About
the Plaque
This plaque in Sulenga
village in Bijapur district, Bastar is named after villager Hedma Ram, who was
killed on February 4, 2016.
His name is painted at the
top of the plaque, divided into three panels. The upper panel shows man,
presumably Ram, resting while cattle grazes. He is then surrounded by armed men
in the second panel. They are policemen with guns in the plaque.
In the third panel, at the
bottom of the plaque, Ram is again lying on ground. Hedma Ram, following his death
was “dragged by police.” Other animals, including a crocodile, are witnessing
the encounter in the plaque.
 |
| Photographed by Kamal Shukla |
The villagers of heavily
militarised areas of south Chattisgarh have embraced traditional Gond art to
narrate their tragedies. The last moments of Gond tribals before they are killed
by the security forces, are narrated on Mritak
Sthamv [memorial plaque] made
of stone. The villagers have captured those moments when security forces have
allegedly killed the tribals.
Gond tribals often put up a stone or two to
mark the passing away of a member in the village. The plaques, not headstones,
are not placed in the burial grounds like in organised religion but mostly in
an open space near the village and coloured with pigments extracted from trees.
And it’s on these that encounter killings are being documented.
Kamal Shukla is a veteran writer-journalist
and activist of south Chattisgarh, who has been documenting such plaques.
An Appeal
Kamal
is suffering from cancer and the adivasis of Bastar have joined in an effort to
raise funds for him for his treatment for which he has to come to Mumbai
regularly. The adivasis are collecting
whatever they can individually in their areas. This is an appeal to all
artists, photographers, painters and the readers of this site to help
contribute towards his medical expenses. Thank you.
His contact no: 9981635944