Elderly Persons in Tribal Societies: Reflections from Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh

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Research on ageing in India had rather a slow beginning. Concern for the fast ageing population has already started to emerge as a major issue, largely being documented in urban and rural populations. Studies focusing on elderly persons living in remote areas so far removed from the main stream- often not easily inaccessible have remained largely neglected by the researchers in the field as well as the policy planners. To travel to such far flung areas crossing difficult terrains could be one of the deterring factors. Nonetheless, one of the reasons for such omission that emerges is that the aged among the tribals ardassumed to be looked after well by their families (typical view of the administrators).

Unfortunately tribal realities have changed immensely in recent times. Migration of young men and women alike is taking place rampantly, leaving behind their old parents and grandparents. In last few decades the average life span of the tribals has also increased. While earlier only young men would migrate leaving their women folk behind, the agricultural phenomenon I was viewed as feminization of farming but now it is leading to geronto-farming because of the youth migrating taking their families along. Only the elderly are seen working in the fields. In times of need eg an health emergency, their dependency on the neighbors is much increased and uncertain. Understanding the situation of elderly persons in tribal societies is of immense significance today.

Against the above- stated backdrop, present research took shape to have an insight into the situation of elderly men and women in tribal societies as it prevails today seeking answers to some pertinent questions Are they really as secure in their families' folds today as has been generally assumed? Does their intergenerational bonding continue to be as strong as before? In other words, are they being well taken care-of?

While these questions are commonplace and obvious, the answers and methods of determining them are rather complex.

Taking a cue from Rev. Bodding (1865 1938) present study Elderly Persons in Tribal Societies fills the void also addressing some such questions about the health, care and the attitude of the elders about life satisfaction and death as experienced by them today.

Though not a text book, the book enriched with primary data, would serve as a useful reference document in universities and colleges teaching gerontology and geriatrics; research institutes, non government organizations working in the fields of health and welfare of the tribal communities; and policy planners in the State and Central Ministries to help them understand the magnitude of the problems of the elderly living in tribal belts, the central premise of this book.

AMRITA BAGGA (b.1947) is Professor of Anthropology having received her Master's from University of Delhi, and as an Indian Council of Medical Research Fellow, a Ph.D. from University of Pune. She joined the same department as an Assistant Professor later retiring as Chairperson of the Department of Anthropology, University of Pune (Now renamed SPPU), India.

In 1992 she was invited (by IFUW) to Stanford University to speak on Women and Ageing, and conduct a workshop on Dimensions of Ageing in Women. In 1998 was awarded an Indo-Hungarian Exchange Fellowship (UGC). Same year she was selected and Invited to Austria as Fellow of Salzburg Seminars (on Ageing). Later was invited by W.H.O. to Kobe, Japan to present a Country Report on Women and Health in Old age. In 2001 she formulated and introduced a course on 'Bio-Social Gerontology' in the Department of Anthropology, first in any Indian university. She was a Research Associate at Inter-University Center for Social Sciences of Indian Institute of Advance Studies, Shimla (2005-2007). Post-retirement she was awarded an Emeritus Fellowship by University Grants Commission (2008-9). In 2009 she was invited to Kunming (China) to organize and Chair a session on Feminization of Ageing and in 2010 to Melbourne (Australia) by International Federation on Ageing, Montreal.

Dr. Amrita Bagga has been carrying out research on heath of older persons, and has published several papers on the topic. She has authored three original research based books, first in 1989 (Dermatoglyphics of Schizophrenics); two on ageing women (Ageing in Women: A Study in North-East India, 2006) and (Women, Ageing & Mental Health, 2013). In this latest publication on (Elderly persons in Tribal Societies) she Investigates the interrelationships of socio- cultural -demographic factors, and physical health, linking these with the state of mind reflecting on the attitude of tribal elderly to life and death.

The original idea for my present research endeavor actually germinated when I would accompany students for their annual ethnographic field trip to tribal areas. While students worked on their assigned topics reflecting upon the life of the tribals; I wandered around these small hamlets and what would interest and affect me most was the condition of their elderly persons. Sitting outside their huts in the veranda they multitasked often with a long stick in hand to shoo away stray dogs. Keeping a watchful eye on their young grandchildren and toddlers playing around, they guarded their homes and livestock at the same time. Students would try to extract all possible information from the elderly persons on topics like origin and history of their tribe and other related information, but the life of elderly persons did not find a place in their study, not even in the study of the life cycle- a topic which is expected to be exploring all stages of life, including the last phase of life-the old age. Needless to say that subsequently it was included in the list of topics to be covered by the students. Already well carved in my mind, a gero-anthropologist at heart, it took shape of a worthy emeritus project, eventually leading to this present publication- a reflection on the life of aged persons in tribal societies today.

Since the problem of ageing has only relatively recently emerged as a major issue in India there is a growing interest of researchers as can be perceived by a surge of such publications on elderly persons residing in urban as well as rural India. However, studies focusing on the elderly men and women in tribal societies have remained largely neglected. One of the reasons often quoted by an administrator occupying a responsible position, who has probably never ever visited any tribal area, is that 'aged in tribal societies are looked after well by their families', a statement which has actually started hurting now. While it was true till some time back when the aged were fewer in number, families were large having many care givers, and most important, young tribals were yet rooted to their soil.

It gives me immense pleasure to write the foreword to this comprehensive research-based volume titled, "Elderly Persons in Tribal Societies: A Reflection". The author, Professor Amrita Bagga, is a senior Gero-Anthropologist and an Emeritus of Pune University where she formulated and introduced a course on Bio-Social Gerontology, first ever in any university in India. She indeed has made substantial contribution to gerontology in India.

I personally know Prof. Amrita Bagga for quite some time. I have been watching with interest her steady growth into a distinguished anthropologist, with special focus on gerontology. Going through the contents of this book, I deem it as a pioneering contribution to the field of gero-anthropology, particularly in the context of tribal India.

Her study is primarily based on elderly men and women in the tribal communities of Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh. Those diverse locations were chosen to make a comparative study on the life of elderly tribals of two states.

The author has followed the pattern of Rev. Bodding (1865- 1938), who, while working among the Santals, holistically treated the concept of health and care, disease and medicine of the tribe, along with the general attitude of the tribals about life and death.

Even though the present book primarily focuses on a few of the tribes inhabiting the States of Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, the author has also incorporated literature available on life of the elderly persons in some other Indian tribes considering its relevance, and scarcity of such material in print. She has given a critique of the limited work done on the life of the elderly Indian tribals.