From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bengaluru, Sep 17: As part of the drive to give a boost to the cultural diversity of Karnataka, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy launched a programme to revive 1500 Sevalal Cultural Centres across the state.
The Sevalal Centres are vital to the Banjara way of life, and several of them were found to be in a dilapidated condition, in a survey.
The State Government plans to invest Rs 112 crore on this project over the next three years.
In 2018-19 alone, at least 400 centres will be revived at a cost of Rs 23 crore. The 1500 Sevalal Cultural Centres are located in different tandas across the state.
Speaking about the programme, the chief minister said, “Sevalal Maharaj is an important spiritual leader for the Banjara community and his contribution to the art, culture and welfare of the Banjara people is unmatched.’’
"The Karnataka government understands the importance that Sant Sevalal holds in the hearts and minds of the community, which is an integral part of Karnataka. We hope that the revival of these centres will help revitalise the art and culture of the state, and give a fillip to the rural economy as well,’’ he said.
The state government will be providing a maximum grant up to Rs 10 lakh for construction of each of the Sevalal Cultural Centre buildings as part of the plan to preserve, protect and develop the unique culture and arts, especially the dance, vaja bhajans and other traditional rituals as well as practice of the Banjara community, he said.
The programme for revival of the Sevalal Cultural Centres is being taken up based on a survey conducted by the Karnataka State Tanda Development Corporation, which found out that nearly 45% of the Sevalal Cultural Centres of the Banjara tribal community were in a dilapidated condition.
The cultural activities and traditions of the community are generally observed in the cultural centre known as ‘Math’.
All the festivals including weddings and other family events, and also important community decisions, are observed in these Maths.
Deputy chief minister Dr G Parameshwara said, “There are over 3,300 tandas in the state where the Banjara community has been living and practising their age old cultural traditions under the spiritual guidance of Sevalal Maharaj. It is important that these traditions are not only preserved, but given the opportunity to thrive, in order to ensure that Karnataka continues its tradition of multiculturalism, tolerance and pluralism.”
Dr Parameshwara said the Banjara tandas were generally located outside the revenue villages and consequently lacked basic amenities like drinking water, drainage, sanitation, proper roads and schools.
The state government was very keen to bring all the tribal communities deprived of basic amenities into the mainstream of society to ensure their development, he said.
Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge, who is keen to bring development to the most vulnerable and marginalised populations of the state, said that the Banjara community has been left out of mainstream of society and has remained socially, economically and educationally backward.
Kharge said, “The Social Welfare Department as well as the State Tanda Development Corporation officials have been making special efforts for the development of the tribal community, and to preserve their unique cultural traditions, dress and arts such as community dancing -- particularly during festivals like Holi, Deepavali, Teej, Vaja, Bhajan, Homa and Havan, among others.”
The Social Welfare Department is keen to revive these cultural centres and to equip them with modern facilities, he said.
“This will ensure that the community can preserve and propagate their unique cultural, social and religious traditions and rituals, in a sustainable manner,” he added.