, CENSUS OF INDIA ~961
VOLUME X
MAHARASHT'~A
PART VI (2) AGARSURE VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH
Compiled by THE MABARASBTRA CENSUS OFFICE, BOMBAY
1966 PRnrrED IN INDIA BY THE MANAGER, GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PREE, BqMBAY AND PUBLISHED BY THE MANAGER OF PUBLICATIONS, DFLHI-8 Price-Rs. 2' 50 or 5 sh. lOti. or 90 cents. CENSUS OF INDIA 1961
Central Government Publications Census Report, Volume X-Maharashtra, is published in the following Parts I-A and B General Report
I-C Subsidiary Tables
II-A General Population Tables
I1-B (i) General Economic Tables-Industrial Classification
I1-B (ii) General Economic Tables-Occupational Classificfltion
I1-C (i) Social and Cultural Tables
U-C (ii) Migration Tables
III Household Economic Tables
IV Report on Housing and Establishments
V-A Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Maharashtra-Tables
V-B Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Maharashtra-Ethnographic Note~ f VI (1-35) Village Surveys (35 monographs on 35 selected villages)
VII-A (1-8) Handicrafts in Maharashtra (8 monographs on 8 selected Handicrafts)
VII-B Fairs and Festivals in Maharashtra
VIIl-A Administration Report-Enumeration (For official use only)
VIII-B Administration Report-Tabulation (For official use only)
IX Census Atlas of Maharashtra
X (1-12) Cities of Maharashtra (15 Volumes-Four volumes on Greater Bombay and One each on other'eleven Cities)
State Government Publications 25 Volumes of District Census Handbooks (in English) 25 Volumes of District Census Handbooks (in Marathi) Alphabetical List of Villages and Towns in Maharashtra (in Marathi) FOREWORD
Apart from laying the foundations of demography in this subcontinent, a hundred years of the Indian Census has also produced' elaborate and scholarly accounts of the variegated phenomena of In1ian life-'-sometimcs with no statIstics attached, but usually with just enough statistics to give empirical underpinning to their conclusions'. In a country, largely illiterate, where statistical or numerical comprehension of even such a simple thing as age was liable to be inaccurate, an under standing of the social structure was essential. It was more necessary to attain a broad understanding of what was happening around oneself than to wrap oneself up in 'statistical ingenuity', or ' mathe matical manipulation'. This explains why the Indian Census came to be interested in • many by paths' and' nearly every branch of scholarship, from anthropology and sociology to geography and religion' .
In the last few decades the Census has increasingly turned its efforts to the presentation of village statistics. This suits the temper of the times as well as our political and economic structure. For even as we have a great deal of centralization on the one hand and decentralization on the other, my colleagues thought it would be a welcome continuation of the Census tradition to try to invest the dry bones of village statistics with flesh-and-blood accounts of social structure and social change. It was accordingly decided to select a few villages in every State for special study, where personal observation would be brought to bear on the interpretation of statistics to find out how much of a village was static and yet changing and how fast the winds of change were blowing and from where. Randomness of selection was, therefore, eschewed. There was no intention to build up a picture for the whole State in quantitative tenlls on the basis of villages selected statistically at random. The selection was avowedly purposive: the object being as much to find out what was happening and how fast to those villages which had fewer reasons to choose change and more to rem:~in lodged in the past as to discover how the more < normal' types of villages were Changing. They weleto be primarily type studies which, by virtue of their number and distribution, would also givt: the reader a' feel' of what was going on and some kind ofa map of the country. A brief account of the tests of selection will help to explain. A minimum of thirty-five villages was to be chosen with great care to represent adequately geographical, occupational and even ethnic diversity. Of this minimum of thirty-five, the distribution was to be as follows :-- (a) At least eight viUages were to be so selected that each of them w(Juld contain ont; dominant community with one predominating occupation, e.g., fishermen, forest workers, jhum cultivators, potters, weavers, salt-makers, quarry workers, etc. A village should have a minimum popUlation of 400, the optimum being between 500 and 700. (b) At least seven villages were to be of numerically prominent Scheduled Tribes of the State. Each village could repi·esent a particular tribe. The minimum population should be 400, the ~ptimum being between 500 and 700. (c) The third group of villages should each be of fair size, of an old and settled character and contain variegated occupations and be, if pbssible, multi-ethnic in composition. By fair size was meant a population of 500-700 persons or more. The village should mainly depend on agriculture' and be sufficiently away from the major sources of modern communication such as the district administrative headquarters and business centres. It should be roughly a day's journey from the above places. The villages were to be selected with an eye to variation in terms of size, proximity to city and other means of modern communication, nearness to hills, jungles and major rivers. Thus there was to be a regional distribution throughout the State of this category of villages. If, however, a particular district contained significant ecolo gical variations within its area, more than one village in the di~trict might be selected to study the special adjustments to them. Vd4947-1a iv FOREWORD·
It is a unique fMture of thesy village surveys that they rapidly outgrew their original terms ofreference, as my colleagues warmed up to their work. This proved for them an absorbing voyage of discovery and their infectious enthusiasm compelled me to enlarge the inquiry's scope again and again. It was just as well cautiously to feel one's way a bout at first and then venture further afield, and although it accounts to some extent for a certain unevenness in the quality and coverage of the monographs, it served to compensate the purely honorary and extra-mural rigours of the task. For, the Su"ey, along with its many ancillaries like the survey of fairs and festivals, of small and rural industry and others, was an • extra " over and above the crushing load of the .1961 Census. It might be of interest to recount briefly the stages by which the Survey enlarged its scope. At the first Census Conference in September 1959 the Su"ey set itself the task of what might be called a record in situ of material traits, like settlement patterns of the village ; ho;use types ; diet ; dress ; ornaments and footwear; furniture and storing vessels; common means of transport of goods and passengers; domestication of animals and birds; markets attended.; worship of deities, festivals and fairs. There were to be recordings, of course, of cultural and social traits and occupational mobility. This was followed up in March 1960 by two specimen !\chedules, one for each household, the other for the village as a whole, Which, apan. from spelling out the mode of inquiry suggested in the September 1959 conference, introduced groups of questions aimed at sensing changes in attitude and behaviour in sl1ch fields as marriage, inheritance, moveable and immoveable property, industry, indebtedness, education, community life and collective activity, social disabilities, forums of appeal over disputes, village leadership, and organization of cu\turallife. It was now plainly the intentio~ to provide adequate statistical support to empirical' feel', to approach qualitative change through\' statistical quantities. It had been difficult to give thought to the importance of' just enough statistics \ to give empirical underpinning to conclusions " at a time when my colleagues were straining them';' selves to the utmost for the success of the main Census operations, but once the census count itself was left behind in March, 1961, a series of three regional seminars in Trivandrum (May 1961), Dar jeeling and Srinagar (June 1961) restored their attention to this field and the importance of tracing social change through a number of well-devised statistical tables was once again recognised. This itself presupposed a fresh survey of villages already done; but it was worth the troljble in view of the possibilities that a close analysis ofstatistics offered, and also because the ' consanguinity' SChedule remained to be canvassed. By November 1961, however, more was expected of these surveys than ever before. There was dissatisfaction on the one hand with too many general'statements and. ' a growing desire on the other to draw conclusions from statistics, to regard social and economic data as interrelated processes, and finally to examine the social and economic processes set in motion through land reforms and other laws, legislative and administrative measures, technological and cultural change. Finally, a study camp was organised in the last week of December 1961 when the whole field was carefully gone thro:ugh over again and a programme worked out closely knitting' the various aims of the Survey together. The Social Studies Section of the Census Commission rendered· assistance to Stat~ Superintendents by way of scrutiny and technical comme.t;lt on the frame of Survey and presentation of results. This gradual unfolding of the aims of the Survey prevented my colleagues from adopting as many villages as they had originally intended to. But I believe that what may have been lost in quantity has been more than made up for in quality. This is, perhaps, for the first time that such a Su"eyhas been conducted in any country, and that pUIely as a labour of love. It has succeeded in attaining what it set out to achieve; to construct a map of village India's social structure. One hopes that the volumes of this Su"ey will help to retain for the Indian Census its title to 'th~ most fruitful single source of information about the country' . Apart from other features, it will perhaps be conceded that the Sur-vey has set up a new Census standard in pictorial and grapl;Uc documentation.
ASOK MITRA, New Delhi, July 30, 1964 Registrar (kneraJ, India. PkEFACE
This part of the Census Report presents a monograph on village Agarsure of Alibag taluka in Kolaba district which is one of the 35 villages selected for Socia-Economic Survey in Maharashtra.
The Registrar ~eneral, India, in his ma.<;;terly " Foreword" has outlined the main objects of the Socia-Economic Surveys in selected villages as a part of the 1961 Census programme as also the method followed in selection of villages to be surveyed.
The Maharashtra Census Office could not, however, strictly confine itself to the basis suggested by the Registrar General for selection of Nillages as in selecting them the primary consideration that weighed with us was that each district should have at least one village selected.
Accordingly 35 villages were selected from all the 2S districts in the State (Greater Bom'bay district excepted), 15 from different 15 districts and 20 from the remaining 10 districts.
The selected villages roughly fall in the following categories :- No. of villages Category in which the villages fall in the category 1. Villages in forest and hiBy tract 12 2. Villages in scarcity areas 7 3. Villages having f<;:rtile lands with irrigation facilities 3 4. Villages with medium type of soil 2 5. Coastal villages 1 6. Villages having rail and road facilities 2 7. Villages isolated from the District Headquarters 1 8. Villages in the vicinity of the industrial area or commercial centre 4 9. Villages previously surveyed 2 10. Others 1
The Work of conducting the preliminary survey was entrusted to the Block Development Officers or other Officers available for the work from the Community Development Organization of the State Government. Two types of questionnaire were used for collection of preliminary data viz., the Household statement which was utilised for listing all the households in the village and collection of information on certain basic items required for selection of representative households for further detailed study as regards occupational pattern and other economic aspects and the Household Schedule which contains questions on various social, cultural and economical aspects of the households. These questionnaires are printed in the Report on Kunkeri Yillage-Part VI (1). On receipt of the preliminary survey reports from the Block Development Officers or the Officers appointed for the purpose, the Research Investigators in this Organization prepared the draft reports, after visiting the villages, on the basis of their findings and personal contact "With the villagers and their own observations.
The preliminary work relating to the Survey \\-as carried out by Shri R. R. Mhatre, Extension Officer, Agriculture and Slui A. D. Mathure, Block Development Officer, Alibag. Further investi gation at the village and drafting of the report was done by Shri V. M. Gokhale, Retired Deputy Collector. The views expressed in this Report and the conclusions drawn are those of the Author and do not in any way reflect the views of the Government. vl :t>REFACJ3
'We are very much indebted to Shri B. A. Kulkarni, Superintendent of Census Operations, Maha rashtra and Dr. B. K. Roy Burman, Officer on Special Duty, Handicrafts and Social Studies, New Delhi, who visited the village and made valuable suggestions regarding improvement .Qf the draft.
The maps and graphs appearing in the monograph are prepared by Shri S. Y, Pradhan, Draughts man. Shri K. K. Akolkar, Statistical Assistant, rendered valuable assistance in collation of statistical data and their analysis.
Our thanks are due to the villagers for their ungrudging co-operation and patience in giving the required information but for which the reporting would not have been possible.
We hav~ also to thank Shri S. A. Sapre, Manager, Government Central Press, Bombay, for bringing out the report in short time.
D.V.RANGNEKAR BOMBAY: 1st May 1966 CONTF!NTS
FOREWORD iii PREFACE v
CHAPTER I-General Features 1
CHAPTER II-People and their Material Equipment 10 CHAPTER Ill-Economy 27 CHAPTER IV-Social and Cultural Life 52 CJIAlYfER V -Conclusion 72
GLOSSARY 75
LIST OF MAPS AND PHOTOGRAPHS
Environment of village Agarsure .. . . Facing page 1 Map of Agarsure village 4 Layout of Streets and Houses 5
Heaps of harvested Paddy Crop •• Facing page 14 Straw-roofed (Pendharu) House 14 .. n " A Son-XoIi Woman 15 .. " An Agri Woman near Tulasi Vrindavan 15 " " Son-Koli Males 16 " " Son-Koli Females 16 " .. Chaukalshi Females 17 " .. Chaukalshi Males 17 " " A Bullock-cart for Passengers ., 30 " An Agriculturist and his Bullock 30 " " Levelling a ploughed Field by the means of " Main " '31 (~) " "
Ploughing the Field 00 31 " A Fisherwoman going for Fishing ,. 42 "
A Fisherman in the act of throwing Fishing-net '0 o. 42 Nandai Devi (PrinCipal Village Deity) 60 " " 60 Marathi Primary School " " ENVIRONMENT OF VILLAGE AGARSURE TAI.UKA
• f{oproli
• G TAL U
ENVIROHt1EHT OF VILLAGE AGARSURE DfTAILS ARE SHOWN ONLY WITHIN lH.( CIRCLE OF 5 MILES RADIUS fl\OM THE VILLAGE. REfERENCES AGARSURE VIlLAGL - __ ~ VtlLAGt BOUNDARY ______TAWKA 80UIt-DARY __ . __ CART TRACT ______ROAD ______RAILWAY ______
RIVERS ______~ &AtAA ______" pOST OfFICE ______~
HIOH 8CHOOL •• ~ _____ .& o 4 , 8 CliAPTER I GENERAL FEATURES
Introductory from Rewas Bunder to ferry wharf and 2 miles by Village Agarsure is situated on the Alibag-Rewas road from Carnac Bunder to Bombay (V.T.). There Road in Alibag Taluka of Kolaba District at a distance is a regular steam launch and boat service between of7 miles and 4 furlongs from Alibag, which is the head Rewas Bunder and Bombay during the fair season. quarters of the taluka as well as the district. The road Post and Telegraph Office runs from Alibag in the south to Rewas Bunder in the north and is 15 miles in length. S.T. buses regu The Branch post office with savings bank and money larly ply on this road throughout the year. There are order facilities is at village Awas at a distance of two approach roads to the village on the western side of 4 miles by road. There is daily postal delivery at the Alibag-Rewas Road, one of 3 furlongs at Mile No.7 and Village. The main Post and Telegraph Office with the other of equal length at a distance of about half a Public Telephone call office is at Alibag. mile further. S.T. bus:!s stop at the approach road No.1 Market, Dispensary, High School and Group Panchayat on request. Regular s:r. stops for the village are at a distance of one mile on either side of the approach The nearest market centre, a District Local Board road No.1, at Chondi Naka to the south and village (now Zilla Parishad) Dispensary and Maternity Home Zirad to the north. S.T; stop at Zirad is nearer to the and a High School are situated at Chondi Naka (I! miles hamlets situated on the approach road No.2. frem the village) which is a prominent place on the Alibag-Rewas Road. An approach road of 2 miles Location leads from this Naka to village Kihim on the western coast. The Group Panchayat Office, Primary School The map facing this page shows the relevant part of upto Marathi vn 3tandard and a few grocery shops Kolaba District, the village, its surrounding villages, and a hotel are at village Zirad on the Alibag-Rewas the taluka and district headquarters and other important Road (1 mile from the village). places with roads (and surroundings) leading from one to the other. Police Outpost The" shiwar" (f~rC(n:-revenue limits) of the village is The Police outpost with a strength of one Head surrounded by the boundaries of village Awas to the Constable and two Constables is at village M'andve north, village Zirad to the east and village Bamansure (5 miles). to the south. Further, beyond the revenue limits of Reasons for Selection of the Village for Survey village Zirad to the east runs from north to south the range of Kankeshwar hills. Its distance from the village This village has been selected for survey for two of Agarsure is about 3 miles and from the Alibag reasons. First and the foremost is that it is predomi Rewas Road 21 miles. The height of the range of hills nantly a paddy growing area with rainfed irrigation. is 1,200 feet from the sea level. The western side of the It provides a fair idea about cultivation and production village is bounded by a creek and beyond it at a distance of paddy crop which is the staple foodgrain of the of about half a mile is the Arabian sea. The north-west area. Secondly, the village is situated at a distance of comer touches the boundary of village Surekhar. about one and a half miles from the western sea coast. Some of the Son-Koli villagers go out for fishing in Railway Stations the high sea, and some including females catch fish in the shallow water in the creek, between the western The railway statIon is Mumbra on the ne~rest boundary of the village and the Arabian high sea Bombay-Kalyan main line of the Central Railway. beyond it. It affords an opportunity of studying fishing From the village, it is 62 miles comprising 7 miles industry and the people who live on it. of tarred road from Agarsure to Alibag and 55 miles of concrete road from Alibag to Mumbra via Pharamtar, Physical Aspects and Size of the Village Pen and Panvel. Total population of the village according to the Bombay (V.T.) is, however, at a distance of only Census of 1961 is 1,018 comprising 455 males and 563 21 miles by road and sea, covering 8 miles of tarred females. It has an area of 727 acres and 16 gunthas or road from Agarsure to Rewas Bunder, 11 miles by sea l' 1 sq. mile. 2 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH .
Two maps of the villa8e on pages 4 and 5 show the The total village-site area of 9 acres and 37 gunthas village site, hamlets and residential areas, village roads, is not at one place but is divided approximately in the streets and footpaths, grazing land and cremation six main hamlets as under:- . grounds, tanks, wells and streams and primary schools A. g. and temples. (1) Agarsure-Mul-gaothan ..• 2 0 (2) Agarsure-Shalecha-pada 1 10 Hamlets and Sub-bamlets (3) Fakir-pada 1 5 The population is not located in one compact village (4) Nandai-pada 2 10 site area but is scattered in 6 hamlets and 2 sub hamlets away from each other. The first approach (5) Thalyacha-pada 1 22 road starting from Mile No. 7 lead~ to the principal (6) Tekali-pada 1 30 hamlet called " Agarsure-Mul-gaothan ". It is 2 fur --- Total 9 37 longs away from the Alibag-Rewas Road. A small sub-hamlet called" Jambhul-pada ", has only 5 houses, All these hamlets, except No.2, are surrounded and is situated at a distance of about 200 paces. Beyond on all sides by agricultural lands, both Kharif (paddy it to the south-west at a distance of 2 furlongs from the fields) and Varkas (grass lands). Hamlet Agarsure principal hamlet of Agarsure-Mul-gaot,han is another Shalecha-pada (No.2) is likewise surrounded· 'on all hamlet called "Agarsure-Shalecha-pada". It is so sides e~cepting the south. The boundary of the village called because the main primary school building is Bamansllre is on its east and south. Actually situated on the boundary of this hamlet. The major Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and the village Baman~ure population of these two hamlets on the first approach are· divided by the main common village road rtln road is of" Chaukalshis ". ' ning north-south. The two localities on both sideS/'Qf The second approach road starting from the Alibag this road give them an appearance of Ii single village, Rewas Road leads to hamlet" Fakir-pada ", which is so although Agarsure-Shalecha-pada is the hamlet of. named because the name of the head of the only Koli village Agarsure and Bamansure is altogether a separate. household that was originally staying there, was village on the revenue records. The Bamansure .. Fakira ". It is at a distance of 1i furlongs from the locality on the easterlI side of the road is, however, of Alibag-Rewas Road. Pachkalshis and that on the western side, viz., Agarsure Then further west at a distance of I! furlongs is Shalecha-pada is on::haukalshis. hamlet "Nandai-pada". From there further at a distance of 3 furlongs is hamlet "Thalyacha-pada" Flora and Fauna which is so named because the surname of the only There is no forest at or nearby the village ; that on Koli family originally staying there was" Thale ". Kankeshwar hills is 3 miles away from the village and . The sub-hamlet of "Thalyacha-pada ", called consists mostly of Injaili trees. There are some Injaili .. Khadicha-pada ", which has only 7 houses, is at trees such as Palas, Babhul, mango and tamarip.d a distance of a furlong from the hamlet. The name gro\\n in the limits of the village but there is no forest. " Khadicha-pada" originated from the fact that the There are also no wild animals. creek on the western boundary of the village is only at There are no activities of any kind relating to forestry a distance of half a furlong from it. It is alf>o known either at the village or at Kankeshwar hills. as" Dhakkyacha-pada '.' or .. Rai-pada". / Number of Households The entire population of these three hamlets and the sub-hamlet, connected by the second approach road, is The total number of households in the village is 201. of Son-Kolis excepting one Chaukalshi, two Tillori They are locatoti in the different hamlets and sub Kunbi, one Brahmin and one Lewa Patidar families. hamlets of the village as shown in Table No. 1.1 on The sixth hamlet called .. Tekali-pada" is situated at the next page. 'a distance of about 300 paces from the S.T. stop of village Zirad on the Alibag-Rewas Road. There is Residential Pattern a small approach road to it passing on the bund of Castewise grouping of dwelling houses .in the various a deep field. The main popUlation of this hamlet is of hamlets and sub-hamlets of the village is shown in Son-Kolis. Table No. 1.2 on the next page. AGARSURE: GENERAL FEATURES 3
TABLE No. 1.1 Castewise distribution of Householc!s located in different hamlets and sub-hamlets
Number of Households of different Castes
Name of the hamlet or ,-.~------sub-hamlet Son- Chau- Agri Tillori Pach- Brahmin Lewa Katkari Muslim Total Koli kalshi Kunbi kalshi Patidar
(1) (2) (3) {4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) 00) (11)
On approach Road No. 1-
Agarsure-Mul-gaothan (h) 36 2 4 1 43 Agarsure-Shalecha-pada (h) 17 17 Jambhul-pada (s.h.) 1 3 5 On approach Road No.2!"
Fakir-pada (b) 25 26 Nandai-pada (h) 44 45 Thalyac\la-pada (b) 17 1 18 Kbadicba-pada (s.h.) 7 1 1 9 Tekali-pada (h) .. 30 8 38
Total .. 123 55 10 5 4 1 1· 1 1 201
h=hamlet s.b. =sub-hamlet. TABLE No.1. 2
Castewi~e distribution of Dwelling Houses in different hamlets and sub-hamlets
Number of Dwelling Houses of different castes Name of the hamlet or sub-hamlet Chau- Pach- Son- Agri Tillori Brahmin Lewa Katkari Muslim Total kalshi kalshi Koli Kunbi Patidar
(1) (2) t3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11)
On approach Road No. 1-
AgarsureoMul-gaothan (h) 21 4 2 1 28 Agarsure-Shalecha-pada (h) .. 14 14 Jambhul-pada (s.h.) .• 1 3 5 On approach Road No. 2-
Fakir-pada (b) 21 22 Nandai-pada (b) 29 1 30 Thalyacha-paaa (h) 14 1 15 Khadicha-pada (s.b.) 1 5 1 7 Tekali-pada (b) 18 8 26
Total 37 4 87 10 5 1 1 1 147
h=hamlet s.b. =sub-bamlet 4 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH
~r----'------~------~------~------~------~
MAP OF THE VILLAGE AGARSURE TALUKA ALiBAG DISTRICT KOLABA 330' 660' 990' 1320'
/ /
AGAR-SUR£.
JAM5HUL PAOA
REFERENCE5 VILLAGE SITE __ , .... _ ...... Iii!S MOTORABLE ROAD ...... , •••• ==::= CART TRACT ...... oO" •• :..-_-=: FOOT PATH ••••••.•• ,
NUlLAH d STR[AM ••• ,. •••• ' ...... ~ GRAZING GROUNO.· ...... '" .§
8 4 M t-fAHARASH1RA CENSUS OFFlC.l;, 60MBAY. A GENERAL FEATURES 5
REFERHICES SDHKOtI ______•
CHAUKALSHI _~--- ..... "GRI ______... ___ A. 81t."HMIN ______8 KATKARt"______K
TILLORI ~UNB'- ______"'" LEWA PATIDAR- ______L PACHKALSHI ______p MUSlIM ______11 SHOP______i!iI TEMPLE ______• PUBLIC WELL ___ - - -0
I I /Q " CREMATION GROUND r , THALYACHA PADA I I CREMATION ~ , ; GROUND ~ I " I I / , I ~=====-'i ': (J I I I I I ,I ~:::;:::==:=:::"l~;, I \~-.:===:- AGARSURE MUl-GAOTHAN
KHADICHA PADA N
, I \ 1: :r t LAY OUT OF i: ST REETS AND HOUSES AGARSURE SHALECHA PAM OF THE VILLAGE 0- CREMATION GROUND AGARSURE NOT TO SCA~E
Af/VIAAi'oSHTRA CENSIJS OFFICE. BOMBAY. 6 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH
It can be seen from the-'Village map at page 5 that the Communication ~illage is roughly divided easi~west into two main parts Approach roads and village streets.-The first approach according to the residences of two principal castes of road of 2t furlongs length to hamlet Agarsure-Mul Chaukalshis and Son-Kolis. The houses of Chaukal~ gaothan and a little further, and the second approach shis are located at Agarsure~Mul-gaothan an4 Agarsure road of 4 furlongs to hamlet Fakir-pada and further Shalecha-pada on approach road No.1, and those of upto the south-westerp. end of Nandai-pada, are in good Son-Kolis at Fakir-pada, Nandai-pada, Thalyacha condition and are being metalled at present. In fact pada and Khadicha-pada on approach road No. 2 there are two small sub-approach roads leading from and at Tekali-pada in the north-east corner ()f the approach road No. i to the gaothans of Fakir-pada and village. Dwelling houses of Chaukalshis and Son Nandai-pada. They are each of half a furlong length Kolis are of the same type. i Rows of dwelling houses and are in good condition.' are situated on both sides of the main road passing The further approach roads from Agarsure-Mul particularly through the hamlets of Agarsure-Mul gaothan to Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and from Nandai gaothan, Agarsure-Shalecha-pada, Fakir-pada and pada to Thalyacha-pada are kaccha ones. Further Nandai-pada. Such houses have mostly small open from Thalyacha-pada to sub-hamlet Khadicha-pada space attached to them in the rear. In lanes and by there is a kaccha cart track. During rainy season it lanes houses are not in re&_ular rows but unevenly is unserviceable and one has to walk over field bunds situated, also leaving some smaIl open space in front to -reach the sub-hamlet. or in the rear. . The inner streets in the gaothan localities of Agar At Thalyacha-pada the houses are not in rows but ;mre-Mul-gaothan, Agarsure-Shalecha-pada, '!fakir-pada unevenly situated on ups and downs. and Nandai-pada are in good condition \and wide There are only 5 houses at Jambhul-pada and 7 at enough for local purposes. Those in 'Thalyacha-pada Khadicha-pada. They are situated in small clusters. and Tekali-pada are kaccha and narrow. ' The general view of Fakir-pada, Nandai-pada, Important Places Agarsure-Mul-gaothan and Agarsure-Shalecha-pada Temples.-There are 7 temples in this village, two in is pleasant. The gaothan of Thalyacha-pada is uneven Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, one each in hamlets Nandai and bushy. pada and Fakir.. pada and thrGe jn hamlet Tekali-pada. Tekali-pada has narrow lanes, ups and downs, and Details about the names, location and age of these houses are congested. temples are given below :----', I '. Name of the hamlet in which Name of the temple Location Its origin and the age of present the temple is situated structure (1) (2) (3) (4) Agarsure-Mul-gaothan NandaiDevi . . At the entrance to the main It is the oldest temple, more than 5 genera village street leading to the tions in duration. Originally the stone hamlet and facing the east. image was in the open. The present structure of the temple was' constructed before 50 years. -...Mahadeo On the western bank of the Do. do. principal tank of the hamlet and facing the east. Nandai-pada · . Nandai Devi On the main village road at the It is also a very old temple of more than 5 centre of the hamlet and generations but not older than the temple of facing the east. Nandai Devi at Agarsure.Mul-gaothan. The present structure of the temple was built 12 years back. . " Fakir-pada · . Hanuman or Maruti. On the main village street and It is a new temple built 5 years back. facing the east. Tekali-pada · . "Chavatha" Devi. It is just at 'the centre of the The deity of stones is very old of more than 5 hamlet and facing the east. generations. The present small kaccha structure of the temple is constructed 7 years back .. Mahadeo . . On the bank of the village tank, It is also ,a very old temple, leading back to . away from and behind the more than 5 generations. The present hamlet, and facing the east. building of the temple was constructed 25 years back. Hanuman or Maruti. On the eastern boundary of the This temple bas been constructed 50 years hamlet and facing the north. back.
~~------AGARSUIlE; GENERAL FEATURES 7
There are no temples at hamlets Agarsure-Shalecha There are also 12 kaccha privately owned wells in pada, Jambhul-pada, Thalyacha-pada and Khadicha the fields here and there, 4 of which are used for drinking pada. water, 7 for small irrigation with budki (~) contri vance on two ·of. them, and one of watering cattle and Monuments.-There are no monuments or historical washing clothes. relics of any kind in ~his village. Primary'\ Schools.-Primary schools upto Marathi IV Stream.-During the rainy season a stream starting standard are situated in their own buildings, one at from th,' slopes of Kankeshwa" hills flows east-west Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and the other at Napdai-pada, through the limits of this village into the limits of village each with' diinensions of 24' x 20' with ope~ verandah Surekhar and meets the creek beyond to the west. It of 8' width in front, and capacity to ac~ommodate divides the village area of Agarsure into two parts, 40 students each. about
Wel1s.-There are 6 pucca-built public wells, one in History of Setdement of Population each of the 6 hamlets, of (1) Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, (2) Agarsure-Shalecha-pada, (3) Fakir-pada, (4) Nandai Table No.1' 3 on page 8 shows castewise settlement pad!1, (5) Thalyacha-pada, and (6) Tekali-pada. Those history of the 201 households at present existing in the village. at Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, Nandai-pada and Thalyacha~ pada are newly constructed during the last three years (1958-60). The rest are old ones. All these wells It is said that originally three families of Chaukalshis have sufficient potable water throughout the year. No came to stay at Agarsure~Mul-gaothan. Tb.eyextended scarcity of drinking, water is felt. There is no pulley further to hamlet Shalecha-pada as the population or any other contrivance provided at any of these wells grew and more families came in. Likewise one Koli for drawing water. Water is drawn mostly by females '<' family, headed by Fakira K.oli, came to stay at Fakir by means of [amane-dor (w-nrUf rm:). One end of pada. He was followed by a few more Koli families. a rope is tied to a small bucket or tin-pot called lamane ( W'~if ). Females stand behind the parapet wall, Consequent on the growth of population hamlets lower the buckets in the well and draw water by means, Nandai-pada, Thalyacha-pada, Te:k!ali-pada and .of the ropes by hand. Khadicha-pada came into existence . There is also one privately owned pucca well with History of the families which originally came to rahat (~ie-Persian wheel) on it near Fakir-pada settle in Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, Fakir-pada and which has sufficient potable water.' Nandai-pada is not available. 'Vd 947-2 8 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH
TABLE No. 1.3 . Ctistewise Settlement History of the Households
Number of Households settled Caste Before 5 Between 4/5 Between 2/3 Present Total Num generations generations ' generations generation ber of households (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Son-Koll 98 7 18 123 Chaukalshi 54 1 55 Pacbkalshi 2 1 4 Agri 8 1 1 10 Tillorl Kunbi :4 1 5 Brahmin 1 1 Lewa Patidar 1 1 Katkari 1 1 Muslim 1 ~ , Total 166 8 20 7 '201\V , \ Out of 201 households only 10 could give the plaoe Fakir-pada and two mango orchards and' / "$ome from whence they migrated to this village. agricultural land 'at the village. ,It cultivates \~;WO land by hired labour. ' Castewise information about these 10 households is given in Table No. 1'4 below. The Tillori Kunbi has come to the vi~ge five. years A Lewa Patidar family of Nadiad, district Kahil ago from the village of Malgun~, ,district Ratnagiri, came to stay at Agarsure 27 years ago. It has bought in search of seryi~ in Bombay. He stays in thiS'\iJlage a bungalow with' a spacious compound near hamlet with his family. , . ' ' ' ;
TABLE No. 1.4 Distribution of Families migrated to the Village by place of origin and caste
Number of Families that have come to the village from . Caste Outside the Outside the Outside the Outside the Total 'State District Taluka village but from the same Taluka (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Son-Koll 3 1 4 _ 1 cMukalshi 1 Tillori Kunbi 1 1 Brahmin 1 1 Lewa Patidar 1 1 Katkari ,1 1 Muslim 1 1 Total 1 2 3 4 10 AGARSURB ; GENERAL FEATURES 9
The Muslim, a bidi maker, was originally a resident Climate of Rajapur Taluka of Ratnagiri District. He came The climate is equable, moist and fairly healthy. to tho village three years ago. Temperature, as recorded at Alibag, does not go below The three Son-Koli families, which came to this 67° F. in the cold season and above 94°-F. in the hot village from outside the taIuka of Alibag, originally season. Alibag is directly on the western sea coast. belonged to the village of Khargaon, tahika Roha of Seasons of the year are as under :- the Kolaba District. Their forefathers had settled in Period Name of the this village five generations ago. These families are season engaged in agriculture at the village. (1) November, December, January and Winter. Of the 123 families of Son-Kolis staying at ithe February. village, only three families· couId give the placd of (2) March, April, Mayand first week of Summer. their origin from where they migrated to this village June. five generations ago. (3) Second week of June to the middle Rainy. of October. Four families, viz. Son-Koli, Chaukalshi, Brahmin and Katkari have come to the village from other villages Winter and summer seasons are moderate and not of the same taluka, viz., Allbag. Information relating excessive at any time. Rainfall is heavy during the to them -is as under :- rainy season, and in the months of July_ and August '''-. . particularly it is incessant and very heavy. At times The Son-Koli has come from village Ghaswad some rains prolong upto the middle of October. time before the present generation. He cannot state , the reason for migration. He stays in the village with October heat, felt in the months of October and his family and follows the business of agriculture. November, is useful for ripening of the paddy grain. The Chaukalshi came from the village of Goteghar Rainfall 28 years back. His mother's father was staying 8,t Rainfall is aIllple for the crops grown and is usually Agarsure.. He came to the village with his mother to regular and well distributed. Rainfall recorded at stay with his grand-father. He cultivates a land of the nearest rain-gauge station at Alibag during the one acre and follows the subsidiary occupation of last 10 years is as under :- agricultural labour. Year Inches Cents The Brahmin family (Konkanastha) has COIlle to 1951 93 61 stay in the village from the neighbouring village 1952 63 42 of Kihim 12 years back. The head of the family 1953 89 65 cultivates his own land in the village and also works as 1954 123 13 a teacher in the High School at Chondi-Naka. He has constru,cted a house on his farm. 1955 114 92 1956 99 71 The Katkari family, which belongs to the Scheduled Tribe, came from the adjacent village of Zirad 1957 123 00 10 years back. The head of the family is an ordinary 1958 116 00 labourer. He does not hold or cultivate any land but 1959 116 00 works as agricultural labourer during the agricultural 1960 117 00 season and is engaged as labourer for wood-cutting or for any other purpose during t~e fair season. The average works to 105 inches 64 cents.
Vd4947-2a CHAPTER n
PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENT
Etlmograpbic Composition an' Brief Note on eacb group intermarry. They earn their liVing as husbandmen, .gardeners and catpenters, and a few as writers The general influence of physical environment on the and day· labourers. They claim to be descendants people of the coastal region is that they ate sturdy of the Sun God (Surra Narayan) and have come and hardworking. to the Konkan region ,'with Bhimdeo from Paithan There are only two main ethnic groups in t.he village, on the Godavari river, at the close of the thirteenth one is represented by the Son~Kolis and the other centUry. They 'are f(,l~d in small numbers in the interior villages and' i in strength in the coastal by the Chaukalshis. Out of the total n~mber of 201 houSeholds in the village, 123 are of Son-:Kolis and villages of the district$ 'of Thana, Kolaba and Ratnagirl and also in Bombay. Near Bombay the men dress S5 of Chaukalshis. Together th,ey form 88· ~6 per cent of the total number of households in the village. like Brahmins~ in Bombay like Prabhus'and in outlying parts they do not differ from Marathas in dress or in Son·Kolis.-According to the infqrmation available in other res~~s, wearing a loin clo9t, a coa,tse blanket the Gazetteers-Volume XI of Ki;>laba and Janjira an.d a cap or piece of cloth tolled round ~he head. . (pages 68-70) 1883 and Volume-XIII, Part I of Thana So far as tM villagers of Agarsure are:eoncerned, (pages 148-149), 1882 the chief settlement of Son the 'Chaukalshis are of the last type.' The mal~s as weD Kolis was at Ah'bag, the district h~adquarters of ;as f~es ar& thin and taUer, less sturdt a.n~~Hglrt1y Kolaba. The head of the tribe, known as Vach Patil, fairer w!th dark, yellowish-brown colour iike !~~at in - used to stay at Alibag and wield very wide powers in compleKlon. In appearanoe and general cond.{~()~s of,' matters social and religious over the tribesnien in the Jiving they seem to be a little more civilised and ed~ted '. past. Now the seat is practically extinct. The Son than the Son~Kolis. They are all husband:(n~ or \ Kolis of Thana and even of Bombay have originally field labourers and are settled on land in the village. migrated from Alibag. Son-Kolis are mostly found A very few ofthem~are in service jn factories and ofiioes in the co~tal villages of the Thana, Kolaba.and Ratna at Bombay.: .i I ' - giri districts and in Bombay. , Pachkalahls:;.;:_ihete are only 4 families of Pachk,lshis So far as Son-KoIi villagers of Agarsure village are in the village. There are, of c~urse, many more in the concerned, the males as well as females are of medium adjoining village of Bamansure. Physiogn,?Jnically height, well built, sturdy and of dark to ruddy brown they are almost the same type as the <;haukalshis. AU colour. Principally they are husbandmen by profession are. hUsbandmen by, prof~sion. ' and are settled in farming at the village. All the males, The' distinguishing features between the Pachkalshis however, know the art of weaving fishing 'nets for and the Chaukalshis are- as under :- ; home use and fOf fishing in shallow waters in the creek Whereas Pachblshis instalS • Ghats' or • IUiIashas ~ beyond the village.' A few of them also go for fishing (~ artrcn' ~-earthen pot with coconut placed in the Arabian high seas. Even the females know the on it) in a marriage ceremony, Chaukalsbis art of fishing with small nets in the shallow waters of instal 4. Another feature is that some Pachkalshis' the creek and catch and provide fish required for daily wear the sacred thread (~) throughout life household curry. Surplus fish found if any, is taken from boyhood, while the Chaukalshis wear it at the by the females to the neighbouring village of Zirad or time of their marriage only. The third feature is at Chondi Nab on the main Alibag-Rewas Road for that unlike Pachkalshis Chaukalshis allow widow sale. The Son-Kolis have not yet swerved from their marriages. The fourth is that no participation of food traditional occupations. of farming and fishing to any or intermarriage takes place in any m~bers of the significant extent. two communities. The Chaukalshis consider them Chaukalshis._;..According to Thana Gazetteer ~elves to be a separate commumty. Volume XIII, Part) (pages 129-130) 1882, Chaukalshis, Agris.-Agris have 10 families in the village. They Pachkalshis, Sutal'S, Malis, Vadvals, Kshatris and' are husbandmen as well as field labourers. They are Pathafes practically be10ng to the same stock. All short~statured, sturdy, hardworking, active and mild. nf them. "''lrl'.Afttino tit", l"It!:ll1lcRl ..hi.. P!:It together and In complexion they are like the Chaukalsbis. AGARSURE : PEOPLB ANI) TIiBIR MATERIAL EQUIl'MENr 11
TiOori Kunbis.-There are only 5 families of. Tillori Sodal Order Kunbis in the village. They are mostly field labourers, The order of social status observed among the different simple and docile by nature and live a moderate castes at the village is, as under :- living. In appearance they are like the Son-Kolis but (1) Brahmin •. are less sturdy. (2) Lewa Patidar. The Brahmin, the. Lewa Patidar, the Katkari and as (3) Pachkalshi. } well as the Muslim have a single household each in (4) Chaukalshi. . the'village. . (5) AgrL } (6) Son-Koli Brahmin.~The . Brahmin family of this village be'ongs (7) Tillori Kunbi. to the sub-caste of ' Konkanastha' or 'Chitp*an', (8) Katkari. which are well-known for learning. Majority of i.them are quite f!.lir in complexion with brown eyes. Some This order is tentative and determined according to are very fair and blue eyed. They are persevering, the customs prevailing in regard to partaking or astute, independent by nature and are found in all otherwise of food with each other, other customs, spheres of work and activities. The head of the parti the Sanskar (~m--culture), learning, traditional cular· family in this village is a teacher in a high school. occupations, economic condition and mode and use of languages, etc. He ~lt'ivates his own land and lives a simple but decent If.4ng at the village. Households of all the castes in the village, excepting the Brahmin and the Lewa Patidar, are non Lewa Patidar.-This household originally comes from vegetarians. Members of the households, put higher Kaira district of the Gujrat State. The Lewa Patidars in the social order shown above, do not partake of of Gtijrat are well-known. The head of the particular food with those in the lower order. Those in the lower household, staying at this village, comes from the higher order take food with those who are in the higher order. class of ' Desai' or ' Amin' of the Lewa Patidars of Difference of opinion, however, prevails among the Gujrat. He is an exrInamdar and holds landed castes which are bracketed together. In fact those bracket property at Nadiad. ed together belong more or less to the same social order. Katkari.-Katkaris belonging to the scheduled tribe, However, each caste in those bracketed together claims are mostly forest labourers by profession and found itself to be slightly superior to the other. Economic in remote hilly and forest· infested villages of Thana, condition of Son-Kolis is slightly better than that of the Kolaba and Ratnagiri districts. It is a poor class of Chaukalshis, because the former know the art of fishing persons, ill-fed, ill-clad, illiterate and quite a down which provides an additional source of livelihood ; trodden community. Physiognomically, however, they yet the latter are deemed to be of a higher'social order are very robust, enduring, hardworl«ing and dark in on the basis of the standard of living. complexion. It is almost the only community in the The Brahmin and the Lewa Patidar who are strictly Konkan region that can withstand the hazards and vegetarians are acknowledged by all on account of hard wotk of wood-cutting and charcoal-making in their status as belonging to the higher order. forests' by continuously staying there for months together in. the fair season. . The Katkari belongs to the scheduled tribe and is as considered by all~ last in the order. Muslim.-The family belongs to the Shaikh Muslim community of the Konkan. . It was temporarily staying The Muslim belongs to different religion and does not in village Agarsure before its migration from the belong to any of the communities in the social order district of Ratnagiri three years back for the sake of mentioned above. However memb~rs of none of the livelihood. castes existing in the village, including the Katkari, take food with him. The head of the family is a Bidi-maker. It is a poor The annual festival of Nandai Devi at hamlet Agar family and has recently shifted to the neighbouring sure-Mul-gaothan is attended by members of all castes village of Zirad on the main A1ibag';Rewas Road, excepting the Brahmin, the Lewa Patidar and the where it finds a better customer for 'bidis' and also Muslim who do not actually take part in performance a company of other Muslim families staying in that of the celebration but help it by way of giving .village. contribution, etc. 12 Vll..LAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH
In the celebration -of _marriage, members of other - language spoken by the villagers in general, -although cates also attend on invitation.- not grammatically quite corrCC?t, is tolerably wen spokerl and can be understood without difficulty by anyone Ceremonies attached to the birth of a child are knowing Marathi. The Chaukalshis pronounce the of celebrated by the females the community concerned. words slightly in nasal sound. In the event of death, the funeral is ordinarily attend House-types, Housing COIlditions and House coostroctiOD ed by the castemen, although in some cases friends and acquaintances of the dead from other castes also attend. There are' in all 243 structures of different kinds in" the village. They are situated in the six hamlets. and LaDguage two sub-hamlets of the :Village as shown in Table Marathi is the language used by the entire population. No. 2.1 below. The Lewa Patidar, whose mother-t0Dgue is Gujrati, alsO The two tables (Nos. :2.2 and 2.3) below show the speaks Marathi, Hindi and English; and the Muslim, . materialwise construction of the walls and roofs of the Konkani, Marathi and coarse \1rdu. The Marathi structures.
TABLE No. 2.1 Distribution o/Structures df different kinds situated in hamlets and ~b-ham1ets
Name of the hamlet or sub-hamlet Dwelling 9>w-sheds Schools Temples Total houses (1) (2) \ (3) (4) (5) (6)
; \\ Agarsure-Mul-gaothan (hamlet) 28 IS 2 4S Jambhul-pada (sub-hamlet) S i .... 6 Agarsuro&alecha-pada (hamlet) , 14 13 1 28 Fam--pada (hamlet) 22 14 1 37 Nandai-pada (hamlet) 30 18 1 1 SO i ~-pada (hamlet) IS 6 '" . 21 Kbadicha-pada (sub-hamlet) 7 10 • 111:" 17 Tckali-pada (hamlet) 26 10 3 • 39 Total .. 147 87 2 7 243
TABLE No. 2.2 Different Structures classified by the type of Material usedfor Walls
Number of structures showing the material used for walls Kind of Structuro Puoca Puoca Pucca Kaccha Grass Karvi reeds Palm Total Bricks and Bricks and Bricks and (unburnt) leaves Cement Mortar Mud Bricks and Mud (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)
Dwelling houses 2 1 9 121, 4 2 8 147 Oow-sbeds 1 6 80 87 Sohools 1 1 .... 2 T~Jes- 1 2 -2 2 7 Total .. S 4 11 123 10 2 88 243 AGARSURB; PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENT 13
TABLE No. 2.3 Different Structures classified by, the type of material used fol' Roofs
Number of structures showing the material used for roofs Kind of Structure Mangalore Paddy straw C. I. Sheets Total tiles (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Dwelling houses 27 120 147 Cow-sbeds 86 1 87 Schook ,. 2 ,2 I Temples 6 1 7 Total .. 35 207 1 243
There are three main types of dwelling houses in the not the type. The common features of construction are village: that (1) all the dwelling houses have stone-built plinth (1) A compact building of about 24' x 18' (inner of the height of 1 to 21 feet ; (2) wooden structure of dimensions) divided into two parts by a separating crosswise beams supported on pillars; (3) four-sided walllChgthwise, the front portion of 24' x 6' being open roof above; and (4) earthen fioor. verandah called ' Osan ' or • Oti ' (amra- 8N wall of the "building iand- a: slanting four-sided' roof to be brought from, Alibag. There are only 3 dwellin& ( ~) is laid on them .. SmaU rafters ~ are ~ed at houses in tbe village, the walls of which are built in a distance of ' about Ii feetfrom each 'other vertiCaily pucca (burnt) bricks and cement or Chunam and down from the conjcal rafters to the four sides plastered with either cement or mortar. of' the roof or walls. Bamboo chips are horizontally fixed on the small vertical rafters at a distance of about Only 14 dWelling houses out of 14711ave walls either, SD( inches from each other. The frame of the roof is of grass, Katvi reed or palm leaves'i; thus prepared. Roofs of per cent of the dwelling 82 'IJlere is no separate store-fO().J!l: . provided in the hoUses are covered by paddy straW. S\lch roofs are, dwelling houses for storing grain, eXCept in a few houses called "Pendharoo", Jhe term being derived from where part. of tiW front verandah' is' enclosed by walls Pendha which means paddy straw in Matathi. ' and, made into a store-room. Grain, (paddy) required I '. • for consumption for the wtlole Y~,fpr seed and for Mer reaping~ot·the pa~y cr'op. and threshing grain giving wages in kind'to l~bourers 'in rare cases, is from it, the stravUs bOund into, small bundles. SOme stored in kanaga ( Cfi1JFlT) which is capable of holding of these bundles~are.p.reserveduntil the ino.nth of May, '1! Khan dis (30 Maunds) ., of paddy~ costs Rs. 7' 50 when they are lised. f9r, covering', the roofs ,of, houses. and:lasts fot about 5 yeats.· it is;-prepared of thin The bundles are :~l\e4,8nd' the siraw is thickly, ;si>i~ad Bamboo chips and can be rolled in :a bundle. It is witb/stem~ ~wriwardS ,and. tops' upwards t~e. .from -erected)t;l ~ cylinddcal form on t"'e~fl.oo.r of the • Vathan • ridges of the four: sideS r9ofto topa1>ove ,wto 'QftJie the and plastered.frolll outside'by cowd:Q~g and earth before the' A~ •~ ': AU _i4e fOur ~ide~ "of: the roof' ~e ''thu~ using for stormg the grain. The upper portion or lid is' .properly Coyere~' by 'a, thiCK layer of straw •. These closed by paddy straw and leaves and is plastered with straw covere'd ~des of the roof are then bound ·dung and earth after paddy is stored in the kanaga. over from ',top Wthe ridges of'the roof by rop~s, prepared of stiaw~ in' order that the layer of straw No bath-room 01' latrine is pl'ovided at any of the on the roof milY \1).Ot be disturbed. In the month houses except at the hou&e of Lewa Patidar neaI' of June when s~h \ straw. roof once gets soaked with Fakir-pad~~ 'whicli h~ got· t~o .batli-rooms, one on the ra~water, it becOmes firm and is not ordinarily blown ground' floor and the 'othel' on' the 'upper, and one oft.' or distUrbed even by gusty Winds. This process of latrine in,' the compound. 'A few houses have a small co!tering the roof. witb ~traw .has to be repeated rumually. kaccha enclosures· of 'Walls of 'pabD. leaves or reed, In;- the month of, ~l or May, the worn-out. 'straw either attached to one side of the' hOUse' :o,)leparately . (rom the roof is ~l11oved and 'is:us~ for burning;' tab' in the CompOund.' :Su"h enclosures, 'whicll' 'are open ( 'QGf) on the seec:t-~ in paddy' fields or Yarns .binds to sky, are made use of mainly -by: females for taking and a fresh stra~:rOofis prepared to stand the seaaons of / bath. Othel's take bath·in· the . open in the small the year ahead. ' , " , compound adjoining the houSe. - '. -; . The' percentag~ ,'of tiled roofs of -dwelling houses No.drainage is providedanywhel'e" except a small sink is 18. These are .au .Mangalore tiled, except one which in the kitchim l'oom in some of the hQuses, though not has a semi-Mangalore And' ¢mi~country-tiled roof. ' in an, for draining :wa'tet; spiJ,i ,in the siiUc, to open yard . r.. < _.~ ~ ... i ~ . , outside.' -Writerused 'forbaths~' washing clothes and The only buildfu~~ ~t till ~uage: ~Jti~h':haVe a.l~,;. ' cleaning utensils, etc., soaks in the oPen yard where it sided roof, are iIie.'ne# prib:larY ·schoo.l:bUiI4i~s' at ' fi(.t'W1i aJld S;pteads, No sOak pits :a.re: provided anywbel'e. Agarsure-Mul-gaQ~lUul.a,rid, ,NandlP-:pada.._~ ~l othe~' have four-sided (~tft:~.)' roofs; . .' .: : " ' , . ~, '. :W. '.~eq~~d {or'-the f~nilly l/f~tched from the • i , . < .. _f,ublie 'well and stored in copper iirRi4s (~) in the Eighty-two per,' cent:Of the 'dwelling houses 'have kitchen.. Fuel . 'DUlde from dey' iI,ijaili wood is walls built in Kacchi{ (unbUmt) , bricks plastered With st-or:~ in. QI,le Coi'Uet. of the shed~ attaclwd if any to the mud. The kaccba· (unburnt} '1)tiCks;' or the sUn-dried house~' 9t ()n, the loft of the cattle-shed or underneath bricks as they may"better be called. are prepared by one of the eaves (~) of the roof of the house. the villagetj) themselves when need be. Th\lt l'equired for immediate daily use is kept in one comer of the kitchen. Walls of only 6 per cent of the dwelling houses are of PucCa (burnt) bricks plastered with mud. Pucca All the dwelling houses at the village are separate bricks are not manufactured in tbe village but have from each other. The distance between any two -r-' • I Heaps. of harvested Paddy Crop " • Straw-roofed (pendharu) House ! ! 1{ / A Son-Koli Woman j t ,. An Agri WOlnan near the" TuJasi Vrindavan " ... ~ .;. ,,-," ;, . -. ~ . ~ ...... ~ .., ." .«<-.."""..w;=._ ...... ,, .',: . . AGARSURE : PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENT houses ranges from 3' to 10' and i}\ few cases it is , Adhe' of the roof when constructed. Mer com about 20'. Almost all the houses have some open pleting coJistructio'n of a dwelling house the ceremony space mostly in the rear and in some cases in front Qr of 'Vastoo-Shanti' (41'E1,nirn) is performed on on one of the sides of the house. A couple of trees an auspicious day for. pacifying tbv household deity either of mango, Shegat (~), Bhend (~~_) in consultation . with' the priest 'before using the 01' banana are planted on the open space attached t.o house for residence. ' the house. Such open space is generally enclosed by Superstition pte~ails that facing. ot a dwelling house cactus or wood hedge. The sacred Tulasi (~) pl~t to the south is bad" as it is the. direction· of the god of is planted in an earthen Vrindavan (¥tcr.r) in front death, the 'Yama' ( on them from the adjoining compouflds of' dWeIfuig The sakachh4 (~) style of wearing Saree is houses. The Group Panchayat has' not provided any described below. A Sartie of 9 yards length and about street lights at the village. . . . S() inches breadth is taken for use. About three-fourths There are no .public' or private l!itrines. '. DUring the , of the length of the Saree is first loosely wound around rainy season the Villagers go out for .easing themselves the' waist and is tied down by a knot on the right side by the sides of hedges on the Varbs land and dUring of the waist or in front. The other end of the Saree the fair season by the sides of bunds of the paddy fields. with the remaining portion is passed underneath the Different Varkas lands or paddy fields are used by right ann along the cbest and is taken over on the left females and males fOf the purpose. shoulder and then passed over or under the right shoulder, thus covering the chest and the back with it. The surroundings of houses in the localities are kept The middle front portion of the loose Saree is passed tolerably clean by members of the households. " On the between the legs. then folded" into small plaits and whole and in general all the hamlets of the village, tucked on the rear side of the waist at the centre. This excepting Tekali-pada, are fairly clean. Part of TekaIi style gives specific grace and exquisiteness to the body pada is rather insanit~ry due to narrow lanes and' by of the wearer and is very convenient even while walking lanes and congestion of houses .. D.D.T. is sprayed fast or running. every year in all the bui14ings at the village. Dress and Footwear . The Son-Koli females also wear the Sarees in ~ Ordinary dress of 'a SOn-Koli male is a coloured fashion," resembling the tight kacha ('PAT) type of cotton rumal (~) red;'green or purple,' with cross dhoti wearing of males, only upto and just cover wise strips and some designs on it. It is about 3' x 3' ing the knees. The kacha ( IfiRT ) is taken tightly in size and costs about Rs. 1 '50 to Rs. 2 each. One between the legs and tucked in the rear. They take end of the rumal is inserted in the waist-string (~) two /three rounds of the folded Saree ~ound the waist in front, is pulled down between the buttocks· and so as to tighten it.:firmly and then take the end of the tucked in tP-e rear ·of the string above the buttocks. The Saree as paJar ('1~) over the' shoulders. Neither opposite erld' is left fluttering in front and the renurlning Son-Koli. nor Chaukalshi females wear pallar (~) two sides are tucked in the. string. on .the sides of the of the Saree over the head. In her dress a Son-Koli waist. lie also wears a: white underwear and female' appears quite upto the features, elegant and a cotton kan-topi (iflli12.1i'{f) . as head-gear.' At times ever ready for any manual work.. The usual dress of he substitutes the rumal and the underwear by a dhoti Son-Koli males as well as females is more suited for and a shirt. During the rainy season and winter' a agricultural work and fishing. few Son-Kolis, "'ho can afford to, use over the under wear a red semi-:woollen c,oat witb half sleeves, called Young ·boys use langoti (~) or shorts and Kothya (CfiTom). and alsi) a sem~woollen kan~topi as und;erwear or shirt, and girls skirt, parkar (~) and head-dress costing Rs. 11 and Rs. 2, respectively. blouse or frock, Very few youngsters use lehenga The semi-woollen coat has' no pockets and' buttons ($). and is tied in front by means of cords ($r). . . On ceremonial occasions the Son-Koli as well as The usual dress of a Chaukalshi male is a· dhoti, Chaukalshi females use the same type of dress as they a shirt and an ordinary black cap, c~sting Rs. '12, Rs: 3 do on ordinary days but it is new and more costly. A and Re. 1, respectively. . .. . few. of the females, whose husbands can afford to, use The Son-Koli as well as Chaukalshi females use colour Jar-Saree (;;rU;;iT miT) costing aboht Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 ed cdtton Sarees of the length of 9 ya.rds and coloured each. On such occasions the Son-Koli females use Cboli (",)rtt) or bl()use. They prefer different colours, in addition, white dhoti over shoulders. It is called viz., green, r~d. blue. purple, light green, rose, etc. shoulder cloth. The Chaukalshi as well as Son-Koli for Sarees and bodice. males use the same type of dress as they nOI'Dlally wear The style of wearing Sarees is, however, different. but it is new and more costly on ceremonial occasions. The Chaukalshl females use them in the same (~) Some of the old Chaukalshis still use a coat over the style as is done by females of advanced classes ; the shirt, crosswide uparne (~~ - a shoulder cloth) only difference being that they use them 5 to 6 inches above it and pugree (qiJtl') as head-dress particularly above the ankles and not upto the ankles as is usually when attending marriage ceremonies. This old done by females of advanced classes. fashion of usmg uparne and pugree is fast waning. S oo.-Koli rues Son-Koli Females , • Cbaukalshi Females • •\ ,. - ::«. . " . .. ):: ~:. "~ i ... :;,:~ ... ".; Chaukalshi Males 17 .. ...... _, . ' Villagers get the '~es stitched by tailers' at' use golden ,gathe , (~) as 'ear-rings-; _Gathe ,is a sterU Chendi Naka as' th~te is~no .tailor,' in the 'village~ ear-ring ~f ' ,silver' ,'WoUtid, _:over by geld thread., Its The stitching charges, are as under :- diameter is abOUt' half to three.-fourths ef' an' in'oh. ~ - . / :R.s. Another small gelden ring"or floWer, is affixed to' it at Half shirt , 0 '75 : , the bott,oni. and le.ft su~ded bbiow: This ernament w~igbs abop.t Ii to' 2 ..teIas.' Its ,constant use' results Full shirt .. ... 1 '25 ", " " '.'- iii expanswn ef the size O'f the ,hoies,.. made in the ears Sherts 1',25, ,and consequently ef the ears. It ' has, however, Blouse 0'62 Ii distinguishing feature. : A Son-Keli woman can easily Cheli 0'25 be distinguished frO'm' O'thers " by her shert tight saree~wearing and the ~athe worn on ears. Cleth, dheties, -Sarees and celeured IlllJlals ate bought frem the village Mandve er Alibag IlDd iri case ef , The num1?er of WO'~ usins ornaments is, hO'wever, urgent need frem Chendi Naka. There is,' nO' clO'th ,sq~l but the princiP;9l ern~t ef mangalSJitra is shO'P in the village. A pair O'f erQinary dbetj costs , invariably used by",aU marmd Wemen and also gathe Rs. 12 to' Rs. 16, an O'rdinary s~ree Rs. 10 t'o 13 ru;kl 'by "_all married Son-Keli wO'men. -- a cO'leured rurilal Rs. 2 to' Rs. 4. 'the apP,roximate "al~. O'f the Q9:J::!lmO'n lomatnents Clethes are w~hed at ll~me. Thke is nO' w~she~ is ~s undex: :- ,", ' / " ,\ , in the village. , R~. " Most ef the males get their hair cut in modem fashiO'n (!) Mangals~tra 30 -00 usually ence in a ceuple O'f menths.' The O'ld fO'lk and (2) Nese-ring df gO'ld 50 '00 some ef the small boys have a clese-cut by a haircut " (3) NO'se-ring O'f pearls ,60-00 machine. The charges fO'r hair cut are 62 Paise. They are 12 Paise fer shaving the head: A barber from (4) SO'lid silvet sari 20'00 the village Zirad visits the village. ' , , (5) Hollow goridm sari .. -. 80'00 (6)'.Qol~n ncqkIace ' ... ,,80,00 The enly fashien ef hair style prevalent ameng , I the females, both Chaukalshis and Sen-Kells, is ambada (7) GO'lden ~g1es .j. I 15~00 each. (amrm). viz.,' a'" tight knet behind the neck. Hair (8). Silverjodvi i ". , "/'SO per pair. ef small girls upto the age ef~ 12 are dressed veni m (~) Gelden kudi . \.... , 50 '00 per pair. (~) left dangling c>ver the back." , . f· ; (10) Kudi ef cultured' pearls Footwear.-Nb.oe ef the females use any footwear. studded wit~ gold "... 7P'00 per pair. Only 144 males from 96'families eut O'f tll.e ietal pepula (11) Golden gathe ,: ...'SO·OO per pair. tiO'n ef 1,018, use Obapp~is in the fair seaseri :bu~ nene in the rainy seasoP' Ghappals ~e bougJ t frO'm, .the , Males de net us:e :any -olll_ti. , A few of the neighbouring village ,of. Zirad, as, there is nO' Cobbler in yeungsters, who are in. serVice: at . Bmiibay, occaSionally the village. A pair'of chappals eosts Rs. 4'te Rs. 7.' , use gol4en 'chain weigmng, ,~t OIle-feurth to' half ' :;., ~ 'a tela withla smalHocltet 'iniitai-OlUidtbe neck. Omaments '\ ,._ I" , .' , '.. • The faveurit~ ;~~O'~t~ pc, wQmemolk atnong FIIl'Diture and other ~, Good!! ' Chaukalshis and,' sOri~K6Us are' (1) t~ mangalS!-'tra , . Table Ne~ 2.4 on page ]'8'~ the number O'f (necklace O'f snu~,il,btack glass I beads with a co'uple Iiouseholds posse&sing different'items: of furniture. O'f small gelden --leaves and twO' golden beads cn, either side), (2) nos~ring' of. gold er cultured pearls, It, will be. seep 'from' aiotesaid tib,}e that only one (3) golden er silver sari ~~r used ronnd the ncck, , heusehold' of,ilie'Lewa' Patidar - J?O~3esses all items (4) gelden necklace, (5) one er twO' gO'lden bangles,~sed ef furniture while the Tillori Kunbi and' the Katkari on each wrist, and (6) small silver trinkets called jodl'i heusehelds de net possess anr. (~) ,on toes. ,ft.s a distinction €haukalshi females , Table NO'. 2.5 showing the number ef households use ¥ (~) of gold or studded with aultured pearls : pOsseSSing different items of censumer goods is given as O'rnament O'f the ears; the Son,Keli females enpage 18. 18 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH TABLE No. 2.4 Castewise distribution of Households possessing dijferen,t items of Furniture Number of Households po$SeSSing Name of caste Khatia, Chair Table Bench Stool WalI-6helf Cupboard Mirro (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Son-Koli' 14 6 27 6 1 3 8 Cbaukalshi 23 5 13 4 4 I 3 Pachkalshi 3 I Agri 3 1 I I 2 I I Brahmin 1. I • 1 •• 1 Lewa Patidar I 1. I 1 1 1 1 I Muslim 1 I 45 Total 15 43 13' 7 3 \' 6 14 TABLE No. 2.S Castewise distribution of Households possessing di.f[erent items of Consumer goods Number of Households PO~ Name of QaSte Hurricane PetroJ.DaX Battery . Kerosene Bicycle Wrist- Clock : Sewing Crockery lantern torch stove \. watch machine (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Son-Koli 62 13 8 4 S 3 Ohaukalshi 23 8 3 3 1 Pachkalshi . 3 1 1 AgO 1 Tillori Kunbi 2 ... Brahmin I 1 I Lewa Patidar 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 Muslim 1 Total •• 94 14 18 1 8 10 6 1 - t Table No. 2.5 discloses that only 62 households out of KeI'osene stove and crockery. are possessed the tdial number of 123 of the Son-Kolis possess one or by the Lewa Patidar family only and sewing machine the other item of consumeI' goods. by the Brahmin. The Katkari family is without any consumer goods. iLike~, only 23 households out of 55 of Chaukal Total number of the various items of furniture or shis possess one or the other item of consumeI' goods. consumer goods possessed by the different households AGABSURE; PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENT 19 in the whole village as shown in Tables Nos. 2.4 Cooking and Otber Utensils and 2.0 on page 18 is as under:- Common utensils in use in the houses of Chaukalshis Total number of as well as Son-Kolis ate brass top (C;Ttr), pateli (~) Name of article articles in the village and zankani (lR"fcf;urT) used for cooking, brass dishes Furniture ( ~) and bowls (c:rrcm) for serving meals, brass (1) Khatia 51 parat (trW) for pteparing bread, tambya (~) (2) Chair 21 for drinking water, brass cups and saucers for drinking (3) Table 48 tea, copper handas (~~) for. storing drinking water (4) Bench 17 and iron and earthen tava (~) for baking chapati. (5) Stool. 13 In most houses earthen pots ate used foI' boiling (6) Wall-shelf 3 water for bath and for cooking fish curty and sometimes (1) Cupboard 6 also rice. Families of lesser means use utensils of (8) Mirror 16 aluminium for cooking, serving food or drinking water. Consumer Gooels- Utensils of brass, copper and aluminium are bought (1) Hurricane lantern 100 from Alibag or the village Mandve or in the annual (2) Petromax 20 fair at Awas. There is no copper-smith in the village. (3) Battery torch I •• 21 Approximate ptices of the common utensils in use (4) K,erosen~ stove 1 are as. under :- (5) Bicycle 9 Rs. (6) Wrist-watch 13 (1) Brass top (c1 consists of rice-bread and some vegetable or usa! is served on co9k.ed rke and ~luzpati in bot~ the (thick preparation) of pulse or fish curry from previous families. In ceremonial feasts sweets are prepared in night meal preserved for the next day's breakfast. The ghee or in • Dalda·. Puran--poli is the favourite noon and evenins meals consist of cooked rice and dal, dish of the Brabmin family and magaj. \ ( ~ _:_ which is locally. called varan ( cn:ur) or fish curry. Jt a preparation of gram flour, ghee and sugar) of the is aupplemented occasionally by toasted dry fish - or Lewa Patidar f$lilY. . vegetable including onion and potatoes and usaf of The poor Katkari family has no ceremonial feasts. pulses. Once in a month chicken curry or mutton It s daily diet cOnsists of breakfast of ri~bread in the curry is served with the meals instead. of dal or morning, cooked rice and dal or roasted dry fish or dry fish curry. Chickens are available '.in most families. fish curry in tJW noon and rice curry or cooked broken Mutton is requited to bt bou~ht. No eggs are used in rice with roasted dry fish or dry fish curry in the evening. ~ or at breakfast but are sold: An egg fetches 'twelve paise at the village. . The Muslijn family takes the same' food as that of 'All the households', at the villa:ge, excepting the the S~n-Kolis but it is rather of an inferior quality due Brahmiri and the -Lewa Patidar, are non-vegetarians. to poverty .. \ Beef is, however, prohibi~d in all the non-vegpiarian Fuel families .excepting the M~~. .. . -. '. . l Cooking is done on ordin~ ~ I ~hul Groundnut oil IS commonly used for frymg or cooking \ (~).! Fuel used for cooking \oonsists. of dry in ordinary or even ceremonial meals. " wood ofIJijaili trees standing on .V:Br~ landJ belong ing to the 'villagers. Those Who dQ not\owa tr~ haVe ~ugat and tea are consumed by all the households to buy WQbd to 50 p.lUse h.'ead aD.d most of the villagers take tea in the morning. They w~chcosts ~l f~a.~ load and ()2 paIse for a bIg headlQ8d. ," sort afwood use milk in the preparation. AI! except. of Pippa] (N'l'as) tree, whic4 j~ consideTed Fast is generally observed on Maha Shivratri, Ram sacred, is used as fuel. Cowdung cakes, made at home, Nawmi and Gokul Ashtami days. Preparations made are also u~d to supplement fuel. I of groundnut, sago, potatoes and bananas aretak en in m.eals on the fasting days. Other H~"'tsI " \ Feasts are held on Gudi Padwa, Dasata, Oanesh VilIaFs 'go to bed lletween 9-00 and 9-30, ~~~ a~ Chaturthi, Bali Pratipada and Holi Paoumima days. get up 'betWeen 5-00 arl.d 6-00 a.m. They ~ their On Oudi Padwa, Dasara and Holi P8,9urnUna days the teeth in the morning with burnt tobaccO po'W'der. or main dish is of puran-poli (~tftoft). On Oanesh rongoli ( wittr ), which is pte'pal'ed by burning paddy Chaturthi day modak (~-a preparation of rice' hUsk. Aftet 'tea thby take bath,.followe TABLE No. 2.6 Caste-wise Distribution of Heads of Households Consuming Tooacco in different forms Different forms in which tobacco is consumed Not consuming Total number Na.tpe of Caste ./ tobacco in any of households Eating Smoking Eating and form smoking both (I) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Cbaukalshi 12 28 15 55 SoQ-Koli 95 2S 1 2 123 Pachkalshi 3 1 4 Agti 6 2 2 10 Tillori Kunbi 1 1 3 5 Brahmin 1 1 ~'Patidar 1 1 Katkari ' 1 1 Muslim' 1 1 Total 118 58 3 22 201 All households possess stone grinding wheels and most midwives. In ordinary cases no specific care is of the females grind grain for flour at home. Out' of 2Ql taken nor any ante-natal precaution followed during households, housewives of 187 houselrolds grind 'cQin the period of pregnancy in any community of the every day in the early morning, 11 make flour at home village. Difficult cases are sent to the maternity as well as at the flour mill at ChQndi Nab and 3, 'Vi~ •• hospital at Chondi Naka for confinement. one Bralunin, one Lewa Patidar one Chaukalshi get aM On the birth of a child at home the umbilical cord is the llout made at Chondi Na,ka. ftout mill. cut by means of a sharp knife or sickle. The placenta Belitfs _ Practiees is buried in a ,deep pit in one col'Iler of the compound of the house. The newly born child is not allowed to Birtha.-Most of the females \ from the village work be breast fed by the mot~r for the first three days of as usual until the eighth month ,of pregnancy. In the birth. A small, clean piece of cloth is rolled into the last ~onth or a month and a lUM before delivery they form of a cigarette, dipped in cow's milk! and one end are not engaged in hard or heavy work such as drawing of it is put in the child's mouth and the other outside and fetching water ftom the village well, working in in order to feed the child with cow's milk on tbose days. fields, et,c., if they can avoid it, but continue to do After three days the child is allowed to suck the mother. light household jobs of cooking, sweeping the floors of the house and t~' cattle shed, cleaning utensils, From its birth onwards the child is given bath in washing clothes, etc. Some of tho females, who have lukewarm water every morning. The mother is not no ot~r person at home to help them continue to do the given bath for the first four days of confinement. From heavy work of drawing and.-fetching water from the the fifth day onwards she is given bath with lukewarm well, etc. but not the field work, till the last month of or hot water every morning. Before giving bath her pregnancy. Greater care is taken of a female, Who is to body is rubbed with coconut oil by the suin for deliver for the first time. She is s~f tel- her parent's . a period of one month after confinement. During that place in the seventh month of pregnancy for confine period, the mother is made comfortable and warm ment. Usually local midwife Dai or sUln as she is called for about half an hour every morning and evening by experienced but untrained is employed for the delivery. blowing live coals below her cot. The child is also given There are two _Son.:Koli females aged 60 and 35 in warmth accordingly for about 10 minutes each time hamlet Nandai-pada 'of the village who work as and then put in the cradle. 22 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH On the fifth ana sixth days of the birth, Devi ' Sati ' SON-KOLIS CHAUKALSmS or • Satvi • ( ~tT arq-q'T m: SON·KOLIS CHAUKALSms Marritlges.-The system of performing marriage Is Girls Boys Girls common amongst Chaukalshis, Son~Kolis, Pach kalshis, Agris and Tillori Kunbis of the village. All Decade year 1941-1950 marriages are performed by Palshi Brahmin priests. A marriage is performed at the bride's place and not at RamChandra Vacchhi Ramchandra Champu Ke8hav Yeshi Janardan Tari the bridegroom's. Nowadays ordinarily the age of Hasha Nami Jagannath Leela the bride and the bridegroom at the time of performance Damodar Gulab Laxman Premi of the marriage is above 14 and 18, respectively. Somu Mani Gajanan Ma1ini Pandurang Manji Prabhakar sWllaIi Some stray cases of marriages below these ages are Laxman Raji also reported. Sadanand Narayan All marriages are settled by negotiations. There Bbambar are, however, variations in taking initiative in proposing the marriage, in the matter of obtaining consent of the Dec:ade year 1951-1960 bride and the bridegroom and in payment of dowry. Mahado" Suman Kamlakar Sumati Narayan Gauri Govind Nirmala Among Chaukalshis and Pachkalshis the bride's father Bhara' Manki Harish- Suman takes initiative and proposes marriage to the bride Ragbav Bhima chandra Chandra· groom's party. Nowadays consent of the bride and Namdeo lam Ekanath bhaga bridegroom is also obtained in some cases. A few Dnyaneshwar Indira Ramesh Manda years back consent of the bride or bridegroom was no Sadanand Nirmala Vijayakumar Shaina Prakash Virnal Suresh Kusum matter for consideration No dowry is paid or accepted Hira Ravindra Malu when marriages are settled amongst the village boys Golab Shobha, and girls. It is only when the village girls are offered Pushpa Usha in marriage to educated Chaukalshi or Pachkalshi Premala Lila families in Bombay that dowry is required to be paid by the bride's father to the bridegroom by way of presents. The amount of this dowry varies from Rs. 200 to Pachkalsros give the same common names to their Rs. 450, according to the financial condition and sons and daughters as the Chaukalshis; A,gris and education of the bridegroom. Tillori Kunbis give the same names as the Chaukalslu'S and Kolis respectively. I In Son-Kolis, Agris and Tillori Kunbis initiative to propose the marriage to the bride's father is taken by the Trend of giving modem common names to girls as bridegroom's father. Consent of bride and bridegroom in oth~r advanced Hindu classes is visible since the to the proposed marriage is not considered important last two decades. Same is the case with boys since the although, of course, the parents on both sides take into last decade. consideration the compatibility and suitability of the As in other parts of Maharashtra the order followed alliance. Among Son-Kolis bride price of Rs. 100 in writing the names of ~es and unmarried females (called~) is paid by the bridegroom's father to the is first the name, then the father's name and last the bride's father. Among Agris and Tillori Kunbis Rs. 40 surname. In the case of married females, first the are paid accordingly by the bridegroom's father to the name is written, f0110wed by the husband's name bride's father. and last the surname. UsuaRy the Son-Kolis of Agarsure offer their girls The nick-'names commonly given to males in Son-Kalis to and accept the girls of Son-Kolis of the following are :- villages of Alibag taluka and Uran mahal of the Kolaba (1) Dada, (2) Kaka, (3) Baba and (4) Tatya, and District :- to females "Tai". (1) Ghasawad, (2) Chondi (Bamansure), (3) Sutar Amongst Chaukalshi males, they are :._ pada, (4) Raywadi, (5) Kihim, (6) Zirad, (7) Awas, (8) Dhokawade, (9) Saral, (10) Mhatroti and (1) Bhau" (2) Tatya and (3) Anna, and females (11) Mandave of Alibag taluka and (12) Town (I) Tai, (2) Akka and (3) Mai. Uran of Uran mahal. 24 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH They also offer their girls in marriage to the Son- by burning a few stems of Ambadi plant (amrrir) to . Kolis of Thana and Bombay but the latter are reluctant represent holy fire. One end of the uparne ( ~ to offer their girls to the former, obviously because shoulder cloth) worn by the .bridegroom is tied to'one such girls will be required to do hard agricultural work . end of the saree of. the bride. The couple is then at Agarsure. made to go rouud thepata seven times, which ceremony is called" Saptapadi;" (~C(l'q'(fi' ). 'the marriage is thus Formerly the marriage function used to continue celebrated in the presence of gods, Brahmin and the for 3 days. First is the "Sakhatpuda" day. On this " Agni" ( ~-fite ) who are supposed to stand day some 5/6 relatives of thel bridegroom go for dinner witnesses to it. to the bride's place. After dinner they give a cup full of sugar to the bride and return home. Second is the Feast consisting of cooked rice and dal, a vegetable or .. Haldi" ( ~'lT ) day. On this day pas'f;e of turmeric usaf of pulses is then given to the friends and relatives. powder ( ~ ) prepared in milk or coconut milk is No non-vegetarian food is served in any marriage feast, exchanged between the bride) party arid the bride although sometimes dtinking is resorted to. A proces.. groom's party. The paste is applied allover the face sion of the bride and bridegroom is t,h¢ taken out by and body of the bride as well as"the bridegroom. The the night in a bullock Cilrt or a horse tonga from the friends and relatives that may have assembled take \,place of the bride to the place of the bridegroom. It is dinner with the respective parties. ~ccompanied by friends and relatives, ma1ys as well a$ females. and by drum beaters and ml,lsic pMyers. The Marriage is held on the third day either in the morning, sanais ( ~~ ). are played by Agri, Mahar A~ Kathodi . noon or evening at an auspicious time determined by the players and the tasha (arm drum) by a Mus1\m bea~r. priest. In the first instance the bridegroom, well-Clad in , \1 new clothes and with bashing ( qrf~-marriage coronet) In Chaukaishis the bride's father gives \ pre~t fixed on his head and murzdhavals ( 1:SlCfaJ ( arr~) in the form of a Dhoti to tile bridegroom and sort of small garlands of flowers or coloured paper) also to the eldeSt son~in-Iaw, if any .. The same,practice, affixed to the bashing and hanging on both sides of the prevails in Son-Kolis also, j but instead of a Dhoti, forehead, is led in procession to the house of the neigh a towel is-given.' The nearest relatives and clost'! acquain bour of the bride. There the " Rukwat " (~crcr) cere tances give presents of a ru._pee or two in cash to the mony, viz.,' of giving him fruits and sweets, is held and bridegroom. They are given pieces of cloth. for shirt then he is taken to the bride's mantlap (;j':sq'). The or bodice in return. bride's father receives him.' He is then made to stand facing the direction where the Sun may be at that time. In Chaukalshis the expense on account of marriage to Two relatives of the bride hold a curtain against him. the bride's party comes to Rs. siX> to Rs. 1,00Q,including The bride is then 'brought and made to stand on the the amount of dowry, if any ; the expense of the opposite opposite side ,of the curtain facing the bridegroom. patty equals to about half of it. Among the Son-Kolis The priest "hants mantras (If'l) and then sings the eipense to the bridegroom's party comes to about mangalashtakas (qlfCM~--eight auspicious stanzas Rs. 500 to Rs. 750 including the bride-price (m;;r); in Sanskrit). 'The friends and relatives and all who expense of the other party equals to about half of it. have assembled. at the function stand up and continue throwing of coloured grains of rice on the heads of the A peculiarity noticed is in the importance given to bride and t~e bridegroom by way of blessings during the the bride's neighbour, where the bridegroom is first period the priest sings the stanzas. On completion of taken for the 'Rukwat' ceremony befor~ being led singing of the eighth stanza the curtain between the , to the bride's mandap 'for celebration of the mai'riage. bride andihe bridegtoom ii lifted. The bride garlands This custom explains the correct· meaning of the the bridegroom and then the latter, the former. ". Beating name of the ceremony. The word" If'fiilffi''' is derived = ~f drums (~) and playing of local vajantri music (~~) from. the Sanskrit toot ~, to stop or halt for. a while. start at the moll'le:nt. Pan-supari and sugar are distributed to all assembled. .The priest then places a stone ~lab No inter~caste marriages have talcen place at the village. called pata (q'I''2:r) (Which is otherwise used for pounding The villagers are all orthodox and do not like to swerve chutney) on one ~ide of the place where the marriage from the age old practice of marrying within the caste. was celeb!ated. 'He arranges betelnuts on it to They are afraid of being· outcaste by the castemen con represent $ods and Rishis ('l1tN). A small fire is made cerned in case they perform an i:nter-casre marriage. AGARSURE : PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENT 25 The only form of consanguineous marriage prevalent A frame of the wood of Bhend tree, 8' X 2' in size at the village is marriage with maternal uncle's daughter. and of the shape of a stretcher is prepared. It is The number of such marriages is eleven. There is no called ardi (~T). Wood of this particular tree practice of marrying the wife of deceased elder brother, is used because it is amply ava}lable at the village. The marrying cross cousins, etc. Marriage alliances with frame is covered by means of a couple of dry leaves of relations are not preferred to those with outsiders. the palm tree, called zap ( ~tq). The dead body is then brought in the front courtyard, held in a sitting position There are no cases of polygamous 01' polyandrous on a wooden seat and a bucketful of cold water is in the marriages village. poured on its head. A wreath of flowers, with leaves Widow Marriages.-Widows are not ill-treated but of the sacred Tulasi plant in it, is laid around the neck they cannot move freely or enjoy status as that of of the dead and the body is laid prostrate. with face married females during marriage ceremonies and on upwards on the tirdi. A piece of white cloth is placed other auspicious functions. underneath and over the body, keeping the face uncovered. The body is fastened to the wooden Widow re-marriages only with widowers are frame (ftn::tT) by means of coir string. Four of permissible in Son-Kolis, Chaukalshis, Agris and Tillori the relatives or friends of the dead lift and hold the Kunbis. The father of the widow takes initiative tirdi on their shoulders. The funeral procession then in such a marriage. It is a simple ceremony. The starts with the eldest or youngest son of the deceased, widow is taken to the widower's place and both are made holding an earthen pot with burning cowdung cakes in to sit in front of the sacred Tulshi plant. The priest it and walking ahead of the procession. On reaching and the Police Patel of the village are present at the the cremation ground, the tirdi is lowered on the place. The Patel inquires and ascertains that all money ground and the dead body is unfastened from the dealings and property matters pertaining to the widow's wooden frame. A pyre of logs of wood is then previous home and in Which she was interested, have arranged on the cremation ground, the dead body is been properly settled and proper arrangements have laid on it with head towards the south and feet towards been made for bringing up the children she had, if any, the north and is covered by logs of wood. The decea from the previous husband. The priest then performs sed's son puts fire on the pyre oy means of the burning the marriage, which is called' Pat' ( ~) within half cowdung cakes he has carried to the crem;ltion ground. an hour. -There is no special ceremony attached to it. Others then set fire to the pyre on all sides and set it On performance of the 'Pat' the married widow can ablaze. All wait at a distance and watch for about again freely move in society and attend even auspicious a couple of hours until the corpse is almost cremated. functions as other married women do. She is, however, No specific religious ceremony is observed at the crema prohibited from performing an auspicious ceremony. tion of the dead. They then return to the house of the dead, each one visiting the apartment in which the System of divorce is not prevalent except among Agris. deceased died and taking darshan (~*"r) of an There has been, however, no instance of divorce among earthen sweet oil lamp which is kept burning on the the Agris of the village. . spot by the members of the household. All of There are no professional prostitutes in this Village. them then take bath in the village tank and return No Kolhatinis or dancing girls visit the village. home. Purdah system is not at all prevalent among the Mourning and pollution are observed by the members women. of the household and nearest relatives of the dead for \ a period of 10 days. Distant relatives observe it for Deaths.-When a person is about to breathe his last, a period of one to three days. No pollution is observed he is removed from the cot and placed on a black blanket by children below 12 years of age. ( 'Ef~T) on the floor of the house. -General belief is that death should not occur on a cot. Mter death, the . In the case of death of an elderly person, his or her dead body is kept in a sitting posture on a chair by eldest son stays at home, does not move out for 12 means of supports, or is laid prostrate on the floor of days and observes strict pollution. Every day in the the house with head to the north and legs to the south. evening for the first 10 days he lits an earthen lamp Care is taken that a cat does not cross the dead body ( q"UfCfT) on the spot where the death occurred and anytime. takes his meals before sunset. Vd4947-4 26 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH On the 10th day the' Pind' (f~) ceremony is per buried and not burnt, general belief being that due to formed by the priest. The' Pind' is prepared of burning of such bodies the epidemic 'Would spread. cooked rice strewn with black sesamum. .These are Customs and ceremonies as detailed above connected worshipped with water and flowers and then released' with death are common ainongst Son-Kolis, Chau in the village tank together with the earthen lamp that kalshis, Pachkalshis"Agris and Tillori Kunbis. They are was being lit for 10 days. also observed by the Brahmin family with slight differ ences. On the death of a person the Brahmins do not On the 11th day the house is purified by means of keep the dead body in a sitting position on a chair but cow-dung and cow-urine ( ir)1:n;r anfUr lTl1f:r). always prostrate On a blanket on the floor of the house. They prepare the tirdi (~T) of bamboos and not of On the 12th or 13th day all the friends and relatives the wood of Bhend tree for carrying the dead body to of the dead and the persons who carried the dead ,body the cremation ground. A Brahmin priest, who is to the cremation ground and also others who accom invited at the cremation ground, performs a ritual by panied the funeral processio~, are invited and given chanting relevant mantras (ll'''f) in Sanskrit language meals consisting of cooked rice, dal and vegetables. before and on setting fire to the pyre on' which the d~ad Expenses of such a dinner varyfrom Rs. 25 to Rs. 75 body is laid. This method of setting fire to the pyre according to the economic condition of the household " is called mantragni (If''5fTfl;:r), as different fmm bhadagni concerned. .(~). On the thirteenth day " Shraddha " ( ~~:) ceremony Bodies of children dying before the age of two are is performed if the person who died was married. buried. All others are burnt on a pyre of wood. A Brahmin priest is invited for performing the ceremony There is, however, an exception to this. Bodies of and for taking meals along with the friends and relatlves persons, of any age, who die due to any of the epidemic of the dead. Sweet gruel of milk and sweet balls are diseases of smallpox, plague or cholera, are necessarily served at the meals. CHAPTER m ECONOMY Village Land and Soil The maximum rates of assessment per acre for the The total area of the village Agarsure is 727 acres and 16 annas soil classification, fixed for the different kinds 16 gunthas or 1'1 sq. miles. The total agricultural land of land in the Second Revision Settlement and which owned by the villagers is 568 acres and 11 gunthas have continued upto now, are as under ;- comprising 310 acres and 35 gunthas of kharif land Rs. a. p. (paddy fields) and 236 acres and 10 gunthas of varkas Paddy land 10 10 8 For sweet paddy land. (dU) 6 12 0 For salt paddy land. land (grass land). Soil of the kharif land is deep enough 3 7 0 For new paddy land. all over and suitable for paddy cultivation. Colour of Irrigated land 6 12 0 the soil is medium black and its texture is not loose but (;rnrrt;- ) sticky 'in most fields. In inferior types of fields the Grass land 3 7 0 colour is blackish-grey and the texture somewhat loose. (f:;n:$) All these fields are well-bunded so as to hold sufficient Rabi land 3 7 0 rainwater. The area of most of the fields is not more ("~CfT) than an aCre each in extent and in some cases, which A bstract of Village Form No. t ( 1[ <:felT<: q'~Gli ) is are not uncommon, it is 2 to 5 gunthas each. There are reproduced below :- very few fields which have an area of one acre and above Area Assessment but none is more than I! acres in eJ(tent. A. g. a. Rs. P. (A) Cultivable assessed land- The varkas lands (grass lands) are plain and at a higher Old Tenure .. 568 11 13 2,881·56 level from those of the kharif lands by about 2 to (B) Uncultivable unassessed land- ,2! feet. The soil of these lands is shallow and hard and Pot-Kharab 55 16 8 its colour is yellowish-grey. There is no red soil in this Rivers and Nallas 10 13 0 village. Good grass grows on the varkas lands. Some 65 29 8 small patches are, however, rocky and barren. The Assigned for public purpose varkas lands are fit for graft mango plantation, but at Gurcharan 17 23 0 present there are hardly any on them. The land~ Khajan land .' +60 17 0 varkas holdings mostly consist of kharif and adjoining 78 0 0 lands, if any, together. Some of the compact holdings Gaothan 9 37 0 are enclosed by cactus hedge. Tanks 5 7 0 There is also a small area of 16 acres and 32t gunthaS Given on rent for non-agricultura"t 0 10 15 use out of Government Survey of khar land (salt paddy land) in the village. It is Nos. subject to inundation by sea water and is occasionally 15 14 15 brought under salt paddy cultivation by broadcast Total of (B) .. 159 4 7 method. - Grand Total of village lands There was originally 17 acres and 23 gunthas of .. 727 16 4 2,1l81· 56 Gurcharan (grazing) land in the village. To this is now The average land revenue for the different kinds of assigned and added 60 acres and 17 gunthas of Khajan assessed land per acre is as shown below :- land. Khajan land means salt land which is not fit Average land revenue even for salt paddy cultivation. The newly assigned per acre land does not grow good and sufficient grass. It is Rs. a. p. occasionally inundated by sea water. Most of the Paddy land (~U) .. 9 0 o For sweet paddy land. 4 0 o For salt paddy land. Gurcharan land is on the south-western side of the Irrigated land (OfHTr{<:f) ., 2 14 o village. Grass land (~) ., 0 10 3 Survey and Settlement Rabi land (w) .. 2 11 6 . The village is in Survey Group II. Its original settle ment was done along with other villages of Alibag The average land revenue per acre of assessed land Taluka in 1857-58, Revision Settlement in 1893-94 and is lower than the maximum rates because of lower soil Second Revision Settlement in 1926-27. classification prevailing at the village. Vd 4947-40 28 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH Land Revenue tenants who were cultivating such lands are now recog The total annual fixed land revenue of the village is nised as occupants. The original landholders are Rs. 2,881' 56 for 568 acres, 11 gunthas, and 13 annas of awaiting fixation of prices of such lands of which they assessed land. The consolidated land reVenue (i~e. are deprived. fixed land revenue plus local fund cess thereon at the Owner Cultivators' and l'enant Cultivators rate of annas three per rupee) is Rs. 3,428' 35. It was the same for the last three years and was duly There are 89 o'Yner cultivators, who cultivate 221 acres recovered in full each year by the PatH and Ta1ati of and 22 gunthas of land, 58 owner-cum-tenant cultivators, the village. According to standing orders, land revenue who cultivate 188 acres and IH gunthas of land and 71 tenant cultivators, who cultivate 158 acres and is recovered in two insta1m~nts. First instalment becomes due on 1st of January and second on 15th of February. 18l gunthas of land. All the owner~cum-tenant cultivators as well as the tenant cultivators have been Thirty per cent of the fixed land revenue is given as provisionally recognised as occupants of the tenanted grant to the Group Panchayat. lands with effect from 1st April 1957 under the provision of the amended, Tenancy' Law. They shall finally Sales Prices of Agricultural ~and8 be ,owners of such lands after the· prices of the land During the last 3 years th~re were only three genuine fixed by the Agricultural Lands Tribunal are paid by sales of lands. In one case 5 acres and 20 gunthas of them. There are no cultivators of any Scheduled land (including 3t gunthas of Pot-Kharab) assessed at Castes or Tribes at the Village. Rs. 10-8-0 was sold by an absentee landlord to the There are in a1l218 agricultural Khated~rs (occupants) tenant of the land in 1959 for Rs. 500. This land is at the village. Their classification accOrding to the of inferior type. The price comes to Rs. 90 per acre. land revenue paid by them is as under :- . In another case only 22 gunthas of land (including 67 Khatcdars paying less than Rs. 5 as land revenue, each. 31 gunthas of Pot-Kharab) assessed at Rs. 10-3-0 was sold by a landlord, who was cultivating the land person 42 Khatedars paying more than Rs. 5 but less than Rs. 10 each. ally, to an agriculturist of the Village for Rs. 1,500 in 44 Khatedars paying more than Rs, 10 but less than Rs. 15 each i ' the year 1958. It is a very good piece of land fit fot 65 Kbatectars paying more than Rs. 15 each. paddy cultivation. 218 In the third case 191 gunthas of land (including 1 guntha of Pot-Kharab), assessed at Rs. 4 was sold by Their classification accord~g to the size of Ift.ndhold an owner agriculturist of the village, who was cultivating ings and the total area and asses~ment of such land it personally, to another agriculturist for Rs. 300 in holdings are shown below :- the year 1959. This was a medium type of land. 1 Number of Area Assessment Khatedars The sale value comes to Rs. 600 per acre. A. g, Ro. a. P. Holding less than. I acre of land each 75 37 51/4 213 13 9 Land Tenure and kind of Rights on Land Holding more than 1 acre but loss than 64 95 17 3/4 64513 6 The only tenure of land prevailing at the village is the 2 acres each. • Khalsa old tenure'. There are no lands of • New' Holding tnore than 2 but less than J acres. 28 78 21/2 423 4 3 Holding more than 3 but less than 4 acres. 15 51 91/4 317 IS 0 or • A1ienat~d' tenure at the Village. Holding more than 4 but less than 5 acres, 12 53 133/4 283 13 3 Rights on 'Khalsa old tenure' lands are of two kinds, which are loc~lly called (1) Marki (~T-of ownership) Total of smali holders .. 194 31S 81/2 1,884 11 9 and (2) Kularaki (~~r-oftenancy). Holding moro than 5 acres but less than 8 SO 8 216 tr 9 c 7 1/2 acres. There were no big landlords in this village. Only Holding more than 7 1/2 acres but less 3 26 1/2 107 11 0 small landholders, mostly Bralunins from the neighbour than 10 acres. ' ing villages of Awas and Kihim, criginally held most Holding more than 10 acrea 13 176 343/4 672 6 6 of the lands in the village. Their right of ownership over such lands has come to an end as from 1st April 1957 Total .. 24 253 3 1/4 996 13 3 under the provisions of the amended Bombay Tenancy Orand Total .' 218 568 11 3/4 2,881 9 0 and Agricultural Lands Act, 1955, as they were absentee A. g. a. Rs. nP. landlords not cultivating the lands themselves, and the i.e. 568 11 13 i.e.2,881 56 AGARSURE : ECONOMY 29 The graph below shows the area cultivated and the It will be seen from the details above that the maximum number of households by size of holdings :- land held by a single Khatedar in the village is 26 acres 291 gunthas and the maximum amount of land revenue AREA CULTIVATED & NO. OF HOUSEHOLDS BY paid is Rs. 85-14-3. It must be noted here that the SIZE OF HOLDINGS landholdings of various sizes, shown in the statement AREA HOU-..OLDS 70 above, consist both of kharif (paddy) as well as varkas ~ (grass) lands together. Separate figures of area of eo paddy land and grass land per holding are not available on the revenue records. ~ eo r--.: III'" · · Thirty-four outsiders of the neighbouring villages of ~ · · (1) Kihim, (2) B aman sure, (3) Awas and (4) Zirad ...~ ·'. .040 · u ·· · cultivate 54 acres of land at Agarsure. Twenty-seven I[ ·· · persons of Agarsure cultivate 60 acres of land in the r ·· 30 - r-:· · · abovesaid four neighbouring villages and in village · '.· Satirje. · ao ·· · ::: · ·:: · Grazing Land and Fodder :. K) · .: · According to prescribed standard of 40 acres of . § 0 ·:~ fa ~ + II II Z Z II II> en + grazing land for 100 heads of cattle, the requirement of eli Gi ~ «", «III eli If, a III ..! j J, CIo a grazing land for the village is 132 acres. It ~5 US ~ .« .,« 2 :I- III .J .-.J ,~ The 78 acres of grazing land is, therefore, insufficient It is seen from the graph that 34' 40 per cent of the for 330 heads of cattle in the village, excluding calves total cultivating households cultivate only 6' 54 per cent below one year of age. In this village, however, insuffi of the total cultivated land, whereas 5 . 96 per cent of the ciency of grazing land is felt more because the 60 acres households cultivate 31 '12 per cent of the total land. 17 gunthas of Khajan land newly assigned for Gur charan is not capable of producing grass. More details of the 13 Khatedars holding more than 10 acres of land each are given below :- The total area of varkas land owned by the villagers is Number of Area held by each Assessment (Land J(hatedars Revenue) paid by each 236 acres. Good grass grows on about 180 acres out of it. During the rainy season cattle are allowed to Acres Gunthas Rs. a. p. 1 11 2 56 5 0 graze on these varkas lands. After the beginning of the fair season, i.e., from December onwards the dry grass 1 26 291/4 48 4 3 from the vark(ls lands is cut and removed by the 1 11 171/4 52 3 0 owners of such lands. Part of such grass is used 1 12 17 85 14 3 as fodder, particularly for she-buffaloes, and part is used for burning rab in preparing the paddy seed 1 11 303/4 64 4 3 beds. 1 14 193/4 32 11 3 Paddy straw from 310 acres of kharif paddy land is 1 11 16 26 14 9 used as fodder for the cattle. The total yield of paddy 1 13 2 43 11 6 straw at the rate of 350 machunaas per acre is 1 11 101/4 48 3 3 108,500 machunclas, Le. 1,085 stacks of 100 machunaas each. A stack of 100 machundas costs Rs. 10. Part 1 16 201/4 71 1 6 of the paddy straw is used for roofing the house, part 1 12 U2 46 10 o· is sold and the rest is used as fodder. 1 11 251/4 35 8 0 13 41/2 6011 6 The local fodder is just sufficient for the village cattle. No cattle are required to be sent outside the Total .. 13 176 343/4 672 6 6 village during any period. 30 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH Livestock In this village he-buffaloes are also used for ploughing The figures of livestock as recorded ,in the Livestock but not she-buffaloes. The reason why they are Census of 1955-56 and count of the year 1960-61 are as used is that they are cheaper and sturdier than bullocks under ;- and as such are preferred, particularly for ploughing sticky soil. They are however slow in ploughing and Number of Cattle according to Serial Type cannot work in the hot sun. Whereas a medium type No. Livestock Count of Census of 1960-61 of a pair of bullocks costs about Rs. 300 to Rs. 400, 1955-56 a pair of buffaloes is available for about Rs. 150 only. 1 Oxen (above 3 years) 157 121 Castrated 15 Non-castrated The number of cultivators owning one, two or more 2 Stud bulls 2 2 number of bullocks or he-buffaloes for the purpose of 3 Milch cows 23 25 ploughing is given below:- 4 Dry cows .. 46 40 5 Male calves (below 1 year) 12 9 Number of Number of Number of he- 6 Female calves (below 1 year) 12 12 cultiva- bullocks buffaloes tors excluding , Bulls (l to 3 years) .. 28' 9 non.. castrated 8 Heifers (I to 3 years) .. 31 16 (1) Owning one bullock each .• 2 2 9 He-bulfaloes 56 39 Castrated (2) Owning one he-buffalo each 4 4 5 Non-castrated 10 Milch buffaloes 22 23 (1) Owning two bullocks each 17 34 11 Dry buffaloes 18 19 (4) Owninll two he-buffaloes each 13 26 12 Male calves (buffalo) (below 1 year) , 3 9 (5) Owning two bullocks and one he- 2 4 2 buffalo each. 13 Female calves (buffalo) (below 1 year) 7 7 (6) Owning two bullocks and two he- 2 4 4 ,.14 He-buffaloes (I to 3 years) 26 5 buffaloes each. ~5 She-buffaloes (1 to 3 years) 33 11 (7) Owning three bullocks each 27 81 16 Sheep 3 (8) Owning three bullocks and one he 3 buffalo each. 17 Sheep (below 1 year) 14 (9) Owning four bullocks each 4 18 Goats (femalo)- (10) Owning four bullocks and two he 4 2 below 3 year. 14 10 buffaloes each. below 1 year 11 Total .. 70 136 39 19 Goats (malo) 20 Hens 234 207 21, Cocks 33 51 Thus only 70 out of the 218 cultivators of the village Cocks (leg-hom) 2 own drag animals. In order, therefore, that the 22 Chicken 366 408 whole hind of the village may be cultivated, the villa gers owning and not owning cattle, form small groups According to the count of 1960-61 the livestock is of 2 or 3 cultivators each under the local Handa (~'n) owned by households of different castes of the, village as system of co-operative cultivation prevalent at the village. shown below. Number of households owning neither Description of this system is given elsewhere. cattle nor poultry is also separately given :- A few non-owners of plough-cattle, who do not or Number of households cannot join any groups, hire ploughs for ploughing. Namo of caste Owninll Owninll Owning Owning only only both neither Total cattle oultry cattle as cattle nor Ordinarily it takes four days to plough one acre of but no tutno well as poultry poultry cattle poultry land with one plough with an average pair of bullocks Son-Koli .• 22 68 33 123 and five days with a pair of he-buffaloes. Chaukalshi 15 23 17 55 The number of milch cows is 25 and of milch Aari 3 4 3 10 buffaloes 23. The price of milch cow, yielding about Tillori Kunbi 2 3 5 one pucca seer of milk a day, is Rs. 75 and that of Pachkalshi :l :2 4 a milch buffaloe, yielding about 2! pucca seers of milk, Brahmin ,1 Lcwa Patidar is Rs. 250. No cattle bazar is held at the Village. Katkari At Chondi Naka, however, plough bullocks from Muslim -'-- Manchar and Bela and milch buffaloes from Bombay Total .. 2 97 S8 201 are brought for sale occasionally in the fair seaSOD. A. Bullock-cart for Passengers ._. .' \ An Agriculturist and his Bullock .. I Levelling a ploughed field by the means of " Main " (~) Pluugiling the Fieh) AGARSURE ; ECONOMY 31 Villagers sell the surplus milk to the hotel-keepers at According to the census taken in the year 1955-56 Chonm N.!\I.ca or Zirad or to some of the non-agricultu the number of wooden ploughs in use was 93. In the rist families at those places. The price of buffalo-milk count of 1960-61 it is reduced to 78. ,Simultaneously is 75 to 88 paise per pucca seer and that of cow's the number of plo\1gh-bullocks and plough-buffaloes milk is 37 paise. has decreased by 21 and 12, respectively. The health of the milch cattle as well as the plough The present number of 78 ploughs with 136 plough animals is poor. They are small in size and ill fed, bullocks and 39 plough-buffaloes is just sufficient for particularly during the summer, because of the economic ploughing 310 acres of paddy land of the village at the condition of the owners. tate of four acres of land ploughed per pair of bullocks The villagers themselves remove or drag the carcasses and 2 acres per pair of he-buffaloes'during the rainy of dead animals from the village sites to outskirts of the season. village. There are no scheduled caste members in this village. The Chamars of the village Zirad remove the There are no iron ploughs, nor any tractors, engine skin from. the carcasses and take away the leather. . pumps,· raTult or mot in use at the village. Nothing is paid by them to the owners of the dead animals as price of the skin. Local meaDS of Transport Agricultural Imp~eDts The only means of transport owned. by the villagers The various implements used for agricultural purposes is the bullock-catt. There are 53 passenger bullock are as under :-'- \ carts and 10 goods-carts oWned by an equal number of households. The size of a passenger bullock-cart (1) Wooden plough (;:rt.n:) for ploughing. is 3' 0" x 3' 4" and that of th~ goods is 5' 0" ~ 3' 4'. (2) Scythe ('liP:rnT) for reaping the crops. • Wheels of 33 out of 53 passenger carts are rubber-tyted . (3) Mogar or Main (#Fn: ~ tf.:r) for breaking Such a cart costs about Rs. 350. A goods-cart clods of earth. with iton-tyred wheels costs ab9ut Rs. 275 and can (4) Ale (~ for levelling the surface of land. carry 6 bags of paddy grain. Mostly ow.ners ofpassenger bullockl-carts also .own goods-carts. 'Whenever they (5) Crowbar (J~) for digging earth and repair want to use a goods-cart they remove the chassis of the ing bunds, etc. passenger-cart nom its wheel frame and fix the chassis (6) Iron bar (~) for digging earth and repair of· the goods cart on it to turn; a passenger-cart into ing bunds, etc. a goods-cart. :" (7) Pavde (1J'lCfi spade) for collecting earth. The number of ~bber-tyred passenger-carts is large (8) Basket (~r) for removing earth or grain. and gives the impression that the owners of such carts Nos. 1, 3 and 4 are prepared by local carpenters. must be quite well-to-do. That is not always true. In Nos. 2 and 5 to 8 ate bought frOID Chondi Naka, Zirad the first place the ~lagers are very fond of bullock-cart or Mandave villages. racing and so several of the owners of passenger-carts got rubber tyres fixed on the wheels. Secondly they Virle or IraTe (~ arqqr, ~), which is not an agri explained that in the long run the expense of providing cultural implement, is used by the field workers to and maintaining rubber tyres as well as iron tyres is protect themselVes from rain while ploughing fields or the same ; reason being that no replacement or repairs transplanting paddy seedlings, etc. It is a rain shield. are required to be made to tubber tyres for 3 to 4 years. A frame is prepared of thin Bamboo chips, crosswise The iron tyres are required to be re-fixed on the wheels uset1, fitting the head and back of the worker. It is every year for which smithy charges have to be paid. covered by dry leaves of Palas (~) tree, which are locally fixed on it by means of string used crosswise. The frames are available at Chondi Nab or Zirad Economic Actility at about 50 to 75 paise each. Table No. 3.1 at page 32 shows the distribution of There is no tendency on the part of the agriculturists population of the village by workers and non-workers, to change over from the traditional agricultural imple educational levels and sex. ments to modern tools. In fact they cannot afford to The total number of workers and non-workers each do that. form exactly 50 per cent of the population. 32 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPll TABLE No. 3.1 Distribution of workers and non-workers by sex and educational levels Workers Non-workers Total population of workers and non-workers Educational levels Males Females Total Males Females Total Males Females Total (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) ~ 1. Illiterate 71 251 322 137 254 391 ' 208 505 713 /' 2. Literate (without educational 137 19 156 66 32 98 203 51 254 level). 3. Primary or Junior Basic 27 3 30 18 2 20 45 5 50 4. Matriculation and above 1 1 1 rotal ., 236 273 509 221 288 509 457 561 1,018 The Figure below and Table No, 3,2 on page 33 The Figure below and the statement on page 34 show the economic activities by broad age-groups show the labour participation and broad economic for males and females separately:- activities of, males and females separately:- ECONOMIC AC~S BY BROAD LABOUR PARTICIPATION AND AGEwGROUPS. MALE FEMALE BROAD ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES 100 ~~~-~- ~ '" o 20 40 60 eo 100 ~ ~ MALEI..... _w_o_'R_K_ER_S_' ---"l~w.~~~~I>O'~...ou:~wtK,",,~~"'!oDOfi1 eo ~ ::: ~ g;~ [; 'EMALEIL-:: ____.I.\~~~~_ ~W~1IolIII I:: MAL.E FEMAL.E E 100 f-- I-~ - - eo - !A- Eo ;; !~ 70 c... 90 ~ - ::: : r: GO ~ SO r- ~ I- - :-- ~ ~ t- eo 70 ~ I-~ ~ I-- 40 - r- eo " I: r-- 30 - - eo - ": ~ f-b== 20 40" "" ::: ::: E 10 - 30 . I:: 0 ~ ~ 20 + I- 2 ;; 10 rn-nwt MINING, QUARRYING ;. ~ CUL.TIVATOR ~ FORe;STRY ETC. t::::::':] AGR I, DIIIIlI OTHr;RS. ~L.AEilOUFIER B. . 0 III a: a: a: It Ii Ill' II ~ III 0 0 III a: III II l- t- Z 1: ~ ::> c( ~ ~ l- ll: • 0 I- 0 ~ '"~ ~~ I[~ m l- t- 2 0 "'!&I c( .J ~w ::>:.. .J ::> 5 ..I 0'11: 0 0 '" O'~ -l- I[ it (!lUI Cl C) ~r 4( c( fEztr ~o -0 I· I ... AGARStJRE : ECONOMY 33 TABLE No. 3'2 Percentage distribution of Workers by Industrial Categories, Broad Age-groups and Sex Broad age-groups and percentage distribution 0-14 15-34 35-59 60 + Economic Activity Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Total 100'00 100·00 100·00 100·00 100·00 100·00 100·00 100·00 (i) Cultivator 58·34 75·00 73·63 83·22 86·28 87·25 96·77 80·00 (ii) Agricultural Labourer 8·33 16.67 14·29 16·78 9·80 12·75 3·23 20·00 (iii) Mining, Quarrying, Forestry, etc. 25·00 8.33 5·49 0·98 (iv) Others 8·33 6·59 2·94 TABLE No. 3.3 Classification of Workers by Industrial Categories, Broad Age-groups and Sex Industrial Category In Mining, Quarry- Aae-llfoup As Cultivator As Agricultural ing, Livestock, At Household In Manufactur- In Cons- In Trade In Other Total Labourer Forestry, Fishing, Industry ing other than truction and Services Workers and plantations, Household Commerce orchards and Industry allied activities M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F Total (I) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (IO) (II) (I2) (I3) (14) (IS) (I6) (I7) (18) (19) (20) 0-14 7 9 2 3 12 12 24 15-34 67 124 13 25 5 2 91 149 240 35-59 88 89 10 13 3 102 102 204 60 and above .. 30 8 2 . 31 10 41 Total •• 192 230 25 42 9 2 5 236 273 509 TABLE No. 3.4 Non-;workers classified by Broad Age-groups, Sex and Type of Activity Full_time students Persons engaged only Dependants, infants, Persons seeking or children attendin& in household duties children not attending employment for the Total non-working population Age-group school school and persons firsttime permanently disabled M F M F M F M F M F Total \ (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (II) (12) 0-14 95 45 9 112 193 207 247 454 15-34 10 6 11 7 18 35-59 7 5 12 13 o and above 4 2. 18 2 22 24 Total 105 4S 26 115 217 221 288 509 34 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH LAlwur participation and broad economic activities The total number of persons principally engaged in by percentage- , cultivation of their lands is 422 (192 males and 230 females). Their age-groups are as under :- Total Workers Non-workers Males 100'00 51'64 48'36 Age-group Males Females Total Females 100'00 48'66 51'34 0-14 7 9 16 15-34 67 124 191 Males Females 315-59 88 89 177 Economic activity .. 100'00 100'00 60 + .. ' 30 8 38 (i) Cultivator 81' 36 84'25 ---- (ii) Agricultural Labour 10' 59 15'38 Total .. ' 192 230 422 (iii) Mining Quarrying, Forestry, 3' 81 0'37 '_ etc. Out of them 251 (99 males and 152 females) follow (iv) Others 4'24 agricultural labour as a secondary work in order to The workers are sub-classified into sex, broad age supplement their income. groups and industrial categories as shown in Table Thus in all 318 per'sons (124 males and 194 females) No. 3.3 on page 33. are locally available for agricultural labour. Such The percentage of male and female workers engaged a large number is not locally employ~. Majority of in 'cultivation' to the total number of male and female them have to find out work in the neighbouring villages workers is 81'36 and 84'25, respectively. of Awas, IG.him and Sasavane. \ Likewise the percentage of male and female workers The'type of work these labourers have to do is engaged in 'agricultural labour' to the total number (1) tran:~plantation of paddy seedlings, (2) weeding of male and female workers is 10' 59 and 15' 38, operations, (3) reaping of crop, (4) threshing of crop respectively. and (5) storage. The hoUl's of work are 8-00 ~)m. Table No. 3.4 on page 33 shows sub-classification to 12 noon and 2-00 p.m. to 6-00 p.m. of 'Non-workers ' by sex, broad age-groups and type of activity. Daily wages are as under :- During rainy season During fair season The percentage of boys and girls attending the school Man . . 1 Rupee plus one meal 1 Rupee. to the total number of 'Non-working' males and Woman . . 75 Paise plus one meal 75 Paise. females is 47' 51 and 15'63, respectively. Child . . 50 Paise plus one me~l . 50 Paise. Likewise the percentage of dependants, infants There is no system of employing agriculturallabourets and children not attending school and persons perma on annual, monthly or seasonal basis prevailing in this nently disabled, males as well as females all together village. Labourers are employed on daily wages (viz. 115 + 217 = 332) to the total population of the whenever required. ( village (viz., 1,018) is 32'61. Agricultural Labour.-In all 67 persons (25 males and Cropping Pattern 42 females) are agricultural labourers. Their principal The areas under different crops grown in t he village means of livelihood is agricultural labour. Their in the year 1959-60 were as under :...:... age-groups are as under :- A. g. Agricultural labourers Age-group (1) Paddy •• 310 35 Males Females Total (2) Val (second crop) 32 15 (3) Gram (second crop) .. o 20 0--14 1 2 3 4) Onion .• o 2 5) Water·melons (fruit) 15-34 13 25 38 6) Tonelli (vegetable) g ~~ }(un~er well irriga- ~(7) Graft mango (fruit) 10 25 tion) 35-59 10 13 23 (8) Tag (fibre) 2 6 60'+ 2 3 359 13 Total .. 25 42 67 Minus double crop area •• 33 3 326. 10 Out of them 27 persons (8 males and 19 females) Plus grass area ., 236 lOt are engaged in the secondary work of cultivation on a very small scale. 562 201 AGARSURE : ECONOMY 35 No change in land utilisation pattern, viz., cultivation availability, are selected on varkas soil or in paddy fields of cash crops instead, of food crops has been noticed at various places. Such patches are strewn with refuse d urfn,g the last 10 years and therefore the same area., and garbage, dry leaves of trees or paddy husk, or dry were under the !>ame crops for years together. It is cowdung, with a thin layer of earth on them. They hardly possible to cultivate any cash crops in paddy are then set on fire. All the roots of grass and reed on lands without the means of irrigation. such patches thus get burnt to ashes and the seed-beds A very small area of only 13 acres and 15 gunthas also get manured. is under irrigation by well. Its classification is given at Such seed-beds are made by all the cultivators growing items Nos. 5, 6 and 7 above. As the water for paddy. Ordinarily seed-bed of an area of two gunthas irrigation is taken from 'Malki' (owned) wells, no is required for sowing seed and raising seedlings thereon water rate is levied. to suffice transplantation of such seedlings in one acre of paddy land. Seedlings of 36 lbs. of paddy Average Yield of Principal Crops per Acre seed are required for cultivating one acre of paddy The Mamlatdar of Alibag has notified under his land by the process of transplantation. That is the Notification No. T.N.C/W.S./811, dated 29th March first stage of the work which is called rabni (~r.rurT). Very 1961, under rule 6(1)(A) of the Bombay Tenancy good seedlings come up on the seed-beds prepared by and Agricultural Lands Rules, 1956, the average yield this process. per acre of sweet paddy land of this village for the year Also during this period a few agriculturists, who can 1960-61 as ~der :- afford to, fold flocks of sheep and goats, each consist Bengal Bengal Chataks maunds seers ing of about 200 heads, on two nights in some of their (1) For c~ass one soil assessed at paddy fields for manuring. Last year (1960-61) 18 cdtl above Rs. 9 per acre - .. 31 2 11 vators got 30 acres of their paddy land manured in this (2) For class two soil assessed at Rs. 4-8-0 to Rs. 9-0-0 per acre. 28 1 3 Way. Charges for manuring one acre of land by this (3) For class three soil assessed at 12 less than &s. 4-8-0 per acre. . 21 5 12 method are adholis of rice valued at about Rs. 12. The effect of this manuring lasts for 2 years. Two shep The average yield of paddy crop per acre of sweet herds (Dhangars) of Poona side visit this village every paddy land in the village is 25 Bengal maunds. year with their flocks of sheep and goats for grazing The yield ,of paddy straw per acre of paddy land is and for this purpose. 350 machunJas (~) (bundles of dry stems of paddy Out of 218 cultivators, 99, who own cattle, supply crop). The average price of a stack of 100 machundas cowdung manure to their paddy fields in alternate is Rs. 10. years. Price of a local cartload of cowdung manure is The only second crop grown on some significant area Rs. 3. Hardly 10 cultivators buy such manure and in the village is Val (Cffi'5') which is grown on 32 acres supply it to their fields. 15 gunthas of paddy land which retains moisture. The Immediately on getting the first rains, which usually average yield of Val per acre is 4 Bengal maunds and come in by the end. 0 f the first week or beginning of the average price per Bengal maund is Rs. 20. second week of June, the seed-beds are ploughed The yield of varkas land is only grass, which is partly by bullock-ploughs and paddy seed sown in them. used as fodder and partly for burnIng rab on seed-beds. Within about three weeks from the date of sowing, the Agricultural Practices and Calendar of Agricultural seedlings get ready for transplantation. That is the Operations second stage of the work, which is called lavni (wr The expenses of cultivation of such lands are about for carrying out tne agricultural operations of three-fourths of the expenses required for cultivating (1) ploughing, (2) transplanting, (3) reaping and sweet paddy lands, because in the case of Khar lands the (4) threshing, all, or any of them, as need be. They are agricultural operations of Rab-buming, raising of seed not of a stable nature; the persons. may be changed lings on Rab, ploughing of fields and transplantation year to year. The duration of a hantla is for the parti of seedlings are not required to be done. cular agricultural season only. The persons do not - necessarily of a single unit co-operate in other spheres Some of the Khar lands, which are quite distant from of activity. the shores of the creeks and sea and which are well bunded, are saved from the inflow of salt water on them A hamla is formed with any of the cultivators of the continuously for a long period. In that case after first v,illage or the neighbouring village. ,It is not that four or five yearS' of reclamation the soil of these lands only kinsmen or castemen are included in it. Agricul assumes the characteristics of sweet paddy land; and tural workers from all the families comprised in the sweet paddy, both of the coarse as well as fine varieties, handa, males as well as females, co-operate in carrying can be grown on them as the case may be viz. halwar out the agricultural operations on the fields belonging (~-shallow field of early crop) and garwa to the concerned households, included in the hantla, (~-deep field of late crop), respectively. The same one after the other. Ploughs and agricultural impk· seed, which is used for sweet paddy lands, is used ments belonging to all the families are collectively in the c~e of these lands too. The agricultural opera used in carrying out the work. The head of the house tions, yield of· crop, expenses of cultivation, etc., are hold, on whose field the agricultural operation is carried also the same as in the case of sweet paddy lands. But, out is required to give tea, morning and noon, also if these lands are inundated by sea water due to breach meals at noon and required number of bitlis, pan of the main or subsidiary bunds any time, they are supari and tobacco to all workers taking part in the again required to be reclaimed. Unless they are re agricultural operations on that day. claimed, only the coarse variety of salt paddy can be grown in them. Two or three hantlas of this type are formed every year in each of the eight hamlets and sub-hamlets of the In short Khar lands are those which are formed after village; in all not more than 25 in number are formed in reclamation from the beds of creek or seaside land and the village. All the lands in the village are thus cultivated saved from the inflow of sea water by erecting by this system of co-operation and none remains fal1ow. bunds so as to raise paddy crop on them. No other Secondly no labour, ploughs, bullocks or other agricul crop can be grown on such lands. tural implements are requited to be hired on payment of wages in cash by any of the families comprised in The "Handa" system of CO-operative Cultivation handa. There is no question of sharing the produce There are 218 cultivators at the village of whom only of the lands Of the expens ~s of cultivation in this system. 70 own plough animals. The remaining 148, \\-ho can Each household in the group is entitled to take away afford to pay, take ploughs on hire. Such ploughs are the full produce of its lands cultivated. 10cally available at Rs. 4 per day per plough with ll. pair of bullocks and a ploughman. The seed of mutual co-operation is thus extant in the village since years past. There are, however, some cultivators Who cannot afford to pay the charges for hiring ploughs. There Level of Improvement are also others who do not have sufficient number of No land of the village has been covered under any workers in their families or have some other domestic land improvement programme. The bunds of paddy or financial difficulties in carrying out the agricultural fields are, however, well maintained by the villagers. operations which' are laborious or expensive. Such cultivators form small groups with others possessing There has been no appreciable improvement in the plough animals or having sufficient number of workers, agricultural practices of the village, nor any change in etc.,· with a view to making up the deficiencies and outlook of farmers as regards agricultural practices carrying on agricultural operations succt"ssfully. Such duting the last 10 years. Only last year (1960-61) fifty groups are called "Handa" (~). A handa agriculturists used 50 bags of ammonium sulphate consists of two or three families of cultivatojs according and 48 bags of super-phosphate as manure in about to requirements. Such handa are temporarily formed 50 acres of paddy land. 38 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH Storage of Field Produce , Nirpunj' (~), which is a Garwa Jada variety There ate no community godowns or any storage used for making parched rice, fetches 50 paise facilities provided by the Multi-purpose Co-operative more per Bengal maund. The price of paddy varies Credit Society. The villagers store their paddy grain in according to its quality ~hich is determined by the kanagas in their houses or in a few cases in the store following method. ,A handful of paddy is taken as rooms provided on the osari of the houses. sample from the grain offered for sale. It is de-husked by crushing with light pressure under a small wooden Paddy straw and dry grass are stored on lofts of cow rod called pata (tfrcr). The out tum of rice from it is sheds, wooden mach (lfT"'!') or branches of trees, so that examined and its quality determined by its size, colour cattle may not be able to reach them. and proportion or percentage of breakage. Agricultural Marketing Weighment of paddy is made by means of approved scales and weights. The prices offered by the local The marketing season for paddy is from December dealers are a rupee less per Bengal maund as compared to March. Villagers sell their surplus paddy to the with the prices then prevailing in the market at the dealers of Chondi Nab or Zi~d. Alibag. The local dealers, however, usually do not Some of these aealers give on credit grocery articles dis~ose of the grain immediately at Alibag but keep it required by needy cultivators of Agarsure during rainy with, them until the end of March or even later and season. Such cult;vators preferably stoll their surplus then "sell it to the owners of rice mills at Ali~g with paddy to them in the ensuing fair season. The dealers a profit of about Rs. 3 to 4 per Bengal maund. " adjust the credit money to their account and pay the No Agricultural Marketing Committee has ", been surplus amount of price of the paddy, at the current yet formed anywhere in the taluka. In the absence of rate, to the concerned cultivators in cash. storage facilities and the facilities of banking credit, No interest is charged by the dealers in this transac villagers have been losing the benefit of higher prices tion and there is no unfair dealing in it. It is open obtaining at later stages of the season. to all to sell their grain to any of the dealers. In that Paddy is transported by viliagers in their own case the cultivator concerned pays off the credit money bullock-carts or·'by 'headload for sale at Chondi Naka in cash to his grocer. or Zirad. The harvest prices of different varieties of paddy are On intensive survey of 47 households of agricul as under:- turists the results about total prJduction, domestic Variety Price per Bengal maund consumption and sale of their agricultural produce Rs. during the year 1960-61 are given,.n Table No.3' 5 below. (1) Garwa Kolam (~ CffT1i5lf) 14'-00 (2) Halwar Kolam ( ~~ ~) 13'50 Only 32 households sold 812 B. mds. of paddy and (3) Garwa Jada ( ~ :m~ ) 12'00 21 B. mds. of Val. Fifteen households had no surplus (4) Ha1war Jada (~~ "I'M) . 11'75 grain at all for sale. . TABLE No. 3.S Details 0/ agricultural production, domestic consumption and sale for selected households Quantity of total Quantity used for Surplus sold Kind of produce produce in B. mds. domestic consump- tion in B. mds. Quantity in B. mds. Total price 'obtained Average rate of price obtained per B. mds. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) Rs., Rs. Paddy 3,012 2,123 812 10,106-00 12·45 Val (second crop) 29 8 21 429·00 20'43 Agricultural Economy paddy land per head of population comes to only The total population of the village is 1,018 persons. 12 gunthas. The kharif crop of the village is only The total paddy growing area is 310 acres. Thus the paddy. AGARSURE ; ECONOMY 39 Amount The second crop of Val (Cfl~) is gtown only in Item Rs. 32 acres of land which retains moisture even after the 3. Rab-making 14·00 rainy season is over. Price of material (4 cart-loads 10·00 The average yield per acre of paddy land is as under: of paddy husk, grass, dry tweeds, cowdung, etc.). Kind Yield Price Value Labour charges (2 labourers for 4·00 2 days at Re. 1 per labourer Rs. Rs. per day). (1) Paddy 2S B.mds. 12·25 per 306·25 B.md. 14·00 (2) Paddy straw 350 Ma- 10'00 per 100 35·00 chundas Machundas 4. Ploughing the rab for one day and sowing of 4·00 (one Machunda seed (plough charges). weighs about 3 Ibs.) 5. Price of t B. maund of paddy seed required 7·00 Total Rs. ., 341·25 for sowipg in rab. 6. Ploughing the paddy field and making it ready 16·00 Average yield of Val per acre is as under :- for transplantation (2 ploughs for 2 days Kind Yield Price Value at Rs. 4 per plough per day). Rs. Rs. 7. Uprooting the seedlings in rab area and 3'00 (1) Val Seed 4 B. mds. 20 per B. md. 80,00 removal to paddy field (2 persons for one day at Rs. 1· 50 per person per day). (2) Steams and reeds 3 B. mds. 5 per B. md. 15·00 8. Transplantation in paddy field (6 persons for 18·00 of Val creepers two days. Rate Rs. 1 . 50 per person Total .. 95·00 per day). 9. Weeding operations, twice in season (3 persons 18·00 for 2 days each time. Rate Rs. 1· 50 per The total gross yield of the village comes to as under: person per day). Acres B. mds. Total Price per Value 10. Preparing the threshing floor (2 persons for 3·00 per acre production B. md. one day at Rs. 1· 50 per person). inB. mds Rs. Rs. 11. Reaping of crop (6 persons for one day at 9·00 Paddy- '. Rs. 1· 50 per person). 310 x 2S 7,750 12·25 94,937'50 x 12. Removal of crop from field to threshing floor 4·50 Paddy Straw- (3 persons for one day at Rs. 1· SO per 310 x 350 108,500 x to·oo 10,850'00 person). Machundas per stack 13. Threshing (4 persons for 2 days at Rs. 1·50 12·00 of 100 bundles per person per day). Total .. 1,05,787'50 14. Removal of paddy grain from threshing floor 4·50 to the home of the agriculturist (3 persons Yol- for one day at Rs. 1· 50 per day or cart hire 32 x 4 = 128 X 20'00 2,560'00 charges). Stems and'reeds of Yal creepers- 15. Forming the paddy straw into bundles (tn~) 4'50 32 X 3 = 96 X 5'00 480,00 and their removal from threshing floor to agriculturist's house (3 persons for one Total 3,040'00 day. Rate Rs. l' SO per person). Grand Total 1,08,827'50 Total 136'50 The per capita annual gross agricultural income comes to Rs. 106·90. Work at items Nos. 1, 2 and 3 is carried out in the The expenses for cultivation of one acre of paddy months of April and May, that at items Nos. 4 and 6 to land are as under :- 9 from June to end of September and at items Nos. 10 Item Amount Rs. to IS in October and November. 1. Repairs to bunds 10·00 (2 labourers for 5 days. Rate Re. 1· per Members of the cultivator's family, who work on labourer per day.) labour provided in items Nos. 1 to 4 and 6 to IS, can be 2. Manuring the paddy field .. 9·00 presUmed to have earned the proportionate wages . . Price of material (2 cart-loads 8'00 of cowdung and 2 cart-loads of garbage). The expenses of cultivation of one acre of paddy land Labour charges 1·00 amount to 40 per cent of the gross income from the land. 9·00 The net income per acre is Rs. 204'75. 40 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH The expenses for cultivation of Val in one acre of Out of 201 households at the village 177 are engaged land are as under ;- in cultivation, one in household industry, two in culti Item Value vation and household industry and 21 neither in culti- Rs. . vationnor household iudustry. Out of the 177 households 1. Val seed i Bengal maund 5'00 engaged in cultivation only 22 are self-sufficient, depeud 2. Ploughing the field and sowing seed in it 4·00 (one plough for one day). on their own agricuJtural persuit alone and do not take 3. Fencing the field .. 12'00 up to any secondary work. Most of the adult members Material (thorns, etc.) 8·00 of the remaining 155 hQuseholds ha ve mainly to take up Labour 4·00 to the seccndary work of agricultural labour in their 12·00 own villagp or the surrounding Villages duril'g off agri 4. Watching the crop for two months by night IS-DO cultural season and in the coconut and betelnut gardens (4 annas per night). 5. Reaping the crop and its removal to threshing 3'00 in the neighboUring villages of Awas, Kihim and floor (3 persons for one day. Rate Sasavane or on any other ordinary labour in the Re. 1 per person per day). surrounding villages, or on road works during the fair 6. Picking :zrrm from the creepers (3 persons 3·00 season in order to supplement tl~eir insufficient agri for one day). \ cultural income. Such employment is, however, not. 7. Threshing the ~ and removal of"seed from 4·00 gtlaranteed for all and on all the days. ,There are them (4 persons for one day). occasional breaks and some of them have to stay at 8. Removal of the Val seed and the threshed 1'00 creepers to the house of the cultivator home without any work on some days e,ach, month. (one person for one day). There is no big factory or concern nearby where Total .. 47-00 the available man-power can be regularly utilised:. . The percentage of expenses of cultivation comes to The village economy is not self-sufficient. In, spite 49·47 per acre, i.e. roughly 50 per cent. The net of that the villagers continue to stay at the village,' income per acre of Val cultivation comes to Rs. 48. some of the main reasons for which are as under;- Members of the cultivator's family who employ them (1) They have got their oWll1,louses in the revenue selves on labour mentioned in items 2 to 8 can be .free ga9than area arid have not to pay any presumed to have earned proportionate wages. Due rent for residence. to the nuisance of stray cattle during the fair season additional expenses of fencing the field and also of (2) During part of the "agricultural season they watching the crop have to be incurred for'successful get one meal a day in addition to ordinary raising of the crop. wages on agricultural 'abour. The total gross annual income of the village from (3) They curb their wants anp reduce their require paddy crop is Rs. 1,05,787. Sixty per cent of it comes ments to minimum even in respect of to Rs. 63,472. Likewise the total gross annual income clothes, beddings, footwear, etc. - of Val is Rs. 3,040, fifty per cent of which comes to (4) They have stability and some status at the Rs. 1,520. village and hold some influence among their kith and kin and neighbours and in sur The total net agricultural income of the village is rounding villages. In case of distress, Rs. 64,992 (63,472+ 1,520). Deducting the amount calamity or difficulty, there is hope of of Rs. 3,428 from it on account of the consolidated getting some help and guidance from such land revenue of the village, the net income comes to kinsmen, neighbours and acquaintances. Rs. 61,564. The per capita net annual agricultural income comes to Rs. 60·48. This per capita net (5) They retain courage and peace of mind in income is liable to reduction in the case of cultivators, leading hard life in view of the fact that who Were originally tenants of lands and are now on many of their kith and kin and neighbours their way to be owners and occupants of the lands have to pass similar hard life -or to undergo under the Bombay Tenancy Law, in proportion to the even worse hardships. amount of restrict~d rent or interest they have to pay (6) They have no confidence of earning livelihood to the original landlords as from 1st April 1957 on the and no hopes of getting even ordinary prices of such lands that may be fixed by the Tribunal sympathy at places beyond their circle of until the priGes are fully paid. acquaintance. AGARSURE ; ECONOMY· 41 (7) They have a general tendency of adopting The total number of small holders is 194. Its percent. change, if at all and any, in their routine age to the total number of holders (viz. 218) is 88·99 of life enmass and not individually and that The sub-classification of these 194 small holders, as too with a slow pace. given in the statement in the preceding paragraph (8) As an effect of the physical environment and refell'ed to above is worth noting. As many as 75 hold surroundings in which they are born and and cultivate less than 1 acre of land each and 64 more brought up, they deeply love their village than one acre but less than two acres each. The average and the surroundings and are reluctant to yield of paddy per acre of land is 25 Bengal maunds forsake them. and the average price of one Bengal maund of paddy is Rs. 12· 25 as already stated. The gross agri. (9) They live more on sentiments and simplicity cultural income of a cultivator cultivating one acre in leading their lives and prefer free life in of paddy land would be Rs. 341·25 including price the village to slavery elsewhere. of straw. Approximately the expense of cultivation (10) They are devoted to and respect their village is 40 per cent of the gross income. Besides he has deities and have faith that the deities would to pay land revenue of about Rs. 10 per acre. Thus not put them in harder circumstances. the net agricultural income per acre of paddy land comes The staple food of the villagers is rice. Even bread to Rs. 194·75. is pr~red of rice. The total production of 310 acres Secondly the small holdings of land of these small of paddy land of the village is 7,750 Bengal maunds holders do not exclusively consist of paddy land (kharif) of paddy. Converting it into vena (unpoliShed rice) at but partly of paddy land and partly of varkas (grass) 70 per cent brings the total quantity of the unpolished rice lands. The income of varkas lands (grass) is meagre. to 5,425 Bengal maunds. That gives an average supply One can easily imagine how small is the agricultural of 5 Bengal maunds, 13 Bengal seers and 21 chhataks income of the small holders. of rice per head of population per year (including seeu requirement) or 9 chhataks Ii tolas 11 lb. Pr.ctices connected. with Animal Husbandry and Fishing 6! tolas) per head per day. The total pmduc Animal Husbandry.-Out of 201 households of the tion of rice is thus sufficient for meeting the village, 99, details about whom are given under the staple food requirement for con&umption by the heading "Livestock", own cattle of one kind total population of 1,018 .rouls of the village throughout or the other. Eighty-seven of these have provided the year. Ordinarily there should be no need for separate cattlesheds for keeping the cattle. Others importing any rice for consumption in the village but tether the-m in the small kaccha sheds attached to their that is not the case. The villagers in general prefer houses. Care is taken by the owners only of the bullocks to use coarse rice (Jada variety) for local consumption used for ploughs or bullock-carts and of the milch and sell away the surplus quantity of fine variety of she-buffaloes and cows. They are well-fed. Paddy Kolam (as the latter fetches higher price) and buy cheap straw is served to working bullocks and milch cows. grain or other daily requirements of life. Some of the owners also give oilcake in small quantity This village is a plain sweet paddy growing area. In of about half a pound each to working bullocks in the respect of socio-economic structure it does not differ evening. Usually dry grass and, if grass is insufficient, in any way from similar non-Bagaiti (non-irrigated) paddy straw is served to milch she-buffaloes. They villages in the region. It does, of course, differ from are also given half a pound of the mixture of' Chuni ' the coastal Bagaiti (well-irrigated) villages such as and chaff of rice in the morning and evening while Awas, Kihim and Sasavane of the region, where betelnut milking them. and coconut gardens exist and the business of gardening Other animals are not much cared for. No special is principally followed In addition to growing of sweet efforts are made over animal husbandry. Tendency of paddy as well as salt paddy crops. t.he villagers is towards buying working bullocks or milch she-buffaloes from somewhere rather than Economic Condition of small holders or small cultivators breeding and rearing of calves. No stud bulls or cows '1'he statement given on page 28 gives detailed of good breed have been provided at the village so far information about the size of landholdings held by the by Government or any other agency, nor has anyone small holders or small 9ultivators, possessing and culti purchased any. Tbe uncastrated ordinary bulls in tbe vating less than 5 acres of land each. village serve the cows. Vd4947-5 42 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH All cattle are taken for grazing to the varkas lands (z) Shallow water jishing.-The only equipment required (grass lands) belonging to the villagers or to the village for fishing in the shallow water is a net 20' X 10' with Gurcharan by cow-boys in the morning and afternoon. two long Bamboo sticks attached to its two sides, and They are usually watered at the village tanks.' In the a Bamboo basket for keeping the fish when caught. summer, when the tanks go dry, they are taken The nets are woven by the fishermen themselves. A net to the village w~ls for watering. ,costs about Rs. 40 to Rs. 75 according to quality of its None of the villagers purchases any dry cows or thread and lasts 3 to 4 years of use in salt water. The ,she-buffaloes with a view to rearing theni during the Bamboo basket, which is locally called tonya (eTmn) dry period and thereafter selling them at profit on their is of a peculiar vertical shape with a small opening on giving calves. one. side .near its top. It costs about Rs. 3 to 4. Poultry.-One hundred and forty-one households of It is fixed by a string on the left shoulder of the fisherman the village, as detailed in the statement given under . the and kept hanging on the back. There is a smaller type heading " Livestock", keep some fowls mainly of basket too with opening at the top, which if; used for consumption. The housewives or other' elderly instead of the tonya. This small basket is tied to the female members of the households look after and waist-string of the fisherman: A fisherwoman tucks it take care of the poultry. Males do not attend to it. by means of a small string to her saree at the waist. No special care, is taken towards their breeding. . . Two persons are required for fishing with the above From morning to evening they are let loose in the said net. They go to the creek with the net and the village for browsing. Usually they move in the residen tonya at the time of incoming tide and fix the net against tial locality and do not leave it. By noon they are the cutrent of the infiowing water by means of the called home and gi.ven,'some grains and water. In the Bamboo sticks attached to it. They work in waist evening they by thems~lves return home, when they are deepwater for about 3 to 4 hours watching and holding again given some grains and water. Cocks and hens the net erect. The fish that flow into the creek along roast at night on the 10ft, of the house. Chicken are the cutrent of the tide are caught in the net. The kept underneath a big basket on the floor of the house. fishermen take out the net very skilfully and carefully It is only one Son-Koli of hamlet Fakir-pada of the so that no fish may slip away and then collect and keep village )Vho has provided a laticed wooden cage on the the fish in the tonya. Usually they get small type of veranruih' of his house for keeping the birds at night fish of the following varieties worth about Rs. 2 to Rs. 3 and for hatching of th(j eggs. He owns a couple of at a time:- Rhod,e Island Red fowls. (1) Kharkindli «(.<\{fcfi~<.. ft ). Eggs are usually sold at 12 paise each and not (2) Chivni (f;;rcruft ) consumed' at home. When the number of birds grows or in case of dire need of money, owners sell the birds (3) Sheg (~). '. which felCh good prices nowadays as given below :- The last variety is better for taste and fetches higher Big cock Rs. 5 each. price. Whatever required' for consumption is used at home and the surplus if any, sold. . Big'hen . . Rs. 3 to 4 each. When two persons are not available and a fisherman Chicken . . Re 1 to Rs. 1t each has to do fishing singly, he uses a small circular type of This gives some small income to the fe-milles to buy tire net costing about Rs. 30. He hurls it on surface of the household requirements of jaggery, 'sweet oil, condi water in the creek, catches hold of one end of it and ments, tea, etc., or some petty requirements' of children. allows the other to dip in water. He waits for about Fishing.-Practices connected with fishing so far as 5 to 7 minutes allowing the fish to. entangle in the the fishermen of this village are concerned, are of two net ; and then holding the 10we~ ~nd of the net removes kinds, one relating to fishing in shallow water in the it out of water. Small type of 11m about three/four in village creek beyond the hamlet- Thalyacha-pada and number is caught in this process each time. Some the other to fishing in the high Arabian sea. times no fish at all come in the net. The net has to be 'All the Son-Kolis of the village know the art of hurled every ten to fifteen minutes to catch small fish fishing in shallow water and of weaving fishing nets worth about 'a rupee or a rupee and a half in the course requir~d for the purpose. Even Son-Koli females of three to four hours' time. know the art of fishing in the shallow water. of the The:fisherwomen and ~ot the fishermen take fish to cree~. Zirad or Chondi Nab for sale.' A small quantity A F ,isberwoman g,oing for Fisbi,ng • .. A Fisberman in tbe act of throwing Fisbing.. net " -_ AGARSURE : ECONOMY 43 weighing about ten to fifteen tolas, which is locally during their stay at Karanje and on the high sea. called vata ( The more a fish attempts to liberate itself when caught narrated that in 1952 his machwa capsized due to storm. in any of the fishing nets., the more it gets entangled in it. All fishermen on it were thrown in the sea. They set Owner of even the smallest type of machwa gets fish right the machwa after great efforts and stayed holding worth about Rs. 50 to 60 a day in the high sea fishing. on to it for a few hours before they were rescued by Big fish is taken to Colaba Bunder of Bombay for sale, boatmen of another machwa. and small is sent to the village Karanje for drying on the The fishermen of this village thus spend 11 days shores. Distance between Karanje Bunder and Colaba continuously on high seas and get rest for 4 days at Bunder of Bombay is 14 to 15 miles by sea. Fish the village Karanje each fortnight. During the resting remains fresh for about 6 hours after catch. In the period some of them visit their home at Agarsure and summer months of April and May the Machwawallas again return to their work at Karanje. take ice with them on the machwas for preserving the fish in it in order to retain it. freshness. In the year 1954 two Son-Kolis of hamlet Thalyacha pada of the village Agarsure, named Shri Krishna Bhau The following varieties of fish are found in high sea Pedhvi and Trimbak Bhau Pedhvi, had bought a small fishing :- machwa each for fishing on the high sea. They carried Local Name English Name Scientific Name on the business for about 5 years and stopped it since {~) ~ Bombay Duck .. Harpodon nehereus \ the year 1960 as they could not run it in profit. (~) ~qT Prawns' " Panaeus sp. Now again in 1963 Shri Krishna Bhau Pedhvi and iP) ~,~~m White Pamfret .. Pampus argenteus Shd Dadu Kashinath Thale of the same hamlet have ('If) m Dod . . Otolithoides brun- neus. jointly bought a machwa and re-started the business. I(~) 'Cl1oo Jew fish .. Pseudosciaena disa One Shri Sitaram Balu Pedhvi of, the hamlet canthus Nandai-pada has also bought a second-hand small (~)~ Cock-up .. Lates calcarifer machwa recently and started· fresh business. Black Pomfret " Parastromateus (\9) ~ niger. Possibly a co-operative society of enterprizing Son (~)~ Indian shad . . Hilsa ilisha Kolis of the village could be formed for fishing on the (~} ffi~,~ Seer fish .. Scomberomorus high sea and fm' weaving big fishing nets. guttatus (~o) ~ Silver bar Chirocentrus dorab Village Industries (n) ~ Golden anchovies Coilia dussumeri There is only one man in the village aged about 29, {~~) 00 Croaker .. Otolithus argentcus and Son-Koli by caste, whc weaves fishing nets by way ( n) CfiTrom Shrimps ., Acetes sp. of industry. He cultivates only 7 gunthas of land and has preferI'ed this h(')ushold industry for earning his ,( rt) q'T'fiC Ray fish ., Dasyatis livelihood. He works singly in it. A person supplies Sharks (~~) ~ .. Charcharhinus sp. him the yarn required for wpaving the nets and pays him {~~) ~ Indian Salmon .. Elcutheronema te Rs. 30 per net by way of wages. It takes about 24 days 'tradactylum (~\9) fumm Cat fish .. Tachysurus sp. to complete one net. Thus he gets wages of about Rs. l' 2S per day. :( ~~) ;;rrr fi!;err iSRT Ribbon fish . . Trichiurus sp. ~ C!1'Tif All other Son-Kalis of the village also weave the fishing nets required by them for their own use and (~~) ~. Lobster .. Panulirus sp. not for sale or by way of industry. A net stands 3 to 4 (':( 0) There is no provision for supply of tap water in most keeps articles worth about Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 in his of the villages of Kolaba aistrict. Villagers have to shop. The stock is replenished every eight or ten days. draw water from the wells. The demand for buckets for There are 4 big grocers' shops and 4 hotels at Chondi the purpose is very high from the district. Naka and 2 big grocers' shops and 1 hotel at Zirad. The Opening ceremony of the factory was made on the rates of grocery articles at Chondi Naka as well as Zirad 4th of May' 1965. Since then about 3,600 buckets were are mostly the same as given by the local grocery shop manufactuted at the factory within a period of two keeper. months. The machinery consists of 80 pieces and is operated by hand. At present three skilled labourers Other Occupations from Bombay and eleven local unskilled labourers are Excepting the 7 agriculturil'lts, 4 of whom are engaged employed in the factory. It is a progressive small-scale in secondary work of carpentry and 3 of masonry during industry and deserves encouragement. the fair season and one Who entirely works as a mason, none of the villagers of Agarsure .offers any professional There is no other household industry or handicraft service at the village. The villagers have to depend on in the village. other villages for other services. Other Industries.-There is also no large-scale industry Mainly the barber from village Zirad and the or factory at Of near about this village SO as to absorb any local labour. two Palshi Brahmin priests from village Awas visit this village and offer professional services of shaving and Commerce priesthood respectiveJy on cash payment. There is one Son-Koli named Shri Narayan Zitu The blacksmith has his shop at Zirad. The potter Pedhvi, aged 31, staying in the hamlet Nandai-pada of stays at Mapgaon. Villagers have to visit their places the village. He cultivates only one acre of land taken on for the work of smithy and fot buying earthen pots, lease and also runs a grocery shop on the osari of his respectively. The villagers do not need services of a house. He has got 5 members in hi> family including Teli (~). There is absolutely no production of himself and his wife. He keeps the following grocery any oil-seed at the village. The villagers buy ground articles in his shop and sells them at the rates given nut oil from the grocers' shops at Zirad or Chondi Naka. against them ;- None of the villagers gives clothes for washing to Name of the article Rate a washerman, as such they do not need the services Rs. of a washerman. (1) Sweet oil of groundnut 1·12 per lb. by measure. (2) Kerosene . . . . 0'20 per pint. Indebtedness (3) Washing soap (Universal soap 0'06 per small cake. No. 37). .. 0·12 per bigger cake. (4) Bath soap (Hamam) 0·50 per cake Money lending.-There are no moneylenders in this Sunlight soap 0·41 per cake. village nor does anybody operate in the neighbouring (5) Match boxes (WimCO) 0·75 per dozen. (6) Gur •• 0·25 per lb. village. (7) Sugar ., 0·62 per lb. (8) Tea (inferior) .. 2·50 per lb. Out of the ten agrioulturist families who are all small Tea (slightly superior) 3·00 per lb. holders and whose socio-economic condition was (9) Bidis 0·16 per bundle of 25· bidis. intensively surveyed, eight have not incurred any debts. (10) Tooth powder 0'16 per packet. One family, which consists of two members, cultivates (11) Coconut (one) 0·31 (12) Tur dal 0·44 per lb. half an acre of land at village Surekhar which is taken (13) Castor oil O· 25 per bottle. on lease from a Brahmin landholder of the village Awas. (14) Betel leaf 0·50 perl00. (15) Betel nut 5·00 perlb. Both the members of the family also earn wages by (16) Face powder .. O' 31 per tin. agricultural or other labour. This family owes a debt (17) Vaseline pomade O' 25 per bottle. (18) Agarbatti o· 12 per bundle of 12 of Rs. 40 to the landlord whose land it cultivates on sticks. lease. No interest is charged over the amount, as the (19) Peppermint 1· 25 per lb. (20) Coconut oil 1· 37 per lb. debt is incurred due to the non-payment of rent. His daily sale is about Rs. 8 to Rs. 10 and margin of The other family, having 7 members, cultivates two profit about 25 per cent. He does not sell anything acres of land at the village Awas which is taken on lease on credit or by barter system but on cash payment. He from another Brahmin landholder of the village. Two 46 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH members of the family also earn wages by agricultural Bombay Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act, 1956. labour. This family owes Rs. 200 to the landlord due From that day the tenants, who were actually cultivating to the non-payment of rent. No interest is, of course, the lands on lease from the landholders, were deemed charged on it. to have purchased such lands from landholders, Fifty-nine agriculturists of this village are members although the prices of such lands are to be fixed at some of the Multi-purpose Co-operative Credit Society of later stage by the Agricultural Lands Tribunal and paid Zirad. They get 112 100. of ammonium sulphate and an by the~ex-tenants by ins~alment8 to the original land- equal quantity of super phosphate by way of loan for holders thereafter. The landholders were thereby use as manure for the land and al~o Rs. 70 per acre for alarmed as there were no possibilities of recovering incurring expenses on cultivation of land. They get loans, if any, advanced to the ex-tenants. Therefore this loan on security of their lands or on giving two they stopped advancing any loans since, a few months solvent sureties. This process of taking required before the "Tillers' day". loan from the Society continues year to year. At present in case of dire need of money the ex-tenants During the rainy season the grocers of Chondi Naka have to sustain difficulties unless some of their thick and Zirad give grocery articles \ on credit to the acquaintances or nearest relatives offer them the required agriculturists of this village. On sale of surplus paddy in money. the beginning of the fair season such agriculturists Tagai.-Table No. 3.6 below shows the amounts make payment partly or in full of the price of such of Tagai loans granted by the Mamlatdar of Aiibag to the articles taken on credit. The Khatas of the agricul- needy agriculturists of lhis village for different p~rposeS turists continue with the grocers year to year. during the last 6 years (1955-56 to 1960-61) arid the The tendency of borrowing money has automatically amounts recovered together with previous arrears and decreased because of the landholders having stopped interest during the corresponding years. dealings, with their tenants since a few months before the It can 'be seen from the aforesaid table that tagai tillers' day, viz., 1st April 1957. This" Tillers' day" loans were issued to needy agriculturists, who repaid was declared under the provisions of the amended them together with previous arrears and interest thereon. TABLE No. 3.6 Details of Tagai loans granted by the Mamlatdar to Agriculturists for different purposes, and recoveries during the period 1955-56 to 1960-61 . Amounts granted for No. of Amounts recovered on accoun\ of No. of persons to persons Year Purchasing Repairs Seed Intensive whom the Purchasing Repairs Seed Intensive from whom bullocks to paddy Tagai was bullocks to paddy the Tagai bunds cultivation given bunds CJdtivation was recovered (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (U) Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. 1955-56 2,326'00 40 1,391' 56 24 1956-57 35'00 1 1,716' 81 23 1957-58 25·00 1 18·50 2,143'07 90 1958-59 160·00 3,300'00 108 3,315'54 88 1959·60 200·00 1 55'50 .441·10 12 1960-61 295·70 8 Total 200·00 160·00 25'00 5,661'00 151 55·50 18·50 9,303'78 245 Orand Total •. 6,046'00 9,377'78 Co-operation They are from both the major commumtIes of the village, viz., the Son-Kolis and Chaukalshis. These The village is covered by the Multi-purpose 59 members have taken a total loan of Rs. 6,137 for Co-o);'erative Credit Society of Zirad. The society was agricultural purpose from time to time, from the society. established in 1947. It has in all 214 members with They get small loans of Rs. 50 to Rs. 200 each annually share capital of Rs. 8,861. Out of them 59 members for agricultural purpose as need be, which they repay with share capital of Rs. 1,530 are from this village. in due course together with interest. AGARSURE : ECONOMY 47 Shri Rangnath Raghunath Mhatre of Zirad, who is Manglore-tiled roof. . He has also got a small cattle an Ayurvedic private medical practitioner, Sarpanch shed with reed walls and thatched roof near his resi of the Group Panchayat of Zirad and also a political dential house. worker is the Chairman of this Society. Owns two milch cows, a good pair of bullocks, The Secretary Shri K. G. Patil is newly appointed· two wooden ploughs and required agricultural He has passed his Vernacular Final Examination and implements. His annual gross agricultural income is an outsider. is as under ;- Reasons why only 59 persons from the village have Rs. enrolled themselves as members of the society so far 125 B. mds. of paddy 1,531 are as under:- Paddy straw 175 In the first place many of the cultivators are reluc 4 B. mds. of second crop of Val 80 tant to mortgage their lands with the society for 3 B. mds. of reeds and stems of the loans required by them. Val creepers 15 Secondly, they find it difficult to give two solvent 2 B. mds. of pulses (Udid) 40 sureties each to take the loan without mortgaging liB. mds. of reed and stems of Udid 9 their lands with the society. work on their own fields. He also works as an agri (3) Sbri P. P. P., age 60, resident of Khadicha-pada, cultural labourer on wages in order to supplement the educated upto Marathi IV standard. Has 7 members small agricultural income. During the fair season he in his family as under :- brings 6 gunthas of his land under irrigation by (1) Self; (2) Wife; (3) Son; (4) Son's wife ; well-water and raises crop of tonali (~) - (5) Younger son ; and (6) Two children. vegetable. Owns a house worth ~bout Rs. 125 and 1 acre His gross annual income from agricultUIe is as 10 gWlthas of land. AloSo holds equal land taken under :- on lease. Two acres of land is kharif (paduy) and Rs. half an acre varkas (grass). His gross annual 50 B. mds. of paddy 606 agricultural income is as under :- Paddy straw 70 Rs. 50 B. rods. of paddy 612 Tondli vegetable 75 Paddy straw 70 Tot~l 751 Total' 682 He supplements this income by taking up His, son and son's wife work on their own fields. agricultural labour on wages and earns about Rs. 70. Both of them also take up to agricultural labour, and earn about Rs. 75 in all plus free meals for two He has got only one she-buffalo and its calf. months. During the fair season his son also\does Does not own any bullocks; so he has to hire fishing in the creek nearby for personal corisumptj~>u. a plough with bullocks for ploughing his land. He They own a good fishing net, 20' X 10', costing about also sells milk and gets about Rs. 75 annually. Thus Rs. 40, which they have woven themselves. His his total gross annual income is about Rs. 896. younger son is a domestic servant at Bombpy and His monthly expenditure is as under :- earns Rs. 20 a month plus free meals. He sends Rs. home Rs. 5 a month. Thus th~ total annual gross Paddy (3 B. mds. and odd) 40'00 income of the family is Rs. 817 dcluding free meals for two months~ . Sweet oil 2'50 Sugar 4'00 He owns a bullock-cart but\no bullocks. Has to hire a plough with bullocks for ploughing his fields. Tea 1'50 He is a poor agriculturist and \)omehdW makes Kerosene 2'00 both ends meet. Condiments, etc. 5'00 CHAUKALSHIS Dry fish, etc. 8'00 (1) Shri L. G. P., age 58, Chaukalshi, studied-upto Marathi IV standard, resident· of Agarsure-MuI Total 63'00 gaothan. He is the Revenue and Police Patil of the village for which work he gets remuneration of Besides he requires clothes worth about Rs. 100 Rs. 110' 50 per year. He has got the following annually for his family. Somehow he makes both members in his family at the village :- ends meet. (1) Self, age 58; (2) Wife, age 50; (3) Son, Four years ago he performed the marriage of his age 30 ; (4) Son's wife, age 25 ; (5) Son, age 18; younger brother, the total expenses for which J6) Son, age 12 (studying in Marathi III standard); amounted to Rs. 700. He incurred a debt of Rs. 300 (7) Grand-daughter, age 5; and (8) Grand- for the purpose, which he has already repaid. No daughter, age ~. . dowry was required to be paid as the girl was from Besides, one of his sons a,ged 25, son's. wife aged 20 the neighbour's·· house. The brother has now and their daughter aged one year stay at Bombay. separated from him. The son is employed in a factory at Bhandup He is a member of the Multi-purpose Co-operative (Bombay). Society of Zirad an<,i. owes a debt of Rs. 125 to the Two of his daughters, aged 22 and 20, respectiVely, Society. That is the only debt he has to pay. are married and stay with their husbands. AGARSUIB : ECONOMY 49 He: owns a house worth Rs. 300, a separate cattle The eldest daughter' was married 8{9 years ago shed. near the house, two he-buffaloes, one s~e when Shri L. G. P. had to pay a dowry of Rs. 200 in buffalo, two milch cows, two young bulls, a plough the form of ornaments. The other expense was and all agricultural implements. Rs. 500. No debt was incurred. Holds 2 acres 36 gunthas of own land assessed a.t The younger daughter was married 4{5 years back Rs. 5-8-3 and 8 acres 27 gunthas Qf land taken on when a debt of Rs. 150 was incurred. It has been lease from a landlord of Kihim to whom he has to pay repaid in full. Dowry of Rs. 450 in the form of Rs. SO as-rent per year. Value of the leased-in land ornaments to the girl and wrist-watch to the bride has been fixed by the Agricultural Lands Tribunal at groom had to be paid. Other expenses were Rs. 450. Rs. 2,250, payable in annual instalment of Rs. 300. Shri L. G. P. had to pay handsome dowry for Shri L. G. P. will be complete owner of the land both of his daughters because the bridegrooms are after the price is fully paid. He says the price is educated and from Bombay. Shri L. G. P. is a reasonable. member of the Multi-purpose Co-operative Society Out of the whole land of 11 acres 23 gunthas, of Zirad. 41 acres is kharif (paddy) land. He possesses adequate number of brass and copper The annual gross agricultural income of the utensils required for every day use and lives some family' is :- what decently. On the whole he is a well-to-do man. Rs. (2) Shri G. K. M., age 35, Chaukalshi, resident of 1121 B. mds. of paddy 1,378'00 Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, literate without any educa tional standard. Has 5 members in the family as Paddy straw 157'50 under :- 4 B. mds. of Val 80'00 (1) Self, age 3S ; (2) Wife, age 25 ; (3) Daughter 3 B. mds. of stems and reeds age 10 (attending primary school); (4) Son, age 5 ; of Val 15'00 and (5) Son, age 3. Grass worth 100'00 He owns a house worth Rs. 250 and holds 2 acres and 131 gunthas of leased-in land, assessed at Rs' 11. Total 1,730'50 Out of this land about one acre is paddy land. His gross annual agricultural income is as under :- Shri L. G. P. himself, his wife, son, son's wife and Rs. the younger son aged 18, work on their own fields. Shri L. G. P. says he is unable to ma.intain 25 n. mds. of paddy 306 the big family only on the agricultural income. There Paddy straw 35 fore during the rainy season as well as in the fair Grass 25 sea.son his wife, son, son's wife and the younger son aged 18, all take up to agricultural and other labour on wages whenever available, and earn in all about Total 366 Rs. 185. Shri L. G. P.'s son, who stays at Bombay is unable Both the husband and wife work on their own to send any m~ney to the family. fields. They also take up to agricultural labour on wages and earn Rs. 75 in all. During the fair season Shri L. G. P. has got his two sons and two daughters Shri G. K. M. takes small contracts of forming ne\\' married. The eldest son was married 12 years ago. paddy lands, fencing of fields, etc. and earns Rs. 200. Total expense for the marriage ceremony and orna~ Although his land is taken on lease, he has not to pay ments, etc., was Rs. 800. Debt of Rs. 200 was any rent to the landholder whose whereabouts are inCurred which has been repaid in full .. The younger not known. son, aged 25, was married 4/5 years ago, total expense being Rs. 800. Dowry of Rs. 350 was The total gross annual income of the family is received in the form of ornaments to the daughter Rs.641. He does not own any cattle and has to hire in-law. No debt was incurred this time. a plough with bullocks for ploughing his lands. so VILLAGll SURVllY MONOGRAPH He is a poor but industrious man and exerts in The ex.-penses of cultivation of paddy land amount making both ends meet. to 40 per cent of the gross income of such land. {3) Shri B. C. P., age 34, Chaukalshi, Illiterate, In the case of cultivator families like the present one resident of Agarsure-Mul-gaothan. Has following in which all adult members of the family work on members in his family:- the land and no labour is required to be hired for any work, such expenses would be far less, because such (1) Self, age 34 ; (2) Wife, age 25 ; (3) Daughter, adult members who work on their own fields are age 10 (does not go to school); (4) Son, age 4 ; presumed to have themselves earned the wages for the (5) Son, age 1 ; (6) Brother, age 25 ; (7) Brother's labour put in the various agricultut=al operations. Wife, age 18; (8) Mother, age 60; and (9) Younger brother, age 18. In this particular case Shri B. C. P. has to incur the Both of his younger brothers stay at Bombay and following actual exPenditure in holding and cultivat serVe in a hotel at Masjid Bunder (Bombay), each ing the land on yearly basis :- getting Rs. 20 per month in addition to free meals. Rs. Thus only seVen members of his family stay at the Land reVenue to be paid to 19·83 vilIage. Government. He owns a house worth abollt Rs. 100 and holds Rent of land to be paid .. ' 32'00 2 acres 35 gunthas of land assessed at Rs. 16-11-0 Charges for hiring a plough with taken on lease from Shrimati Dwarkabai Patankar of 24'00 bullocks for 6 days for culti va Kihim, whom he pays restricted rent of Rs. 32 per ting the 1 acres of paddy. year since 1957-58. Before that he used to give t land. her 8 Bengal maunds of paddy per year on account of rent. Price of paddy seed that is sown 10'00 for raising the seedlings. Out of the total area of 2 acres 35 gunthas of land, 1! acres is kharif (paddy) land. The gross annual Total 85'83 agricultural income of the household is as under :- Rs. '37! B. mds. of paddy 459 At this rate the net annuai fncome of the family Paddy straw 52 comes to Rs. 885' 17 (Rs. 971 gross income minus Rs. 85' 83). . ' Grass 25 , The average monthly expenditure of the family Total 536 as given by Shri B. C. P. is as un~er :- lI.. Rs. Shri B. C. P., his wife, brother's wife and mother, Price of 31 B. mds: of padJ~. required 49'00 all work on their own fields. Besides all' of them per month. excepting the mother take up to agricultural labour Gur 7'50 on wages during the agricultural season and ordinary labour during the fair season and earn Rs. 195 Tea 2'00 a year. Dry fish 7'50 The two brothers, who serve in the hotel at Bombay, Sweet oil 2'00 send him Rs. 10 each per month. Thus the total Kerosene 1'50 gross income of the family is Rs. 971. Masala (condiments, etc.). 5·00 Shri B. C. P. owns only one cow and no bullocks. He has to hire a pair of bullocks with plough for Total .. 74.50 ploughing his lands. The value of the land held by him on lease is fixed The annual expenditure comes to Rs. 894,. while at Rs. 1,200 by the Agricultural Lands Tribunal. net annual income is Rs. 885'17. He says the price is reasonable but he is not in a position to pay an annual instalment of Rs. 200 and , 5hri B. C. P. is a member of the Multi-purpose avail of the benefits of the Tenancy Law. Co-operative Society of Zirad. AGARSURE : ECONOMY 51 Item Average Inteuive Survey of Monthly Income and Expenditure expenditure Intensive survey of the monthly income and expendi Rs. ture of twelve households of cultivators, one having Oils 3'10 an income of less than Rs. 25 per month, three between Condiments 4·23 Rs. 25 and Rs. 50, two Rs. 51 and Rs. 75, one Rs. 76 Sugar 2·32 and Rs. 100, and five Rs. 101 and Rs. 150 shows the Tea 2'20 following results :- Other food 0·36 Rs. Tobacco l' 28 (1) 19'00 Lighting and fuel 3'76 (2) 25'00 Other eXpenditure 1'32 (3) 26'00 Miscellaneous including clothing, . (4) 37'00 travel, medicine, etc. 20'45 (5) 61'41 (6) 65'00 Total average expenditure .. 94'69 (7) 97'~3 (8) 108·25 The average number of members in these twelve (9) 110·00 families is fiVe. (10) 132'42 (11) 148' 33 It can be seen from the above figures that the monthly (12) 150·00 eXpenditure exceeds the corresponding income by Rs. 13 per month (Rs. 94'69 minus Rs. 81· 69). This deficit of Rs. 13 per month is made good by incurring Total 980'24 -;- 12 = Rs. 81'69 average. debts. All these families are in small debts either of the Multi-purpose Co-operative Society, tagai, grocer This income includes income from agriculture, agri or annual rent payable to the landlord on lands taken cultural and other ordinary labour and from other on lease. None of the families, however, appears to be sources, if any. in heavy debts. Average monthly expenditure ofthe twelve households All the above figures of income as well as expenditure on different items of requirement is as under :- _ are subject to some percentage error. None of these Average families maintain any accounts. The investigator had Item expenditure to rely on the memory of the cultivators concerned and Rs. work out the figures. The aggregate of these twelve Food 45'46 families is influenced by the five families from the Vegetable 3'16 income group of Rs. 101 to Rs. 150, which factor shall Fish 4'59 also have to be taken into consideration in forming Milk 2'46 an idea about the average income and expenditure. CHAPT:ER IV SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE Population The Figure and Table of percentages below show the distribution of population by broad age-groups for Population figures of the village together with per~ males and females separately :- centage of increase during the last 7 decades are given below:- . DISTRIBUTION BY BROAD AGE-GROUPS. MALe: FEMALE Census Males Females Total Percentage 50 year increase A 1891 227 219 446 ~ ~ F 1901 258 264 522 17'04 45 ~ 1911 280 282 562 7'66 t: t-- 1921 275 303 578 2'85 == =: 40 1931 363 359 722 24'91 ;:::: '::: 1941 363 359" 722 F F 1951 410 461' " 871 20'64 ~ :as t:: 1961 457 561 1,018 16'88 F: t= F t=~ 30 l- The population according to the 1961 C~nsus is I:::: I--:: '. ' classified by sex and caste as undel':- ~ ~' f-: E 2& '. Number of Number of person Name of Caste Households ::: Males Females Total E:fo- 0 roo 0 0 ..... 20 ... .0 (1) Son-Koli 123 277 358 635 0 0 o' 1== 00 0 ~ · (2) Chaukalshi 55 136 146 282 , 0 F o' 1== (3) Pachkalshi 4 7 12 19 • ~ 16 ~ ·. • 0 (4) Agri 10 21 22 43 1== - F · '.• ~ i · (5) Tillori Kunbi • E 0 5 7 14 21 .. ~ · (6) Brahmin 1 2 3 • 10 ·0 ·0 o' 1= 0 (7) Lewa Patidar 1 4 4 0 I--:: 0 0 ~' (8) Katkari 1 2 2 4 o F 0 t- t- 0° (9) Muslim 1 2 5 7 I- ':. ~ \ F ':. E= , ::: ~ ::: Total ., 201 457 561 1,018 I::: o !+-AGE4~ <) 0 Major population is of Son-Kolis (635). 'Next is of Chaukalshis (282). rne Census figures of 1901, 1911, Percentage distribution of population by broad age~ 1951 and 1961 indicate preponderance of females over groups and sex males in the village. The significant increase in the sex Males Females ra.tio (number of females per 1,000 males) during the last two decades'would indicate out~migration of males All-ages 100'00 100'00 to Bombay or other places. Since the last 12 to 15 years 0-14 47'92 46'17 greater number of Son-Koli males go out iu the fair 15-34 22'32 27.81 season to the village Karanje of Uran Mahal of the dis 35-59 22'54 20'32 ttict for fishing in high sea, and some of the Chaukalshi and Pachkal,shi males go to Bombay for service in facto 60+ 7'22 ' 5'70 ries and offices, leaving their families at home. Such From the graphical pre&entation it is seen that out of males could not be enumerated at the village· in their the total male population, 47 '92 per cent is in 0-14 absence, although they originally belonged to the village. years age-group, 22' 32 per cent in 15-34, 22' 54 per cent in 35-59 and 7' 22 per cent in the age-group of 60 years Table No.4. t on page 53 gives information about and above. Thus 44' 86 per' cent of the male population age, se!lC and literacy of the population. is in working age-group i.e. 15 to 59 years. I AGARSURE: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFB 53 TABLE No.4. i Distribu~ion of Population by Age, Sex and Eclucationollevels Educational level Literate without Age-group educational Primary or Matriculation Illiterate level Junior basic and above Total Population Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Total (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) 0--4 83 102 83 102 185 5-9 52 72 21 10 73 82 155 10-14 5 51 48 21 10 3 63 75 138 15-19 5 28 11 7 16 32 35 67 20-24 3 37 10 7 6 1 19 45 64 25-29 3 33 25 4 2 30 37 67 30-34 5 38 14 1 2 21 39 60 35-44 15 56 31 3 1 49 57 106 45-59 15 56 34 1 5 54 57 111 60+ 22 32 9 1 1 33 32 65 Total .. 208 505 203 51 45 5 457 561 1.018 Percentages .. (45'51) (90,02) (44'42) (9'09) (9· 85) (0'89) (0'22) (100'00) (100'00) Out of the total f~male popUlation, 46· 17 per cent is EDUCATIONAL LEVELS MALE FEMALE in the age-group of 0-14, 27'81 per cent in 15-34, 100 20' 32 per cent in 35-59 and 5' 70 per cent in the age A group of 60 yeats and above. 90 It can be seen from the above figures that the dependent ~ ~ population (0-14 and 60+ years age-groups) in the I-~ BO' case of both males and females is more than the popUla ~ ~ tion in the worlcing age-group of 15-59. ~ 70 I- Out of 561 female population of the village, 505 (i.e. 90'02 per cent) are illiterate, 51 (Le. 9'09 per cent) eo are literate without educational level and only 5 (i.e. O' 89 ~ ~ per cent) literate with primary or junior basic education. i .~ 60 Likewise out of the total male population of 457 of r;; ~ ~ the vi11age, 208 (i.e. 45'51 per cent) are illiterate, 203 <110 I t: (i.e. '44' 42 per cent) are literate without educational t= t:: level and only 46 (i.e. 10'07 per cent) are literate- t= ~ I-t= 45 primary or junior basic educational level and 1 r= 30 1= matriculation and above. 1= t= 1=~ 1=f- 20 Table No. 4.2 on page 54 gives information t=~ ~ about age, sex and education of the 201 heads of t: t:: households. 1= 10 1= E: 1= ~ 1= ~ Out of the 201 heads of liouseholds, 48 (i.e. 23·88 per · ~ 0 ~ 0_ · III III II!.! .., cent) are females. Out of these 48 female heads of .. It~ ~ .. ~~ o III Z .. ILl ( o households, 47 are illiterate and only one is literate >( 0 II: ,.111z> aID 1-~ ... 0 fII -w without any educational level. . ~J IE... -..I (I[ ~> (> « ... i t ~.J ..JO ... ~Q ~o i'~ • ~ .! 111« lIZ :lin II.=> !.!« Out of the 153 male heads of households, 27·45 per ~, f~ !~ ~~ ., 0: ceirl: are illiterate, 49' 02 per cent are literate without any ...... IE .. l- fII( i 1:0cc ~ educational level and only 23' 53 per cent are literate. III~ 53 ~w e 54 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH TABLE No. 4.2 Heads of Households classified by Age, Sex and Educational levels Literate without educational Primary or Junior Matriculation and Total Illiterate level ba~ic above Age-group Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) 15-34 32 20 10 20 11 11 35-59 87 25 13 25 54 20 60 and above 34 3 19 2 10 4 \ Total 153 48 42 47 75 35 Village Schools and Education ~chool at Nandai-pada. Average attendance at the former school is 68 (41 boys and 27 girls) aJ;td at the There are 150 full-time students or children attending latter 34 (27 boys and 7 girls). Some congestion is felt schools in the village. The distribution of these students in accommodating the students in the former sc}).ool. by age-groups and sex is as under :- , Age-group Boys Girls Total The difference between the number of girls."regularly 5-14 95 45 140 attendinr the school at Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and at Nandai-pada can unmistakably be seen. The popula- 15-34 10 10 I ' -- --- tion of Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and the hamlets situated Total 105 45 150 on approach road No. 1 is of Chaukalshis, who send --- their girls in numbers to the school. The population of Nandai-pada and the hamlets situated on approach One hundred and fifty students or children attending road No. 2 is of Son Kolis, whb are yet reluctant to schools belong to 'various castes as shown below :- send their girls to schools. Name of Caste Boys Girls Total After passing Matathi IV 'standard examination Son-Koli 68 22 90 some students go to the higher Marathi 'school at , Chaukalshi 28 17 45 Zirad and at Chondi Naka and to the High School at Pachkalshi 2 3 Chondi Naka for higher studies. Agri 6 3 9 A new Arts and Science College has been opened Lewa Patidar at Alibag in the year 1961. Some of the students Muslim 2 passing their S. S. C. Examination from the Chondi Naka High School can hereafter attend the college Total 105 45 150 at Alibag. There is a regular S. T. service rUIll1ing on the road connecting the two places. There are two non-basic primary schools, each There is neither any adult training class, any class upto Marathi IV standard in the village; one is at for sewing, nursing, etc., nor any other educational Agarsure-Shalecha-pada with two teachers and the institution at the village. 'None of the' school buildings other at Nandai~pada with one teacher. Both the is used for any activities other than teaching. None schools have their own pucca buildings newly constructed of the school teachers takes interest in any other with accommodation for 40 students each. There are activities. One of the teachers is a Son-Koli and local 44 boys and 35 girls on the rolls in the sch Marital Status MARITAL STATUS, Table No.4. 3 given below gives details of age, sex MALE FEMAL.E 100 A and marital status of the village population. It is revealed from the graph to the right and Table 90 No. 4·3 that out of the total number of males 57 ·98 per cent are never married, 39 ·17 per cent are married, eo 2.41 per cent are widowed and only 0'44 per cent (2 males) are divorced or separated. Out of the total 70 number of females 46 ·88 per cent are never married, 42 '96 per cent are married, 9 'SO per cent are widowed and only 0·36 per cent are divorced or separated. eo The following instances of never married persons in eO the higher age-groups were noticed:- !:" 40 · : 9ne J:!haukalshi of hamlet Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, · ·· aged about 39, was not married until the Census of · ·· ·· 30 ·· 1961 because he had no means of livelihood. Now ·· ·· in 1963, villagers have given him an employment and ·.:· ·· he is recently' married with a girl of 20. ·· ·:.· 20 ·· ·•· ·:: / · One Son-Koli woman of hamlet Thalyacha-pada · .: · 10 ::._ in the age-group of 40-44 is neVer married because · she is blind in both the eyes. · ·· _§ • ~:,· · 0 ~ - «0 0 0 It 11:0 0 In the third case a Son-Koli of hamlet Tekali-pada, 0111 IaI III Wid S~ aged 70, is neVer married because he is very poor '" and has no means of livelihood. His younger brother is, however, married. TABLE No. 4'3 Distribution of Population by Age, Sex and Marital Status Divorced or Never married Married Widowed separated Total Population Age-group M F M F M F M F M F Persons (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) 0-9 156 184 156 184 340 10-14 62 72 1 3 63 75 138 15-19 30 6 2 29 32 35 67 20-24 9 10 43 1 1 19 45 64 25-29 4 26 36 1 30 37 67 30-34 2 16 36 1 3 2 21 39 60 35-39 1 27 24 3 1 28 28 56 40-44 1 20 27 1 1 21 29 50 45-49 19 14 1 3 20 17 37 50-54 15 14 7 15 21 36 55-59 16 8 3 11 19 19 38 60-64 14 6 3 6 17 12 29 65-69 6 1 1 2 7 3 10 70+ 1 .\. 7 1 17 9 17 26 Total 265 263 179 241 11 55 2 2 457 561 1,018 ----- Percentages .. (57,98) (46.88) (39·17) (42'96) . (2,41) (9·80) (0·44) (0,36) (100,00) (100·00) 56 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH HOlfiehoJds by No. of ChUdreu FFMALES Age Reason of death The Distribution of households according to the num ber of children (0-14 years) therein is given below : Years Months Days Percentage of Year 1959 households in 1 3 Diarrhoea. Category No. of households each category 1 I 6 Fever. in the category to total No. of I 2 Fever. households I 6 Diarrhoea. I 85 Cough and old age. 1 2 3 1 95 Cough and old age. No child 37 18·41 1 Child 30 14'92 6 2 Children 41 20'40 3 42 20'90 Year 1960 Children 1 1 6 Cough. 4 Children 30 14'92 Cough and old age. 5 Children & more 21 10'45 1 75 1 80 Cough and old age. Total 201 100'00 3 Births and Deaths \ Six montbs-:--January to June 1960 1 0 6 0 Convulsions. Information about the number of births and deaths , I 0 8 0 Convulsions. recorded at the village during the calendar years 1959 . I 10 0 0 Cough . and 1960 and the six months from January to June 1961 • 1 70 0 0 Cough and old age. is given below. This information was collected from 4 Village Form No. XIV maintained by the Police Patil Vaccinator visits the village periodically' for vaccina of the village according to standing orders of Revenue tion purpose. Department of Government :- Males Females Total Types of Family Whole year 1959- There are 201 families at the village. They are Births 14 15 29 Deaths 7 6 13 broadly divided caste-wise into the following types :- Whole year 19~ , Births 14 16 30 (1) Simple family-consisting lof husband, wife and Deaths 6 3 9 Half year 1961- unmarried children. Births 9 7 16 Deaths 4 4 8 (2) Intermediate family-consisting of married couple, Age at the time of death and causes of death as an unmarried brother, sister or oni of the parents. recorded were as under :- (3) Joint family-consisting of married couple "ith MALES Age Reason of death married sons/daughters or with married brothers/sisters. Years Months Days (4) Others-not falling in any ofthe three types above. Year 1959 1 S4 Cough. , _.:..::_Type ______and number of families numberTotal of Name of Caste 1 2 Diarrhoea. Simple Inter Joint Otben families 1 80 Cough and old age. mediate 1 2 Liver trouble. 10 123 1 12 Convulsions. (I) Son-Koli 55 23 35 1 ~ , 14 Convulsions. (2) Chaukalshi 27 10 10 8 55 1 1 6 Cough. (3) Pachkalshi 2 2 4 7 (4) Agri 8 10 Year 1960 (5) Tillori Kunbi •• 3 S 1 48 Cough. 1 1 6 Fever. (6) Brahmin 1 16 Diphtheria. (7) Lewa Patidar " I 4 Smallpox. I 0 0 24 ConvuIsions. (8) Katkari 1 4 0 0 Diarrhoea. (9) Muslim 6 Total 94 36 46 25 201 Six months-January to June 1961 1 0 8 0 ConvuIsions. 1 60 0 0 Cough and old age. 1 65 0 0 Cough and 014 age. Joint family system still prevails at the village as is I 30 0 0 Cough. evident from the fact that 46 out of 201 (22' 89 per cent) 4 are joint families. AGARSUltB : SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 57 The Figure and Table No. 4.4 below show size and Accommodation composition of households :- The 201 families of the village are accommodated in 147 dwelling houses (buildings or structures) as shown below ;- Number of families . Number of Total number of accommodated in each of dwelling houses families accom the dwelling houses modated 1 109 109 2 26 52 3 9 27 4 2 8 5 1 5 147 201 Thus 54' 23 per cent of the families contentedly stay each in a single, small, independent house. 25' 87 per cent, staying in 26 houses, are accommodating themselves tolerably. It is only 19'90 per cent, staying in 12 dwelling houses (9+2+ 1), who experience some inconvenience in respect of accommodation. Details of accommodation actually available to the various families in the 147 dwelling houses are as follows :- Accommodation available Number of fami- Number of rooms to each of the families in lies to whom the - -- the category accommodation is available (1) One room without 15 15 verandah. (2) One big l'oom with open 110 110 verandah. (3) Two rooms with open 6S 130 TABLE No. 4.4 verandah. (4) Three rooms with open 9 27 Size and Composition of Households by percentageJ verandah. (5) Four rooms with open 1 4 Size of the Households (percentage) verandah. Household (6) Eight rooms with closed 1 8 Composition Single 2-3 4-6 7-9 10 & verandah. Number over Total .. 201 294 Total •• 100'00 100'00 100'00 100'00 100'00 Out of 201 households, 196 have the right of owner Heads of households 100'00 37'50 20'42 12'36 7'89 ship on the tenements in their possession and use. It is only 5 families who are tenants. One, a Tillori Spouses 21'15 14'84 11'99 7'89 Kunbi widow, who has three members in her family, pays monthly rent of Rs. 2 for a single room. Another, Married Sons 1'54 4'12 7'89 a Son-Koli who has four members in his family, pays Rs. 5 per month for one room and an open Other Married ReJa· 4'81 5'78 19'11 21'94 verandah. tives. A Muslim, who has seven members in his family Never Married, 35'58 56'65 61-05 52-63 Widowed, etc. stays in an independent house in the orchard of Shri Jayramdas Bechardas Desai, and works as part Unrelated 0'96 0'77 0'37 1'76 time watchman for the garden and does not pay any Table No.4. 5 on page 58 gives data in respect of rent. six. big families having more than ten members each Two Son-Koli families, which have five members so as to know about the principal means of their each. stay in their neighbours' houses and do not pay livelihood, viz., agriculture. any rent. Vd'947--.6 58 VILLAGE SURVEY MONO~RAPH Sumames of Families Surname • Patil' is C01l'JJllOn among; Son-Kolis. Thirty-one per cent of Son;.KoIi families bear the Chaukalshis and Agris. Likewise' MIlatre " is CQnunon surname ' Pedhvi' and 29 per· cent • Bhoir' While among Chaukalshis and Agns. ' , Patils • are 24 per cent. 'Thales' are only 9 per cent. Surname • Pedhvi' is chiefly to be found in the Rest of the eight families, having different surnames, Son-Koli caste. Only one l'illori Kunbi family together form 7 per cent. bears that surname. . 'fable No.4. 6 below.shows the number of families Likewise 64 per cent of Chaukalshi families bear falling under various surnames among different castes in the surname 'Mhatre', 20 per cent 'Patil', and the village. : 11 per cent 'Raul'. Rest of the three families, The distinction between surnames' Raul' and • Raut ' bearing different surnames,' together form only has. to be borne in mind. Whereas' Rauls • are ehau- 5 per cent. kaIshis, 'Rauts' are. ,PacbkaJshis. . . TABLE No. 4.5 Details of the Families Mving more than ten members, in respect oj land cultivated etc. 'Total Number \ Area of Arcaof Num~ of couples own paddy others' Pl',ddy . . !and' Total paddy Serial Name of the head of tho 4ousehold, of members in the land land ' in the' No. his caste and a~, family cultivated cultivated iuItivated family' ,on~ynlen1i ". o rent. I " (1) (2) (3) \ (4) ,(5) (6) . , (7) A. g. A. g. J A\ ;. 1 Ramchandra Bapu Mhatre, Chaukalshl, 36 ., 16 2 3 0 4, 10 7 10 2 Kanu Goma Pedhvi; Son·Koli, 60 15 2 0 30 2 30 3, 20 3 Ramchandra Gopal Waghmare, Son·KoJi, 45 .• 15 4 5 0 3 -0 8. 0 4 Sadashiv Ganpat Mhatre, Chaukalshi, 59 14 3 4 20 0 12 of ,32 5 Rama Narayan Patil, Son·Koli, 40 13 2 S 0 5, ,,0 6 Budhaji Vithu Thale, Son·Koli, 52 11 3 4 16 4 1,6 TABLE No. 4.6 Distribution of Households by Caste and Surnames , Total ;No. of Serial Surname Son-Kol! Chaukalsbi Pachkalihi ASri, Tillori Brahmin Katkari Lewa Musliril - households No. Kunbi Patidar bearina same 1 surname (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) J (12) ,- :,.,.i:. 1 PedhVi 38 1 39 2 Bhoit 36 .... / 36 3 Patil 30 11 4 ...... 45 4 Thale 11 11 5 Keni 1 1 6 Wagbmare 3 .... 3 "I Kim 3 3 8 Vaiti 1 1 9 Mhatre 35 .5 40 10 Raul 6 6 11 Naik 1 1 12 Oharat 1 1 13 Ohanekar 1 .... 1 14 Raut 4 •••• I 4 ! IS Thakur ~l .... / 1 16 Bankar 2 2 17 Marathe 1 .... I 18 Mohite 1 1 19 Karve '''i 1 20 Katkari 1 1 21 Desai .... 1 .... I 22 Shaikh / .. -.. 1 1 Total No. of households. 123 55 4 10 5 1 1 1 1 201 AGARSURE: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 59 J lafra.4amDy RelatiOlll If a person dies without a son, the daughter does Management of the households is handled by females, inherit his whole property to the exclusion of the other who are treated tolerably well by their husbands. agnates. It is only when the husband gets drunk in the evening or Leisure and Recreation does not get money to drink that he quarrels with his Leisure months in a year are December, January, wife and sometimes belabours her. Such cases are, February and March, not for all but for those who have hpwever, rare. The general treatment to females in sufficient provision of paddy for maintenanci through- society is good. ~ out the year. Others have to go out for manual labour "Jlelations between father and son, father and daughter, on wages in orchards, etc., in neighbouring villages or mother and son, mother and daughter are cordial. on fishing boats quite away from the village. Those Relations between brothers are cordial before .t~ey are who have leisure go to Chondi Nab in the morning, married., After marriage the relations are strained in take tea, meet friends and return home in the several cases due' to some disputes picked up by their forenoon. Again in the afternoon they visit Chondi wives; wlrich result in separation of the families. Naka or village Zirad and take tea, etc., in the hotels. In the evening some of them are in' search of liquor. Relations between brothers and sisters are usually They take it, if available, and return home late in the gooo. . evening. ~al tendency of housewives is that while they , There are two 'Akhadas' (armm) at Nandai receive"and treat their parents and brothers or sisters, pada and Fakir-pada. Youngsters practise wrestling and other reiations of the parents with love and respect, there. Wrestling bouts are held adjacent to the they do not show that much love and respect towards Alibag-Rewas Road during the Ganapati festival days. their fathers-in-law or mothers-in-law or other persons Wrestkrs also take part in the bouts held at the village closely related to their husbands, and in some cases also Awas during the fair. Some of the boys of Te_-pada despise them. In several cases quarrels ensue between and Nandai-pada play lezim. , mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law, which result Cart racing used to be held until two years back on in separation of the families. the Alibag-Rewas Road. Villagers are very fond of it. More than half the number of the passenger bullock.. Children are not much cared for by their parents in carts of this village are rubber-tyred for the purpose. respect of cleaning of teeth, giving bath, proper dress, Now due to tarred road it has become impossible to etc. firstly because they do not fully realise ,the need and hold races on it due to the fear of bullocks slipping utility of these things and secondly because they do not due to smooth sUl'face qf the road. The villagers take find sufficient spare time in the morning as they are part in the races held at Alibag or Nagaon. busy with their daily affairs of livelihood. Boys usually 'play marbles {~l, tops (tft.ru)1 Iaberltance of Property • Viti~dandoo' (f.r€tc:t~), Hututu (m) and Atya-patya (~q"R;'iIT)" Some of the boys rarely vm.gers are not aware of the amended Hindu Law play cards. Girls play 'Sagargota' (~I'(4j with giving 'eqUal rights of succession to women. <-ftal)1 the means of small stones. According to the old Hindu Law, daughter could not There are' Bhajan $ mandals at Tekali-pada, Nandai inherit any property of her parents if her brother or pada and Agarsure-Shalecha-pada. They sing Bhajans brothers were living. SQ also a widow had only the during Ganapati festival. At Nandai-pada Bhajan is right of maintenance in her husband's property for her regularly held in the Nandai Devi temple on EkadaslU life time, unless she was re-married in the meantime. day. The same old Law is still being followed at the village. In spite of it, however, custom prevails that ifparents In the month of Shravan, religious literature like have suflicient agricultural land. they voluntarily give , Hari-vijay " ' Bhakti-vijay , are read by an old literate about half an acre of it, or assign its income to their Chaukalshi in the Nandai Devi temple at Agarsure daughter towards her maintenance after her marriage. Mul-gaothan. The local people, mostly old, hear it. Custom also prevails to give her a cow forproviding milk. During the Ganapati festival dances are held from No share is, however, given to her in the residential ~OO p.m. to 12-00 midnight by males and females hquse or other household propmty of her panmts. separately, and also separately by Chaukalshis and VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH Son-Kolis. Old and young and iI.ko clil~en, ~b part . Songs S1lng to the tune of beating of a two-sided in them. 'These dances are 'aC\i~ied ,.by tkO bWltiiti dr~~, t,Ile:~: held in Ganapati festival are of two-sided drums. They 'g~, round and r()uud t}jc ~~u~l(fef>-' .;'! <'; '. drum-beater singing songs of pr~~ ,~ , ~ .Gct:uri· an4 II , Ganapati '. Females clap their, h,aiiqs whue '~C!rig , , . (n} '!i~Ri' ~~ ~ ~ in tune with the beating or'tirtini:: ';. _' :' " ,', ~~:'~ j :'~ tti\'Jf =t II One Shri Haribhau Posu Blioii~ loCal'.Son~Koli~ a atrtff ~. (fFlff "'(GiI~1 ~ II aged about 55" has composed ~ng~. w)lich ®ve been' , ... , printed and published as II ,iftU 'tfUiq~Qj'i ~ ~ t{iM+im ~1VI ~ =t II , ,C\... ~ ,1nvit " :at the Ramkrishna Printiijg, Press; 'Tardeo: BoOk Ii . denotes' bowing to god q1anapati who Depo~, Bombay. ,",.' ' ' poss~~ ,14 .lores (fcmr)' and ~ arts. T4ere are no other varieti~ or ,entertainrpent and n;creation as 'Tamasha-Pl1Ad '.: ' ~ra~ti~ troupe, <.~}, ~ ~~ I '1~ Meanin~- - . '~,~ ~' ~'JI ,. II . ' young Wife asks " A her ~usb~nd whc;t~er he' '1T(f ~,~ ftmn " would ia}c~ her to 't!le bazat'fc;lr ~'ti'ying sweets, ~ m~ ~o'~~r:1l which She',so'mucll Hk~s;, .He, Tefrai~ '~Yini not to: indttCe him to 'spend money like that, ,~) ~. '~lFf' ~ II and thi-eattms i~' ;bea't' her 'on the" back in ijffif ~~"m q~ II 't. II ~ '" , the evening." She is ',afraid and t:eal~ses that such ~ beating wpu.'kt P\lt an end, to tu;r, d~e This song i$ composed,.by local Son-Koli for the,life time.'::, ' ,bar~ ,~i Har.~ha!1; P,~su Bhoir. • andai Oevi • l\tal"athi Primary cb~ol AGARSUM: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 61 Meaning- of the remaining three walls 6 feet each. The structure " One day milkmaid Radha was going of the temple is wooden with four-sided Mangalore-tiled to the river Yamuna for fetching water. roof on it. The floor is earthen. There is an open Vanmali (~lrE1) -Krishna, who was verandah of 4 feet width attached to the temple in grazing cows there, caught hold of her and front and beyond it is a small open courtyard. kissed her. Another milkmaid saw it from The image of • Devi Nandai' is carved on a rough a distance and narrated the incident to Radha's stone slab of the height of two feet. The deity has mother-in-law, who told her son (i.e. Radha's four arms. The left hand is on the waist and right husband) about it. So Radha's husband tied holds a bell (carved on the stone). The two rear arms Radha to a pillar and was violently beating are raised to sky. Carving on the image shows that the her. Seeing this Pendya (m)', fast friend deity has worn a skirt (~). and bodice (~) and of Krishna, rushed to the rescue of Ra.dha, there are two bangles on each wrist. Hair is roughly car pulled the beard of Radha's husband and ran ved on the head. The deity has been installed on a stone away." slab at the centre of the temple, its distance being 13' from There are also many a song sung by females at the the front wall and 7' from the rear. One can easily go various stages of marriage ceremony. 'the Son-Koli round the image. The image is besmeared with red females sing them all along their way from bride lead (~). There are two small holes near the groom's house to the place of the bride or from latter waist sides of the deity for passing a string of a cloth to the former, whether they be travelling on foot, in skirt to be put on the deity on festival occasions. bullock carts, tongas or buses. Chaukalshi females do Name of the deity is peculiar and appears to have been not do so but sing them only on specific occasions. derived from the Marathi root verb nandane (~) to live. That which allows and facilitates living at the Re6gioD village is • Nandai' (~). An annual festival of The religion of all the households at the Village, this deity is celebrated by all the villagers on Chaitra except one Shaikh Muslim family, is Hindu. There is Paurnima, details of which are given under the succeed only one scheduled tribe family of Katkari and no ing heading "fairs and festivals". The residents of member of any scheduled caste at the village. Ag~rsure-Mul-gaothan and Agarsure-Shalecha-pada The Son-Kolis all are devotees chie't1y of the go to this temple for darshan occasionally. , Khandoba' of Jejuri. There is no temple of Another small temple of " Mahadeo" is situated on 'Khandoba' in this village. They, therefore, worship the western bund of the tank at Agarsure-Mul-gaothan the local deity 'Nandai Devi f whose temple is in facing the east. It is 10' x 10' with burnt brick walls Nandai-pada. of the height of 7 feet plastered with chunam, a door The Chaukalshis and Pachkalshis are all devotees in front and Mangalore-tiled roof above. A small of the • KlIandoba ' of Jejuri, as also of the local deity festival is held on the Mahashivratri day at this 'Nandai Devi' whose temple is in Agarsure-Mul temple. gaothan. One Shri Waman Khandu Naik (Bhagat), aged about Out of 10 Agri families, one is a devotee of' Shitla 4S and Chaukalshi by caste, daily worships the ' Nandai Devi', two of 'Khandoba' and' Nandai Devi f and Devi' and' Mahadeo' and Hts sweet oil lamps in the seven of • Dattatraya'. Four of the Tillori Kunbi two temples every evening. He does not get any families are devotees of < Khandoba' and 'Nandai remuneration for that. Devi ' and one of 'Dattatraya '. At Fakir-pada there is a pucca built 'Maruti' the Brahmin family is a devotee of < Dattatraya', the (HanumaIi) temple on the main village road facing the Lewa Patidar of 'Kalika Devi' and the Katkari of east. It is 22' X 16' with stone plinth 21 feet high < Zireshwari Devi J and ' Datta' . ana walls of 8' of height built in brick and cement. There are in all 7 temples in this village. Revered The structure is wooden with Mangalore-tiled four the oldest and main temple of 'Nandai Devi " regarded sided roof abOVe. by all villagers, is situated on an earthen mound with There is a door and railing on the front side of the cluster 9f trees around, near the ep.trance to the hamlet temple and two windows on its sides. A small white Agarsure-Mul-gaothan facing the east. It is~ 22' X 22' marble idol of Maruti is installed in the temple on a with unburnt brick walls plastered with mud. The height 31 feet high pedestal. The deity is worshipped daily of the front wall with a door in it is 7 feet and that by one of the Son-Koli villagers. Vd 4947-7 62 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH At Nandai-pada there is another 'Nandai Devi' All the seven temples of this village are maintained temple on the main village road· facing the east. It by public contribution. Regular priests are not em is quite spacious, 28' X 14' with walls built in brick and ployed at any of them. No Inam land is assigned mud and plastered with cement. 1'he front portion has to any of them. None of the temples is used for any wooden railing with a door in it. The temple building social, economic or cultural activities except the temple has a stone plinth 2 feet high. Height of the walls Of 'Hanuman' at Fakir.. pada which is used by the of the temple above is 10 feet. The deity is represented village boys for playing lezim (~). by a small flat semi-circular stone with image of an .. elephant carved on it and is installed on a' I! feet On the eastern bOl'der of Tekali-pada but within high pedestal. To its left side on the pedestal 49 small the limits of the village Zirad there is one pucca built stones, said to represent the deities on the boundaries temple of 'Vithoba-Rakhumai' with a deepmala of the village (ef?r ~)" are kept. One of the Son (lamp post) of about 16' height near it. This temple Kolis of the hamlet worships them all every day. The and the Hanuman temple of Tekali-pada are looked residents of Fakir-pada, Nandai-pada, Thalyacha-pada after both by the villagers of Zirad and hamlet Tekali and Khadicha-pada go to this temple occasionally for pada. darshan. On the night of every Ekadashi day' Bhajan ' is held in this temple by the Son-K'Qlis of Nandai-pada None of the Chaukalshi, Pachkalshi, Tiltori Kunbi and Fakir-pada. Abhangas of saints Tukaram and or -Son-Koli families has any household deities in their Namdeo are sung in the bhajan. Harmonium, tabla hou'ses, except the two Son-Kolis, who· have the (~) and two~sided drums (1!i~r 3f~ ~) deitY-_ of ' Khandoba ' embossed on silver plates in their are used as accompaniment in singing the bhajan. houses. They worship the deity daily, Son~Kolis, Small pieces of coconut are distributed and tea served who are devotees of ' Khandoba ' visit these two ,houses to all who take part in the bhajan. occasionally for darshan of the deities. The residents of Fakir-pada and Nandai-pada, who - Four Agri families have pictures of 'Dattatraya' , are all Son-Kolis, do not do any fishing nor take non and one Agl'i, has a small deity of 'Shitala Devi' in vegetarian food on this day. Likewise in the month his house. They worship them daily. of Shravan every year a bhajan saptah (~ ~~) is held at this temple for a week from the first Monday The Brahmin family has a picture of 'Dattat~aya' of the month. and usual sman deities for daily worship made Qf brass, At Tekali-pada there are three temples. The temple and pebble-gods in his house. - The Lewa Patidar has of the goddess' Chavatha' (:qcnor) is in the hamlet picture as well as a small image o~ 'Kalika Devi' in facing the east. It is a small kaccha structure of his bungalow which is worshipped daily. 7' X 7' with burnt brick walls on its three sides and thatched roof of straw above. The front portion of the Majority of the villagers do not' posses~ any house temple is open. The deity is represented by two pairs hold deities and do not offer any daily prayers at home of slabs of stones kept on the floor at a distance of or at aiiy temple. On festive occasions, auspicious days Ii feet from each other with a flat stone slab above or when the famity is in distress they go to the temples them. The Whole thing looks like a small, low bench and pray. They are, however, religious-minded. or seat without a back. There are two PaJshi Brahmin priests who work at Another temple 'of 'Mahadeo' is situated on the this ' village. They are residents of village Awas bund of the village tank away from the hamlet facing nearby. They are not learned in the Vedas but know the east. It is 15' x 11' with pucca walls on three , Ganapati-pooja ' and other mantra and tantra (lj;;r ~) sides, wooden railing and a door in front, earthen floor of' performing marriage' ceremonies, 'Satyanarayan and Mangalore tiled roof above. pooja' etc. They hardly wield any influence at the The third temple is of ' Hanuman ' just on the ea.stern village. border of the hamlet Tekali-pada touching the boundary of the village Zirad and facing the north. It is 22' x i4' The villagers do not worship any animal spirits or with open verandah of 3! feet width in front. It has trees, except that the females worship the' Vat Vriksha • pucca walls on three sides a.nd wooden ra.iling and dQor (era' ,!&l) on the Vat-p~urnQna. day in memory of in front. , Sa.tyawan-S~witri '. AGARSURE: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 63 Fairs and Festivals On the Chaturthi day, moe/ales (iJ)~-favourite dish of Ganapati) are served at mid-day meals. Dances are The principal festival of the village is annually held held at night. Next day in the evening the image at the Nandai Devi'temple at hamlet Agal'sure-Mul of 'G$lnapati ' is immersed in a tank with celebration. gaothan on Chaitra-paurnima. It is attended by Some of the families continue the function for fiVe residents of all the hamlets of the village, males, females days and immerse the image of ' Ganapati ' with those as well as children. The' festival formally "begins at of 'Gauris' on the fifth day. Villagers celebrate this 2 p.m., when some of the villagers collect at the temple, annual function most devotedly. give bath to the deity, besmear it with red lead (~~)' and dress her with a parkar skirt (~). They then Festivals of Holi (Q)c&T) and Diwali (~) go round the village and besmear with red lead all the are also annually observed in usual manner and boundary gods, which are represented by stones. These not so devotedly as the festival of 'Gauri-Ganapati '. boundary gods are caned' Bappa' and are (GI'f't'IlT) On the night of 'Holi-paurnima' (Q)c&T q-TfirT+1T) 49 in number. fire is lit at central place at all the hamlets. Villagers The villagers all assemble at the temple at 8 p.m. for collect, take aarshan (~~;;)' of the 'Holi' and the main function. The Bbagat, who is 45 years of return home. Children play Hutu-tu (~CN) and age, Chaukalshi by caste and resident of Agarsure Atya-patya (arrc:m 'ffi:'iIT) until mid-night. Mul-gaothan, then comes to the temple. He sits in front of the deity facing it and starts humming by Diwali is observed on the Bali-pratipada (;rc8r5lfa'!l'~T) mouth and nodding his head before the deity. day by taking delicious non-vegetarian food at meals. This process, which is called (Zad Khelne) locally, goes on for about an hour or hour and a half. The No fair is held at this Village. At village Awas Bhagat then gets possessed of the deity and names however, the greatest fair of Alibag taluka is held at the boundary gods to which coconut and hens the Nageshwar temple on Kartik Shudh Chaturdashi should be offered in order to ward off the evils ahead (~ ~) . It is attended by about 20,000 persons during the year. The villagers then break a coqonut from aU over the taluka. The villagers of Agarsure, of and sacrificeseven hens in the open compound adjoining course, visit it, being quite near, and make purchases the temple in the name of the boundary gods concerned of utensils, ready-made clothes, toys, sweets, etc. to pacify them. A goat is also sacrificed in the main A good many shops and stalls of all sorts and kinds temple to pacify the main deity' Devi Nandai '. This and varieties of amusements are arranged at the fair. goat is procured free of cost from the shepherds who come to the village for grazing their sheep and goats. The temple is famous for curing persons bit by After slaughtering of the animal the Bhagat gets snakes and reptiles or possessed by evil spirits. dis-possessed of the deity. The flesh of the goat and the hens is then cooked and distributed to all assembled Another fair is held on the Kankeshwar hills in by way of prasad. This ceremony ends at about 11 p.m. honour of the 'Kankeshwar Mahadeo' on the next An expenditure of about Rs. 50 is incurred, besides day, i.e., Kartik Shudh Paurnima. It is attended by the goat procured free, in celebrating the festival. This about 3,000 persons. It is necessary to ascend about 750 amount is collected from the villagers by voluntary . st~ps to reach the place. The temple is of 'Hemadpanti' contribution. The villagers are deVoted to the deity (~tj iG4ci'l)' architecture and is supposed to have been and have great faith in this festival. originally built in the eleventh century. Another annual family festival held at most of the There is a saint named 'Guru-pad-moorti' living houses is the' Gauri-Ganapati ' on the Ganesh Chaturthi at the Kankeshwar hills. He is a disciple of ' Shridhar day.. A clay image of god Cianapati and a clay idol Swami' of Sajjangad and has come to stay at the hills of goddess 'Gauri ' are installed on a table, bench or on the latter's advice. He hails from Mysore, is about chair and a stool on one side of vathan of the house. 35 years of age, is a learned man, having stayed at A mirror is placed behind the image of 'Ganapati' Banaras for some year's for studies, and knows which is usually installed in a small frame (lRCI~} Kanarese, Sanskrit, Hindi and English languages. He decorated by green leaves of trees or coloured paper. has also picked up Marathi language during his stay The images are worshipped in the morning and evening at the hills for the last 2i years. The Kankeshwar with flowers and doorwas. three bladed grass (¢l. Maha.deo Deost~n at the hills had deteriorated and Vc!4947-7a 64 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH gone into complete disordel';"- On initiative from the They, more so the females, believe in the" Evil Eye" Swamiji and under his gUidance a committee of (~) . Some disgruntled or wicked persons having a devotees was formed, which collected funds to the tune piercing look are believed to possess the "Evil Eye". of Rs. 75,000 locally and also from Bombay. This The remedy for warding off the effects of the evil eye is amount was utilised in renovating the temple and to wave a handful of salt and mustard seed (m) its buildings. ~gainst the face of the person affected and then to throw them in fire in the chul (hearth). Likewise a Luck and' Superstition and Local Beliefs small jar full of water i~ waved against the face of the affected person and the' water in it is then thrown at The following incidents are considered to bring good the place where any ~hree roads meet. luck or success in work :- . (1) Appearance of a married woman on the way People do not wear any mascots or amulets (crmr)' immedia~ely on getting out of the house. fot ensuring good luck or warding off evil. (2) Sight of .. Bharadwaj " or " Kumbha " bird. Local beliefs.-The only custom associated with the agricultural operations of (1) uprooting the paddy Incidents considered to bring ill luck are :_; plants (arrcror) from the seed-beds, -(2) reaping of, the \ (1) Sight of a widow on the 'way immediately on crop and (3) completing the threshing operations is to_ getting out of the house. br~ak a coconut on each occasion. On the last oeca sio~ some of the farmers sacrifice a hen: Farmers (2) Hearing the hooting of an owl or .. Pingala " believe that thereby good results accrue. bird. (3) Slipping of a vessel from the hand while getting Villagers believe that case of serpent-bite or l>r being out of the house. possessed by ghosts and evil spirits are cured· ,if the persons affected are taken to the Nageshwar temple in (4) Meeting s()meone on the way with headload of village Awas. They also believe that one Agri numtrik' dry fire-wood immediately on getting out (lfif.f~) from vi.1lage Saral (S miles) and anothet similar of the house. Agri mantrik from the village Milkatkha.r (5 miles) (5) Birth of a son on the "Amavasya" day. cute such cases. i ' A son born on this day is supposed to possess There is some trouble of 'teptiles and more: so of de-merits. scorpions in the village in 'summer. Inquiry at the (6) Buying or possessing a bullock with rings District Local Board dispensa~ at Chondi Nab (;flcR} on back. revealed that every year some 12 to 14 cases of snake bite are brought to the dispensa.ry not all from this (7) Hearing of the howling of a fox or jackal or village but also from the surtolfnding villages. That a dog by night, which predicts som~ ensuing shows that the villagers do not rely only on the tnantriks death. or the Nageshwar temple. Nb case of death due to (8) Cock-crowing in the evening. snake-bite was reported at the village during the last three years. Gudhi-padwa, Akshayya-tritiya, Dasara and Bali ptatipada are considered to be most auspicious days. Village Leadership and Traditional Leadership Mondays, Thursdays and Ekadashi days are considered None of the families in the village has attained any to be auspicious and Tuesdays, Wednesdays and traditional leadership. " Amavasya " inauspicious days. There are no groups or parties, no big landlords or Villagers consult.the priest or refer to an almanac for cultivators holding any special influence: There are five auspicious day for performing any auspicious ceremony local leaders of Son-Kolis and foUr of Chaukalshi com or- function and for laying the foundation stone, fixing munity, who wield some influence at the village in the of the first pillar, construction of the adhe, fixing of the community concerned. One of the Son-Koli leaders is froilt door in constructing a new dWelling house and Deputy Sarpanch of the Group Panchayat, Zirad, and for entering a newly built house for tIte fitst time. Qne is its member. Accordingly one of the leaders of AGARSURE : SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 65 the Cbaukalshi community is a member of the Group good grocery shops, a hotel, a school and the Group Panchayat and one is the Revenue and Police Patil of Panchayat Office are situated at Zirad. The main toad, the villa.. who is an old, experienced and well on which the State Transport Service Buses run, informed petson. He has some influence also on passes through the limits of village Zirad. the othor communities. At Thalyacha-pada two parties have been formed .The Sarpanch of Group Panchayat, Zirad, who is an amongst the Son-Kolis. The dispute arose ovet the Ayurvedic qualified, private medical practitioner, one construction of a public well at the hamlet in 1958. big grocety merchant of Chondi Naka, who also deals One of the Son-Kolis took a leading part in in paddy and gives grocery articles on credit to the consttuctmg the well. Some of the Son-Kolis did not villagers during the rainy season, and Shri Jayramdas favour the proposal. According to them a new well Desai, who is a well-to-do, highly educated and was not necessary as there already eWsted one at the foreign retu1'Iled old man staying at Fakir-pada, also hamlet. They, therefore, refused to contribute towards wield some influence on the villagers. the expenses. Ganpat proceeded with the ptoject, collected some contribution from those who were willing lDter-eommunity Relations and Co-operation to pay and himself donated to make up the share of Intel'-community relations are cordial in the sense public contribution. The new well was consttucted. that there a.l'e no disputes in the different communities. Since then two parties are formed, one of the contri The. two principal communities, viz., Son-Kolis and butors and the other of the non-contributors. Chaukalshis, have been staying quite distinctively and Actually the old well is in a ditch and its water gets away from each other. Neighbourly relations and polluted during the rainy season. Now good potable co-operation are, -therefore, to be found community water is available in the new well throughout the year. wise. Functional relationship is also community· wise The non-conttibutors too now use the water of this well except in the case of celebration of the annual festival of and gradually the two patties are coming together. the goddess .. Nandai Devi" at hamlet Agarsure-Mul gaothan, where members of all communitiel! come Crime and Civil disputes together for the sake of performance. Inter-co~unity relationship is also observed in the exchange of labour During the calendar year 1960 no crimes wete re particularly during the stages of transplantation and corded at the village except 8 cases under the Bombay reaping of paddy ctop, when members of Chaukalshi Prohibition Act. Five of them, which telated to con community, both males as well as females, go to suming of liquor, ended in acquittal of the accused work on the fields of Son-Kolis and vice versa as in court. In three cases 116 gallons of wash and 40 need be. drums of illicit liquor, all unclaimed and worth about Rs. 392, were detected. No offenders could, however, Thete is neighbourly co-operation in lending small be traced. The village is not yet free from the habit of sums of money in times of need within the community drinking in spite of the Law of • Total Prohibition' or to petsons of other communities who are thickly being in force. It is interesting to note that on inquiries acquainted. In case of distress or calamity all come made, none of the heads of households reported drink forward to help irrespective of community. ing of liquor as prohibited. If they can get liquor, they want it. No members of a community renders any ttaditiona.l services to any member of any othet community in the No offences relating to person or property were village either daily 01' even on special occasions. Chiefly registered. There ate no civil disputes relating to thete is no population of Harijans at all in the village, lands or properties at the village. who ate otherwise expected at other places to render some traditional services to the villagers. There is no Caste or CoQ1Dlunity Pancbayat baluta (~)' system at the village. The Chauka1shis had originally a Community Pan It is observed that the residents of haml"t Tekali-pada chayat for 52 villages With headquatters at the village of Agarsure combine more frequently with the neigh Kutul. This Panchayat was split up in course of time, bouring village of Zitad because of gr:eater conveniences and a. Panchayat only of 22 villages, including village available at the latter. The distance between Tekali Agarsure, was formed with headquattets at the village pada and Zirad is less than half a furlong. A couple of Zirad. Later on this Panchayat too was abolished. Now 66 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH a caste Panchayat of Chaukalshis of Agarsure exists at (2) Construction of three drinking water wells, the village. It has 5 old and experienced Panchas of the one each at Agarsure-Mul-gaothan, Thalyacha-pada village on it. and Nandai-pada at a total cost of Rs. 1,394. The Son-Kolis have a Community Panchayat of 13 (3) Construction of approach roads with small villages, including village Agarsure. The names of these causeways to hamlets Fakir-pada, Nandai-pada, villages are given already under the heading "Beliefs A.garsure-Mul-gaothan and Agarsure-Shalecha-pada and practices connected with marriages" in Chapter II. at a cost of Rs. 2,600. Ghls from these villages are offered and accepted in marriage by Son-Kolis. The costs shown at item ~os. 1 and 2 above represent the contribution given by the Group Panchayat for No other caste of the village has a caste panchayat. the purpose. The Group Panchayat has not provided any street lights at this village. Recently electric The two Panchayats of Chaukalshis and Son-Kolis street lights from the Grid system have been provided rarely meet to consider questions, if any, relating to only at hamlet Tekali-pada of the Village. matrimonial, social or religious matters. No fine is levied by them on miscreants. None of these two There are no judicial activities of the Group Pancha Panchayats holds any community funds. yat, as no Nyaya:'Panchayat (~lf tf;;rr1:rq) has yet been formed. . Statutory Panchayat Expenses incurred on sanitation during the last The village is included in Group Panchayat, Zirad, three years are ridiculously low. which consists of the villages of (1) Zirad, (2) Agarsure, (3) Satirje and (4) Deotalai. The Group Panchayat Villagers in general are not interested or Inquis~tive started functioning on 22nd 'February 1956. So far about any activities of the Group Panchayat. ' two elections were held, both without any contest. The A Prohibition Committee from amongst the members last election was held,on 3rd August 1960. First meeting of the Group Panchayat was formed three years bac~. of the new Panchayat was held on 10th August 1960. This committee holds an annual meeting during the The present ter:t;n of five years of the Panchayat expires 'Prohibition Week'. No other substantial work on 9th August 1965. appears to have been done by the committee. There are 11 seats on the Panchayat, two of which are i ' reserved for women. All seats have been duly filled in. Government Administrative Agency There is no reservation of any seat for Scheduled The Patil, Talati, Circle Inspector and Gram Tribes or Castes as the number of voters of such tribes Sevak are the village level offi~ials who are c1~sely or castes is insignificant. concerned with the village administration. There are Composition of the present Panchayat is shown in also two inferior village servants, called Kotwals, Table No. 4.7 on page 67. Shri Nathuram Balaram Patil appointed at the village. None of the officials stated is Secretary of the Group Panchayat. He is 34 years of above is a hereditary watandar. All ~re stipendiary. age, Chaukalshi by caste' and resident of village Zirad. He has passed the Marathi Vernacular Final examination PATIL and studied upto English V standard. His present pay is In big villages the posts of Revenue and Police PatiIs Rs. 34 per month. He is in service of the Group ate separate. In this village the two are combined in Panchayat from 1st April 1956 and knows his job well. one post. The Patil gets an annual cash remunera It is reported that he is recently transferred and a new tion of Rs. 110' 50. He does not hold any alienated man has taken over as Secretary. (Inam) land for Patilki. Name of the present Patil is Shri Laxman Gopal Patil. He is 58 years of age, Income and expenditure of the Group Pancbayat Chaukalshi by caste, resident of Agarsure-Mul-gaothan during the financial years 1958-59, 1959-60 and 1960-61 and lias studied upto Marathi IV standard. Holds are shown in Table 4.8 on page 67. 10 acres and 25 gunthas of agricultural land at Agarsure The notable items of work done by the Group and is 'well-to-do. He has officiated as Patil for Panchayat at this village during these three years a number of years in the past, is experienced and well (1958-59 to 1960-61) are :- informed. He stays permanently at the village and' is (1) Construction of school building at Nandai-pada not transferable. His present appointment as Patil is at a cost of Rs. 250. for five years. AGARSURB: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 67 TABLE No.4. 7 Details of Pancliayat Members by Name, Age, Caste, Education and Place of Residence Serial Name Age Caste Education Place of No. residence (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) 1 Shri Rangnath Raghunath Mhatre 49 Pachkalshi Matriculate, holds Ayurvedic Zirad. (Sarpanch). Medical Diploma. 2 Shri Bhaskar Ragho Pedhvi (Deputy 38 Son-Koli Upto Marathi IV Standard Nandai-pada of Sarpanch). Agarsure. 3 Shrimati Sitabai wife of Ramchandra 30 Son-Koli Marathi IV Std. Nandai-pada of Patil. Agarsure. 4 Shrimati Ramabai wife of Bhagwan 50 Shenvi Marathi IV Std. Zirad. Mondkar. 5 Shri Balaram Yesu Patil •• 60 Olaukalsbi Marathi ill Std. .Tekali-pada of Zirad. 6 Shri Sakharam R.amji Oavade 65 Maratha Marathi III Std. Zirad. 7 Shri Pandurang Maru Bhoir 45 Son-Koli Marathi ill Std. Tekali-pada of Agarsure. 8 Shri Shankar Keshav Patil 4~ Chaukalshi Marathi III Std. Village Satirje. 9 Shri Narayan Govind Mhatre 42 Chaukalshi Marathi VI Std. Agarsure. 10 Shri Mahadeo Balu Gurav 55 Chaukalshi Marathi II Std. Zirad. 11 Shri Shankar Moroba Jumaledar 40 Maratha Marathi III Std. Katal-pada of village Satirje. TABLE No. 4.8 Details of Income and Expenditure oj'Panchayat for three years INCOME EXPENDITURE Year Year Item Item 1958-59 1959-60 1960-61 1~58-59 1959-60 1960-61 Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs. its. Rs. Opening Balance 1,465'93 1,471'91 3,629'54 Establishment 1,012'76 492·87 481'29 Taxes 718·25 1,000'14 1,010'35 Water-supply 869'00 75'00 450'00 Roads and communi- 2,150'00 855'00 I 890'00 Government grant 3,458·16 3,449'12 3,451'21 cations. Miscellaneous 324·70 31·61 59'65 Public utility works 500·00 Competition reward 250·00 Notice Board 100'00 for 1959-60. Sanitation .• 1'00 33'95 7'60 Rent of Panchayat 280'00 Miscellaneous 375'62 31'50 property. Furniture .. 236'45 Agricultural improve- 225'00 ment. School contingency 87·31 5'00 Library 86'75 147·61 117'27 Pisciculture 120'00 Cultural programme 40'00 80'00 Radio 235·00 Medical aid 75·00 100·00 Utensils for drinking 134·02 water for School children. Closing Balance 1,471'91 3,629'54 5,484'12 Total .. 5,967'04 6,202'78 8,430'75 Total 5,967'04 6,202'78 8,430'75 68 VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH Main functions of the Patii aYe as under :- His headquarters are at village Zirad where he (1) (a) Collection and remittance of land revenue stays. His pay is Rs. 43 in the grade of Rs: 40-1-60 and tagai dues. plus Dearness Allowance of Rs. 45 per month. He has passed the Vernacular Final examination. He is now (b) Crop inspection. designated as Assistant Gram Sevak. He often visits (c) Malcing of panchnamas in respect of en . the village for Government work. croached or disputed pieces of land, cases of land grants, boundary disputes, valuation of CIRCLE INSPEcroR dead wood of Government trees, etc. and He is a promoted officer from the talatis' cadre such allied matters aris~g at the village. and is in the grade of Rs: 55-3-85. He is in charge of five Sazas (25 villages) .. His main duties are :- (2) To maintain the Birth and Death Register. (1) To supervise the work of the talatis and to (3) To maintain law and order at the village with . inspect ~their accounts. the assistance of Kotwals. (2) To measure plots of land in dispute or for the (4) To hold inquest in case of death caused by purpose of grant of land and to draw their accident or in suspiciou~ circumstances at sketches to scale. the village. ' (3) To see that the boundary marks of fields at the (5) To help Police in detection of crime and culprits. villages are kept in order, and to get x:epaired (6) To look after the general administration of the or replaced those which are out of. ot~er or village. missing. / \' Because of his official position he holds some influence (4) To hold tests of crop inspection done by talatis and commands some respect at the village. although not and do crop-cutting experiments. so much as in the old days. (5) To detect encroachments on Government land Besides official work, he is invited by the Villagers and to report or get the~ removed. to attend marriages, particularly widow remarriages, and matters of private disputes relating to matrimony His headquarters are at Alibag \vhere he stays. He or lands, etc. He is also required to attend whenever visits the village al least thrice a year. any Taluka or District Officer visits the village. GRAM SEVAK TALATI The Gram Sevak is of the Circle'Inspector's grade Talati is the village accountant. He is in charge and practically holds the same jurisdiction as the Circle of five villages including this village. His charge is Inspector. His headquarters are I at village Zirad called Saza (~) . His duties are the s~e as where he stays. His duties are primarily to lQOk to enumerated at Serial No. (1) (a), (b) and (c) in the duties rural development work in the villages in his charge. of the Patil in addition to the following :- He was doing only the preliminary work of survey as the village was so far in the pre-euension stage (1) To maintain all village and tenancy recQrds of the National Extension Service. Recently the of the village according to standing orders village is put in the first. stage of the development and deal with correspondence relating to Block. the village. (2) To report seasonal conditions and incidents KOTWALS of outbreak of epidemic or epizootic diseases / The two Kotwals (Cf>ld.u~) are meant for work of or accidental fire at the village. this village and are not transferable. Each ·of them gets pay of Rs. 30 per month. Both oftllem are ex-Mahars (3) To record disputes relating to ownership·· of (now Nav-Buddhists) and stay at the village of Zirad. lands, encroachments, boundary marks, . etc. Name of one of them is Vasant Ganpat Gaikwad (4)_To execute orders of Mamlatdar relating to and of the other Gopal Hari Gaikwoid. The former matters connected with village administra is 22 years of age and the latter 33. Both of them tion. have studied up to Marathi 11 standard. AGARSURE: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 69 Vasant does not hold any land. Gopal holds half The other establis~ent consists of one compounder, aD acre of land of his own. one midwife, one Dai, one female servant, one sweeper, one peon and a driver. Daily attendance of outdoor Their duties are :- patients at the dispensary is about 50. (1) To call parties concerned before the Patil, It is only hard cases of maternity from this village Talati or other higher officers visiting the which are referred to the Ma temity Home, after the village for any 'official inquiries. local untrained midwives, who are locally called suin (2) To accompany the Patil, Talati, Circle Inspec (~) fail in their attempt at delivery. tor or higher officer for crop or boundary As already stated before, there is a private Ayurvedic marks inspection or for any other Govern Medical Practitioner at village Zirad. Thus the village ment work. has quite good and adequate medical aid available nearby. (3) To carry the amount of land revenue collected Democratic Decentralization from time to time to the Taluka Office and As from 1st May 1962 Zilla Parishads at district level to credit the same to the Sub-Treasury. and Taluka Panchayat Samitis at taluka level have been (4) To attend to higher officers, both Revenue and fotmed in the whole of Maharashtta State. Members Police, camping at the village. on these bodies are all elected. The Parishad as well as each of the Taluka Panchayat Samitis is presided over Whenever they find leisure they take up to private by one of the elected members. Working and personnel manual work in fields and earn wages in addition to of the Government departments of Agriculture, Co abovesaid remuneration. operation, Rural Development, Social Welfare, Veteri The Patil, Talati, Circle Inspector and the Kotwals nary, Education, P. W. D., etc. and Village Panchayats work both under the Mamlatdar of the Taluka and the have been transferred to Zilla Parishads. Officer of the Block Development Officer. The Gram Sevak works grade of a Collector is appointed as Chief Executive under the latter. Officer for each Zilla Parishad for carrying out its day to-day working. Block Development Officers are The higher officers, who have got jurisdiction· over attached to respective Taluka Samitis. The Zilla the taluka are the Mamlatdar, the Block Development Parishads and Taluka Panchayat Samitis have vigorously Officer and the Police Sub-Inspector.. The Mamlatdar taken up to the work of allround improvement of the and the Police Sub-Inspector visit the village once or rural areas. twice each year for the purpose of village inspection. Thus a beginning of the" Panchayat Raj" in the State The Block Development Offic.er visited it several is made. Zilla Parishad and Taluka Panchayat Samiti times last year for the purpose of preliminary socio , have been formed for the district of Kolaba and taluka economic inquiries at the village. of Allbag, respectively, with headquarters at Alibag. I No social activities of any Government employees Voluntary OrganisatioDS like Club, Library, etc. were noticed as at present at the village. Fair opportu nitiesfor work have opened to them as the Development There are no organisations such as club, library, etc., Block has now entered its first stage of work and some aL the village. At the neighbouring village Zirad, . a few Marathi daily newspapers are kept at the Group of the development activities are expected to be started at the village in the near future. Panchayat Office for reading. A radio set has also been installed there. A very few villagers of Agarsure, about Medical Aid 7-8 in number, take interest in reading the newspapers :' J There is no 'dispensary at this village. However and hearing the iadio news. there is a good District LO,cal Board Dispensary at Family PlaDDiDg Chondi Naka. The building of the dispensary is constructed out of the donation. A small maternity There is no family planning clinic at or near the ward with 9 beds attached to it is constructed out of village. No active propaganda has been made at the village in the donation. An Ambulance car, which serves about respect of the need of family planning. . When told about the need of planning and the measures 35 villages, is also maintamed at. the dispensary. adopted elsewhere for the purpose, villagers ridicule The present Medical Officer at this dispensary is them and say that children are the gift of god and any a graduate of Faculty of Ayurvedic Medicines. number must be willingly accepted. 70 VltLAG13 SURVEy MONOGRAPH Removal of Untouchability --- villages was better as it controlled drinking as well as There is not a single household of any ofthe scheduled illicit distillation. They observed that now there is no castes at the village; so occasions for observing dignity left at all in drinking. In old days the youngsters untouchability do not occur very frequently. Such would not enter the liquor shop if elderly persons were occasions arise when the two inferior village drinking there. Now, they expressed, illicit liquor is servants, whQ. are ex-Mahars, visit the houses of the .stealthily available from Alibag to Rewas Bunder at villagers with any of the Government officials for some several places in the interior of the road. Such Government work, or for calling the villagers to the places are frequented by young and old together, for camp of such officers. drinking. In the case of families of the illicit distillers, There is a separate small hamlet of the neighbouring even females and children drink. This denotes that village of Zirad on the main Alibag-Rewas Road, where the old persons dislike youngsters drinking, although the ex-Mahars stay exclusively. There is an independent they themselves are not yet free from the old habit of well at this hamlet for drinking water. The two drinking. inferior village servants stay at this hamlet along with Late marriages.-Villagers, particularly males, are other ex-Mahars and not at village Agarsure. As such aware and also afraid of the penal provisions of the they do not come in close contact with the villagers. Child Marriage Restraint Act. They are, therefore, The Mahars of this hamlet as '*ell as many more of getting favourably inclined to performing late marriages other villages have embraced Buddhism 4-5 years of their sons and daughters. It is more because of . -ago. They were called at a centrally situated village the _penal provisions of the Law than of operation of for the conversion ceremony. There a Buddha Bhikshu various social and economic forces that this change addressed and advised them and declared them all as is taking place in the rural areas. Many of the females 'Nav-Buddhists '. No separate ritual ceremony was are, however, yet unmindful of the provisions "of the held for cOllverting each individual. Embracing of / Law and are fond of getting their sons and daughters Buddhism by the Mahars has not much helped removal married at an early age. of the idea of practising untouchability from the mind of Dowry system.-The Son-Kolis pay a :fixed bride's the caste Hindu villagers. The caste Hindus do not price of Rs. 100 called (dhhyaja) to the bride's father. seem to have paid much heed to such conversion. They did not, therefore, express jn favour of abolition The converts, however, seem to have attained self of such small money. The Ch!l.Ukalshis, however, satisfaction of having liberated themselves from the age expressed that the dowry system must be abolished by old bondage of untouchability forced on them by the Law. Now-a-days the ChaukaIshis are required _to pay caste Hindus. dowry of Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 in one form or the other Villagers are aware of the e'Xistence of the Law relating to the bridegroom according to ( bis standard of to removal of untouchability. There has been also education and financial condition. Hence the antagonism wide propaganda in the area for removal of untouch as above. ability. Both these have had a good effect on the minds Education.-The Chaukalshis expressed favourably of the people in general, whereby the intensity of prac well in respect of educating their children. Son-Kolis tising untouchability is gradually waning. Villagers are gradually and slowly realizing the importance of have noW no objection to the two inferior village education ; yet they send very few girls to school. servants visiting their houses for Government or even private work. They are allowed entry to the verandah Higher education.-The villagers have not yet formed of the house but nbt inside. They are not yet treated any opinion about it. None of the village boys or with full equality with caste Hindus; the two main girls has yet taken college education. Now that an reasons of which are firstly that they are ex-Mahars Arts and Science College has been opened at Alibag and secondly that they are inferior village servants who it i~ likely that a few boys from the village might go are considered lower in social status. There are hopes in for higher education in the near future. that untouchability will be completely eradicated in Tenancy Law.-They have welcomed the Law. Several due course. of them were formerly tenants of absentee landlords and had to pay them heavy rents annually. Now Other Reforms and Development Measures according to the provisions of the amended Bombay Prohibition.-Old persons feel that the former system Tenancy and Agricultural Lands Act,' 1955, they are of keeping licensed liquor shops at centrally situated recognised as occupants of such tenanted lands as AGARSUru; : SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 11 from the tillers' day, viz., 1st April 1957, and are saved So far the following work has been done at the payment of heavy rents for the lands. In spite of that, village :- many of them do not feel confident of being able to (1) Formation of a Farmers' Union. s~ve and pay the annual instalment of the price of such (2) Formation of 2 acres of new paddy land. land together with the interest thereon as may be (3) Formation of 3 compost manure pits. fixed by the Agricultural Lands Tribunal.. (4) Formation of 1 farm yard manure pit. (5) Sowing of cashew-nut seed in 8 acres of land. Community Development Work.-No Block activities Recently in the year 1963 the Development Block has have earnestly started at the village as the Development entered its first stage of work. It is hoped that more Block was so far in its pre-extension stage and mainly developmental work will be done at the village in the the work of preliminary inquiries was going on. near future. CHAPTER V CONCLUSION There are two major communities of Son-Kolis The village is situated only at a distance of 11 miles and Chaukalshis in the village. While the former from the Taluka and District headquarters of Alibag appears to be slightly better off economically, the from the main road running from Alibag to Rewas latter are a little more advanced socially. Bunder. There is a regular S. T. service on the road. The village is thus well-p1Jwed in respect of the means of Both the communities commonly follow t4e tradi communication to the urban area from which it can tions and customs and rituals of the Hindu religion in derive some benefits in future. prayers and festivals and in the ~ase of birth, naming of a child, marriage, death, etc. All are non-vegetarians Information about the knowledge of the villagers and take pride in sacrificing a goat and several hens before about current affairs and potential wealth of the village the village deity Nandai Devi of the hamlet Agarsure is given in the succeeding paragraphs. Mul-gaothan. They are extremely fond of drink but are mostly deprived of it due to the Law of Prohibition. Knowledge of Current Affairs The housing conditions of both are of the same type. Villagers have very scanty information about the \ current aff~rs. There is no library, no reading room, - The Chaukalshis have adopted the dress ordinarily radi,o or cinema house in the village. No. travelling used by advanced classes. The majority of Son-Kolis cine~ has ever visited it. The Publicity Department have yet retained the peculiarities of their own tradi has riot so far arranged any film show at the 'o/illage. tional dress. The Chaukalshis and the Son-Kolis stay ThUs there are no sources at the village where~y the in different hamlets quite away from each other ; as villagers can have some information of the dtiueBt such both can maintain seclusion in every day living and affairs. come together on festive or public occasions. The At the nearby village of Zirad a com munity radio \ relations between them are neither cordial nor strained. has been installed at the Group Panchayat Office. Some The comparison and contrast shown above have of the persons of this village, who· go to Zirad for some a bearing on the residents of this village alone. work or to the hotels, hear the ~adio from a. distance while passing -00 the road opposite. They are, not Majority of the population, viz., 10 per cent, is illiterate interested in visiting the Grou}:) Panchayat Office; for and in its day to day living follows the path trodden listening to the daily news. What little information from generation to generation. Since the last decade they get is from gossips in the hotels. (_The hotel-keepers growing awareness of the need and utility of educating of Zirad and the Group Panchayat OHice get 3 Marathi the children is seen. Two primary schools have been daily newspapers. Hardly 7 or 8 persons of this village established at the village and a secondary school at cursorily read them. Out of 201 Heads of housebolds Chondi Naka nearby. only two. viz., one Brahmin and one Son-Koli receive, each, a Marathi newspaper. In the survey made of the 201 heads of house Villagers are practioally ignorant of the Five-Year holds of the village as to what occupation they would Plans and are not aware of the developmental activities like their sons to follow, 33 expressed the desire that going on in the country. their sons should be mechanics, 6 carpenters, 19 primary teachers, 12 . agriculturists, 1 electric wireman, Potential Wealth of Village Economy 8 engineers, 1 fisherman, 1 doctor and 1 motor driver. Thus in all 82 heads of households expressed With reference to potential wealth of village economy their opinion in the survey and 119 did not express obsex:vations are as under :__._ any opinion. Out of the 82 heads of households, Increase in Rice Production.-The village, is in survey who expressed their opinion, only 12 desired their group II. The paddy lands of the village, acreage of sons to continue their traditional occupation of cultiVa which is 310, are fairly good, in that on 'an average tion and 70 wanted their sons to take up to non-farm. the soil is good and the existing condition of the employment and profession. Tendency to take up to bunds to the fields is tolerably well~ The average non-farm employment is growing. produce of paddy crop in Class J land is 31 Bengal mds. AGARSURE : CONCLUSION 73 per acre, in Class II it is 28 ana in Class ill 21, at present. At a sbort distance from the mouth inwards, small There is scope for increasing this production by SO per rocks have been found in the creek, which form a great cent or thereabout even with the existing method of handicap to free flow of tidal waters into the creek. cultivation. Some Of the villagers are already following It is difficult to navigate country crafts from the sea the' Handa' ( ~) s¥stem of co-operative cultivatioll into the creek due to existence of the rocks, and also to by two ortbree families of cultivators. This system can anchor such crafts in the creek. If these rocks are well be extended and intensified and sufficient loans blasted and removed there shall be free flow of tidal sea ~ given to the • Handa' in the form of manure of waters into the creek, which would facilitate free move ammonium sulphate and super phosphate, improved ment of small country crafts' into the creek and safe seed and some cash on tbe joint security of their anchoring. agricultural holdings and houses. In the beginning, Since 1955 villagers of Agarsure and 22 other surround.. cultivators of the village will have to be given training ing villages have been appealing to Government to get by an agricultural expert as to the proper time at which tbe rocks removed so as to deepen the mouth of tbe and the proportion in which the manure and seed are to creek. It is said that survey Qf the creek and the area be used. Once they learn that and derive the benefits of increased production: the cultivators will themselves was made by Government officials some time in 1955-56 intensify the system. and cost of the work was roughly estima.ted at Rs. 1,25,000. The district of Kolaba is chiefly a paddy growing area. Lands are suitable for paddy cultivation. Average A 10' al committee of six persons from Agarsure annuai rainfall of 105 inches is usually timely, well-distri and neighbouring villages has been formed to pursue buted and quite sufficient for paddy growing. Demand the matter further. for rice is growing everywhere. Since generations rice is Government has informed that deepening of considered as the • King of grains' in this part of the • Pandba Devi' creek, will be considered by as and country (Konkan) and even in some other parts. Where, when fresh works are to be taken up by Government therefore, there is scope for increasing rice production, under the Local Development works programme. special attention is required to be paid, and greater aid given to the growers in the form of loans consisting of The villagers desire that the matter about removal some cash, improved seed and manure, agricultural of the rocks and deepening of the mouth of the creek implements and cattle, in deserving cases. may be re-investigated and taken up by Government Better use of part of grass ZanJs.-The total area of soon. They say that the works if carried out will varkas land (grass land) of the village is 236 acres. accrue fol1owing benefits :- Part of it in small patches here and there according to (1) Free and safe movement of small country crafts depth of the soil can well be converted into paddy fields upto a certain distance in the 'Pandba Devi' creek by digging the soil and bunding the surroundings. Some and their safe anchoring in the creek will be possible. parts of the varkas land can be brought under graft (2) Son-Koli fishermen of Agarsure can form mango cultivation. There are already two orchards of a co-operative society with the help of Government graft mango trees belonging to Shri Jayramdas Bechar for high sea fishing and can safely keep country das De88i at the village, which serve as an example. crafts required for the purpose in the creek. Conversion of the use of part of the varkas land as above would surely bring in more income to tbe culti (3) A steam-launch passenger service can be started vators than what they get from grass. from tbe creek to Colaba Bunder of Bombay, which is only a distance of about 8 miles according to the D#pening of .. Pandba Devi" creek.-The creek that villagers. Villagers from the following 23 villages runs on the western boundary of village Agarsure has will thus have the shortest:sea route to Bombay:- its mouth in the Arabian high sea between the limits of tbe village of Awas to the north and Kihim to the (1) Awas, (2) Kihim, (3) Agarsure, (4) Kamath. south. It is at a distance of about It miles from Agar (5) Bamansure, (6) Zirad, (7) Chondi, (8) Mapagaon, sure and is known as "Pandba Devi" creek. The (9) Musbet, (10) Munawali, (11) Sogaon, (12) Cha mouth of the creek is about 120 feet wide. The creek ronde, (13) Gunjis, (14) Boris, (15) Satirje, flows inward from this mouth a distance· of about (16) KataIpada, (17) Navagaon, (18) Ziradpada, a furlong to the east, then takes a tum to the south and (19) Sasavane, . (20) i Digbodi, (21) Kolagaon, runs ·along the western boundary of Agarsure. (22) Bhag, (23) Dhokawade. 7S GLOSSARY A G-contd. Adhe A central pole of a house structure. Gondhalis Ballad singers. Adholi A measure. Gotya Roundish stones marbles by which boys Akhada The place of wrestling or a gymna.~ium. play. Akshayya Tritiya The third lunar day of the first half of Gudhi-Padva Chaitra Sud I-A new year day for Vaishakha (April-May). Hindus according to Shalivahan era. Amavasya Moonless day. Ambada .. A mode among women of confining their H hair. Ambadi .. A kind of plant-vegetable. Haldi A function in marriage ceremony in which Atya-Patya An Indian game. turmeric powder mixed in oil is applied Avani The act of tran~planting paddy seedlings. to the bride and bride-groom. Halwar Early variety of paddy. B Handa Vessel for storing water. Babhul Acacia arabica. Handa System of Co-operative cultivation. Bali Pratipada Hari Vijay An epic poem. The first day of the bright half of Kartika. Holi Pournima Baluta A system of village services which are Spring festival which falls on Phalguna paid in kind or sbare of produce. Sud 15. Banda Cords. Hu-tu-tu .. An Indian game. Barse The ceremony of naming a child gene- rally on the 12th day after its birth. J Benani Weeding a field. Janave .. The sacred thread worn over the Bhadagni Unhallowed funeral fire. Bhagat .. left shoulder by men of higher caste A priest. among Hindus. Bhajan .. A devotional song. Jar-Saree .. Bhajan Saptah A salee bordered with gold or silver A devotional songs sungs by a group for thread-work. seven days. Jodvi Toe-ornament usually made of silver. Bhakti Vijay An epic poem. Bhaleri ' Kind of song. A calling to and K encouraging of one another by a number of people at work together. Kacha Tuck-in end of the cloth after giving Bhend A kind of tree. several flat folds. Budki An arrangement on a well to facilitate Kalika Devi The name of a Goddess. irrigation. Kanaga .. A corn-bin. Kan-topi A cap worn to cover head and both ears. C Kapani .. Reaping. Khandoba The name of a God. Chapati .. A flat bread prepared from grain flour Kharif The agricultural season of the crop which (usually wheat). is reaped in the months of October to Chappals .. A kind of open foot-wear. January. Chavatha The name of a Goddess. Khata An account. Chutney A seasoning formed of chopped chillies. Kolhatin A rope dancer. Kotwal Inferior government village servant. D Kudi An ear-ornament. Dai A mid-wife. L DaI Pulse. Darshan .• Glimpse (of deity) with reverence and Lehenga .. A loose trousers. prayer. Lezim An instrument, a bow !md chain, which Dasara .. Vijayadashmi, a festival of victory at the produces sound and is used in group end of Navratra, Ashvina Sud 10 games. (October-November). Dattatraya Thc name of a God. M DiwaIi .. A Hindu festival. Mach Central or interior portion.of a cow-shed Doorwa A kind of grass, which is offered in for. storing the dry grass. worship of God Ganesh. Machwa .. A small boat. Dyaj The bride price. Magaj .. A sweet preparation of glam flour. Mahadeo The name of a God. E Maha-Shivratri Hindu festival, the 14th day of the dark Ekadashi .. The 11 th day of each fortnight of Marathi half of Magha. month. Malani .. The operation of treading or of beating out corn. G Mandap .. A pavilion. Mangalsutra A marriage-string worn by married Ganesh Chaturthi The fourth day of the bright half of women. Bhadrapad. Mantra .. A charm. Ganva .. Late variety of paddy. Mantra and Tantra Charms and spells. Gathe Ea--rings. . Mantr~i Funeral fire consecrated with all thtl Gauri Ganpati A Hindu . festival. Ganpati is son of prescribed religious rites. Lord Shiva and Parvati (Gauri). He Mantrik ... Charmer. is the God of wisdom and remover of all hindrances. N Ookul Asptami The birth day of Krishna. Sp.raVana Nam-rashi A zodiac sign. Va" 8. l'!anc\ai ~vi Name of a Godqess. VILLAGE SURVEY MONOGRAPH P T Padar' "The free end of a saree. Tabla A musical instrument., Palas Butea frondose. Tagai A government loan for agricultural panchnama Five witnesses collected at the scene of purposes. a crime, accident etc. Tambya A drinking vessel. Pan-Supari A term for betel leaf and aU the ingre Captain of a boat. dients composing the roll. Tandel Papad A thin crisp cake made of the flour of Tantra A branch of Vedas. Udid or other pulses etc. with spices. Tava Griddle. Parat A circular and edged metal dish. Teli An oil-man. A petticoat. . Parkar Tirdi 'A bier. Pat A widow re-marriage. Pateli A small culinary utensil. Tondli 'A vegetable. Pati! .. The village headman. Top , A big vessel. Pendharoo Roofs covered by paddy straw. Tulasi Ocimum sanctum A shrub venerated by Pemi Sowing. the Hindus. The holy Basil plant. Pind An oblation to deceased ancestors. Pippal Ficus religiosa-A kind of sacred tree. Pooja Worship. u Prasad Food, gur, sugar or sweets etc. offered to deity and later on distributed among Usal A thick preparation of pulses. devotees. Pugree .. A turban. V Puran-poli A sweet dish prepared from gram, wheat flour, gur or sugar. . Vajantri .. A wind musical instrument. Purdah A veil. \ Val ' Pulse-a kind of leguininous bean. - Puri A wheaten cake fried in ghee. Valchan The bottom of roof. 'Varan Pulse curry. R Varkas An inferior land where gr~ is grown. Vastoo-Shanti Ceremonies towards the ~posing of Rab Burning of field for sowing. evil spirits at the time Of occupying Rabni Tillage. a new ]iouse. . j •. Ram Navami The ninth day of bright lunar fortnight Vata A share. in the month of Chaitra (March-April) Vathan A central room of a house. to commemorate the birthday of Ram. Vat-pournima Full moon-day of the month of Jyeshta Rishi Hindu ascetic. (May-June) on which fig' tree \ is Rumal A lower g_llrment of Son·Kolis. worshipped by Hindu women. Vat-Vriksha Indian fig tree, Ficus indica. S Veni Combing and braiding the hair. Sagargota .. Small stones by which girls play. Virle or Irale A sort of at shield made of leaves or grass Sakachha .. A typical way of wearing a saree. and used in rainy season. Sakharpuda An engagement. Vithoba-RakhUmai The name of God and Goddess~ Sanai ~. Musical instrument. Viti-dandoo An Indi~ game meant fo~ boys. Sanskar .. Rite. Vrindavan A brick and mud structure in which the Sari .. .. A neck ornament. holy Tulasi .plant is planted for daily Satyanarayan Pooja .. Worship of God Satyanarayan. worship.