By Syed Akbar
Hyderabad: As the sun sets, a group of people gather at a village
corner. A half naked elderly man sporting a garland of rudraksha beads and
holding a sickle in his right hand appears on the village platform. A few
moments later, another man donning saffron robes joins him.
As the loud applause settles down, the duo start performing a caste
mythology that had been passed on from generation to generation for over
800 years. The elderly man is enacting the role of Jambava, the ancestor of
Dakkalis, the "lowest of the low" caste, while the man in saffron robes is a
Brahmin, the local temple priest.
The play is based on the ancient mythological character of Adi Jambava, the
primordial god of the Dakkalis, a sub-caste of Madiga community. The
Jamba recites verses from the Jambava Puranam, the religious scripture of the
community to challenge the supremacy of the Brahmin. The Brahmin also
counters the Jambava through his witty and sharp dialogues and the audience
bursts into bouts of applause.
The Jambava Puranam is one of the 18 Indian Puranas which speak of the
creation of the universe, the origin of man and the birth of the caste system.
The Dakkali community regards the Jambava Puranam as their religious
scripture and the holiest of the holy books in the world.
The Jambava Puranam and the Dakkali community got a new lease of life
thanks to the intervention of University of Glasgow, UK, through
Pottisriramulu Telugu University and State Oriental Manuscripts Library and
Research Institute. The manuscript of the Purana, as old as eight centuries, is
now preserved for posterity. The Dakkali community shot into limelight with
international anthropologists taking up research on its unique customs and
traditions.
According to the Jambava Puranam, Adi Jambava is the creator of the
universe. He is the forefather of the vedic deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Dakkalis are regarded as the lowest sub-caste among Madigas and hence
"untouchables". Even Madigas, who themselves are regarded as
"untouchables" by upper castes, treat Dakkalis as "untouchables". Madiga
women are barred from looking at the face of a Dakkali man.
"They are untouchables among the untouchables. Since people of all
communities keep Dakkalis away, they lead a nomadic life. Dakkalis have
their own priests and though they are regarded as untouchables, Madigas
engage them as priests for marriages. It is incombent upon Madigas to feed
Dakkalis," says Prof Jaidhir Tirumala Rao, director of Oriental Manuscripts
Library and Research Centre.
Tirumala Rao has done considerable research and brought out the Jambava
Puranam in a book form for the first time in a millennium. The Dakkalis
follow a strange system. They regard paper as a taboo. So they never use
paper and the Jambava Puranam is always written on palm leaves. They have
a base at a Shaivite caste centre at Kolanupaka in Nalgonda district where
they maintain one amongst a number of small caste temples dating from the
13th century.
Dakkalis spend half of the year travelling round the large set of Madiga
village communities allocated to each, staying with them and performing
their services, which include narrating the Jambava Puranam.
"Adi Jambava is the beginning of all things even before the emergence of
Om, the original god (aadidevudu) or Parabrahmasvarupam. It shows
Jambava as instrumental in the birth of Adishakti, her discovery of Jambava,
and her giving birth, with the assistance of Adidevudu, to three eggs from
which the Trimurthis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, would emerge," Prof
Tirumala Rao explains.
Jambava Purana is one of the few caste puranas which speak of socio-
economic conflict among castes to to establish supremacy in society.
Jambava Purana is treasured by Dakkalis, "the untouchable among the
untouchables".
Dakkalis are unique in many ways. They feel that they are a cursed lot and
lead a rigid way of life. They regard five things as taboo and none of the
Dakkali community members dares to violate this ancient tradition.
Dakkalis live in make-shift tents since it is a taboo in the community to build
pucca houses. They travel by foot or on donkeys as it is a sin for them to
travel by bicycles or other modern means of transport. They do not keep a
stove and move from place to place. They lead a complete nomadic life,
carrying with them the Jambava purana inscribed on palm leaves and a cloth
poster depicting events mentioned in the scripture.
Hyderabad: As the sun sets, a group of people gather at a village
corner. A half naked elderly man sporting a garland of rudraksha beads and
holding a sickle in his right hand appears on the village platform. A few
moments later, another man donning saffron robes joins him.
As the loud applause settles down, the duo start performing a caste
mythology that had been passed on from generation to generation for over
800 years. The elderly man is enacting the role of Jambava, the ancestor of
Dakkalis, the "lowest of the low" caste, while the man in saffron robes is a
Brahmin, the local temple priest.
The play is based on the ancient mythological character of Adi Jambava, the
primordial god of the Dakkalis, a sub-caste of Madiga community. The
Jamba recites verses from the Jambava Puranam, the religious scripture of the
community to challenge the supremacy of the Brahmin. The Brahmin also
counters the Jambava through his witty and sharp dialogues and the audience
bursts into bouts of applause.
The Jambava Puranam is one of the 18 Indian Puranas which speak of the
creation of the universe, the origin of man and the birth of the caste system.
The Dakkali community regards the Jambava Puranam as their religious
scripture and the holiest of the holy books in the world.
The Jambava Puranam and the Dakkali community got a new lease of life
thanks to the intervention of University of Glasgow, UK, through
Pottisriramulu Telugu University and State Oriental Manuscripts Library and
Research Institute. The manuscript of the Purana, as old as eight centuries, is
now preserved for posterity. The Dakkali community shot into limelight with
international anthropologists taking up research on its unique customs and
traditions.
According to the Jambava Puranam, Adi Jambava is the creator of the
universe. He is the forefather of the vedic deities Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Dakkalis are regarded as the lowest sub-caste among Madigas and hence
"untouchables". Even Madigas, who themselves are regarded as
"untouchables" by upper castes, treat Dakkalis as "untouchables". Madiga
women are barred from looking at the face of a Dakkali man.
"They are untouchables among the untouchables. Since people of all
communities keep Dakkalis away, they lead a nomadic life. Dakkalis have
their own priests and though they are regarded as untouchables, Madigas
engage them as priests for marriages. It is incombent upon Madigas to feed
Dakkalis," says Prof Jaidhir Tirumala Rao, director of Oriental Manuscripts
Library and Research Centre.
Tirumala Rao has done considerable research and brought out the Jambava
Puranam in a book form for the first time in a millennium. The Dakkalis
follow a strange system. They regard paper as a taboo. So they never use
paper and the Jambava Puranam is always written on palm leaves. They have
a base at a Shaivite caste centre at Kolanupaka in Nalgonda district where
they maintain one amongst a number of small caste temples dating from the
13th century.
Dakkalis spend half of the year travelling round the large set of Madiga
village communities allocated to each, staying with them and performing
their services, which include narrating the Jambava Puranam.
"Adi Jambava is the beginning of all things even before the emergence of
Om, the original god (aadidevudu) or Parabrahmasvarupam. It shows
Jambava as instrumental in the birth of Adishakti, her discovery of Jambava,
and her giving birth, with the assistance of Adidevudu, to three eggs from
which the Trimurthis, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, would emerge," Prof
Tirumala Rao explains.
Jambava Purana is one of the few caste puranas which speak of socio-
economic conflict among castes to to establish supremacy in society.
Jambava Purana is treasured by Dakkalis, "the untouchable among the
untouchables".
Dakkalis are unique in many ways. They feel that they are a cursed lot and
lead a rigid way of life. They regard five things as taboo and none of the
Dakkali community members dares to violate this ancient tradition.
Dakkalis live in make-shift tents since it is a taboo in the community to build
pucca houses. They travel by foot or on donkeys as it is a sin for them to
travel by bicycles or other modern means of transport. They do not keep a
stove and move from place to place. They lead a complete nomadic life,
carrying with them the Jambava purana inscribed on palm leaves and a cloth
poster depicting events mentioned in the scripture.
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