About Vimukt Foundation
Vimukt Foundation, came into being in 2019. It is a Section 8 Company.
Our
Vision
The inclusion of Nomadic,
De-Notified and Other Marginalized Communities in mainstream society anchored towards Socio-Economic and ecological stability and enable the people to lead a dignified life.
Our
Mission
To ensure and enable holistic development of the people belonging to the Nomadic, De-Notified Tribes and other marginalized section of the society addressing the interdependence and coevolution of Human Economies and Biodiversity.
The Nomads of Gujarat
VF works with the Peripatetic nomads of Gujarat. They are the Saraniya, Gadaliya, Luhariya, Vadi, Madari, Nat, Vanjara, Bajaniya, Devipujak and many more. The peripatetic nomads have never been part of any village or contained societies. The nature of their work required them to be on constant move. They were the traders, entertainers, artists, fortune tellers, essential service providers and much more. Until some 50-60 years back they were an essential part of our existence as their presence ensured that the society functioned like a well-oiled machine. However, the advent of an industrial society rendered the dexterous and skilled livelihoods of these communities futile and has led to a gradual obsolescence. Since these communities were never a part of any settled society and now that their skills were no longer required, they began vanishing from the memory of the civil society, law makers and planners. The nomads stay in make-shift settlements away from a revenue villages or hamlet or town as a result their names were never a part of any census study nor was their existence ever accounted for!!
The term Nomad derives from a French word Nomdae meaning people without fixed habitation. Nomads are known as a group of communities who travel from place to place for their livelihood. The nomadic communities in India can be broadly divided into three groups hunter gatherers, pastoralists and the peripatetic or non-food producing groups. Among these, peripatetic nomads are the most neglected and discriminated social group in India. They have lost their livelihood niche because of drastic changes in transport, industries, production, entertainment and distribution systems.
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CSR
Decoding the De-Notified tribes (DNTs)
In the past, some of the Nomadic Tribes were also part of the royal armies. They were the brave soldiers from the impermanent armies of the kings who matched their steps with the state army. They fought battles with equal gallantry and readiness to be martyrs. The warriors from these impermanent armies were not paid any remuneration. Instead they were given unrestricted rights to loot the neighbouring states as much as they wished. With the advent of the British the rights of the kingdoms diminished and such tribes became jobless. But, their image remained intact. The British saw them as habitual offenders and communities that needed to be closely monitored and regulated. Thus, under the Criminal Tribes Act (Act XXVII of 1871) they made it mandatory for all including the elderly and women from such communities to attend a roll call (notify) twice a day, every day at the local police station. If, in case they travelled they had to inform the police station at their destination. The Act armed the police with wide ranging powers. It was not until 1952, when the Act was repealed that these communities were liberated from such a Criminal Tribes Act. They no longer need to notify the police and thus began to be known as De-notified tribes.
The communities were liberated from the government’s punishment but the social punishment of neglect has, till date, remained intact. In Gujarat, 12 communities including Vaghari (Devi Pujak), Dafer, Sandhi, Miyanaa, Vagher, Dheba, Mey, Chara, Chuvaliya Koli (of Kutchh’s Rapar block) Bafra, Hingora are listed as De-Notified tribes.