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By Vidyadhar Gadgil Mercy Mathew, also known as Dayabai, has been living in the Gond tribal hamlets of Madhya Pradesh for 20 years, sharing the lives of the tribals, teaching them organic farming and helping them fight for their rights
 Mercy Mathew is not really a name one expects to come across in a remote Gond village in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district. The surprise is further compounded when one meets Mercy Mathew – not because she does not fit in with the surroundings, but because she does, and so well that one can easily pass her without a second glance, assuming her to be one of the locals. This is not something that came easily to Mercy; it was in fact the result of much conscious effort. For example, she changed her name to 'Dayabai', a loose translation of Mercy, and a name that is fairly common in this area. Aged 63, she has been living in the tribal hamlet of Barul for over 20 years now, and fighting along with the tribals for their rights, often risking her life in the process. When she first came here, she was determined to share the life of the tribals, with all its trials and tribulations – only thus would she be able to serve them effectively. She recalls, “I had a variety of experiences that affected various aspects of my life. It all began when on my first day in the village itself someone commented, 'Why did you come to us, we are the monkeys of the forest?'” This statement underscored the importance of bridging the gap between the tribals and herself, and initiated a process to which Dayabai attaches great importance – declassing. Bridging the gap meant “lowering my self-image and raising their image. It meant declassing, becoming small.” And Dayabai launched into the process with complete dedication and determination, and as her life today shows, with great success. Dayabai was born in Kerala, in a Christian household. Her childhood was a happy one, in a harmonious family atmosphere. From early childhood, she showed a strong attraction to a life of service which, in the context in which she was brought up , meant a religious life. Even now, it is her faith that sustains her; she has an extremely personal relationship with her God, whom she calls 'Goi', and it is to this being that she turns for support and advice in times of trial. Naturally enough, when she was old enough, Mercy joined the convent. She first taught in a conventional convent school. The experience had its positive aspects, but left her unsatisfied. She grew increasingly critical of the life of the convent, where the nuns led relatively comfortable lives, insulated from the community. Dayabai speaks movingly about the experiences that moulded her outlook and made her leave the convent and 'go it alone', in a remote tribal village in Madhya Pradesh. Despite being advised against this by many well-wishers, she was convinced by her vision, and certain that only by living among and sharing the life of the poorest of the poor would she be able to serve them effectively. As the villagers in Tinsai (where she lived earlier) and Barul (the village where she now lives) accepted her into their lives, Dayabai acted on her conviction that improving the self-image of the tribals was the key to improving their lot. This meant making them aware of their rights and joining with them in the struggle to ensure that those rights became reality. As is only to be expected in a forest area, one of the main exploiters of the tribals here was the Forest Department. Wages were paid irregularly, and a certain amount would be kept back as a 'cut' for the forest officials. Dayabai got the local people to insist that full wages be paid on the spot after a day's work, and not after a few days at the marketplace, as had been the earlier practice. Another related struggle was over tendu leaves. When the tribal women were not getting proper wages, Dayabai explained that if they allowed the forest officials to take away the tendu leaves which they had collected, they would never get paid properly. Dujiya, an elderly woman in Tinsai village belonging to a sub-caste engaged in animal husbandry, tells the story, “When the truck came in the night, Bai called me first. I called the women and we gathered where the tendu leaves were kept. Galobai and other women sat on the bags full of leaves, so the officers couldn't take them away. We made a circle like a chain, holding our hands around the bags and we sang. Bai taught us a lot of things and stood with us to fight for our rights. She also taught our children reading and writing.” Getting the people to stand united on such issues was not easy. To get the people together, she would tell them a story about four brothers, and illustrate it with a bundle of sticks. Each stick can be broken seperately, but if they are tied into a bundle, it becomes impossible to break. United we stand, and divided we fall!  Dayabai is a consummate actor, and has always placed great faith in street theatre as a means to conscientise the people. She throws herself completely into her acting, and watching her perform is not an experience that is easily forgotten. Dayabai has developed street plays on various issues, including alcoholism, environment and communalism, and has found them an effective means of getting people thinking about and acting on these issues.
The successes in uniting the people and helping them win their rights have not come without a price. Dayabai has often been beaten by the police during various struggles, and in 1999 she was badly injured when she was beaten by the police when she went to register a complaint at the police station. Another issue in which she is totally involved is the fight against communalism. She visited Gujarat after the 2002 riots, and was shattered by the experience. She went around the villages, telling people about what she had seen and discussing with them how communalism could be fought in their villages. In 2002, the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), along with grassroots movements all over India , organised a peace walk from Chitrakoot to Ayodhya. People of all beliefs joined in the march, and Dayabai pitched in with gusto. Basing herself on what she had seen in Gujarat , she used her street theatre skills to good effect in a mono-play. She would appear on the stage and say, “I have brought a woman with me from Ahmedabad”, then turn around and reappear as Sidabana, whose tragic story she would then recount in her passionate style: “I am the only one surviving in my family. My own daughter was raped in front of me, she was like a flower. My husband and all family members were butchered. I was also raped and have only one hand now. Friends, now I want to bring peace and harmony among people...” Simultaneous with all her social action, Dayabai has also developed a keen interest in organic farming. On the small plot of land which she owns, she has set up an eco-farm, and has been spreading knowledge and techniques of organic farming among the people. Recognition of a conventional kind has also come her way. With a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and a Master's degree in Social Work, she is invited by various social and spiritual institutes as a visiting professor. She gives training on street theatre, and is a much sought after resource person by different NGOs and social movements. She received the National Award for Social Work from Dharma Bharati in 2001. There has also been some derision – as Father Prakash Lohale, a Dominican priest, says, “When we were doing our training, Dayabai was one of the people who spoke to us. She told us about the need for declassing and sharing the lives of the common people. We thought this was crazy, and laughed at her; it was only after some time had passed that we realised the importance of what she was saying. I wish I had listened to her more carefully then.” Through all this she has remained the simple, unspoiled person she always was. Meeting her and spending time with her can be a humbling experience – it is rare that one has the opportunity to meet somebody with this combination of sacrifice, dedication, humility and serenity. Her remarkable story has recently been told in a fascinating book and video film, produced by Annie Drese (
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). In the book, Dayabai writes, “I began to bridge the gap between the people and I… It meant taking on a totally different kind of lifestyle. Having had no financial support for several years, I had to struggle to earn my livelihood, and also to economise. There were occasions when I could not afford a meal and so managed with a piece of jaggery and water. But Goi, I noticed that I was never in want!” The book (Dayabai - The Lady with Fire by Mercy Mathew and Annie Drese) and the video film are available from: Franciscan Publications,
St. Anthony's Friary,
# 85 Hosur Road, Bangalore - 560095
Book Rs. 250, CD Rs 100 Contact address for Dayabai:
Dayabai Mercy Mathew
Barul Village , Bargi Post
Chhindwara
Madhya Pradesh 480224
India (Vidyadhar Gadgil is an independent writer and editor based in Goa) (InfoChange News & Features, February 2004) |
