Nomads of India

Nomads are known as a group of communities who use to travel place to place for livelihood. Their population is not estimated in India but it is supposed that they are 0.7% of total population of India. There are few nomadic communities found in India. Nomadic communities can be divided in to two groups as pastoral and non-pastoral. Non-pastoral nomads are the most neglected and discriminated social group in India.^{[citation needed]} They have lost their livelihood niche because of drastic changes in transport, industries, production, entertainment and distribution systems. Though very poor and deprived they are still not facilitated with any constitutional safeguard and concern. Stats show that governments are applying development policies which are basically invented for scheduled tribes or scheduled casts. These development polices are not working because of the cultural and other differences of nomadic communities. It is proved by the present social condition of these communities.^{[citation needed]} The government of India has set up a commission for the development of these communities in early 2006.Mostly they are involved in agricultural activities.

Nomadic tribes have always been a source of suspicion to sedentary people. In the colonial period the British normalised a set of notions about such groups that echoed European ideas about the gypsies. They listed such groups that posed a ‘threat’ to settled society and introduced a legislative measure, the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) in 1871 and as a result of which nearly 200 such communities stood ‘notified’ as criminal.

The Targalas or Nayaks have been itinerant drama troupes in Gujarat who moved from village to village to perform ‘Bhavai’, a folk dance theatre form. These performers too carry the stigma of criminality. There are numerous folk tales of ‘the skillful thefts’ allegedly committed by Bhavai troupe members. And if a burglary had taken place in a village where Bhavai had been performed, members of the troupe would be arrested and interrogated. The itinerant Bhavai players have always been expected to report their entry, stay and exit to the village headman.

The folk dance drama of Bhavai probably originated in the then Anart Pradesh (now North Gujarat). It then spread over other parts of Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch and Marvad (now Rajasthan). It has been a popular form of entertainment among the rural and the townsfolk from the 14th century through to the 19th century in the North-west region of India. Although its origin are in the worship of the Mother Goddess, Bhavani, it has gathered secular elements with the passage of time and come to embrace the whole range of human emotions of the rural community. It is to Gujarat what Yashagana is to Andhra Pradesh, Nautanki to Uttar Pradesh, Tamasha and Lalit to Maharashtra - a veritable folk dance drama.

The performing Targalas are believed to be the descendents of the poet Asait Thakar of Unjha who lived in the 14th century. As the legend goes, Asait was a Audichhya Brahmin of Unjha in North Gujarat. His host Hemala Patel’s daughter Ganga was kidnapped by a Khiljl, Sardar Jahan Roz. Hemala Patel urged Asait Thakar to use his artistic skills to help liberate his daughter from the Sardar. Asait told the Sardar, after pleasing him with his performance and songs that he should liberate the girl, who he claimed was his.

Pastoral Nomadic tribes

According to British historian Reginald Edward Enthoven Pastoral nomadic tribes of India includes ^[1]

• Ahirs
• Jats
• Gaddis
• Ahars
• Gujjars
• Gadariyas
• Rewaris ^[2]

Pastoral tribes of India which has Scythian origin are Ahirs, Gujjars and Jats.^[3][4]

References

1. ^ The tribes and castes of Bombay - Google Books. Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=FoT6gPrbTp8C&pg=PA18&dq=abiria+of+ptolemy&hl=en&ei=_0wkTbjwMsGBlAfovbWNAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=abiria%20of%20ptolemy&f=false. Retrieved 2011-01-05. 
2. ^ The tribes and castes of Bombay, Volume 1 By Reginald Edward Enthoven--page -19
3. ^ Brief view of the caste system of ... - Google Books. Books.google.com. 2009-02-02. http://books.google.com/books?id=nuU-AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA12&dq=jat+pastoral+tribe&hl=en&ei=CFEkTZ-ULYW0lQfnoM2WAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCsQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=jat%20pastoral%20tribe&f=false. Retrieved 2011-01-05. 
4. ^ Brief view of the caste system of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh ... By John Collinson Nesfield, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh (India). Education Dept--page --12