Context:
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.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Dimensions of the Article:
- About the Banjara Community:
- About Santh Sevalal Maharaj
About the Banjara Community:
- The Banjara community consists of various groups found throughout India, with a significant population in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
- They have settled in permanent settlements called Tandas, abandoning their nomadic lifestyle.
- The Banjara people speak Gor Boli, also known as Lambadi, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan group of languages and has no script.
- Teej is a festival celebrated by young unmarried Banjara girls in Shravanam (August), where they pray for a good groom.
- Fire dance and Chari are traditional dance forms of the Banjara people.
About Santh Sevalal Maharaj:
- Santh Sevalal Maharaj is a social reformer and spiritual teacher of the Banjara community.
- He travelled across the country with his Ladeniya Troup to serve forest dwellers and nomadic tribes.
- Maharaj possessed excellent skills and knowledge in Ayurveda and Naturopathy, enabling him to dispel myths and superstitions prevalent in tribal communities.
Source: Indian Express
