“This is the land of our forefathers. We have a right to it. If this is lost, then we will only get spades and pickaxes, nothing else...” says Bava Mahaliya. Can you explain the statement?

This statement can be explained by the following points:

1. The people of Jalsindhi villages lived on the banks of Narmada river. They lived in the laps of nature and were closely linked to the environment. They felt that they are the children of Narmada and are living since many of their own generations.

2. They used their seeds and manure from their own livestock. They believed that the forest is their moneylender as well as their banker.

3. Since they have been living there for many years they felt that they had a right over the river Narmada as well as on the forest.

4. They believed that all of the village gods were there. The memorial stones of their ancestor were also there.

So, it was the love and attachment towards Narmada river, that Bava Mahaliya said the above-mentioned statement and refused to move out of Gujarat.