Mor Mitti: Here's How Four Aspirants Rebuilt This Jharkhand Village's Identity

Started by four members - Ms Deepali Nayak, Mr Biswambharnath Naik, Mr Aseem Sinha and Ms Minashree Horo, for the four fundamental requirements of every person - Roti (food), Kapda (clothes), Makan (shelter), and internet connectivity, Mor Mitti is a space that has been identifying and promoting the local needs. Even though the project was started not more than five months ago, it has been able to bring together over 40 rural households under one roof.

The project evolved on the grounds of Simdega village of Jharkhand, which was known for being an extremist-affected region. However, today things are changing with these four founders bringing together like-minded people to transform the village's identity and rebuild it on the villager's talents and capabilities.

In an attempt to spread the word about the talent that remains latent among these remote regions, one among the founders has decided to cycle across 1,400 kms, connect with people, and spread the word. Under the banner "Parichay Yathra", the co-founder Biswambharnath Naik has so far been able to take the word about the village from Jharkhand to Banaras, and it is soon to reach the people of Delhi.

Roti, Kapda, Makan, And Connectivity

"Mitti" was taken up as an emotion for the soil that does not discriminate against anyone. It treats everyone equally and is considered as a space that nourishes us between our life and death. Taking this concept into their initiative, along with the name of the place they all began from - Mor, Jharkhand, the project 'Mor Mitti' started off.

Under the project, the four founding members take care of each pillar - Deepali Nayak is behind the element 'Roti', Minashree Horo handles 'Kapda', Aseem Sinha takes care of 'Makan', and Biswambharnath Naik ensures there's a connectivity that takes across the word. The four members come from different departments within the district administration and are united over a similar cause.

Earlier, many viewed the villages as a space covered with forest lands and limited formal economy. Mor Mitti changed this perspective and has been conveying that the forest economy can also make it to heights as a formal economy. Bringing together the rural communities, they have been training them under government schemes, introducing them to modern equipment, and rebuilding an economy many did not consider.

This was also an idea that evolved from seeing the brain drain occurring in the country and the rural spaces. It was often not the lack of opportunities but the lack of identifying them in the mainstream that had villagers travelling distances to secure themselves a job.

Mor Mitti worked towards changing this dynamic and wanted to reverse the migration that was prevalent in the villages. Collaborating with innumerable skilled rural workers and artisans, they established an eco-friendly space that boasts as one-of-its-kind in Jharkhand. This space was utilised to harness the expertise of the villagers and bring people together through local food, culture, and arts.

Working on the idea of connectivity, co-founder Biswambharnath took up the initiative to take the message about the possibilities of a formal economy within the forests from Simdega to New Delhi.

Parichay Yathra, Taking The Message Around On A Cycle

'Parichay' literally translates to 'introduction', and the Parichay Yathra started off under Mor Mitti with the idea to introduce the land and talents of Mor to the Mitti of India.

Flagged off on the 13th of September, Parichay Yathra is being spearheaded by Biswambharnath, who will be covering 1,400 kms till Delhi. Interacting with over 10,000 people on the way, he says he has been mistaken as a yogi (a yoga practitioner) to even a paagal (madman) on a cycle. The many reactions he received toward the cause made the journey a lot more interesting for him.

Opting for a cycle to take around this message, Biswambharnath tells The Logical Indian that the common man's vehicle is perfect for taking the message to the common man. He said, "the cycle gives a certain pace with which I can take the message to the people". Adding on to that, he says that it was never about how fast he could make it to Delhi; it was about how far he could go together with the people.

As a result, his journey is now going longer than expected, but he has been cherishing every minute of it. He conveys that every place he has made a stop at has had an interesting story attached to it. Sharing the story of Simdega with them, his journey has been successful for the over 640 kms he has covered.

From university students to entrepreneurs, the story of Simdega and its villagers has been travelling and breaking age-old stereotypes. Biswambharnath says that earlier, many people associated Jharkhand and Simdega to a village full of daily wagers and domestic workers.

This is being broken down by this man on a cycle, and he is now making many others ponder over the question, "why do people leave behind the opportunities in the forests and go seek opportunities in a closed cabin?"

From Mor To Mitti

Talking about the journey so far, Biswambharnath says that the best part about the journey is that "It was never about the answers, but the questions." In the 600+ kms, he had the opportunity to meet so many curious people who had interesting questions for him and Mor Mitti. Answering their curiosities gave him much-needed clarity and push to continue his initiative.

Mor Mitti's founders are hoping to create a base of over thousands of investors and expand their initiative to accommodate a whole lot of local entrepreneurs. Understanding that lack of livelihood opportunities is what drove people from the resource-rich regions of Jharkhand to bigger cities, they are trying to change the narrative and bring opportunities through the forest economy.

The travel across 1,400 kms intends to convey the capabilities of such remote regions to host businesses and opportunities. Welcoming more people every day into the exchange of ideas and cultures, they continue their journey committed to their idea of inclusivity and collective growth.

Also Read: Know About Shubhasish Chakraborty & His Tireless Efforts To Transform An Entire Village In Jharkhand