The Tribal Tales

3.10.2 Widow Marriage
Widow Remarriage is practised, and social stigma is attached to the widow
after marriage. If women become a widow, the first preference is given to
her husband’s younger brother to marry her. If the younger brother is not
interested then only, she can marry any other person according to her wish.
In such cases, a widow faces no objection in marrying any other person.
3.10.3 Divorce Pattern
Divorce among the Banjaras is recognized and is affected by tearing a piece
of straw in two before the caste Panchayat, which consists of Naik and other
elders’ is taken of separation. The causes of divorce are many, such as unfaithfulness
of partners, families’ quarrels and barrenness of the women etc.
While giving his verdict, Naik decides the defaulter.
3.11
Religious System
38
The Banjaras are god-fearing people. They are the devotees of the goddess
of Energy and Guru Raam Dev. They worship gods like Balaji, Jagadamba
Devi, Bhavani of Tuljapur, Renuka Mata of Mahur, Mahadev, Khandoba
and Hanuman, Bhagavan Ramdev pir. Sevalal or Sevabhaya is the most important
saint of the Banjaras. They also worship goddesses Mariyamma, Kariyamma,
Durgamma (Chamundi), Wagzaie (Huligyamma) and Sevabhaya,
Balaji. Besides these, they also worship Hindu gods like Shiva, Vishnu and
Krishna. In addition to these, they also worship Sat-Bhavani and other seven
satties who immolated themselves with their dead husbands on the funeral
pyre, such as Huna-Satti, Kesirani, Seeta Satti, etc. they also worship their
holy saints and ancestors. The Banjaras believe that Seetala, the eldest of the
alignment seven sisters 202 deities like Tulji, jalpa, Hingla, Masuri, Amba
and Daullamgar, who is believed to control endemic diseases, alone protects
their cattle.
They also practise the system of offering prey of goat, sheep and hen.
Meetu Bhukya, another saint was also born in the same caste. Ghors worship
him devotedly. He is offered both kinds of vegetarian and non-vegetarian
food items as promised by the devotee prior to his worship. The worship is
not done unless a person has benefited in some form or they pronounce his
name.
3.12
(Fig 3.12)
Women belonging to the
Banjara community.