A lot has been said about the need to save trees in the Aarey forest and protect the green cover of the concrete jungle that Mumbai has become. However, very few people are familiar with the fact that the Aarey forest is also home to Warli Adivasis, who have inhabited the area for decades. Multiple development projects have led to the slow and steady displacement of Adivasis from their land. CJP recently visited the Aarey forest as part of its continued pursuit to secure the human rights of Adivasis across India by campaigning for their right to forest land, and for a dignified life for them. This is a visual journey of a day in the lives of the Aarey Adivasis.
The Aarey forest is home to a vast range of flora and fauna
A typical day starts with Adivasi women going in search of wood and water, as men go to nearby areas for work
Forest water has been polluted beyond measure and is unfit for consumption. The BMC supplies water on its whims and fancies. Sometimes the water supply is stopped without prior notice. Pressure from activists helps in getting water for the Aarey Adivasis
The Metro 3 project has posed new challenges in the lives of Adivasis. Already their settlements have been clubbed with slums, and they are being moved to Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) buildings, and being disconnected from their traditional livelihoods
Small farmlands on which Adivasis grow vegetables etc.
Traditional Warli paintings depicting a marriage scene with wild animals as deities, blessing the couple. This is a clear indication of the close relationship the Adivasis share with the flora and fauna of the forest
However, ideas of uneven development have influenced the traditional paintings, with helicopters, bridges, cars etc. assuming a place within the traditional art
Children from a Balwadi inside Aarey. They are the hope for the future
