Sarvar

Sarvar
It is tribal group of Eastern region whose population is 15274 (1991 census) and sex ratio
is 1:1. The Savars are mainly distributed in the Midinapur and Bankura districts of West
Bengal. These people are generally found living amongst all other caste groups of Hindu
culture.
History behind their name
According to the Savars, they are descendants of Jara Savar, who killed Lord Krishna by
means of his poisonous telescopic spear in the Dwapara era (Mahabharat era). The
telescopic spear is still used by them. They also say that Savar was Angada, the son of
Bali, who was the king of the Vanaras in the Treta era (Ramayana era). In a family
quarrel between Bali and his younger brother Sugriva, Ramchandra assisted Sugriva to
have obtain Sugriva’s assistance for the rescue of his wife, Sita, who had been made
captive by Ravana at Lanka. Ramchandra killed Bali by means of an arrow from a
distance, incognito. The exonerated Ramchandra from his guilt at that time, but Angada
did not let him go without revenge. At last Ramchandra promised that Angada would kill
him (Ramchandra) in the next era, i.e. in Dwapara, incognito. Hence Angada was reborn
as Jara and Ramchandra as Sri Krishna in the Dwapara age to fulfil the promise of the
latter.
Attire
The male folk of the Sarvars have their Dhoti, shirts, napkins etc. purchased from the
market and the women have saris and blouses. Women generally tattoo their bodies and
use various kinds of ornaments like earrings, necklaces, hairpins, churis or silver bangles.
Marriage Ceremony
The whole caste community is an endogamous group. They observe certain restrictions
regarding the selection of mate. Generally close relatives like the descendants of father’s
brothers and mother’s brothers fall within the prohibited degree for the purpose of
marriage. But they can marry mother’s cousin brother’s daughters. Occasionally certain
artificial relations are avoided in a marriage.
Marriage is almost universal among the Sarvars. The marriageable age is on at the age of
adult. Monogamy is in practice though a second wife could be taken if the first one is
barren. Marriage by purchase or offering bride price is the common custom. This price is
variable according to the economic condition of the both sides. A few persons have
having no sons have their sons-in-law, who remain with and serve the respective fathersin-
law. They are called “Gharjamais”. In such cases the bridegrooms are not required to
make any payment for their brides. Instances of marriage with bride price are very
common.
A widower may marry for the second time, where the usual bride price is paid and the
ceremony is performed thoroughly. “Sanga” is common among the Sarvars. This is less
costly than the usual marriage. This ceremony is performed, when one’s wife dies or she
does not bear children or ever runs away. “Sanga” is performed either with a widow or a
divorced wife. In these cases the bridegroom has to pay some amount as royalty to the
bride’s village. Divorce is done without any ritual or even any formal information.
During the marriage ceremony one elder person of the community is asked to conduct the
ceremony. He ties the united hands of the bride and bridegroom together. Purohit
performs all these rituals. A recycle of the marriage is held, when the wife attains
puberty. A community bhoj is also given on this occasion.
Death Ceremony
Cremation was their earlier custom but they rarely practice it now. They bury the dead
bodies. The dead body taken to the burial ground (different from those of other caste
groups) on a bamboo bier. Generally seven or nine members constitute the funeral
procession. The chief mourner put a copper coin on the ground as the payment to the
mother earth for the land, which is required for this purpose. A pit is dug with a hoe and
the dead body is kept in it with the face downward, the head being placed northward. The
spirit of the dead is offered a small quantity of flattened rice (Nira), which is called Taras
by them. The chief mourner shaves his head. After the ceremonial bath, an offering to the
spirit of the dead is made in the tank, which is called “Ghatua Pindi”. On the eleventh day
one elderly man of the community is called in, who prepares holy water containing water
from the Ganga, milk, honey, tulsi leaf cow dung and bull dung. On that day a ceremonial
cooking is done in a new earthen vessel, which is called “pre handi” or spirit vessel. This
is thrown away on the next day. On the twelfth day a feast is given to the community.
They are regarded as Hindus and join all the worships and festivals of the local Hindus.
They pay respect to these deities of the Hindus. They are also the devotees of goddess
Manasa, who is the deity of the serpents. They use talismans and other such articles as
charm to counteract the evil acts of the spirits or even snake poison.
Economy
Almost all of them have no land of their own. In exceptional cases one or two persons
have a very small area of homestead land in which they produce at times some
vegetables. The womenfolk of all age groups live generally by begging, while the male
folk take to catching venomous snakes and earn their livelihood as snake charmers.
Women folk occasionally prepare mats out of the leaves of date palm trees.
The Sarvars of Midinapur have small huts for their accommodation. They have foursloped
huts with rectangular ground plan. A few huts are provided with mud built walls,
while the majority of these have walls made of branches of trees and bamboos. The mud
built houses are provided with small windows and doors made of wood , while the
thatched huts have no leaves for their doors at all. After harvesting, the Sarvars collect
straw bundles from the local peasantry and cover or repair their huts with these by their
own labor.
Several families have goats and fowls, whereas very few families have cows.
Now they are approaching the full way of life of Hindus, due to the process of
acculturation and sanskritization but they have acquired an urban life after leaving
nomadism. They have no separate festivals of their own. They are more or less a part and
parcel of the Hindu society and enjoy these in the same manner as the Hindus do.