Tribe of India: BANJARAS

 The Banjara’s also known as Lambada’s are a vivid, colorful   Scheduled Tribe residing in  most of the districts of Andhra Pradesh. They are mainly settled in Telangana districts of Andhra Pradesh. Banjari language which is similar to Gujarati – Punjabi – Rajasthani. Here are some a socio cultural anthropological aspects of the tribe.

·     Culture

·        Language

Gour Boli, also known as Lambadi or Banjary, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by Banjaras. Because Lambadi has no script, it is written in Devanagari or the local language's script, such as Telugu or Kannada. Many Banjaras are now bilingual or multilingual, adopting the prevalent language of their surroundings, although others who live in densely populated Banjara districts continue to speak their own mother tongue.

·        Festivals

During Shravana, the Banjara people celebrate the Teej festival (the month of August). Young unmarried Banjara girls pray for a good marriage during this holiday. They sow seeds in bamboo bowls and water them three times a day for nine days, and it is considered a good omen if the sprouts grow "thick and high." Seedling baskets are placed in the middle of the room during Teej, and girls sing and dance around them.

·        Dance and music

 The Banjaras' traditional dance genres include fire dance, 'Ghumar' dance, and Chari dance. Dadhis or Gajugonia are a sibling community of singers to the Banjaras. They used to travel from village to village singing songs while being accompanied by a sarangi.

·        Religion

The Banjara people are all Hindus who practise Hinduism and follow Hindu culture. Balaji, Goddess Jagadamba Devi, Goddess Bhavani, Renuka Mata of Mahur, and Hanuman are among the deities they are known to adore. They also have a high regard for Guru Nanak. The Banjaras, on the other hand, were "ambiguous" about religion and "tolerant and syncretic."

·     Society

·        Marriage

Apart from continuing to maintain endogamy, V. Sarveswara Naik documents Banjara customs in 1990s Andhra Pradesh, stating that they practise monogamy, serial monogamy, and bigamy, with polygamy being unusual but allowed. Marriages between cousins and uncles and nieces are permitted, widows are permitted to remarry, and divorce is authorised with the agreement of the Gor panchayat. Marriages are mainly between people who live close to each other, within the same taluk or, on rare occasions, district; the exception is when the man has some education, in which case it is becoming increasingly normal to see them make arrangements that involve a longer distance.

·        Discrimination

When they leave their tanda, Banjara women may experience discrimination. Their relative innocence, communication problems, and traditional attire all draw attention and ill-treatment. Because of globalisation, the majority of Banjara men and women have changed their traditional attire to avoid discrimination.

·        Gender roles

Patrilineal society, a son is believed to be necessary , while at least one daughter is deemed desirable because she can care for the parents in their old age if the son is too preoccupied with his marriage. Daughters are valued by their mothers for their contributions to the running of the family unit prior to their own marriage, and are trained in various household activities that help both the unit and their future married life. They are an economic asset because they assist with herding and grazing the family's cattle as well as work in the crop fields, in addition to strictly home responsibilities