Concept of "Pancha" Among Chotanagpur Tribal Communities:

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Definition:
The term Pancha[1] is used to describe voluntary members forming a group to help each other within the group turn by turn throughout the year. Thus, Pancha means collective group work for a day well known among the tribal peoples of Chotanagpure. The volunteers from various families come together and form a group or Pancha to assist each other in doing manual work throughout the year. There could be many Pancha groups in the society. One person can be the members of more than one Pancha, provided he or she is able to attend all the collective voluntary works of the group. In a Pancha there used to be 10 to 15 members. Though, the most preferable number is 12. There is no particular rule and regulation set off for the Pancha. However, they themselves arrange turns to help each other during the work season. The Pancha consists of executive body where everyone becomes the leader or president of the group turn by turn.

Mechanism:
Once the volunteer members from the society coming together, they form the committee by electing President, Secretary and Treasurer. The duty of president is not to rule Pancha, but only preside over the meeting only. The role of secretary is to preside over the meeting in the absence of the president only and the Treasure is to keep small fund only. The decision is taken by the agreement of whole group member. The power resides equally among all the members in the Pancha.

Function:
The person whose working is going to be done would go around each member’s house to house on a day before and reminding them of the same explaining the nature of the work for the following day. The next day every member will come out with required tools. The same member animates the whole team to do the work. After a whole day Pancha, they gather together in the house of a member whose work they might have done for the day and have rice bear prepared by the person whose work is done. This drink is given for relaxation after they heavy manual work. While they have drink they discussed and conduct a meeting. In every meeting after Pancha they decide whose Pancha/work is going to be conducted next. Sometimes, the team goes out and works for the people who might have given money and bought the team do work in his field outside the regular turns. Those who do not belong to this Pancha team also can buy the Pancha by paying some money to the team and call for work. This type of Pancha is called “Kinwa Pancha”which means a person is buying the team for a day.



[1] Personal Observation
Turning compassion into action, and knowledge into light.

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