Since pre-independence, the Godavari Valley’s association with ‘red’ remained intact, beginning from the Rampa Rebellion (1922-24) led by freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju to the rise and fall of Sabari Dalam, a Left-Wing Extremist group of the banned CPI (Maoist) party and of late, the flourishing chilli crop being grown along the banks of river Godavari and Sabari flowing through the valley
The Godavari Valley has two distinctive features with the two rivers flowing and thriving with diverse tribes of the Eastern Ghats. The area where Godavari flows is home to the Konda Reddi tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) that inhabits the Papikona Hills along the river. The rest of the valley is home to Koya tribe inhabiting along the Sabari confluencing into the Godavari at Kunavaram.
Chilli connection
The Koyas’ village, Chootooru, sits on the bank of river Sabari. Most of the Koya families have adopted chilli farming on the Sabari banks, replacing maize, beans and black gram.
Savalam Seetamma, a woman farmer of Chootooru, says, “I have taken two-and-half acres from my parents under tenancy to grow chilli. The land is on the banks of Sabari. I have been raising chilli on my own by arranging workers and monitoring the crop as well as the harvesting activity. Simultaneously, my husband takes care of another chilli field which we own near our village.”
“I have managed to raise a credit of ₹5 lakh from our village self-help groups for input components of chilli farming. This year, the yield is abundant and the maximum yield per acre is above 10 quintals. Half of the input goes into engaging the labour beginning from sowing to harvesting. However, a good sum of profit is guaranteed this year,” adds Savalamma.
The access to timely irrigation water is arguably saving input cost on chilli farming as the tribals draw water from the river and streams.
In Chootooru village, every Koya farmer owns a land holding, a maximum of up to two acres. The farmers also work in chilli fields of their fellow farmers and some families migrate to work in the chilli fields on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana State borders.
River banks turn red
The Sabari river enters Andhra Pradesh at Chintoor from Chhattisgarh’s Sukma District. The Sabari confluence into river Godavari at Kunavaram after flowing for above 35 kilometres, a stretch that is painted red by the Koyas with chilli farming. The chilli is sown in winter and harvested in summer.
The Papikonda National Park (PNP) jurisdiction begins from the forest cover of Kunavaram, in which no commercial farming is allowed by private persons as it belongs to the AP Wildlife Management Division. The Koyas have also been farming chilli on the banks of river Godavari that does not falling in PNP.
“The number of Koyas engaged in chilli farming on the banks of river Sabari and Godavari has slightly increased in recent years after they realised the returns on the commercial crop. However, at least 90% of the chilli farming is done by non-tribals in the Chintoor agency now,” says Venkatesh Jatvati. Mr. Venkatesh works on crop diversity of tribes in the Godavari valley, with a focus on Koyas, Konda Reddi and Muria tribes.
It was the investors who arrived from the Krishna-Guntur region and developed trade links with the Koyas and slowly gained a hold on the farmland through tenancy to raise commercial crops, primarily chilli.
In recent years, the Koyas have realised the commercial value of the chilli crop. Most of the chilli procured by the middlemen in the shandies in Godavari valley goes to Vijayawada, where they trade it at higher prices. In the Chintoor agency, the middlemen also offer credit to the Koya farmers for agriculture purposes, with a promise that the harvest should be sold to them only.
It was non-tribes, including middlemen, who developed associations with the locals, who explored the viability of chilli farming on the river banks while this region was part of Khammam district in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Post-bifurcation of united Andhra Pradesh, the entire Sabari river belt was merged into Andhra Pradesh State.
Exchange of harvest
Payam Krishnamma, a chilli farmer who raised the crop on one acre on the Sabari river bank, told The Hindu: “At the peak of the harvest, mostly between April and May, the labourers will be given half of the chilli harvest collected by her on a respective day. In one method of labour engagement, the labourers will be given the chilli instead of money. Non-availability of the labourers is a major challenge as the area under chilli has gone up in our area extensively.”
Many farmers, mostly non-tribals, meet the requirement of labourers by engaging Muria tribals, who migrated from Chhattisgarh and settled in the Godavari valley.
Samalamma has alleged that the middlemen who procure the harvest on the field itself are offering low prices compared to the price in weekly shandies. The banks of Sabari and Godavari rivers are very fertile supporting commercial crops — chilli, maize and cotton.
Along the Sabari river in Andhra Pradesh, a majority of the Koya tribal habitations have been rehabilitated for the Polavaram irrigation project across river Godavari. The Koyas are expected to be rehabilitated anytime. Compared to Konda Reddi tribe, the Koyas are aggressive in experimenting with new crops and exploring new market avenues.
Murias’ prime source
The harvesting activity of chilli is the only alternative livelihood for the Murias who desperately venture out of the deep forest covers and prefer to stay in the chilli fields during the summer. They migrate in groups along with their family members on the borders of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha where chilli is grown extensively.
Over a decade ago, the Murias have fled from their native Chhattisgarh during the conflict between the State-sponsored Salwa Judum and the Left-Wing Extremist groups. By 2024, the Murias fled Chhattisgarh and settled in the 54 settlements in Godavari valley. These settlements are known as habitations of the Internally Displaced People (IDPs).
Pandu Kametkar, who worked on the tribes of Godavari Valley, observed: “The work in chilli fields has helped the Murias to settle during their initial period in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They would not have settled if there was no work available in chilli fields which are said to be the largest provider of employment for all the tribes on the bordering areas.”
Kametkar has recently written a book on the tribes of Godavari valley, titled ‘Atma Gosha: the Agony of Koya, Konda Reddi and Nayakpodu tribes’, which is waiting to be released soon.
In the chilli fields, the Murias only accept money as they would find no other source to get money in cash through any of their activities inside the forest. In their settlements located inside the reserve forests, they grow crops mostly to meet their daily needs. The money earned during the chilli harvesting period will be spent in the event of any emergency during the rest of the year.
Sabari Dalam
Between Chintoor and Kunavaram lie scores of Koya habitations along the stretch of Sabari river bank, which was once a stronghold for the Sabari Dalam, an armed squad of the banned CPI(M), that was tasked with recruitment, monitoring the tri-State borders. Before bifurcation of the united Andhra Pradesh, the Dalam was also known for its operations on the tri-state borders.
The members and various cadres, mostly hailing from Koya and Konda Reddi tribes of Godavari valley, were also involved in various Naxal operations and encounters with para-military forces and State police forces. However, scores of Sabari Dalam members have surrendered and are leading life in the mainstream in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Post Operation Green Hunt (2009), the Sabari Dalam is believed to have weakened and scaled down its activities in the Godavari valley and adjoining tribal pockets.
Under Operation Green Hunt, the government of India deployed para-military forces in the States in the Red Corridor, where Left Wing Extremist groups were active, to counter the Naxal insurgencies.
According to Andhra Pradesh State police, many Koya and Konda Reddis of the Godavari valley have surrendered before the police after serving in the Sabari Dalam. In many incidents of surrender by tribal Maoists, the police have said, “The Maoists and members of squads of the CPI (Maoist), including women, have surrendered after they were attracted to developmental activities in their areas and wanted to lead a life in the mainstream.”
Alluri’s chilli post
Between 1922-24, freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju led the ‘Rampa Rebellion’ against the British. The Koya tribe was the backbone of the rebellion. In the rebellion, Alluri Sitarama Raju adopted ‘Chilli Post’ or ‘Mirapakai Tapa. A post is delivered by tying a bunch of chillies by shooting an arrow into the target destination.
The Chilli Post came to the limelight with the attack on the Chintapalli police station adjoining the Godavari agency in 1922.
