“Gaon Chhodab Nahi” (We Will Not Leave Our Village), sung by Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh, has emerged as a resistance anthem rooted in forests and hills of India. It speaks for Adivasi communities facing forced displacement in the name of development.
The song carries this blunt message:
“You drink Coca and Bisleri—how do we stay alive drinking filthy water?” This line contrasts luxury water brands enjoyed by urban Indians with polluted water sources that Adivasis must rely on.
The lyrics speak clearly and directly. They describe how dams have drowned villages, how forests have been cut down, and how factories and mines have destroyed natural resources. One line stands out: “You drink Coca and Bisleri, how do we stay alive drinking filthy water?” It shows the gap between urban comfort and rural suffering. While cities grow, many Adivasis are left with polluted rivers and dying forests.
Original Song Lyrics and English Translation
| Original (Hindi) | English Translation |
|---|---|
| गाँव छोड़ब नहीं, जंगल छोड़ब नहीं | I will not leave the village, I will not leave the forest |
| ज़मीन छोड़ब नहीं, लड़ाई छोड़ब नहीं | I will not give up my land, I will not stop fighting |
| बाँध बनाए, गाँव डुबाए, फैक्ट्री बनाए | They built dams, drowned the villages, set up factories |
| जंगल काटे, खदान खोदे, सेंचुरी बनाए | They cut forests, dug mines, declared sanctuaries |
| पानी, जंगल, ज़मीन छोड़के, कहाँ जाएँ हम | Left without water, forest, or land, where should we go? |
| बताओ विकास के भगवान, कैसे जिएँ हम | Tell us, O god of development, how should we survive? |
| जमुना हँसी, नर्मदा हँसी, सुवर्णरेखा हँसी | Jamuna smiles, Narmada smiles, Suvarnarekha smiles |
| गंगा बन गई नाला, कृष्णा काली लाइन | Ganga turned into a dirty drain, Krishna into a black line |
| तुम पियोगे कोक-पेप्सी, बिसलेरी पानी | You’ll drink Coke, Pepsi, Bisleri water |
| हम पिएँगे नाला गंदा, कैसे बचे जान | We drink dirty drains, how do we stay alive? |
| क्या मूर्ख थे हमारे पूर्वज, जो जंगल बचाए | Were our ancestors fools to save these forests? |
| धरती को हरा रखा, नदियों में शहद बहाए | They kept the earth green, let rivers flow like honey |
| लोभ में धरती जलाई, हरियाली लूट ली | You burned the earth in greed, looted its greenery, |
| मछली मरी, चिड़िया भागी, कौन दिशा में गई | Fish died, birds fled, who knows where they went |
| मंत्री बने दलाल कंपनी के, ज़मीन छीनी | Ministers became agents of companies, snatched our land |
| बचाने आए तुम पलटन लेकर | You brought battalions to suppress us |
| अफ़सर बन गए राजा, ठेकेदार अमीर | Officers became kings, contractors turned rich |
| गाँव हमारे बने उनके कालोनी | Our villages became their colonies |
| बिरसा कहे एक हो जाओ, छोड़ो चुप्पी | Birsa says unite, break your silence |
| मछुआरे आओ, दलित आओ, आदिवासी आओ | Fisherfolk come, Dalits come, Adivasis come |
| खाली खेतों से उठो, नगाड़ा बजाओ | Rise from the empty fields, beat the drums |
| तुमने छोड़ दी लड़ाई, कोई और रास्ता नहीं | You gave up the fight, but there’s no other way |
| सुनो देशवासियों, यही आख़िरी आवाज़ है | Listen, people of the nation, this is our final call |
This is not just music. It reflects a reality backed by data. Adivasis make up only 8.6% of India’s population, but over 40% of people displaced by development projects belong to tribal communities. These numbers reveal the scale of land grabs, evictions, and forced relocations. Dams, highways, sanctuaries, and factories often come at the cost of indigenous homes and heritage.
Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh, the voice behind the anthem, is not new to resistance. Born in Jharkhand, he has long used music to support Adivasi rights and was part of the movement for a separate Jharkhand state. He received the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contribution to folk music. His work combines culture with protest and tradition with demand for justice.
The song also calls for unity. It mentions activists like Medha Patkar and Ulka Mahajan and urges farmers, Dalits, and tribal communities to come together. It ends with a call to action: don’t stay silent. Wake up. Organise. Fight for your land.
Progress for some, loss for others
This is not just music. It reflects a reality backed by data. Adivasis make up only 8.6% of India’s population, but over 40% of people displaced by development projects belong to tribal communities. These numbers reveal the scale of land grabs, evictions, and forced relocations. Dams, highways, sanctuaries, and factories often come at the cost of indigenous homes and heritage.
Madhu Mansuri Hasmukh, the voice behind the anthem, is not new to resistance. Born in Jharkhand, he has long used music to support Adivasi rights and was part of the movement for a separate Jharkhand state. He received the Padma Shri in 2020 for his contribution to folk music. His work combines culture with protest and tradition with demand for justice.
The song also calls for unity. It mentions activists like Medha Patkar and Ulka Mahajan and urges farmers, Dalits, and tribal communities to come together. It ends with a call to action: don’t stay silent. Wake up. Organise. Fight for your land.
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