As part of Banjara community outreach, Union government to mark Sant Sevalal Maharaj Jayanti
- Recently, the Union government of India kicked-off year-long celebrations to mark the 284th birth anniversary of Santh Sevalal Maharaj, a spiritual and religious leader of the Banjara community.
Banjara Community:
- Banjara is made of various groups found throughout India and most of them are found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states in South India.
- This community settled across the country with different names, have permanently abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and settled in their settlements called Tandas.
- They speak Gor Boli also called Lambadi which belongs to the Indo-Aryan Group of Languages. Lambadi has no script.
- Banjara people celebrate the festival of Teej during Shravanam (in the month of august). In this festival young unmarried Banjara girls pray for a good groom.
- Fire dance and Chari are the traditional dance forms of the banjara people.
Who is Santh Sevalal Maharaj?
- He is considered a social reformer and spiritual teacher of the Banjara community.
- He travelled across the country with his Ladeniya Troup to serve especially the forest dwellers and nomadic tribes.
- Due to his extraordinary knowledge, excellent skills and spiritual background in Ayurveda and Naturopathy, he was able to dispel and eradicate myths and superstitions prevalent in the tribal communities.