What if we tell you that there is a Jharkhand community, that reported 0 positive case during both the COVID-19 waves? The Tana Bhagat community in Jharkhand is applauded for its COVID-19 appropriate behavior models and managing to survive, and thrive at a time when most cities, districts and villages are still reporting several number of cases.
Although the community may seem like one which has marginalized itself, but in its attempts to separate itself from mainstream communities, the Tana Bhagat community members have been able to beat COVID-19.
Details
The Tana Bhagat community or often known as Tana Bhagats, is a tribal community based in Jharkhand. The community indulged in the first ever known civil disobedience movement in India against the colonial British empire (even before Mahatma Gandhi’s own civil disobedience movement).
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The Tana Bhagat Way of Living
For decades the community members have followed the Gandhian philosophy religiously. In an India Today report, the Tana Bhagats are described as wearing a simple two-piece unstitched khadi outfit. With the vision of simple living, the Tana Bhagats cook their own meals, stich their own clothes & wash them as well.
The Tana Bhagats are also known for being completely vegetarians and to not indulge in alcoholism or narcotics. Such is the strong conviction of these tribal men & women, that when they go to a different region, they choose not to eat from outside and carry their own food.
When out for work and other purposes, the Tana Bhagats seek uncooked rations. Once the ration is acquired, the tribals cook the food by arranging logs of wood and kindling and creating an indigenous stove.
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Although the community chooses not to indulge with the mainstream society on a grand level, the Tana Bhagats are known for their strong sense of patriotism for the nation. Along with paying respects to the Jatra Bhagat statue (Bhagat was the founder of the Tana Bhagat movement), the community also chooses to worship the Indian flag.
Most of the members from the Tana Bhagat community live in the Khaksitola village. The village is just 40 km near Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand. An India Today report shared details about how the Tana Bhagat model works.
According to Sukha Bhagat, a 80-year-old elder of the community, the model of the community worked on the fact that the members chose to live separately from the mainstream society and did things on their own.
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The Tana Bhagats live in clean, ventilated homes and as they live amid the lush trees, they don’t have any air conditioners. The same way, as the Tana Bhagats choose to cook daily fresh meals, they don’t use refrigerators as well. According to Sukha, the community focuses on following a complete vegetarian diet with green vegetables. This leads to a stronger immunity against diseases.
Further, Sukha also revealed that he chose not to go to Ranchi in the past 3-4 months and claimed that he was a teetotaler. The same was confirmed by other members of the community including women and kids.
“Not Surprising!” Jharkhand CM, Ex IMA National VP
According to the state Health minister Banna Gupta it is not surprising that not a single member of the Tana Bhagat community has tested positive for COVID-19 so far. IMA’s former National VP Dr. Ajay also agreed on the same and said how the Tana Bhagats way of surviving in harmony with nature is the reason for the same.
Other than lauding the community for its COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and its commitment to living on the Gandhian principals, the Jharkhand CM also claimed that the community was once about to go extinct and now it needs to be protected.
