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Chotangpur Adivasi Seva Samiti

How the elders in Kasiadih reminded the youth About the values of life!
 A story of Change

It is summer and the Mango trees in Kasiadih are loaded with Mangoes.  On the 29th May2025 a poor Santhal laborer while working in one of the houses saw Mangoes hanging before him on a tree in the neighborhood. The tree was so loaded with the Mangoes that its branches bent towards the village street attracting the attention of every passerby. The tree belonged to a “powerful” Santhal family whose children are now educated and have jobs that are paid well. The Mango tree too is well protected and fenced but she desired to be free and let her branches and fruits droop freely inviting others to share God’s gifts to her this summer season. The poor laborer couldn’t resist her beautiful enticement and fell for her looks. Being a God fearing man he asked the little girl who stood outside the fenced house if he could have a Mango. She said no. He made many requests and on being refused he couldn’t resist he said”, I don’t have any snack to have with my drink so can I not have a mango saying this he plucked the eye-catching fruit happily”. Now there were others in the family inside the house quietly watching. Out came a youth named Rascal( name changed) who shouted at the poor Santhal middle aged man with filthy language and made him sit and humiliated him with toxic words. The laborer was so ashamed he held his ears and begged for pardon but the youth a teacher by profession who had recently graduated demanded a fine of Rs.500.

This incident concerned the scorn of the elders in Kasiadih who immediately called for a Darbar(a village meeting) On the 30th May 2025 early in the morning  a small group of village intellectuals and elders met to talk about the incident. In the meeting the village elders asked Rascal’s father who was present in the house when all this was happening outside why he did not intervene when his son was behaving so badly with the laborer. The father accepted his mistake and apologized. Then the laborer in a painful tone holding his cheeks said,” never again shall I look towards your house and your Mango tree.” The village elders then reprimanded him saying,’ do not speak this way it is not a good manner to forgive”. Then one of the elders said to the youth Rascal,” See today you have enough and more even to fence your property and your generation is enjoying but no one knows the future so do not behave in this style again!

An elder in the meeting a nature worshipper continued,” see on this earth nothing belongs to us. Today you have tomorrow you may not, times change. One must not keep so much attachment to the point of becoming egoistic and severe. Your house is at the entrance of this village, wedding parties have to pass by your house first, let it not be said about Kasiadih that if you are going there do not touch their mangoes.” And thus put fear in the visitor’s hearts. The reputation of this village will be spoilt!In this way the elders put good sense into the youth and sent a strong message to individual’s evil doings and restored good neighborly relations in place.