About the Book

            Bastar is the place of culture mosaic for the presence of various ethnic / tribal groups with their diverse cultural attributes. Each tribal group is territorially demarcated in their habitation over the district and their sustenance patterns are roaming the habitation area. Bhatra or Bhattara—a Scheduled tribe of Chhattisgarh is confined in the north-eastern part, and adjacent to Odisha, of the undivided Bastar district.

                         Bastar has experienced a number of historical waves, which have  resulted  into diverse cultural mosaic  in this area. Under this backdrop Bhatra or Bhattara  who also wear sometime a sacred thread since the period of Raja who assigned them a distinct role during jogi bithai ritual of Dusehra festival, which is a symbol  of cultural syncretism at Bastar. Now-a-days Dusehra festival of Bastar is included in the ethno-tourism map of  Chhattishgarh. The present treatise on Bhatra or Bhattara of Bastar is an account of  ethnographic monograph with special emphasis on their  oral traditions and performing arts. The administrators, planners at local level and concerned NGO’s will get an insight view of the community under study which in due course enable them in refining their approach of execution of the plan programme for development considering their value and sentiments.