#Ramnami Samaj

[dieletztepanzerhexe]

A member of the Ramnami sect in 2022, with tattoos and shawl.

The Rāmnāmī Samāj is a Hindu sect founded by Parasuram, in the 1890s, that worships the god Rama. Living mainly in Chhattisgarh, its adherents tattoo the word "Rama" (Sanskrit: राम) on their bodies and wear shawls with the word "Rama" printed on it and headgear made of peacock feathers.

[trust-me-i-just-get-weirder]

I don’t know why but today’s featured photo on Wikipedia is hitting different.

Description:

English: A smiling member of the Ramnami Samaj sect.

This picture tells the story of a rebel community from Chhattisgarh, India, called Ramnami Samaj. They were fighting against the odds imposed on them by the society. These people used to belong to the lower cast, therefore they were forbidden to enter temples and to practice their religion. Being dominated by the Brahminical attitude, they started a silent non-violent revolt by tattooing राम, the name of Lord Rama, on their whole body and writing it on their clothes.

[cobra-reborn]

A smiling member of the Ramnami Samaj sect.

This picture tells the story of a rebel community from Chhattisgarh, India, called Ramnami Samaj. They were fighting against the odds imposed on them by the society. These people used to belong to the lower cast, therefore they were forbidden to enter temples and to practice their religion. Being dominated by the Brahminical attitude, they started a silent non-violent revolt by tattooing राम, the name of Lord Rama, on their whole body and writing it on their clothes.

[astroramtulasiji]

Mystery of Ramnami Samaj - Chhatisgarh #reels #foryou #mystery #chhatisgarh #lordram #ramnami #ramnamisamaj

[folkfashion]

Ramnami Samaj man, India, by Dylan Goldby

[waheedawolf]

Please don't fucking make a (probably closed) practice adopted by a marginalised community all about your ship with two white men

Tattoo History: India

Portraits of tattooed Ramnamis in India.

“The Ramnamis are a religious sect founded by ‘low-caste Hindus, deemed ‘untouchables.’ They were denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells. 

“Tattooing was an act of defiance against caste-based discrimination for the Ramnamis. Writing’s the lord’s name on their bodies was both a rebellion and a message to higher-caste Indians that ‘God is everywhere — even here with me.'”

Source: Taylor, Alan. “Tattooing the Name of God on Your Body as an Act of Faith and Defiance.” TheAtlantic.com (Jan 12, 2016)

Photos © Fanil Pandya, Adnan Abidi where credited.

👇 via The Center For Tattoo History and Culture👇 @centerfortattoo

[apenitentialprayer]

If selectivity enables rasiks to attain their meditative goals, it is also, as Ramdas Lamb shows in his essay, key to the telling of the Rāmāyaṇa among Rāmnāmīs, a harijan (Untouchable) sect of the Chhattisgarh region in eastern Madhya Pradesh. Although Rāmnāmīs view the Mānas as their official text, they reject some sections and stress others, reducing the text of 24,000 stanzas to a corpus of some four to five hundred verses. In addition, through ritual chanting and debates, members of the sect continue to personalize their Rāmāyaṇa text, embellishing it with verses that usually then become part of the corpus. Lamb traces this process, showing how the Rāmnāmīs began by viewing the Mānas as inviolate but gradually came, self-consciously, to cull the text for material with their own beliefs. His research and that of Lutgendorf attest to another kind of fluidity within the Rāmāyaṇa tradition, showing how even a single, apparently fixed text can be refashioned and thus appropriated to diverse ends.

Paula Richman (Many Rāmāyaṇas: The Diversity of a Narrative Tradition in South Asia, pages 13-14)

[kingmabry]

*Meet the Greatest Devotees of Prabhu Shri Ram* - *THE RAMNAMI SAMAJ*

The RamnamiSamaj of Chhattisgarh is a Dalit religious group whose followers tattoo their bodies with the name of Ram. The Ramnami Samaj movement started in the 1890s in the villages of Chhattisgarh where Dalits were not allowed entry into Hindu temples. In peaceful protest, the Ramnamis wrapped themselves in the name of Nirgun (unmanifest) Ram from head to toe to demonstrate that God is omnipresent and accessible to everyone. It's more an act of defiance and pure devotion than anything else actually.

Unlike many of the tribal tattoos we find in Asia, the Ramnami do not discern the gender of the person being tattooed. A man or woman may tattoo as much or as little as they like. Many describe an overwhelming feeling of devotion that compelled them to have their tattoos and continue to cover their bodies in the name of their god. The design is also not fixed, so one is able to choose where, when, and in what pattern the tattoo should be completed. Tattooing begins at an early age among the Ramnamis: every child must have it at least once before turning two. Those with full-body tattoos are known as "Purnanakshik" and are mostly in their seventies. The designs of the tattoos, known as ‘Godna’ in the local language

Every family must own a copy of the Hindu epic, Ramayana, and chant Ram’s name every day. They also made recital of Ramcharitmanas a part of their daily lives. They are not supposed to drink or smoke, and must chant the name "Ram" daily. They also wear a shawl with the word "राम" printed on it and headgear made of 'Peacock' feathers. They are also taught to treat everyone with equality and respect. Most Ramnamis also have 'Ram Ram' written in black on both sides of the walls in their homes. They are known to promote a simple lifestyle, opposing orthodox customs and rituals. Ramnamis are a perfect example of how education truly depends on what we practice at home, rather than what educational books teach us. Pranam to these great people. 🙏

[cfor36garh]

When Something is Everything! People of Ramnami Samaj in Chhattisgarh have tattoos of Prabhu Ram Nam on their body & wear shawls with Ram Nam printed on it. The people of the Samaj never drink & smoke ,chant Ram Nam everyday. Those with full body tattoos are knwon as Purnanakshik. They read Ramcharitmanas. . . PC: Itishree . . #cfor36garh #ramnamisamaj #ramcharitmanas #book #ramnami #ramnamicommunity #ram #tattoo #society #rambhakt #ramtattoo #peacockfeathers #people #chhattisgarhdiaries #chhattisgarhtourism #instachhattisgarh #travelchhattisgarh #instatravel #dekhoapnadesh #tourism #chhattisgarh (at Chhattisgarh) https://www.instagram.com/p/CPNSVzeLkjY/?utm_medium=tumblr

[emmaklee]

members of Ramnami Samaj (an Indian religious & social movement) tattoo the name “Ram” in Sanskrit on their bodies

[wikimili]

==> https://t.co/HhQSAzQY9n #DidYouKnow that older adherents of the Hindu sect Ramnami Samaj have the word "Ram" tattooed over their entire bodies #KNOWLEDGE #DYK

[acropolismediainc]

हमारे देश में तो एक समुदाय ऐसा है जो रियल लाइफ गजनी फिल्म के आमिर खान जैसा है। इन लोगों को देखकर तो ऐसा लगता है कि, गजनी के डायरेक्टर भी इन्हीं से इंस्पायर हो गए होंगे और फिल्म में आमिर खान के पूरे बदन पर गोदना यानी टैटू गुदवा दिए होंगे। वैसे क्या आप जानते हैं कि, हमारे देश में रहने वाला यह कौन सा ऐसा समुदाय है और ये लोग देश के किस कोने में रहते हैं? नहीं जानते तो हम आपको इनके बारे में बताने जा रहे हैं।

[bikelover1984]

"I photographed this old man with tattoos of loard Ram on his face in chhattishgarh tribal areas!!Ramnami sect followers in Chhattisgarh state of central India have tattoo in the name of Lord Ram. Only few members of this community are alive today who have tattoo all over their body including face and tongue​!!The Ramnami Samaj is a religious movement founded by Scheduled Caste Ram devotees (bhaktas) in the late 19th century in what is now central and northern Chhattisgarh. Denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells, these low-caste Hindus in the Chhattisgarh first tattooed their bodies and faces more than 100 years ago as an act of defiance and devotion." Image captured by @saiymsarjal and found using #streetleaks via ✨ @padgram ✨(http://dl.padgram.com) https://www.instagram.com/p/BXgnlSKhcV6/

[indiaphotoproject]

Photo by @saiyamsarjal ・・・ Ramnami :- I photographed this old man with tattoos of loard Ram on his face in chhattishgarh tribal areas!!Ramnami sect followers in Chhattisgarh state of central India have tattoo in the name of Lord Ram. Only few members of this community are alive today who have tattoo all over their body including face and tongue​!!The Ramnami Samaj is a religious movement founded by Scheduled Caste Ram devotees (bhaktas) in the late 19th century in what is now central and northern Chhattisgarh. Denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells, these low-caste Hindus in the Chhattisgarh first tattooed their bodies and faces more than 100 years ago as an act of defiance and devotion. #Portrait_Perfection #Excellent_Portraits #portrait_life #portraitmood #streetphotographyindia #ic_humans #people_tr #humanity_shots_#YourShotPhotographer #photographers_of_india #people_infinity_ #pocket_people #kdpeoplegallery #igw_people #_coi #desi_diaries #great_captures_people #thehub_portraits #india_gram #Majestic_People #MyPixelDiary #i_hobbygraphy #show_us_portraits #portraitmood #ig4portrait #theportraitpage #loves_portrait trait #portrait_dev#_instaindia_ #Indiaphotoproject