Savara tribal community

Why in News? The Savara tribal community, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the Eastern Ghats, has embraced a unique religious and cultural movement called Akshara Brahma, which worships their language and script as divine.

About Akshara Brahma:

1. • A religious order where the Savara community worships their language (Savara script) as a deity.
   • Developed in 1936 by Mangei Gomango with 24 characters representing their pantheon.
   • Promotes literacy, cultural preservation, and bans traditional animal sacrifices.

Adoption in Andhra Pradesh:

1. • Introduced in the 1990s and now followed by ~950 families in 80 villages across Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts.
   • Rituals include weekly temple gatherings for writing, reading, and singing in Savara.

Community Initiatives:

1. • Formation of the Akshara Brahma Youth Society (AYS) to promote language and cultural activities.
   • Volunteer-led language teaching sessions for children, including summer camps.

Social Impact:

1. • Shift from animal sacrifices to coconut offerings during festivals.
   • Improved literacy and reduced liquor consumption.

Cultural Preservation:

1. • Focus on reviving the traditional Thongseng folk dance.
   • Edisinge wall art, a hallmark of Savara culture, is nearing extinction due to modernization.

Support from External Institutions:

1. • Funding from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) for Akshara Brahma temples

About Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs):

PVTGs are a sub-category of Scheduled Tribes (STs) identified as the most vulnerable and marginalized. They face significant socio-economic challenges, including low literacy rates, declining populations, pre-agricultural levels of technology, and isolation from mainstream development.

Key Features of PVTGs:

Criteria for Identification:

1. • Primitive agricultural practices.
   • Extremely low literacy levels.
   • Declining or stagnant population.
   • Economic backwardness.
   • Relative isolation from mainstream society.

Government Support:

1. • Special focus under the Tribal Sub-Plan and various centrally sponsored schemes.
   • Dedicated interventions for education, healthcare, housing, and livelihood.
   • Implementation of Development of PVTGs under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Number and Distribution:

1. • 75 PVTGs have been identified across 18 States and Union Territories in India.
   • Examples include the Great Andamanese (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Birhor (Jharkhand), Chenchu (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana), and Savaras (Andhra Pradesh and Odisha).

Challenges Faced by PVTGs:

1. • Loss of traditional livelihood due to deforestation and development projects.
   • Poor access to healthcare, education, and basic amenities.
   • Language extinction and cultural erosion.

 Examples of PVTGs:

Chenchu (Andhra Pradesh & Telangana):

1. • Traditionally hunter-gatherers, now transitioning to agriculture and forest produce collection.
   • Inhabit the Nallamala Hills and depend on forest resources for survival.

Savaras (Andhra Pradesh & Odisha):

1. • Renowned for their Thongseng dance and Edisinge art.
   • Initiated Akshara Brahma, a movement to preserve their language and culture.

Jarawas (Andaman & Nicobar Islands):

1. • Hunter-gatherers who inhabit the forests of the Andaman Islands.
   • Face threats from tourism, habitat loss, and diseases introduced by outsiders.

Birhor (Jharkhand):

1. • Nomadic group known for rope-making from forest produce.
   • Struggle with displacement and poor access to basic services.