Nayak tribe

Nayak
It is the largest tribe in the western region, who are living in the Surat, Bharoch and
Rajapipala districts of Gujarat State with a huge population of 3,01,17,475 (1991 census).
Their sex ratio is 1:1.6.
Nayak are living in adjacent areas of Rajasthan using the name Naykada.
Uncha, Neecha and Cholivala are three categories of Nayak and many subdivisions of
these three are also in light.
It is a patriarchal society. They are of pro-australoid race and speak Gujarati language
(austric language family).
Birth Ceremony
Anachhe ritual is celebrated in the second month of the pregnancy. They worship Feni
Mata (Goddess of the family) and give a dinner to the community men. Pariya is
celebrated at the time of the birth and a bhoj (dinner) is organized is the honor of the
forefathers and as well as the community men. Pregnant woman is bound by many social
prohibitions (taboo) and lives in a separate hut.
Marriage Ceremony
Uncha Nayak man can marry with Neecha and Choliwala Nayak woman, but Neecha
man cannot marry with Uncha woman (as in the Hindu caste system). They are gotra
exogamous. Marriage is settled on the basis of Kharcha (bride wealth). Consent and
elopement marriages are in existence. The bride can deny marrying with an undesired
man. Second marriage is common. Vermilion is used as a sign of marriage. The marriage
ceremony starts with mangni ritual (demand of bride) and ends with chalai (departure of
the bride with the bridegroom) and a bhoj to the community men.
Death Ceremony
They burn the dead body and bury the unmarried men and women. They set fire to the
pyre at the leg (in the Hindu custom, this is done at the mouth). They beat drums and
dance in the procession for taking the dead body (irrespective of dead person’s age), to
the crematorium. On the eleventh day after the death, they make a statue of stone or wood
of the dead person and again burn it. It symbolic farewell to the soul of the dead person.
Daswa (a ritual on the tenth day after the death), they offer a dinner to the community
men.
Religion
They worship their traditional gods and goddesses once in a year (not as Hindus worship
every day). Their main gods are Baba Tundava (god of welfare) and Vmoriyo (god of
disease). Their main goddesses are Feni mata (goddesses of family), Merai mata (goddess
of death) and Dhanbai mata (goddesses of money).
They also worship Shiva (the main god of Hindus) and Parvati (wife of Shiva).
Holi (festival of colors) and Deepawali (festival of lights) are celebrated among them,
which have borrowed from Hindus.
Garba folk dance is very popular among them.
Economy
It is primarily a laborer group. Every sphere of their life is bound with physical labor.
They are economically very poor.
Education
They are very poor so education is not proper among them. Only 3.8% children are
taking primary education (1991 census). Five primary schools and one junior high school
are in their living areas.
Acculturation is very clear among them. They are familiar with all modern assets, which
is creating an awareness regarding education. Panchayati raj system has been established
and they are taking loans and have established vegetable and local necessity based shops.