From Maoist stronghold to schools and roads: Koya artiste tells her village's story

Patra Sowjanya, a young Kommu Koya dance artiste from Tummala village in Chintoor mandal of Polavaram district, carried more than just the rhythms of her ancestral dance to Vijayawada on Monday. She carried the memory of a father she never knew and a message of how her village has moved from violence to development.

Sowjanya and her mother, Patra Jayamma, were in Vijayawada to take part in the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, observed on August 9. 'My mother said Maoists had shot dead my father, Patra Mutyam, when I was about one year old. I don't know how my father looked. Now my village, Tummala, is peaceful after the Maoists have been eliminated,' Sowjanya said.

Tummala sits on the border of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha—a region once known as a stronghold of Left Wing Extremism. Sowjanya, a first-year degree student, said the village now has drinking water, a school, roads, medical and other facilities. 'There are no Naxalite movements now,' she added.

The programme in Vijayawada brought together dancers and artists from various tribal communities across the State. Sowjanya and her mother performed the Kommu Koya dance, a traditional art form of the Koya tribe, which involves rhythmic movements accompanied by the beating of drums. The performance drew appreciation from officials and fellow artistes.

Her mother, Jayamma, also a Kommu Koya dance artiste, recounted the night of March 10, 2014, when her husband was taken away by a group of Maoists. 'They came to my hut and took my husband, saying they wanted to talk. When I followed him, the Naxals ordered me to stay back. After a few minutes, I heard the sound of firing, and my husband was shot dead. The reason for the killing is not known till today,' she said.

Mutyam was a postman, a CPI(M) activist and a well-known organiser of Kommu Koya dance troupes in the tribal habitations. Jayamma, who now manages the family through podu cultivation and agricultural labour, said she is educating her two daughters. Her son is crippled by health problems. 'I am doing podu cultivation and feeding my family. I am educating my two daughters, and my son is crippled by health problems. I do agricultural labour and give Kommu Koya dance performances too,' she told The Hindu.

Another Kommu Koya artiste, who did not wish to be named, said Maoists used to visit Tummala, Chidumurum, Chatti, Edugurallapalle, Mothugudem, Mukkunuru, Boddugudem and other habitations, hold panchayats, solve village-level problems and conduct meetings. 'There is now no extremist problem in the villages,' the artiste said.

Sowjanya, who completed her schooling and Intermediate in Kunavaram, is pursuing a degree. Her sister is studying Intermediate in a tribal welfare hostel. 'I want to become a teacher, teach tribal students the importance of education, and bring change to the tribal habitations,' Sowjanya said.

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, is observed annually to promote and protect the rights of indigenous communities around the world. In India, it is also known as World Adivasi Day, with events held across states to highlight the cultural heritage and concerns of tribal populations.

The transformation of Tummala reflects a broader trend in once-affected areas, where improved security and development initiatives have led to a gradual return to normalcy. For Sowjanya, the village's turnaround is personal. 'Now we have schools and roads. Children can dream of a better future,' she said.