Hunters and the Holy Man

The Bedagampana community, with its roots tracing back over 600 years, holds a significant historical and cultural legacy. Though originally from Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, today they inhabit regions across Male Mahadeshwara Hills, Kollegala, and Hanur Taluk of Karnataka and Erode district of Tamil Nadu due to migration. The tribe faces many challenges such as poverty, inequality, and marginalisation due to a lack of socio-cultural, educational, and economic infrastructures. The book tells the story of their rich oralities, lifestyle, indigenous knowledge systems, dietary, health, nutrition, and healing practices. Cultural assimilation is very important in the case of the Bedagampana tribe as they are often merged with other communities like ‘Veerashaiva’ and ‘Lingayat’ which are completely different communities, depriving them of Government benefits given to Scheduled Tribes. This book goes through various historical documents and oral chronicles to establish the cultural evolution of the Bedagampana tribe. Besides, the book is based on the central arguments that the Bedagampanas are primarily a hunting tribe, and all their history and lifestyle indicate to assert them as a separate tribal group and the ‘First and the only Vegetarian tribe of India’.

Professor Tejasvi Venkappa Kattimani is a renowned personality in the field of literature and higher education. He is currently serving as the First Vice-Chancellor of Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP). He was the former Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak (MP). He was a member of the New Education Policy, India (NEP- 2020). Prof. Kattimani is being nominated as a member of the National Steering Committee formed by the Ministry of Education for National Curriculum Framework development.

His contributions are very high in literary works, as a critic and translator. His Book Junglee Kulpati ki Katha (2023) has been translated into various languages like Hindi, English, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, Assamese etc. His other authored books include NEP 2020 – A Game Changer, Swatch Bharat – Ek Kadam Swatchata Ki Oar (Hindi, 2016), Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat (Hindi, 2016), and Make in India: Viksit Bharat Ki Oar Badhte Kadam (Hindi, 2016). As an educationist, tribal India is the focal point for him. He has been awarded ‘Karnataka Rajyotsava Award’, the second highest civilian award in Karnataka, India for his remarkable contribution towards higher education along with many other reputed awards.