The present book is a laudable attempt to study the folk literature and folk arts of the Banjara-Lambanis, one of the original tribes of 'real' India. Dr. Naik explores the so far unknown facets of Lambani folk literature and arts comprehensively folk songs, narrative songs, folk tales, proverbs, dance, Rangoli, embroidery, tattooing and folk dramas. In this book he establishes "a realm of study in which one could spend a lifetime with pleasure", mapping the whole world of Banjara-Lambanis oral tradition. So this book is highly useful to the academics and interesting to the laymen.

About the Author

Dhanasing Naik (b. 1956) who hails from a low middle class Banjara Lambani peasant family in Gulbarga District of Karnataka is a multi-faceted personality- a scholar, a poet, a director, an actor and folklorist par excellence.

He having a gold medal in B.A. and First Class in M.A. from Karnataka University, Dharwad and a Ph.D. from Gulbarga University in 1990, published twenty research papers and delivered ten lectures of which two at International Folk Art Museum at Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. He has published ten books on Folklore, Mass communication, Kannada literature and other subjects. He wrote a drama entitled "Giri Kogilegalu" and directed it. Being a member of several state level and national literary and cultural organizations, he is deeply interested in the scientific study of the folk songs, tales and folk dramas of tribal community in general and of Banjara-Lambani Community in particular.

At present he is a Reader in the Institute of Kannada Studies, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga. The book on the Tribal Community of Banjara Lambanis is an excellent work to be read and enjoyed not only by the academics but also by the public.