Bhatraju

Bhatraju is an Indian caste of Telugu-speaking ballad reciters, panegyrists, and religious musicians.[1][2][3] They are primarily found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and also in smaller numbers in the neighbouring states. They are also known as Bhatturaju or Bhataraju or Bhatrajulu or Jathikirthulu.[4] The Bhatrajus were originally a caste of court bards, eulogists, and reciters of family genealogy and tradition.[5] After the fall of indigenous kingdoms, they switched to singing religious songs[6] and praises of richer communities and their traditions in wedding or death ceremonies. They use Raju as their caste title.[3]

Bhatrajus are classified under the Other Backward Classes in most states of Southern India.[7][8][9]

History

Bhatraju population is concentrated in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh to where they were posited to have migrated from Northern Circars. They were originally attached to the courts of the Hindu princes as bards or professional troubadours, reciting ballads in poetry in glorification of the wondrous deeds of local princes and heroes. They were described as, "having a wonderful faculty in speaking improvisatore, on any subject proposed to them. But their profession is that of chanting the exploits of former days in front of the troops while marshalling them for battle, and inciting them to emulate the glory of their ancestors."[3]

In Madras Census Report, 1871, they were described as, "a wandering class, gaining a living by attaching themselves to the establishments of great men, or in chanting the folklore of the people." Madras Census Report, 1891, describes them as, "being a class of professional bards, spread all over the Telugu districts. They are well versed in folklore, and in the family histories and legends of the ancient Rājahs. Under the old Hindu Rājahs the Bhatrāzus were employed as bards, eulogists, and reciters of family genealogy and tradition. Most of them are now cultivators, and only a few are ballad-reciters."[3]

Notable people
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References
  1. Rajpramukh, K. E. (2013-08-13). Satellite Castes and Dependent Relations: Dalits in South India. Partridge Publishing. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-4828-1057-8.
  2. Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society. The Society. 1977. p. 134.
  3. Spurr, Michael James. "Sathya Sai Baba as Avatar: "His Story" and the History of an Idea" (PDF). University of Canterbury.
  4. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1992). People of India: Andhra Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. p. 339. ISBN 978-81-7671-006-0.
  5. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1992). People of India: Andhra Pradesh (3 pts.). Anthropological Survey of India. pp. xlii. ISBN 978-81-7671-006-0.
  6. Singleton, Mark; Goldberg, Ellen (2013-11-27). Gurus of Modern Yoga. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-937495-3.
  7. Central List of OBCs for the state of Andhra Pradesh, p. 4 (64 - Bhataraju)
  8. Department of Backward Classes Archived 2012-02-13 at the Wayback Machine, #8 - Bhatraju
  9. Central List of OBCs for the state of Tamil Nadu, p. 1 (12 - Bhatraju)
  10. Rao, A. Srinivasa. "A phenomenon called Sathya Sai Baba". India Today. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  11. Srinivas, Tulasi (2010-06-10). Winged Faith: Rethinking Globalization and Religious Pluralism through the Sathya Sai Movement. Columbia University Press. p. 54. ISBN 978-0-231-52052-2.
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