Nagrakata (Bengal): “We do not celebrate Durga Puja,” says Bina Asur.
“No one in our community goes to see the idols during the festivities. They think it is a sin to see an ancestor of our community, the Asurs, being killed by Ma Durga. Many in the older generations observe fasts and weep during the Durga Puja festival. These are old customs,” she adds.
In her late 50s, Bina resides in Nagrakata village in the hilly region bordering Bhutan in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district. She is one of the remaining members of the Asur tribe in the state, a small Austroasiatic ethnic group who live in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Meghalaya, and Jharkhand. The Asur people believe themselves to be descendants of Mahishasur, who, in Hindu mythology, was defeated by the goddess Durga.
An elder of the Asur community in Nagrakata, Bengal. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
During the five days of Durga Puja, while most of Bengal participates in celebrations, the Asur community practices seclusion, locking themselves indoors to mourn the slaying of Mahishasur. The elders of the community say that this mourning is rooted in the mythical fear of being deceived.
According to anthropologists, the Asurs were forced to leave the Indus Valley by the Aryans, and migrated to Netarhat in the Chota Nagpur Plateau, which has been inhabited by various tribes for many centuries. In the 19th century, the British relocated them to North Bengal to work at the tea plantations. As per the 2011 census, there are 4,861 people from the Asur tribe currently living in West Bengal.
But there is a real and pressing fear that also grips the community – their uncertain citizenship status.
“We are in great danger, we have no papers. I went to the tea garden manager who employs us and they assured us that they will put it in writing that we have been working for many, many years. But these assurances do not hold much legal weight,” Bina says.
Bina Asur. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.
An elderly man says that many Asurs were treated as pariahs due to their last name and converted to Christianity to escape such censure. He also cites the example of Assam and its detention camps.
The literacy rate within the community is low at 45%. In the Dooars region, the majority of Asur community, including Bina, are employed in the tea estates. At the Carron tea estate, all 53 houses in which the Asurs live are mud and bamboo huts with tin sheds.
They were recognised as a Scheduled Tribe only in 2014, after years of struggle. But community members feel that the benefits of government schemes are yet to reach them.
“For many years, we have been hearing that the government will provide houses as part of a scheme. However, to be eligible for a house, one must have the land registered in their name. I earn Rs 225 after working all day, and there is no concept of savings in the tea garden. How are we supposed to buy land in these circumstances?” asked Bina.
In the village, there is just one car, an aging Tata Sumo, prominently displaying the word ‘JESUS’ on its front. It is the only way of transporting ailing individuals to nearby towns, and it is highly valued by the local community. The community-owned car stands as a symbol of pride and is parked at a central place within the settlement.
The car which doubles as an ambulance. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar.
One of the elder members of the community reflects, “Once upon a time, our ancestors were defeated by Ma Durga. Now, the government may seek to displace us, even imprison us. But we will resist and stand our ground. We are the descendants of the Asur. We understand the art of fighting!”
(Translated from the Bengali original by Aparna Bhattacharya)