Thakar is a scheduled tribe of India. They are adivasi tribe mainly living in forest areas of Maharashtra[1][2]
They are also called by other names like Thakur, Thakar, Ka Thakar, Ma Thakur. It comes under ST Category. It consists of 44 subcategories.[1]
The Thakars are living primarily in the hilly areas of Karjat Khalapur, Panvel, Sudhagad and Pen talukas of Raigad district in the western Indian state of Maharashtra in India. They are also found in Dhule. According to the 1941 Census, the population of these indigenous people was 22,182 in the district.[3] As per 2001 census, the population of the Thakurs in Maharashtra was 487,696 and the literacy rate was 50.9%.[4]
They have rich traditions of folk dance, songs and unique culture of their own. They celebrate Diwali in a different way. On this occasion, they light lamps made from a fruit called chibra, which are placed on a stand made of cow-dung. At home, the celebrations are in form of a breakfast of boiled corn, sweet potato and chauli. The grain stored in wicker basket called kangas is worshiped during Diwali. This time of year they do frenetic dance to the beats of dhols, crooning Amhi thakar thakar thakar ranachya ga pakhra.... ( We are Thakars, Thakars.. the butterflies of the woods )
The famous Marathi film Jait Re Jait was made on Thakar tribe.
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