Whenever he reminisces the contribution of Austrian Anthropologist Christopher von Furer-Haimendorf (better known as just Haimendorf) for the development of the Raj Gond and other Adivasi tribes in erstwhile Adilabad district, the Gond Raja of Kanchanpalli visits the pirengan patar , or the plateau of the foreigner located close to his village. He does so as a mark of respect to the legendary researcher with whom his father, Bhagwant Rao and grandfather Bheem Rao were closely associated.
It was in 1942 that Haimendorf and his wife Elizabeth had first come to Kanchanpalli, situated in Sirpur (U) mandal about 12 km from Jainoor mandal headquarters village, seeking help from Bheem Rao senior for their research work.
In winter months, the couple used to spend hours on the hillock near the village looking at the picturesque valley spread in front, a fact which is known to very few people now.
Favoured spot
“The hill top was a favourite haunt of the Haimendorf couple whenever they came visiting and so it is named after them. As the locals could not pronounce the Anthropologist’s name, they used to identify him as ‘ pirengan ’, derived from the Hindustani word firangi for whites,” revealed 62-year-old Raja Bheem Rao.
“The couple had themselves made an elevated platform to relax in the winter sun and take in nature’s spread from the hill top which is about 250 mtr in height,” he pointed out towards the 3ft high round platform made of stones on the hillock.
Picturesque view
The Godavari river flowing in the distance and villages located in the valley below which now are part of Jannaram mandal of Mancherial district, Kadem mandal of Nirmal district, Utnoor of Adilabad are visible for the patar.
“The Haimendorfs avoided this place during summer but used to come here frequently during winters all through the late 1970s until their death. My father used to give them a traditional musical welcome and make all arrangements for them to climb the pirengan patar ,” the Raja recalled.
“The couple used to carry a camping tent with them and used to erect it on the platform. They used to spend about three hours, especially in the morning time whenever they came,” he added.
Left alone
The pirengan patar with its stony platform would have vanished had the government established a wireless repeater station on it in the 1990s. The fear of Naxalites damaging it made them select the Burnur gutta in the same mandal.
