Ghotul
Encyclopedia
A Ghotul is a spacious tribal hut
surrounded by earthen or wooden walls. It is an integral part of Gond tribal life in Bastar
region of Chhattisgarh
and the neighboring areas in Maharashtra
and Andhra Pradesh
in India
. It’s a place by youths and for youths, an independent and autonomous children’s republic as mentioned in Verrier Elwin
’s memoirs. Tribal world elsewhere too has developed such social institutions like village guardrooms by the Nagas, a boys' club among the Uraons which exists in northern part of Chhattisgarh too or a refuge for temporary sexual association in Indonesia
, but what distinguishes Ghotul is its centrality in social and religious life of the Gonds. According to Gond legend, Lingo, the supreme deity, founded the Ghotul.
The Ghotul's social sanction makes it one of most important social institution in Madia society –no major social activity could happen without participation of Ghotul members. The boys act as acolytes at festivals, the girls as bridesmaids at weddings. This participation continues until death ceremonies in the society. With boys telling stories, asking riddles, reporting daily affairs, planning expeditions and allotment of duties Ghotul is a very much organic place embedded in and nurtured by larger socio-religious landscape of Gond world –a sacred place where no ‘sin’ could be committed. It is of valuable learning for ‘modern civilised’ world to understand how all values practised in Ghotul aimed at deepening the sense of communal property and action. The Madia Gond
Ghotuls are different from the Bastar Ghotuls in that boys and girls return to their homes to sleep.
wrote: "The message of the ghotul — that youth must be served, that freedom and happiness are more to be treasured than any material gain, that friendliness and sympathy, hospitality and unity are of the first importance, and above all that human love — and its physical expression — is beautiful, clean and precious, is typically Indian."
Hut
Hut may refer to:*Hut , a small and crude shelter*Hans Hut , Anabaptist leader*Hut Records, an English audio records company*Sunglass Hut International, largest American retailer of sunglasses...
surrounded by earthen or wooden walls. It is an integral part of Gond tribal life in Bastar
Bastar
* Bastar state, a state founded in the 15th century that later became a princely state of British India* Bastar district, an administrative district of Chhatisgarh state in central India...
region of Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
and the neighboring areas in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
and Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It’s a place by youths and for youths, an independent and autonomous children’s republic as mentioned in Verrier Elwin
Verrier Elwin
Verrier Elwin was a self-trained anthropologist, ethnologist and tribal activist, who began his career in India as a Christian missionary...
’s memoirs. Tribal world elsewhere too has developed such social institutions like village guardrooms by the Nagas, a boys' club among the Uraons which exists in northern part of Chhattisgarh too or a refuge for temporary sexual association in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, but what distinguishes Ghotul is its centrality in social and religious life of the Gonds. According to Gond legend, Lingo, the supreme deity, founded the Ghotul.
Ghotul a life university
Lingo, the supreme deity, the heroic ancestor of the tribe and founder of the first Ghotul is at the centre of Ghotul’s conduct. It has an elder facilitator with young, unmarried boys and girls as its members. Girl members of the Ghotul are called as ‘Motiaris’ with a leader ‘Belosa’ and boy members are called ‘Cheliks’ with a leader ‘Siredar’. At this place full of life and happiness, the members were taught lessons of cleanliness, discipline and hard work that remain with them throughout their lives. They were taught to take pride in their appearance, to respect themselves and their elders; above all, they were taught the spirit of service and working hard for the public good.The Ghotul's social sanction makes it one of most important social institution in Madia society –no major social activity could happen without participation of Ghotul members. The boys act as acolytes at festivals, the girls as bridesmaids at weddings. This participation continues until death ceremonies in the society. With boys telling stories, asking riddles, reporting daily affairs, planning expeditions and allotment of duties Ghotul is a very much organic place embedded in and nurtured by larger socio-religious landscape of Gond world –a sacred place where no ‘sin’ could be committed. It is of valuable learning for ‘modern civilised’ world to understand how all values practised in Ghotul aimed at deepening the sense of communal property and action. The Madia Gond
Madia Gond
Madia Gonds or Madia or Maria are one of the endogamous Gond tribes living in Chandrapur District and Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra State, and Bastar division of Chhattisgad State India. They have been granted the status of a Primitive Tribe by the Government of Maharashtra under its...
Ghotuls are different from the Bastar Ghotuls in that boys and girls return to their homes to sleep.
The values of Ghotul in non-tribal society
While non-tribal society struggles to understand positive attitudinal changes in society understanding functioning and sustenance of such social institutions could be of great value. This is the world with values balancing individual happiness and social responsibilities; full of faces beaming with joy of freedom and service which puzzled Verrier Elwin whether these societies are 100 years behind or 100 years ahead of modern world we are living in.Words of anthropologist Verrier Elwin
Verrier ElwinVerrier Elwin
Verrier Elwin was a self-trained anthropologist, ethnologist and tribal activist, who began his career in India as a Christian missionary...
wrote: "The message of the ghotul — that youth must be served, that freedom and happiness are more to be treasured than any material gain, that friendliness and sympathy, hospitality and unity are of the first importance, and above all that human love — and its physical expression — is beautiful, clean and precious, is typically Indian."