Lokavidya Mel-milap , Indore

This is to report two lokavidya mel-milap events, one in Indore in Mahavar Nagar basti  on February 13 and the other on 14th in  Agara village, 30 km from Indore. 

An all night Kabir Gayaki program was organized at Mahavar Nagar basti on 13th February 2013. Mahavar Nagar is a 150 year old basti populated by koli samaj who are mistris in civil construction sector and who worship Kabir. There is a small Kabir Chabutara in the basti. Mahavar Nagar residents themselves organized this event under the banner of Lokavidya Jan Andolan. Prahlad Tatwal, Pramod Sisodiya, Ghanshyam Sher, Kailash Tatwal, Anil, Hemant, Nandram, Sunil, Laxman, Raja and Gabba were prominent among the organizers. About 60 loka-kalakars participated to sing in the presence of about 250 people. Adiwasi Bhil artist-groups came from several villages in the Manpur area. There were four mandalis from Mahavar Nagar itself. Social and political activists from Indore, Malwa and Nimad got an opportunity to interact with one-another in the context of an adivasi - karigar interactive presence.  

Under the direction of Lokavidya Samnvay Samooh , Indore, a five pillar madai was made as a stage. The five pillars symbolized the five constituents of lokavidyadhar samaj, namely peasants, artisans, adivasi, women and small shopkeepers. There were banners all over carrying lokavidya message. 

Next morning on 14th Feb. 45 persons, adivasis and karigars, from this event moved to village Agra near Depalpur (30 km from Indore) where lokavidya Samanvay Samooh, Paladi had organized a Lokavidyadharon ka Mel-Milap. Kisans from 10 nearby villages namely Paladi, Agra, Akasoda, Beeja, Sivandri, Mirjapur, Ahirkhedi, Murkhed, Arinya and Magliya participated in the Mel-Milap. Sumer Singh, Kailash, Rajesh, Shankar, Shaitan Singh, Hari Singh, Kalyan Singh, Jeevan and Jagdeesh were behind this organiztion. 

Thus the lokavidya mel-milap attempted to create a meeting place for adivasis, karigars and kisans in and through activities that are their own. The Indore Lokavidya Samanvay Samooh would like to bring these ideas of mel-milap and Kabir Gayaki to the Mumbai meeting on Lokavidya Tana-bana for views of various lokavidya associates coming to this meeting from all over the country. 

Sanjeev Daji