia, a office and in the neighbourhood. And while it was now
Bengali. In Gujarat, she had to be only a Gujarati. In well known that the Sorens were of Adivasi origin, they
Bhubaneshwar, all the Santhals of the city celebrated Baha, conformed to the normsthey went to mandirs, celebrated
Sohrai and Sakrat together. They went to the Nandan Hindu festivals, fasted on certain days, lit dhoop-batti in
Kanan Zoo for their yearly picnic and cooked jill-leto for their houseand were accepted.
all the guests. They even invited Santhals living in other Mr Rao was happy at the manner in which Biram-
places in Odisha, like Cuttack, Paradip, Rourkela, Baripada, kumang and Panmuni-jhi had made Vadodara their home.
and Koraput. It would be an impressive gathering. His evening conversations with Biram-kumang at the gate
Panmuni-jhi came to know from Jhapan-di that there grew more cordial and relaxed by the day. Meanwhile,
were Santhals living in Gujarat and working in offices. Panmuni-jhi and Mrs Rao also became friends.
Panmuni-jhi wondered if it would be possible for all the One morning, after Biram-kurung had left for work,
Santhals in Gujarat to go out on a picnic together and Mrs Rao surprised Panmuni-jhi by paying her a visit,
cook jill-leto openly. And when she had such thoughts, the because she was rarely seen outside her flat. After some
demands to conform with the society she was living in small talk, she said, suddenly, 'Please, Mrs Soren, can I fry
made her feel constricted. an egg in your kitchen? Mr Rao won't let me.' Panmuni-jhi
Yet, Vadodara continually impressed her. On her last was stunned and for a moment she did not know what to
visit to Jharkhand before Hopon's board exams in 2002, say. It was so strange. Who asked such a thing, out of the
Panmuni-jhi bought a lehenga-choli with applique- and blue? And they barely knew each other. Perhaps this was a
 16
The Adivasi Will Not Dance
They Eat Meat! 17
trap. Had Mrs Rao seen Hopon bury the eggshells in the
'A train burned? Where?'
kitchen garden:* What would happen now?
'Mrs Rao' Panmuni-jhi said and stopped. 'Not here? Then where? What happened?'
'Who died?'
Mrs Rao seemed to understand and said, 'No, please
'When?'
don't misunderstand, Mrs Soren. The family who lived
'A riot? Where?'
here before you... Mr Rao sent them away. I haven't had
any non-veg for months. He won't let me.' Tickets were forgotten. Forms, train time-tables,
That morning, Panmuni-jhi learnt how to make a spicy everything was cast aside as everyone started milling out of
Andhra egg fry. After their meal, .Mrs Rao went into the the reservation counter.
bathroom and Panmuni-jhi heard her gargle. When she Hopon, alarmed, turned around, saw his father rushing
was leaving, Panmuni-jhi gave her an elaichi as mouth towards the gate, raised his hand and shouted, 'Baba!'
freshener. 'Go!' Biram-kumang shouted. 'Go to the car! Quickly!'
Over the next few months, Panmuni-jhi and Mrs Rao Hopon didn't need to be told again. He rushed down
made periodic visits to Jhapan-di's house in the CISF the stairs of the reservation counter and ran towards the
campus to cook their favourite meat dishes. Sometimes, parking lot. On reaching the car he turned around and saw
Hopon joined them after school, to give his verdict on the melee behind him. People were rushing away from the
whose dish tasted better. station, clutching at their bags, bundles and children. On
the other side, towards the city, the scene was relatively
peaceful. People who had come in vehicles were getting
On the morning of Wednesday, 27 February 2002, Biram- them out. While there was civilitypeople were giving
kumang and Hopon were at the Vadodara Railway Station, space to each other to reverse or manoeuvre their vehicles
reserving seats for Ghatshila where they planned to travel there was urgency in their eyes.
after Hopon's exams ended. It was around 11 a.m. Biram- Biram-kumang rushed up to the Omni, unlocked the
kumang had bought the tickets and was walking towards door and, scrambling in, unlatched the door on Hopon's
the exit gate, where Hopon was waiting for him, when side. 'Get in quickly,' he said.
there was a sudden commotion.
'Baba,' Hopon said, 'you reverse the car first. I'll guide
Someone shouted that a train had been set on fire. you.'
In the blink of an eyeBiram-kumang hadn't yet
'You get in first!' Biram-kumang snapped.
reached Hoponchaos ensued at the reservation counter.
Hopon jumped in and slammed the door shut. Biram-
18 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 19

kumang reversed the car, lightly scraping the vehicle behind station, beside the busy HT Road. As they drove home,
him. Hopon's heart skipped a beat. He took a look at his Biram-kumang and Hopon saw that many people were
father's facehe had never seen him so tense. They drove still walking around, vehicles were-driving along normally,
out of the parking lot, out of the station area, and into the and daily life was going on almost as usual. Biram-kumang
city. wondered how long this would last.
By now, the wave of panic had begun to ripple out. When they reached home, Hopon jumped out of the
Shutters had been downed in the lanes close to the station. car and opened the front gate. Biram-kumang drove right
'There's been a riot somewhere,' Biram-kumang told in and parked the car under the shed. He locked the door
Hopon, his eyes on the road, tension still etched on his behind him as he entered, then began to shut and bolt the
face. windows.
'A what?' Hopon asked. 'What happened?' Panmuni-jhi rushed to Biram-
'A riot. Danga. Maybe people have been killed. I'm not kumang, worried. She was alone in the house. The maid
sure.' who came to clean the house and do the dishes had left by
'Killed? Where?' then. Biram-kumang asked, 'Do we have everything at
'I don't know.' home? Rice, atta, vegetables, biscuits, soap? Do we need
Hopon did not say anything more. All he wanted was anything?'
for them to get home as quickly as possible. He thought of 'Y-yes, why?' Panmuni-jhi was puzzled. 'Is everything
his mother. What would she be doing? If a danga was all right?'
happening somewhere, it would be reported on TV. His 'No, no, things are not all right.' Biram-kumang peered
mother didn't usually watch TV in the morning. But out of the window, at the street, as he spoke. 'There might
Hopon willed her to be watching TV at that moment so be a curfew. People were saying that a train has been set on
that she would know about the riot and lock the doors and fire somewhere in Gujarat. Tell me if we have everything
the windows. He also wanted to ask his father about the in stock. Otherwise I'll go out and quickly buy things.'
tickets. They had rushed out of the station in such a hurry 'No, no, don't go anywhere,' Panmuni-jhi protested.
that it was quite possible he had dropped them. Then he 'We have everything. Don't go anywhere. Hopon, stay
saw the tickets peeping out of the pocket of his father's inside!'
shirt pocket. By midday, all of Vadodara was silent. It took just one
Subhanpura Colony was ten kilometres from the hour, even less, for the bustling city to come to a standstill.
20 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 21

All the doors and windows of the houses in the city were 'We're fine. We're at home. We've shut all doors and
shut. Some ten minutes after Biram-kumarig and Hopon windows.'
reached, Mr Rao had come downstairs to ask after them. 'Yes, jhi. Stay indoors. Don't go out.'
On rinding that everyone was home, he had locked the Panmuni-jhi then tried to call up Rabi, but he wasn't in
main gate, gone upstairs, and shut himself in. his hostel. A few hours later, at around 4 p.m., Rabi called,
Biram-kumang switched on the TVthe burning train 'Are you all home?' he asked.
was on all the news channels. It was being reported that 'Yes, we are,' Panmuni-jhi said. 'Where were you? I was
some pilgrims had been returning from Ayodhya by the trying to call you.'
Sabarmati Express and when their train stopped at Godhra, 'I was at the hospital, on ward duty. We came to know
a hundred kilometres from Vadodara, some people had set of the riot there. It's all over the news, on all channels. I
fire to the train. It was being said that the arsonists had rushed out to the PCO to call you up. I tried so many
locked the doors of the compartments from the outside. times but kept getting a line-busy message.'
All fifty-eight people inside had been burnt to death. The 'We are all right. How are things in Cuttack?'
.culprits were identified as Muslims. Now Hindus were 'Cuttack is peaceful. Don't worry.'
avenging themselves. 'Go back to the hostel. Don't go out alone. Don't go
In Ahmedabad, Hindus had come out on to the streets, anywhere at night. If you feel unsafe or if a riot happens, go
destroying property belonging to Muslims, and killing and to a friend's house or get out of town. Go back to Ghatshila,
burning them. News reports mentioned violence in even. Stay there till things become normal.'
Vadodara too, but on the street outside their house, the 'Bo, I can manage. Don't worry. Things are fine here.'
Sorens saw that everything was still, silent. Perhaps the They stayed indoors all day. The burning train featured
violence was happening in other parts of town, the parts on the channels in a continuous loop; police vehicles
where they sold meat. patrolled the streets all day. Shut up as they were the entire
Panmuni-jhi called up Jhapan-di as soon as she saw the day, the Sorens couldn't see or hear anything. They kept
news on TV. Even Jhapan-di had been unaware of what their curtains drawn all evening, and the lights dimmed,
had happened. and when they went to sleep at night, their hearts were
'We're fine, jhi,' Jhapan-di said from her house in the pounding.
heavily guarded CISF campus. 'Don't worry about us. The next morning, they were up early. The TV was
How are you all?' playing the same loop as the previous day, Biram-kumang
22 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 23

drew the curtain aside a little and peered out of the drawing- 'You burnt our people, behenchod! We'll burn you!'
room window. There was no one on the roads except some Soon after, the door broke down under the constant
policemen. The doors and windows of all the houses pounding and a lighted petrol-bomb was hurled into the
remained shut. 'We're prisoners/ said Biram-kumang. Mohammed's living-room. The glass bottle shattered and
That night, the mob came. instantly set fire to the curtains. It was like a silent explosion.
The women of the house ran upstairs and, choking
from the smoke, threw the windows open. They leaned
From what everyone knew, Mr Mohammed worked out of the first-floor windows, weeping and screaming for
somewhere out of the city. There were only four women in help, while the mob below shouted obscenities, rejoiced
the house: the man's wife; his old, widowed mother; and
and spat at their victims. It was then that something odd
two teenage daughters. They were the only Muslim family
happened.
in Subhanpura Colony.
Clang!
The Sorensand the entire neighbourhoodwatched
A steel degchi fell at the feet of the men standing at the
through their darkened windows as two trucks approached,
edge of the mob.
nearly twenty men in each, armed with swords and sticks
The men looked up, alert and surprised.
and burning torches, shouting 'Jai Shri Ram!' and
'Motherfucker! Who is it?' the men shouted. 'We'll rip
'Mussalmano, Bharat chhodo!'
your arse, maaderchod!'
Some men from the mob jumped down, kicked open
the gate of the Mohammeds' house and rushed into the Thud!
compound. They picked up stones and bricks from the A well-hurled steel spatula hit another rioter right in
garden and hurled them at the windows. They then banged his eye.
on the front door. 'Mai!' He clutched at his eye and fell to the ground.
'Madarchod! Come out!' The mob quietened down in confusion. 'Who?' Biram-
The crowd beat at the door. It would give in at any kumang whispered. The vessels seemed to have been hurled
moment. from the terrace of their building. Panmuni-jhi was silent.
'Motherfucking Mussalman! Hiding inside your She knew who it was. When Biram-kumang and Hopon
mother's cunt? Come out!' turned back to peer out of the window, Panmuni-jhi went
The walls of the Subhanpura Colony shook with the into the kitchen. Quietly, she gathered some cooking vessels
shouts of the Hindu mob. and stole out to join her friend. As Biram-kumang and
24 The Adivasi Will Not Dance They Eat Meat! 25

Hopon watched, three steel tumblers, a pressure cooker The attack confounded the rioters. Now the men of
and a set of dinner plates landed on the mob. the colony came out on the street. They were all led by an
Soon there was a rain of vessels, sticks and other old, retired army veteran. 'Kill us first,' the old soldier said
household items. They now came from other rooftops as authoritatively. 'Then you go for those women.'
well. A crowd had gathered behind himmore than sixty-
As the flames in the Mohammeds' living room spread, seventy men and women, far bigger than the rioting mob.
the forty-fifty men in the mob faced a shower of iron, As the Subhanpura crowd gathered near the Mohammeds'
steel, aluminium, tin and wooden implements. The women house, Mr Rao and Biram-kumang too got out of their
of Subhanpura Colony had turned out in force. Some house and joined them.
pelted the rioters with their kadahis and katoris, others 'We beg you,' the army veteran told the rioters, and
threw degchis and frying pans. Some threw old, heavy though his hands were held together in supplication, his
irons. Some threw sticks and brooms. Those who had voice was stern and confident, 'Don't hurt them.'
nothing heavy to throw, pelted vegetables, packets of juice The rioters turned around, boarded their trucks, and
and butter, and bottles of oil and ketchup. left.
Many in the mob were hurt. The heavy irons landed on The fire, having spread in the living-room, was now
heads, the glass bottles cut legs, and the frying pans hit threatening to lick outwards. The men got together and
eyes, noses and necks. mobilized a human chain, organized water and sand, and
'Cowards all of you!' the men shouted in anger. managed to contain it. And so the women were saved. The
'Yes, we are cowards!' the women shouted back. 'But if old lady was nearly asphyxiated, but an hour in the open,
you are your father's sons, you will come for the men. You in the fresh air, revived her. Her daughter-in-law and
will not hurt any woman in that house.' granddaughters were stiff with fright. The daughter-in-
'They killed our people!' the men shouted. law couldn't stop weeping and the girls wouldn't speak.
'Did they kill your mother?' the women asked. 'The The army veteran took them to his house.
women in that house are as old as your mothers. Think of And, thus, the vigils began in Subhanpura Colony.
your mothers before you hurt those women.' The male members of the colony decided that they
'They are Muslims! They deserve to be killed!' would guard the colony at night. They had all heard about
'Kill us first! We are coming downstairs! Kill us first! the lootings that had taken place in Ahmedabad in colonies
Then you go for those women.' which were apparently peaceful or which had been
 26 The Adivasi Will Not Dance
They Eat Meat! 27

destroyed. They couldn't risk it in Subhanpurathe

mementos of Gujarat bought from handicraft emporiums.
Mohammeds' house was an easy target for thieves and
Biram-kumang stayed on at the Raos' house, visiting his
mobs.
family during holidays, applying for a transfer to an office
Every evening, after sunset, young men armed with
closer to home so that he could live with his family. When
sticks and whistles guarded their respective houses. On
his transfer to Ranchi was announced, they were overjoyed.
seeing any untoward activity, they were to raise an alarm.
They found a nice, sprawling, three-bedroom apartment
Hopon and Biram-kumang too were members of this team.
in Doranda, and Rabi and Hopon helped shift everything
As the days passed, people went on with their daily chores.
from Bhubaneshwar to Ranchi. Panmuni-jhi and Hopon
But once night fell, the curfew returned. Board exams in
then went to Vadodara to bring Biram-kumang to Ranchi.
Gujarat were postponed by fifteen days, though even after
Panmuni-jhi felt at home in Ranchi. It was, as she said,
those fifteen days, things were far from peaceful. Students
our area.
including Hopontook their exams under police guard,
'No one minds what we eat here/ she would say,
and Biram-kumang himself drove Hopon to and from the
marinating silver carp with salt and turmeric powder,
school. All shopping was done during the daytime. As
without a care in the world. 'And we don't mind what
soon as it was dark, people locked themselves up, police
others eat.'
vehicles began patrolling the entire city, and groups came
out with their sticks and whistles to guard their houses
and localities. This went on for more than a month.

Biram-kumang lived in Gujarat for two more years after

the riots. He was transferred to Ranchi in 2004. Panmuni-
jhi and Hopon, though, returned home much earlier.
After Hopon passed his board exams, he collected his
certificates and returned with his mother to Bhubaneshwar
for good. They rented a house and Hopon joined a local
college. They brought all the furniture backthe
woodwork sofa-set, the glass-topped centre table, all the