A look at the world of slum dwellers in temple city

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, April 11: The city of Temples Jammu is becoming a hub of different cultures with people of different states scattered all over for one reason or the other. Maratha Colony, a slum adjacent to posh Trikuta Nagar presents a picture of mini India with migrants residing here for over last four decades together.

But the cultures of different state have now diluted to some extend for the one reason or the other.

The Maratha colony has a group of 500 migrant families from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar and even some families from Myanmar. Even as it has been a stay for generations for some families, their distinct culture and traditions are getting diluted for varied reasons.

The migrants are living in the area from about 40 years and during the time period their cultures and customs have diluted. However, despites facing many odds, the elders manage to perform all the rituals connected with the main festivals in the same spirit and enthusiasm followed in their respective states. Their main problem is the younger generation which is fast losing the interest and zeal towards the activities which can retain their cultural identities.

“My son is never shows any interest toward Ganpati Mahoustav, he is simply averse to observing even normal Puja related with the festival”, said Siv Ji from Maharashtra. His twelve year son Parshotam studies in some government school.

The mode and manner of celebrations of festivals has also shown some changes as the way, they celebrated in their own places. With the passage of time, there is visible change in the life style of these migrants particularly among youths, due to which they avoid to participate in rituals.

Even the celebration marriages have witnessed dilution in terms of rituals and traditions observed in their own states.

“There is neither that charm nor any fervor seen at the time of marriages now a day, nobody seems to be interested in observing colorful and lengthy traditions though these bring life and happiness on such occasion” said Phoolan Bhai, who is a blind lady residing there for the last sixty years. “I have come to this colony when there was no proper railway station, she said  she said, making refrence to the nearbay railway station. Phoonal Bhai has 16 members in the family in four generations.

With elders worried about fast eroding cultural identities they are looking forward to some kind of help from any quarter which would help them lessen tensions on account of lack of financial resources and many other facilities in their dwelling units.

Moreover, the other slums in Jammu show the same picture of cultural dilution to some extent.