The birth anniversary of Sant Sevalal Maharaj, the spiritual and religious leader of Banjara community, would be held for a year - taking his message across the country.
Sevalal Maharaj (February 15, 1739–January 4, 1773) is revered by around 10 to 12 crore people belonging to the community.
The yearlong commemoration by the Ministry of Culture is under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Sevalal Maharaj was born in Surgondankoppa in the Shivamogga district of Karnataka.
He travelled across the country to serve, especially the forest dwellers and nomadic tribes.
Due to his extraordinary knowledge, excellent skills and spiritual background in ayurveda and naturopathy, he was able to dispel and eradicate myths and superstitions prevalent in the tribal communities and brought about reforms in their way of life.
Among such communities, the Banjara community settled across the country with different names, have permanently abandoned their nomadic lifestyle and shifted to settlements called 'Tandas'.
In states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, Sant Sevalal Maharaj is a revered symbol of every Banjara family and in all these states the birth anniversary of Sant Sevalal Maharaj is celebrated with great fanfare in February.
The Samadhi Sthal of Sant Sevalal is situated in Manora taluk of Washim District of Maharashtra at Pohradevi, which is also known as Banjara Kashi.
On Monday, at a two-day event organised as a part of the 284th Jayanti celebrations being held at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah would be present along with Minister of State for Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi.
Maharashtra Minister for Food and Drug Administration Sanjay Rathod, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, senior BJP leader and ex-MLA Delhi, Dr Umesh Jadhav, Lok Sabha MP from Kalaburagi and Shankar Pawar, National President, All India Banjara Seva Sangh will be present.
For the past 3 years, Sant Sevalal Maharaj Charitable Trust, New Delhi, whose president Dr Jadav is the only MP of the Banjara community, from Kalaburagi Constituency in Karnataka, has been celebrating the Jayanti in Delhi, where thousands of people from Banjara community hailing from across the country take part.
Like every year, this year also Banjaras from all over the country are gathering in Delhi to celebrate this birth anniversary.
A special train conducted service from Karnataka, in which more than 2,500 people of the Banjara community of Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have reached Delhi.