He used to forget his surroundings once he started worship and meditation. He used to take bath in kalo-kundo, worship Sri Mariamma and then mount his white horse (Tholaram) and used to go to worship Sri Chennakesava (Lord Shiva) on the top of Chandrayana gutta (hill) nearby Ramji Naik’s thanda and grazed catties in Jhumri jhole (forest of palm trees) along with his friends.
Kalo-kundo ma angoli karana
Galema Kamaler mala ghalana
Mariamma na Pooja Kido Sevabhaya
Tholarame pera besana
Chandrayanagutta par pooja ki do
Chennekesava na
Sevabhaya also showed some signs of divine rowers at an early age. People from surrounding villages started coming for some remedies for simple ailments such as cough, cold, fever, cows becoming carren (not giving milk). It has been stated that many infertile women concieved by getting blessings from Sevabhaya.
As mentioned earlier banjaras are wellknown migrating or nomadic tribe of India, engaged in Transportation and supply of food grains (wheat, rice, pulses, salt and other essential commodities such as spices) on the backs of hundreds of bullocks and horses from ages. They stay in one place for a few days, do their trade in the surrounding areas and then move to a different area.
They select and settle at a suitable place where they have the facilities such as grazing fields, water flows such as river, streams or ponds for cattle and vast areas for the settlement of their families. They also supply the provisions and arms for the contending armies both in times of peace and war and during famines. It is stated that they were the main suppliers of provisions to the armies of Rajas and Maharajs (Y Rupla Naik and P.K. Khandoba).
Ramji Naik was the richest among the banjaras of his group of 360 families. He had 3755 cattles, hundres of horses and herd of sheep and goats. Their stay at Ramagundam was longer than usual. This long stay at one place may be that Bhima Naik’s children were very young and they were forced to stay longer in this place. By this time Bhima Naik had become the leader of his group. After 10-12 years stay at this place Bhima Naik and his group of 360 families moved towards Bellary, Chithradurga, Davangere and Shimoga.
It is stated that Khema (brother of Bhima Naik) has settled in Kumaranahalli thanda of Hadagali taluka of Bellary. Whether there are any of his ancestors in this area should be traced. Hema, another brother of Bhima Naik stayed back and moved towards Kadarpalli
(present Kadari) and settled in this place. (More about him to be known). continue…Part 5
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