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JHABUA, INDIA, January 29, 2004: Jhabua district has one of the highest tribal population with 86 percent tribals. The root cause of communal violence in the region is conversion. With hundreds of tribals belonging to the Bhil community being converted, first to Christianity, and then to Hinduism, the culture of the largest adivasi group in the country is going through tremendous changes, states this article. Torn between the two religions, the traditional Gods and festivals of the tribals are being displace by new cultural idioms. The Bhils practised animism where nature reigned supreme. “The religion is based on nature worship and has nothing to do with Hinduism as such. The foundation of their faith has changed, it’s either Jesus or Ram. They got the faith but lost their identity. Trees, rivers and the deities now have an icon, a face. Traditional songs got replaced by Christian and Hindu hymns,” said Rahul Banerjee, a research student. “And the neoconverts or bhagats as they are called, in a radical departure from their Bhil roots, have renounced alcohol and meat. Festivals like Gull, Jatra and Dewas have been replaced by Christmas, Holi and Diwali,” he added. “We have learnt how to pray like this with our eyes closed. Christianity has taught us a lot of things like personal hygiene, education for children, among other things,” said one tribal. But in their longing for a place in the ‘civilized society,’ the tribals are gradually losing their original identity is the opinion of this article.

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