Mysore/Mysuru: Banjara Guru Peetha Seer Sardar Sevalal Swamiji said that Banjara community has its own culture and traditions and everyone should follow Sant Sevalal’s message on leading a life of service and purpose.

He was speaking at Sant Sevalal Jayanti programme organised  jointly by the District Administration and Kannada and Culture Department at Kalamandira on Hunsur Road here on Sunday.

Maintaining that Banjara Samaj has its own culture and  ‘Guru Parampare,’ Sardar Sevalal Swamiji said that the richness of the community can be best understood by witnessing ‘Budakattu Samskruti Utsava.’ The community has unique practices and traditions which cannot be found in other communities, he pointed out.

Stating that it is interesting to note that 145 youths of a Tanda of Banjara community members are serving in the Indian Army, he said that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who had promised Rs.10 crore for the community mutt during his recent visit to the Mutt, has released Rs. 5 crore. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Banjara Tandas and distributed Title Deeds, which has delighted the community members, he said adding that the Government should release more funds for their welfare.

Banjara Sangha District President M. Sundar, in his address, said that Sant Sevalal,  who lived in the  17th century, advocated a life of hard work. Contending that Banjaras settled down in Tandas  in and around forests, he said that the Government has finally woken up and distributed Title Deeds to Tanda dwellers after notifying Tandas as Revenue Villages. However, some of the Tandas in the Southern parts of the State have been kept out of the notification and subsequently  Revenue Minister R. Ashoka has assured of looking into the issue. The community is thankful to the Union Government for having established Banjara Bhasha Academy, he said adding that the community members should participate more in organisational programmes and activities.

Community leader Guru Bharadwaj, who was the chief guest, too spoke.

Kannada activist Thayur Vittalamurthy, KSOU faculty Dr. R. Santosh Nayak and L. Chandranayak, Kannada and Culture Department Joint Director V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Muniraju, Udayakumar and others were present.