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सातपुडा हा आज अनेकांसाठी आकर्षणाचे केंद्र बनला आहे. ज्याला कुणालाही समाजसेवा करायची असेल त्यांच्यासाठी तर हे नंदनवनच आहे. कारण येथे समाजसेवेसाठी खुपच वाव आहे. येथे समस्यांची उणीव नाही. फक्त निस्पृहपणे कार्य करणारा पाहीजे. मा. जनार्दन महाराज यांनी पश्चिम खान्देश भिल्ल सेवा मंडळ, नंदुरबार चे अध्यक्ष व आदिवासी नेते मा.जयवंतराव नटावदकर यांच्या सहकार्याने मोलगी या गावी सातपुड्यातील पहिली आश्रमशाळा सुरु केली. आश्रमशाळेसाठी विद्यार्थी मिळत नव्हते कारण पुर्वी शिक्षणाबद्दल लोकांमध्ये आज आहे तेवढी आस्था नव्हती. तेव्हा मा. जनार्दन महाराज यांनी घरोघरी फिरुन पालकांना शिक्षणाचे महत्व पटवून देऊन विद्यार्थी गोळा केले. आश्रमशाळेसाठी सुरवातीला दोन कौलारु छप्परे बांधून घेतली नंतर संस्थेच्या मालकीची पक्की इमारत बांधली. विद्यार्थ्यांची शाळेतील गैरहजेरी कमी व्हावी यासाठी पालकांवर वेळप्रसंगी कायदेशीर नोटीस पाठवून कार्यावाही केली. आज आपल्याला जी मोलगी दिसते ती आधी तशी नव्हती. आठ-दहा कौलारु छप्परांशिवाय तेथे काहीही नव्हते. दळणवळणाची सोय नव्हती म्हणून सरकारी कर्मचारी येत नसे. सन १९५९-६० मध्ये मोलगी भागासाठीचे...

शहादा तालुक्याला “अण्णा का गन्नावाला शहादा” असे गौरविले जाते. (असे मा.अमरीशभाई पटेल, यांनी माझ्या मुलाखती दरम्यान माझ्या तालुक्याचे नांव ऐकून म्हटले होते.) ही शहाद्याची ओळख ज्यांच्यामूळे निर्माण झाली ते अण्णासाहेब पी. के. पाटील, त्यांचा जन्म जरी गुर्जर समाजात झालेला असला तरी त्यांनी सातपुडा परिसरातील आदिवासी समाजासाठी खुप समाजकार्य केलेले आहे. विशेषत: आदिवासी सातपुडा शिक्षण प्रसारक मंडळाची आर्थिक परिस्थिती खालावल्यावर मा.जनार्दन महाराज यांनी या संस्थेला वाचविण्यासाठी व पर्यायाने आदिवासींच्या विकासासाठी जे प्रयत्न केले होते ते निष्फळ ठरू नये म्हणून अण्णासाहेबांना विनंती करून संस्थेचा सर्व कारभार सोपविला. ज्या दिलेरीने अण्णासाहेबांनी बुडत्या संस्थेला वाचविले त्याच दिलेरीने संस्थेची परिस्थिती सुधारल्यावर सम्मानाने ती अमानत म्हणून मा.जनार्दन महाराजांना परत केली. असे उदाहरण आजकाल कुठेही ऐकवीत नाही. अण्णासाहेबांनी सातपुडा परिसरात जी क्रांती घडवून आणली व ज्यामूळे हा सातपुडा परिसर सुजलाम सुफलाम झाला त्या संस्थेचे नांव सातपुडा तापी परिसर सहकारी साखर कारखाना लि. पुरुषोत्तमनगर आहे. या कारखान्य...

समाजसेवेची शपथ घेतल्यानंतर सन १९४५ साली मा. जनार्दन महाराज यांनी दरमहा रु.१० या नाममात्र मानधनावर पश्चिम खान्देश भिल्ल सेवा मंडळ संचलित धडगांव येथील कन्झ्यूमर स्टोअर चालविले. या कन्झ्यूमर स्टोअरमध्ये किराणा, कपडे, विणकामासाठीचे सूत व इतर सर्व संसारोपयोगी वस्तु विकल्या जात. तेथे काम करीत असतांना त्यांची लोकप्रीयता वाढली आणि स्वातंत्र्यप्राप्तीनंतर सन १९५२ च्या पहिल्याच विधानसभेसाठी त्यांना कॉंग्रेस पक्षातर्फे आमदारकीसाठी तिकीट मिळाले. घवघवीत मतांनी ते विधानसभेवर अक्राणीचे पहिले आमदार म्हणून निवडून आले. आमदार म्हणून त्यांची कर्तव्ये त्यांनी चोख बजावली. आदिवासींवर होत असलेल्या अन्यायाला वाचा फोडण्याचे काम त्यांनी विधानसभेत केले. तेथे त्यांनी अनेक प्रश्नांना हात घातला. सातपुड्यात स्वतः पायी फिरुन कार्य करीत असल्याने आदिवासींच्या अडचणींची त्यांना पुरेपुर कल्पना होती. त्यामुळे त्यांनी संबंधीत मंत्र्यांना अनेकदा धारेवर धरले व निरुत्तर केले. महु व टोळंबीच्या झाडांच्या कत्तलींचा किस्सा सर्वश्रूत आहे. आदिवासी समाजातील लोक महुपासून दारु बनवितात व चोरटी विक्री करतात असा आरोप करुन सरकारने सातपुड्य...

मा.जनार्दन पोहऱ्या वळवी यांचा जन्म १६ जानेवारी १९२४ रोजी अक्राणी तालुक्यातील मुंदलवड या गावी झाला. त्यांचे शिक्षण गावातील ख्रिश्चन मिशनरीजच्या प्राथमिक शाळेत इ.३ री पर्यंत झाले. नंतर त्यांनी धडगांव येथे ४ थी पावेतो शिक्षण घेतले. त्यानंतर त्यांना एका व्हॅक्सीनेटरने रस्ता दाखविल्याबद्दल तु तळोद्याला आलास तर तुला शिक्षण घेता येईल असे मार्गदर्शन केले. म्हणून त्यांनी तळोद्याला जाण्याचे ठरविले. घरची परिस्थीती बेताची व अशिक्षीत बांधव व पालक यांनी नकार दिला, परंतु आईने आशिर्वाद दिला व सोबत दोन आणे दिले. मनाचा दृढ निश्चय करुन त्यांनी बाजाराला जाणाऱ्या लोकांसमवेत घनदाट अरण्यातून तळोद्याचा प्रवास केला. तेथे श्री.रणछोडदास गुरुजींनी त्यांना प्रवेश दिला परंतु १०० रु. अमानत म्हणून देण्यास सांगितले. परंतु पैसे नसल्याने पंचाईत झाली. त्यानंतर त्यांच्याकडून लेखी लिहून घेतले. अशा प्रकारे तेथे त्यांचे सातवी पावेतो शिक्षण झाले. त्यापुर्वी त्यांनी स्वातंत्र्य लढ्यात, १९४२ च्या चळवळीत भाग घेतला व त्यामुळे ते नापास झाले व १९४३ ला पुन्हा परिक्षेस बसून ते फायनल म्हणजेच सातवी पास झाले. त्यानंतर त्यांना पुढे शेतकी...

Birsa Munda is one of the freedom fighters from Tribal Adivasi Community of India. He is a National Hero worshipped by tribal community. A few years ago I did not know even the name of this Hero. It is possible that many of us don’t know about the fact that he was a freedom fighter and his statue stands gloriously besides those of Mahatma Gandhi and other freedom fighters in the campus of parliament, House of the People in New Delhi. Birsa Munda was not just a freedom fighter but also a social reformer. He campaigned against the social evils superstitions and black magic. This visionary leader of people was believed to be healer, preacher, teacher and a prophet in Madhya Pradesh, a state of India. Like Gulam Maharaj and Ramdas Maharaj of Maharashtra he also tried to teach and preach his community. His followers called him Birsa Bhagwan i.e. Birsa, the God. The name Birsa evokes a passion of pride in the Adivasis i.e. Tribal Community. We always salute this National Hero but we don’t kn...

Mr. K. O. Padvi needs no introduction in Dhadgaon and his Tribal Community. He is one of the most devoted teachers who helped the Adivasi community to gain knowledge and dignity. He was a good teacher and had great knowledge about almost every subject. When I was firstly introduced to him, I found him very simple and good looking person. But when I worked under him I started to get acquainted with his dynamic personality. As a diamond has many sides and all of them glitter, many parts of his personality also glitter bright. He was a good teacher, better Head Master and the best Administrator. He is one of the students who rose from the below poverty and overcame every difficulty. He is a man with rational and radical thoughts. He educated his wife and children. His wife was a teacher in ZP Primary School and now retired. He himself was a teacher, Head Master of one of the famous schools of Adivasi Satpuda Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Dhadgaon. He worked in Late S. V. Thakar Madhyamik Vidy...

As Churchill Called, "Half-naked Fakir", Mahatma Gandhi lived very simple life but high thinking. 2nd October is very auspicious day for us i.e. Indians. It is the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the Nation. It is a thing of proud for every Indian who loves Mahatma Gandhi that his birthday will be celebrated and called as " Ahimsa Day" i.e. Day of Non-violence. Mahatma Gandhi was of the opinions that if someone slaps you, present him your another. Never be like tit for tat. Mahatma Gandhi condemned not only the physical lapse but also thinking lapse. During his evening prayer he would humbly confess for the mistakes he might have done during the day. His weapon was Truth and Ahimsa. He tested himself for so many times. During the British rule there was a tax on making Salt in India. The Mahatma wanted to know the reason behind it. He asked his wife not to add salt in his food. After some day he began to feel weak and not well. Then he decided to break the ...

We Adivasis in Satpuda celebrate the ‘Indal’ festival. But in Assam our people celebrate the ‘Karam’ festival. I’ve gathered this information for you. The Karam festival is celebrated by the Oraons on the 11th day of the Lunar month of August - September. Although the feast is meant to ensure the protection of standing crops, it is primarily the feast of unmarried girls who have been recently engaged. They pray for the blessing of healthy children. On the day of Karam all unmarried girls who want to participate in the festival keep a fast. Karam is the most popular and important festival of the Adivasis all over India including Assam. Out of the five types of Karam celebrated at the different times of the year, which coincide with events in the agricultural cycles, 'Raji Karam' is the most popular. It is celebrated with great pomp and gaiety. The other four types of Karam are 'Gitiya Karam, Dasai Karam', 'Burhi Karam' and the 'Bamba Karam'. Karam is the ...

“Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it.” It is well said by William Haley. In Satpuda Ranges people were afraid of the people wearing trousers and shirts. During the British rule tribal were exploited too much. The Adivasi leader and Social worker, Mr. Janardan Poharya Valvi has seen his father carrying a British officer on his shoulders like a horse and was being beaten with a whip. At that very moment he decided that he will not tolerate this. He decided to learn and make his people educated. In his house nobody was ready to send him in the school. But he himself left the home taking blessings of his Mother. When he came at Taloda the superitendent of the boarding demanded 100 Rs as security deposit because the pupils from Satpuda used to run away from the boarding. He assured the superitendent but he wouldnot liste...

We are free now. British rule is nowhere. But the scars of the old wounds can be seen even today. The day was 16 March 1943. One battalion of British soldiers invaded a vally near Akrani Fort in the Satpuda Ranges. The soldiers attacked on several adivasi men and women who were taking shelter. Many of them killed and many of them put into the jail, calling them "dacoits". It happened so that, adivasi saint Aap Gulam Maharaj of Morwad (Now Ranjanpur) Tal. Taloda Dist. Dhule (Now Nandurbar) always taught his disciples not to take alchohol or wine or any other type of Drugs. So people started following his teachings. After the death of Gulam Maharaj his younger brother Ramdas Maharaj took charge of the non alchohol movement. Now this annoyed the wine-shopkeepers. The conflict of alchoholists and non- alchoholist arouse. The British Govt. supported the wine shop keepers because they were selling their wine. The Govt. charged Ramdas Maharaj as rebel against the British Rule. So th...