Question

describe the life pattern of the people of Bastar

Answer 1

The people of Bastar lived in peace and harmony in the forest villages. They obtained their livelihood from forests and forest products. They hunted preys, collected forest products and practised shifting cultivation. [2] Their beliefs and traditions were as follows : [i] They believed that each village was given its land by the goddess Earth and in return, they looked after the earth by making some offerings at each agricultural festival. [ii] They showed respect to the spirits of the river, the forest and the mountain. . [Hi] Each village had its boundary. The local people looked after all the natural resources within the boundary. [iv] If people from a village wanted to take some wood from the forests of another village, they had to pay a small fee called devsari in exchange. [v] Some villages also protected their forests by engaging watchmen and each household contributed some grains to pay them. [vi] Every year there was one big hunt where the headmen of the villages in a pargana met and discussed issues of concern, including forests.