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  DOI Prefix   10.20431


 

International Journal of History and Cultural Studies
Volume 3, Issue 4, 2017, Page No: 26-35

Migrating Banjaras and Settling Tandas: An Un-noticed Contribution

Dr. Manisha Choudhary

CAS-Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Delhi, India

Copyright :Manisha Choudhary, Migrating Banjaras and Settling Tandas: An Un-Noticed Contribution International Journal of History and Cultural Studies 2017,3(4) : 26-35.

Abstract

This research is an effort to understand the contribution of the migration to the north-western, western and northern India. Throughout the medieval history migration has efficaciously made creative contributed. None of the migration in its beginning was a smooth experience and was given to harshness and arduous jeopardizes. Usually the migrations from central Asia in India have been proven as awaiting fortunes. The medieval century migrations were accommodated in the courts and have made notable contributions to the literary culture and art. Similarly the nomadic community of Banjara was also making certain obvious additions to the India and its landscape. The organization of Banjara community was given to nomadic lifestyle but in the same role they were performing the twin tasks primarily as a transporter or supplier along with it some tradecum-credit activities and pastoralism. The flexible intake of members made this community a heterogeneous social organization which picked and dropped cultures, rituals and religious affiliations over the years grabbing the opportunities for scrolling over the trade. The Banjaras moved in groups with laden oxen, who were beast of burden and an acquainted acclimatizer with minimum requirement of water and fodder. The moving caravans were called as Tanda. Interestingly, in the north India there is large number of villages and few towns with name of Tanda; and all these are located near some river or a water source. Surprisingly, majority of these were established during medieval India especially during Mughals. So the Banjaras were a community engaging with trade and transport and the routes they were travelling were getting patched with the Tandas. The geographical area drawn up for this research will be limited to present Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Bengal and the city of Aurangabad located in Maharashtra. Before settling down the souls of a troop, the location for a Tanda has to be well calculated; by keeping tap on the location and its connectivity with the trading zones, nearby supply centers and the aviability of water. It is not much for surprise that majority of the present railway tracks; presented to India by the British and the present roadways are all crossing through or besides, the ways adopted by the Banjaras for effective and speedy transportation through the forest areas during the medieval centuries. The reports of the labour supply for laying down the railway tracks speak aloud about the massive employment of the banjaras as rail labourers but are mute on a silent theft of the banjara's knowledge bank of the traditional routes. The much of the routes traveled by the Banjaras were passing through difficult terrains and unwelcoming forests. This study will look into the migration of Banjaras in different directions and the settlement of Tandas; which made the art, crafts, agro-dairy products, agricultural production and culture to travel in the history.


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