LANGOTI

A Loin Cloth Wrapped on Bhil Waist

Langoti is one of the cheapest and poorest ways of dressing in a disgraceful manner on the bodies of the Bhils and other parts of tribal India. Today no Bhil would like to dress with Langoti a rag of piece of possibly white cloth on Bhil bodies. Formerly some 30 years back Langoti was popularly seen in the Bhilanchal, but today it has vanished from the sight in Bhilanchal except in rare cases. Langoti was a sign of Bhil culture, deprivation, oppression, exploitation, freedom, etc. Whatever may be the social and cultural value of Langoti, but today no one would dare to dress in Langoti.

Mahipal Bhuriya has a beautiful poem expressing the Bhil economy and developmental acheivements of Indian Government. Its title itself is LANGOTI translated from original Bhili to Hindi, English and German.

In the 4th, 5th decades and early 6th decades of the last century, Mama Baleshwar Dayal started a big and socially popular movement in Bhilanchal to appeal the Bhils to abandon Langoti. Those who wore Langoti in Bhilanchal, the rulers, Ranjputs, and other members of high caste peoples disliked and disrespected the Bhils. Hence the Bhils were called unequivocally 'Langotias' terms of references like this are prohibited by law, by Government. A good thing the Government has done in rare cases.

Mama Baleshwar Dayal prompted by love and concern for the Bhils, more than the Government started a drive to abandon Langoti. He went in the weekly Bhil markets in Bamania, Thandla, Jhabua, Banswara, Petlawad and other places making the Bhils to abandon Langoti and put on long or short dhoti as a sign of respect. Similar appeals he made in the Bhil areas in Gujarat, Maharashtra and other parts of Rajasthan, the thickly populated regions of Bhilanchal. The author’s relatives too were the part of this drive either to abandon Langoti or to help others in abandoning it.

Mama had first seen the Bhils wearing Langoti in the village of Chandrashekhar Azad called Bhabhra (Dist. Jhabua). He was pained to see the Langoti of the Bhils as the sign of disrespect and of economic development. A news paper published from Petlawad(Dist. Jhabua) called Langoti Swar is still preaching the messages of Mama.

Today Langoti has disappeared, but the symbol of Langoti has not vanished, still visible among the Bhils, and if Mama Baleshwar Dayal revisits Bhalanchal today, he shall be much more disappointed to see much worse situation prevailing and developing in Bhilanchal.

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