Rabari - Religion

Religion

All Rabaris follow the Hindu religion. Rabari are worshippers of Mata Devi. Many of them serve as priests (Bhuva/Bhopa) in Mata Devi temples. Mata Devi, however is honoured in all her natural elements. Rabaris also worship 'Goga Maharaj', who is believed to be the incarnation of 'Gogaji Chauhan', a brave Rajput warrior, who laid down his life to save the cows of Rabaris. Rabari in the Saurashtra region (Gujarat) believe in Momai mataji. They have 8 main madh(temples) and 1 deri (temple). Every year on they celebrate a community function called punj. Rabari from all over the state, get together and worship the goddess. Rabaris in North-Gujarat annually performs 'Ramel', in which rituals are done for the whole night by Bhuvas (Priests), generally in Chaitra maas(in summer).

Important religious places of Rabari caste:-

• Vadwala Mandir, Dudhrej, near Surendranagar, (Gujarat).
• Vadwala Mandir, Dudhai, near Surendranagar, (Gujarat).
• Vadwala Mandir, Zak, near Dahegam, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
• Valinath Akhada, near Visnagar, (Gujarat).
• Pirana Satpanth Mandir, near Ahmedabad, (Gujarat).
• shakti ma, chehar ma, meladi ma, goga mahraj mandir, (MANIYARI) (CHANASMA) (Patan)
• Sikotar mata, Vankal mata, goga maharaj mandir, (Kimbuva) (Patan)
• Ravrai Ravechi Mataji Dham, near Rapar, (Gujarat).
• Goga Maharaj Mandir, Kasva, near Kadi & Unava near Gandhinagar, (Gujarat).
• Chamunda Mata, Chotila, near Sayla, (Gujarat).
• Dwarkadheesh Krishna, Dwarka, near Jamnagar, (Gujarat).
• Ramdev Pir, Ramdevra, Pokhran, Rajasthan.
• Khodiyarmata Temple, Bhavnagar, Gujarat.
• Chamunda Mata, Sundhaji, Rajasthan.
• Shakti Mataji, Chorvad, Gujarat.
• Momai Mataji, Satapar, near Jam Jodhpur, Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• Momai Mataji, Loej & Deri, near Mangrol, Gujarat.
• Momai Mataji, Balej, near Porbandar, Gujarat.
• Momai Mataji, Dari & Sidokar, near Veraval, Gujarat.
• Recently Mangrol & Divasa madh Mangrol, Gujarat.
• Gogamedi, which is 359 km from Jaipur, in Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.
• Vadwala Mandir, Tintoda, near Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
• Vadwala Mandir, Chaveli, near Chanasma, Patan, Guajarat.
• Pirana Mandir, Balisana, near Patan, Gujarat.
• Pabu ji maharaj mandir, bhirdana, fatehabad (haryana).
• Vagdod Mandir, near Sidhpur, Gujarat

• vadnath mandir,petli,near nadiad..di:kheda.....gujrat
• Shrre Shesh Sikotar Mandir,Kamboi,Near Mehsana.Gujrat. (The Kuldevi of Kalotra)
• shree goga maharaj mandir, Near railway station,Radhanpur (North Gujarat)
• Shree Sikotar Mata Mandir,Bhabhar,Banaskantha,Gujrat.
• shree butbhavani & Jodh Mataji Madir Ajimana Patan Gujarat...(Lodha pariwar)
• Shree Limboj Mataji, Delmal and Raisan, Gujarat..(Bhumbharia and Aal's KulDevi)
• sri maru devasi samaj ,chennai ,
• shree momai mataji mandir-pachakvada,ta-sidhpur,dist-patansamast kola parivar..by raju kanji kola

==Rabari culture==

Rabaris have a very rich cultural past and present. They are known for their "Rabari Bharat (Embroidery)",especially in Kutch. Embroidery is a vital, living, and evolving expression of the crafted textile tradition of the Rabaris. Rabari women diligently embroider on textiles as an expression of creativity, aesthetics and identity as far back as the tribe’s collective memory goes. Afternoons are time for embroidery in all Rabari villages, where women routinely embroider trousseaus, everyday apparel, dowry bags, bride's ghagro (skirt), kanchali (blouse) and ludi (veil), the groom's kediyan or shirt, children's cradle cloths as well as dowry bags and auspicious torans. Rabari embroidery is very vigorous, with many bold shapes. Designs are taken from mythology and from their desert surroundings. They use glass mirrors in various shapes: round, lozenge, rectangular, square, triangular, and beak shaped. The stitches are square chain interlaced with buttonholes for mirror work, single chain, knot, Romanian, blankets interlaced with herringbone, running, and double running. Another interesting aspect of Rabari women is their earrings which are the most abstract form of snake earrings. Women in Puskar, Rajasthan describe a mushroom as snake umbrella, because it comes out after the rains and snakes have the habit of hiding under its hood. The nagali earring are supposed to stand for the double shape of the mushroom.

Rabari clan, now living in Kutch passed the Puskar region on their migration from the north of Rajasthan and may have seen the local earrings there, or rather transferred their main designs to the village people.

The nagali earrings of the Kutchi Rabari with their spiral, spring like shape can be considered as the form most closely related to the snake. Their attire(clothes),which is different on regional basis, also shows their culture. We can see that in the Navratri festival days, urban people try to imitate their attire. The Rabari women are easily distinguished by their long, black headscarves, which fall loosely to the ground. They wear distinctive heavy brass earrings which hang low, stretching the earlobes. They tattoo magical symbols onto their necks, breasts and arms. Their jewelry is modest in comparison to other tribal women. They wear small gold nose rings and silver and gold chains around their neck on where protective amulets are hung. Few simple glass bracelets adorn their arms.

In contrast to woman, a Rabari man commonly appears in white dress, golden earrings and a big stick in his hand. They wear dhoti and on the top a short double breasted waist coat (all white) laced over the chest and tied, long sleeves which are gathered up and folded at the arms. The head is covered with a 'Paghadi'(Turban).

They also have mass collections of rare folk songs and stories. Rabari women even sing on their loved one's death occasion, which is their tradition.

One of the most common things in their culture is highlighted in their food habit; wherever they may belong, they consume lots of milk and milk products.