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| Out of sight: Slum dwellers passing thought cultural dilution | | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, April 11: The city of Temples Jammu is becoming a hub of different cultures with people of different states scattered all over for one reason or the other. In the past couple of years the migrant population has increased manifold, thanks to the migration of people from remote and hilly areas to Jammu for greener pastures. The first priority thus is dwelling units. Mostly these unskilled workers from the villages in India come to Jammu in search of work.
Almost the entire work force, labourers, skilled and unskilled works (wo)men and even their contractors come from the states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab and various other southern states to Jammu for earning their livelihood. Some years back, their Dehadi (daily wages) used to be far lesser than the local labour force but with times it is almost uniform. In a way, the out-state labour force has now monopoly in the construction business of this region.
Maratha Colony, a slum adjacent to posh Trikuta Nagar presents a picture of mini India with migrants residing here for over last four decades together.
But the people in this slum area are a bit perturbed as culture, which is one of the major feature of every region and distinguishes it from the other, now has diluted to considerable extent for one reason or the other.
The Maratha colony has a group of 500 migrant families from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and even some families from Myanmar. Even as it has been a stay for generations for some families, their distinct culture and traditions are getting diluted for varied reasons.
The migrants are living in the area from about 40 years and during the time period their cultures and customs have diluted. Even after facing many odds, the elders manage to perform all the rituals which usually are a majot part of the festivals in the same spirit and enthusiasm followed in their respective states,the younger generation of this community are lacking interest in their culture.
“My 12 year old son who is studying in a government school never shows any interest toward Ganpati Mahoustav, he is not even interested in performing the main Puja”, said Siv Ji from Maharashtra.
Even the mode of celebrations have undergone a sea change. With the passage of time, there is visible change in the life style of these migrants particularly among youths.
Even the celebration marriages have witnessed dilution in terms of rituals and traditions observed in their own states.
“Marriages used to be different in our areas. There used to be big celebrations and a lengthy process of rituals and traditions, and that was good also. But now there is neither that charm nor that fervor. All rituals are just performed merely for the sake fo formality” said Phoolan Bhai, a blind lady residing in this slum area for the last sixty years.
“I am residing in this colony from the time when there was not even proper railway station,” she said pointing towards nearby railway line. Phoonal Bhai family has 16 members in the family in four generations.
With elders worried about fast eroding cultural identities they are looking forward to some kind of help from any quarter which would help them on account of f financial resources and could also provide some other help to these slum dwellers.
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