International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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The Dewar Community of Chhattisgarh: A Study of Their History, Folklore, Denotified Nomadic Status, and Socio-Economic Conditions

Author(s) Dr. Archana Baudh
Country India
Abstract Abstract - The Dewar community is a traditional nomadic folk-singing group of Chhattisgarh, known by various names in different regions, such as Basdev, Dewar Gond, and Haribolwa. For centuries, this community has served as a cultural custodian, preserving and transmitting folk narratives, the epics of Rama and Sita, Bharthari tales, Pandavani traditions, and other forms of oral heritage. During the colonial period, the community was classified as a “criminal tribe” under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, which imposed a deep social stigma on its identity and way of life. Although the community was denotified in 1952, the implementation of the Habitual Offenders Act and prevailing administrative attitudes continued to deprive them of full citizenship rights, dignity, and social acceptance. This research article examines the history, folklore, cultural traditions, socio-economic conditions, denotified nomadic identity, and contemporary challenges of the Dewar community. The study reveals that the community continues to face persistent issues such as landlessness, illiteracy, police harassment, cultural marginalization, and exclusion from government welfare schemes. The findings highlight the ongoing vulnerability of the Dewar people despite legal reforms and policy interventions. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for constitutional recognition of Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), a separate census enumeration, preservation of their cultural heritage, recognition of land rights, and the formulation of targeted policies in education and healthcare to ensure their social inclusion and equitable development.
Keywords Keywords: Dewar, Denotified Tribe, DNT, Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, Habitual Offenders Act, Chhattisgarh, Folk Singers, Nomadic Community.
Field Arts
Published In Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On 2026-06-06
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i03.80561
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CrossRef DOI prefix of IJFMR is 10.36948/ijfmr

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