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The University of Hull [Tribes, Politics and Social Change THE UNIVERSITY OF HULL [TRIBES, POLITICS AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN INDIA: A CASE srUDY OF THE MULLUKURUMBAS OF THE NILGIRI HILLS) being the Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Hull by [Sudarshan Sathianathan, B.Sc. M.A. M.Phil) [November 1993] IMAGING SERVICES NORTH Boston Spa, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ www.bl.uk PAGE NUMBERING AS ORIGINAL· CONTENTS List of Maps and Models. page Chapter I. ...................................................................................................1 An Outline of the study, its Objectives and a Framework for Analysis. Objectives of the Study. Terminology Used. Relevance of the Study to the Body of the Mainstream Literature. Perspective and Premise of the Study. Lay-out of the Thesis. Fieldwork and Methods of Data Collection. Chapter 11. ................................................................................................40 A Review of Theoretical Perspectives Related to This Study. Notion of Tribe in Indian Society. A Critical Analysis of Perspectives and their Validity in Analysing the Politics of the Weak. Chapter 111. .............................................................................................•94 Historical Overview of Nilgiris and the Mullukurumbas. Pre-British Era. British Era. Post-Independent era. Chapter IV ............................................................................................... 124 The Mullukurwnbas in Contemporary India. A Socio.,.Economic Analysis of the Mullukurumbas. Change and Impact on Mullukurumba Psychology. Emergence of the Identity of the Weak. Chapter V................................................................................................ 159 Political Culture and High Politics in Nilgiris. The Protagonists. Political Culture of Nilgiris. 'Sangamam': An Analysis of The Rules of High Politics. Explanation for Denial of Access to the Weak. Chapter VI .......................................................................•.......................231 Low Politics: The Alternate Terrain. Low Politics: Its Manifestation. Family and Religion: The Institutional Bases of Low Politics. Justification for Amoralism. Conclusion...•...................•..............................•...••••.................•...............• 288 Politics of the Weak: Indetenninate or Detenninate ? State Formation and Politics of the Weak. Gl()S,SBry' .•...............•...••......................••...........••••..•............•..............••..... 296 Bibliogr-aphy ............................................................................................... 31 0 .Append.ix .................................................................................................. 343 Summary of the Thesis submitted for a Ph.D Degree by Sudarshan Sathianathan on [TRIBES, POLITICS AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN INDIA: A CASE STUDY OF THE MULLUKURUMBAS OF NILGIRI HILLS] Mainstream studies on Indian politics have delineated the people of India into two categories, variously described as the rich and the poor, the elite and the masses, the bourgeoise and the proletariat, among others. This has resulted in the emergence of a common theme which suggests that a powerful dominant minority have been able to use the forces of social change to subject the masses to a position of weakness. Nowhere else is this more obvious than in studies analysing the politics of tribal people in India, which goes further to suggest that except for a few groups, the rest are politically naive and placid. This study takes issue with such a view by describing the political behaviour of the Mullukurumbas: a tribal group in Nilgiris, South India numbering around 1300. In spite of their low numbers and cumulative wealth - which places them squarely within the category of the so-called exploited - the Mullukurumbas reveal by their actions that they are not social dummies but actors. Analysis of their behaviour shows that they, by discernment of the socio-political contexts and through evaluation and reflection of their relative standing with others, find methods to manoeuvre social change in a direction preferable to them. This study also highlights the following: the fact that mainstream studies on Indian politics has focused attention almost entirely on the terrain of high politics. It sees in it a discrepancy that leads to the emergence of a view, which varying in degrees suggest, an active and powerful strong placing under their domination a subjected and powerless weak. This study stretches the parameters of analysis further into the terrain of low politics where much of the transactions of the weak with the state, society and the strong take place. It shows how valued means of politics - land, money and identity - universally accepted within the context of the political culture in Nilgiris is acquired and conserved by the Mullukurumbas. This study moves beyond the mainstream theorists in describing the politics of tribal people in India today by showing how the actions of the weak are (1) sustained in subtle and well calculated ways in the terrain of low politics and (b) is institutionalised within so called non-political structures such as family amd religion. This, in spite of the pressures of change, set in motion (1) by the underlying conflict between the state and society and (2) by the settling in of the strong in niches that emerge in the power structure. By doing so, this study sheds light on the active role of the tribal people, conventionally presented merely as the weak. CHAPTER I AN OUTLINE OF THE STUDY, ITS OBJECTIVES AND A FRAMEWORK. FOR ANALYSIS. Introduction This chapter introduces the reader to the following. (1) The objectives of this study; (2) The terms used in this study, of which some are unique while others, borrowed. Those borrowed are modified to take on specific meanings. By being introduced to them here, the reader would find it not only useful, but also find the thesis more continuous in its flow. (3) The relevance of this study to the body of literature on tribal people in India. This study aims to not only look at tribal people as active participants in the Indian polity but also highlight the failure of mainstream tribal studies to see from these perspectives. In order to do so, this study creates a framework to analyze the activities of tribal people, as well as weak groups in the Indian polity. This involves the study of the two terrains of politics in India; the' high and the low. A case is made for the need to take more seriously the terrain of low politics, for it is here that the actions of the ,weak are more evident than in the terrain of high politics. The intended direction of this study is elaborated next with an introduction of the protagonists of this study. The premises on which this study is based, follows. The political culture of Nilgiris, the district where this study was carried out, is introduced. It is seen as a 'game' with rules that determine the prize, as 1 well as valued means of politics. Three valued means are chosen in this study for analysis; land, money and identity. Next, the plan of this dissertation is laid out. This appears after a discussion involving the pros and cons of the middle - range analysis used in this study. Also, justification for the descriptive nature of this study with regard to the protagonists appears here. Finally, (9) the presentation of field work and methods of data collection. This chapter is therefore intended to be not only an introduction, but also as a reference for the study as a whole, especially with regard to the concepts used. Objective of the study. The objective of this research is to describe the Mullukurumbas, a tribal group in Nilgiris, South India, who number around 1300,1 as actors, whose political behaviour, as well as stratagems, arise from a unique sense of identity. The identity in question here is an 'identity of the weak', which for the Mullukurumbas, is both a state of mind as well as a condition of contemporary political power sharing in Nilgiris. In other words, it is both a construction, as well as a given, providing a view for both acting and being acted upon. This study does not merely aim to show how the Mullukurumbas' self-perception of 'weak' is something they are trying to combat through collective political action. Instead, it aims to show how they perceive this 'identity of the weak' as an incentive to political action and more, how they use it. The choice of Mullukurumbas, in this study, as actors representing the weak, is significant because they represent vividly, by their activities, how weak groups within the Indian polity, can and do transact values with other groups and 2 power holders in society, as well as the state. In that sense, this research does not aim to look at the Mullukurumbas as anthropological specimens and hence their 'Mullukurumbaness,' but how the autonomous political action of the Mullukurumbas, both as individuals as well as, as a group, manifests in the terrain of politics - both high and low. Hence, this study looks at Mullukurumbas as a weak political group, rather than merely as a socio-cultural group. Other writings have concentrated their attention on the physical, cultural and social characteristics of the Mullukurumbas. This study therefore skips such details, except those which are relevant to explain the political behaviour and identity of the Mullukurumbas, within the larger context of the Nilgiris society. The objective of this study therefore indicates how the political actions
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