In “Encyclopaedia Mundaria” by Rev. John Hoffmann s.j & Rev. Arthur Van Emelen s.j., Madait is illustrated as “Help asked by a man who cannot manage alone a great or difficult work, and given by a number of his co-villagers in the form of a day’s work without wages. The one who ask this, treats his helpers to bear, meat or a regular banquet”.
In agricultural work, namely, transportation and harvesting, the expected groups of helpers are from one’s own lineage. But in practice, whoever can spare time, wheather he/she is a lineage member or the member of the community at large, offeres a helping hand if asked for. This form of help locally known as madait or madauti is derived from Hindi word madad meaning help. All those who helped are now a days treated with food and rice bear on the days they worked. Madait is different from Pacha where are paid by money. Both are the kind of helping the needy person for the similar works. Madait is common in Munda tribes.
