Introduction to the Banjaras Community

The Banjaras community, commonly known as Gor, is a fascinating group with a rich and diverse history that spans centuries. They refer to themselves as Banjaras and often distinguish outsiders as Kor. However, this terminology is primarily used within their own community and does not extend beyond it. A related term, Gor Mati or Gormati, signifies “own people,” highlighting a sense of kinship and belonging among the community members.

Historical Background of the Banjaras

Origins and Early Associations

The Banjara community has a long and complex history. According to Motiraj Rathod, the term “Banjara” began to be used around the 14th century AD. Before this period, the community had associations with the Laman, a group that claims a history stretching back 3,000 years. This connection suggests that the Banjaras have deep roots in Indian history, possibly tracing back to ancient trading and nomadic traditions.

Etymology of the Term “Banjara”

The origin of the word “Banjara” has been a subject of scholarly debate. Irfan Habib proposes that the term derives from the Sanskrit words vanij, vanik, or banik, which are associated with trade and commerce. This etymology aligns with the historical role of the Banjaras as a trading community, similar to the Bania caste, which has been India’s pre-eminent trading group for centuries.

On the other hand, B. G. Halbar suggests that the word “Banjara” comes from the Sanskrit term vana chara, which translates to “forest wanderer” or “nomad.” This interpretation reflects the community’s historical nomadic lifestyle and their connection to forests and natural landscapes.

Regional Variations in Names and Identity

The Banjara community is known by various names across different regions of India, reflecting their widespread presence and cultural diversity. Some of these names include:

• Gor Banjara
• Baladiya
• Gor
• Gour Rajput
• Rajput Banjara
• Ladaniya
• Labana
• Nayak

Despite adopting multiple languages and regional identities, the term Banjara remains widely recognized throughout India. However, in Karnataka, the name is slightly altered to Banijagaru, showcasing the linguistic adaptability of the community.

Subgroups and Synonyms

The Banjara community is not a monolithic group but rather a collection of diverse subgroups and identities. A 1968 survey conducted by the All India Banjara Seva Sangh, a caste association, recorded 27 synonyms and 17 subgroups within the community. This diversity highlights the complex social structure of the Banjaras and their ability to adapt to different cultural and regional contexts.

The Banjara Community: Settlement, Identity, and Historical Context

Introduction to the Banjara Settlement and Identity

The Banjara community, as highlighted by author J. J. Roy Burman, has settled across various regions of India, including Rajasthan, and is often referred to as the “gypsies of India.” Alongside communities like the Bhopa, Domba, and Kalbelia, the Banjaras share a nomadic heritage and cultural traits that have earned them this title. According to D. B. Naik, there are striking cultural similarities between the Roma Gypsies of Europe and the Banjara Lambanis, suggesting a shared historical or cultural connection.

Historical Claims and Ancestry

Rajput Ancestry and Mughal Era

Author B. G. Halbar notes that many nomadic communities, including the Banjaras, believe they are descended from Rajput ancestry. According to this belief, during the Mughal Empire, these communities retreated to the forests and vowed to return only when foreign influence had diminished. Halbar suggests that the Banjaras likely have a mixed ethnicity, possibly originating in north-central India.

Debates on Common Origins

Irfan Habib, however, challenges the idea of a shared origin among the Banjaras. He argues that the theories proposing a common ancestry may reflect the systemic bias of 19th-century British ethnographers, who sought to create simplified classifications of Indian communities. Habib emphasizes that the Banjara community is likely composed of diverse groups with distinct origins.

Colonial Influence on Identity

Laxman Satya further elaborates on the impact of colonial rule on the Banjara identity. He states that the colonial state imposed a homogenized status on the Banjaras, disregarding the rich diversity that existed among various subgroups. This colonial categorization often oversimplified the complex social and cultural realities of the community.

Early Historical References

Delhi Sultanate Era

Although the term “Banjara” was not used until the 16th century, Irfan Habib suggests that the community was documented much earlier. He points to the works of royal court chroniclers like Ziauddin Barani and Shaikh Nasiruddin, who recorded the activities of a group resembling the Banjaras during the rule of Alauddin Khalji in the Delhi Sultanate.

Ancient References

B. G. Halbar traces the Banjara lineage even further back, suggesting that the 6th-century Sanskrit writer Dandin may have referred to them, albeit not by name. This indicates that the Banjaras or their predecessors have been part of Indian society for over a millennium.

The Banjara Community: Historical Roles, Trade, and Colonial Impact

Introduction to the Banjara Community

The Banjaras were historically a versatile and resourceful community, serving as pastoralists, traders, breeders, and transporters of goods across inland regions of India. Their expertise in navigating diverse terrains and their ability to transport goods using boats, carts, camels, oxen, donkeys, and horses made them indispensable to India’s trade and economy. Their adaptability and organizational skills allowed them to control a significant portion of trade routes and economic activities.

Banjaras as Traders and Transporters

Modes of Transport and Trade

The Banjaras utilized different modes of transport depending on the terrain:

• Camels and donkeys were preferred in highlands where carts could not travel.
• Oxen were better suited for wet lowland areas.
• Their ability to navigate thick forests was particularly valued, making them crucial for transporting goods through challenging landscapes.

Organizational Structure

Banjaras often traveled in large groups called tandas for protection and efficiency. Each tanda was led by an elected headman, known as a muqaddam, nayak, or naik. These tandas were highly organized and typically focused on transporting a specific product, functioning as combined trade operations. Some tandas were massive, with records of groups comprising 190,000 beasts.

Role in Military Logistics

The Banjaras also played a vital role in servicing armies. Their caravans followed the same routes as military movements, providing essential supplies. For example:

• The Duke of Wellington relied on Banjaras during his campaign against the Maratha Confederacy in the late 1790s.
• Jahangir, the Mughal emperor, described them as a “fixed class of people” who transported grain and accompanied armies with thousands of oxen.

Diverse Trade Practices

Range of Goods Traded

Banjaras traded a wide variety of goods, including:

• Plains produce: Oilseed, sugarcane, opium, fruits, and flowers.
• Forest products: Gums, chironji, mahua, berries, and honey.
• Hill products: Tobacco and grass.

Some subgroups specialized in specific trades:

• Labana: Salt traders.
• Multani: Grain traders.
• Mukeri: Wood and timber traders.

Monopolies and Regional Trade

In regions like Berar, the Deccan Plateau, and the Central Provinces, Banjaras held monopolies on the movement of salt before the arrival of the East India Company. They also traded cattle and rented out their carts, further diversifying their economic activities.

Use of Credit

Contrary to some older accounts, Irfan Habib notes that Banjaras did use credit and were sometimes reliant on it for their trade operations.

Societal Behaviors and Cultural Diversity

Impact of Nomadic Lifestyle

The peripatetic nature of Banjara life fostered significant diversity within their society. According to Laxman Satya, this lifestyle led to:

• A casual and unorthodox attitude toward religion, family, and women.
• The practice of customs and beliefs that were often prohibited in mainstream Hindu society.

Trust and Economic Role

Banjaras were trusted by merchants, moneylenders, and traders due to their reliability in transporting goods. Their livestock, while sometimes disruptive to trade routes, provided manure that fertilized the land, balancing their impact.

Colonial Misrepresentation and Criminalization

British Perception and Stereotypes

Despite their economic contributions, the British often misrepresented Banjaras as similar to Gypsies, associating them with superstitions and criminal behavior. Irfan Habib notes that this perception was unjustified and reinforced by colonial biases.

Criminal Tribes Act of 1871

In the 19th century, the British colonial authorities brought the Banjaras under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, labeling them as a criminal community. This act was part of a broader trend of criminalizing nomadic groups. Factors contributing to this included:

• The decline in wars, which reduced their role as military suppliers.
• The encroachment of the East India Company on their trade monopolies, such as salt.
• The introduction of railways and improved roads, which diminished their role as transporters.

Economic Deprivation and Criminality

Many Banjaras faced economic hardship due to these changes. Some turned to forest work, others settled as farmers, and a few resorted to crime, such as roadside robbery, cattle lifting, and theft. Women often played a leading role in these activities, and the community supported the families of convicted members.

Resistance to Education and Control

The Banjaras, largely illiterate and unskilled, were resistant to colonial efforts to “improve” them through education. This resistance, combined with their nomadic lifestyle, led the British to enforce strict policing and control over the community.

Post-Independence Status

Denotified Tribes

After India’s independence, the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed, and the Banjaras were reclassified as one of the Denotified Tribes. This marked a significant shift in their legal and social status, though the stigma of their colonial-era criminalization persisted.

Introduction to Banjara Culture

The Banjara community is rich in cultural traditions, festivals, dance, music, and religious practices. Their social structure, gender roles, and marriage customs reflect a unique blend of tradition and adaptation to modern influences. This section explores the vibrant cultural life of the Banjaras, their societal norms, and the roles of men and women within the community.

Festivals of the Banjaras

Seetala Festival

• Timing: Celebrated in June or July.
• Purpose: The Banjaras pray for the protection of their cattle, which are vital to their livelihood.
• Significance: This festival highlights the community’s deep connection to their pastoral lifestyle.

Teej Festival

• Timing: Celebrated in August.
• Purpose: Young, unmarried girls pray for a good groom.
• Rituals:
• Girls sow seeds in bamboo bowls and water them three times a day for nine days.
• If the sprouts grow “thick and high,” it is considered a good omen.
• Girls sing and dance around the seedling baskets, making it a joyous and communal celebration.

Dance and Music

Traditional Dance Forms

The Banjaras are known for their vibrant dance forms, which include:

• Fire Dance: A dynamic and energetic performance.
• Ghumar Dance: A traditional folk dance performed by women.
• Chari Dance: A dance involving balancing pots on the head, symbolizing grace and skill.

Musical Traditions

• The Banjaras have a sister community of singers known as Dadhis or Gajugonia.
• These singers traditionally traveled from village to village, singing songs accompanied by the sarangi, a stringed instrument.

Religious Practices

Deities and Saints

• The Banjaras worship deities such as Balaji and Jagadamba.
• They also hold Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, in great respect.
• Sevalal (or Sevabhaya) is the most important saint of the Banjaras. Colonial British administrators placed him in the 19th century and identified his original name as Siva Rathor.

Social Structure and Lifestyle

Traditional Migratory Lifestyle

• Historically, the Banjaras were a migratory people but settled in fixed villages during the monsoon months (June–August).
• While modern transportation has reduced their traditional role as transporters, many Banjaras retained a nomadic lifestyle on a seasonal basis to supplement their income.

Community Traits

• Exogamous Clans: Banjaras practice strict tribal endogamy but marry outside their clans.
• Language: They use Gor-Boli, a unique language, and refer to themselves as Gor.
• Settlements: They live in groups called tandas and resolve disputes through tribal councils known as gor panchayats.
• Traditional Attire:
• Women wear elaborate dresses adorned with glass pieces, beads, and seashells.
• Men have largely abandoned their traditional attire of white dhoti, red turban, and jewelry like earrings and finger rings.

Marriage Customs

Forms of Marriage

• Banjaras practice monogamy, but widows are allowed to remarry, and divorce is accepted with the consent of the gor panchayat.
• Marriages are usually arranged within the same taluka or district, except in cases where the groom is educated, leading to longer-distance arrangements.

Marriage Process

• Initiation: The boy’s father initiates marriage proposals when the boy reaches 18 years of age.
• Arrangement: The girl’s father consults the naik (headman) and village elders before agreeing to the proposal.
• Betrothal: A ceremony called sagai may be held, but the girl remains in her parental home until puberty.
• Bride Price: A bride price is paid to the girl’s father, traditionally set at 11 rupees and four bullocks (or equivalent). This is now often a monetary figure determined by the gor panchayat.
• Wedding: The marriage ceremony is held during periods of low work, such as April or May, after the harvest season.

Gender Roles in Banjara Society

Family Preferences

• Banjara families prefer to have both sons and daughters.
• Sons are necessary for continuing the patrilineal lineage.
• Daughters are valued for caring for parents in old age and contributing to household tasks.

Roles of Women

• Domestic Tasks: Women are trained in domestic chores and also help with herding, grazing cattle, and fieldwork.
• Married Life: A Banjara wife is subservient to her husband and parents-in-law. She gains independence only after separating from the joint household, though she remains economically dependent on her husband.
• Religious Functions: Women play a subsidiary role in religious festivals but are central to marriage preparations.

Roles of Men

• Religious Leadership: Men lead temple rituals and sing devotional songs during festivals.
• Political Functions: Men settle disputes and represent women’s interests in the gor panchayat.
• Economic Responsibilities: Men are responsible for learning skills and providing for the family.

Conclusion

The Banjara community’s festivals, dance, music, and religious practices reflect their vibrant cultural heritage. Their social structure, marriage customs, and gender roles highlight a blend of tradition and adaptation. By understanding these aspects, we gain insight into the Banjaras’ unique identity and their contributions to India’s cultural diversity.