The Ethnology Of Beda Badaga Jangam Caste In Andhra Pradesh

Telangana Districts and their traditional occupation was GURUS
of MALAS. vide scrutiny of suggestions received during 1961 cen-
sus for recognition of synonyms/ generic/ local names etc. of
scheduled castes and scheduled tribes".
Beda Jangams are vibhutidharis to perform the funeral rites
in saivite mala and madiga caste people in Andhra Districts like
Mala Jangams in Telangana Districts. Beda Jangams are gener-
ally called "Jangam or Jangalu" in Andhra districts. Jangam liter-
ally means "motion" and is applied to these priests, who are re-
garded as living symbols of GOD-SIVA. Elderly Beda Jangam
people always wear LINGAM, indication of LORD SIVA Sri
Allamaiah, aged 60 years in 1961, native of Palwancha village of
Nizamabad district narrated as to how this Mala Jangam castes
derived its name. According to him there was once a JANGAM in
a village, who used to officiate all over the ceremonies connected
with all the castes in that particular village. One day a vaisya who
wanted to invite the Jangam in connection with some ceremony
went in search of him and found the Jangam taking food in a
Mala house. The vaisya advised him not to take food in a mala
house to which the jangam retorted that he should take food in
every household in which he officiates as priest. The vaisya who
grew wild cursed the jangam that in future the latter would offici-
ate at the ceremonies connected with Malas only. From then on-
wards he began to officiate as a priest only in mala households
and thus the name of Mala Jangam is believed to have come into
existence. It is, however, strange that now-a-days these. Mala
Jangams do not take food in Mala households.
The Beda Jangams always should officiate at the death
ceremonies and ritual functions connected with Saivite Mala and