Narasimharajapura: In our country, especially in rural India, people often seem to seek solutions for their problems through the services of astrologers with a strong belief that they will be able to safeguard or warn them of any forthcoming calamity.
Troubled by the frequency of deaths among members of their tribe, around 60 families of the nomadic Hakki Pikki tribe settled in the Bale village of the taluk for 15 years now, chose to evacuate their homes and migrate elsewhere after an astrologer predicted further deaths if the tribe did not do so within three days time.
According to the astrologer, a Kerala-based black magician was responsible for the woes of the tribe. Convinced by the astrologer’s prediction the tribe members left the village on Thursday evening to go and settle somewhere near Koppa.
Bale Grama Panchayat president M R Vasant Kumar, while speaking to TOI said that he was shocked to see the tribe members migrating from the village while he was returning from a ward level inspection. Expressing shock at the sudden migration he said, “All basic facilities such as access to drinking water, electricity, LPG etc. have been made available to these tribals, except for land rights, which was pending due to a dispute related to the forest land. When asked for the reason they mentioned their fears of black magic and the frequent deaths in the tribe. Our efforts to convince them did not yield any result.”
The issue began with the death of a tribe member, earlier this week. His being the 29th death in the last four years within the 60 families, senior members of the tribe decided to consult an astrologer, who attributed these deaths to black magic performed by a Kerala-based magician.
The tribals even left behind their cattle while migrating, informed a villager and added that the cattle, who were forced to starve after being left behind, are now being looked after by the locals and grama panchayat members.
