01/04/2026
A 10,000-Year-Old Echo: From Naga Hills to the Rocks of Bastar;
On 31st March 2026, I stood in the presence of my ancestors-not just mine, but humanity’s.
Just being in the Kanker region of Bastar for the first time as a Naga tribal youth, I felt a deep, vibrating connection to these hills. I am thousands of miles from home, yet the language of the land here feels familiar. These rock paintings, dating back nearly 10,000 years, are more than just "archaeology" relics of a time when the Gond, Muria, Halba, and Madia communities first began their dialogue through rock art.
Led by our local guide and host, Shiledar Nareti Yogesh and Nitesh Mahto my dear brother working in adivasi advocacy by empowering tribes across India on storytelling through technology.
We explored caves that hold the secrets of how society was established in this region. You see figures that look like celestial beings or ancestors; Some share there were celestial interventions, what I heard from Yogesh was on ancestral bloodline and some parts were on spiritual beings; it’s amazing as it reminds me of ‘Lichaba & spiritual beings in ancestral Naga beliefs’, such rich worldview that is not yet unexplored; I’m yet to understand deeper about their culture.
These aren't just tourist spots; they are the primary evidence of Adivasi sovereignty over this land. However, there is a quiet, persistent battle happening here. As I walked through these sites, I saw the marks of "Saffronisation" and external religious claims. Both mainstream Hindu and Christian narratives are working hard to "claim" these paintings, rebranding ancient Adivasi symbols to fit their own myths and scriptures.
When you "re-tag" an indigenous site with a mainstream religious identity, you wash away the history of the people who have guarded these rocks for millennia. You turn a sovereign history into a mere footnote of a larger empire.
As a Naga, I know how easily history can be rewritten if we aren't the ones holding the pen. These are international archaeological treasures. They deserve:
1. Protection from physical decay. (Lot has been damaged and needs special attention from AUTHORITIES)
2. Preservation of the local Adivasi context, free from religious appropriation. (Seen some temples and writings over ancient rocks; damaging its originality.)
3. Recognition that the Gond and local tribes are the rightful custodians of this history. (They are under 5th schedule and it’s a International treasure, tribes must be rightful custodians)
Grateful to the people of Kanker for keeping these sites safe from rock miners, after being here it has proven that our tribal heartbeat is the same, no matter the geography.
Tongpang
