New cultural hub for Banjaras in Hyderabad

Banjara Bhavan, which is planned to serve as cultural hub for the community, will soon be inaugurated

Hyderabad: Their colourful attires embellished with tiny pieces of mirrors, heavy metal jewellery and an armful of ivory bangles give the Banjaras their unique identity. Best known for their migration from one place to another in search of trade, the community has been a vital supply chain for villages historically. While this nomadic tribe was neglected for years, it is now all set to get a dedicated spot right in the city for conducting business, hosting exhibitions and cultural events, and organising functions.

Called Banjara Bhavan, the hall is spread over one-and-a-half acre land, and is located in Banjara Hills. Decorated with beautiful and colourful painting to resonate the spirit of the Banjara community, the bhavan will soon be inaugurated by the State government. The community members will be able to book the place free of cost.

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To serve as a cultural hub for the community, Banjara Bhavan is equipped with three large rooms which can be used as shops by the community. “The areas are designated to be used as shops or exhibition venues for the community members, where they can display everything from attires, to jewellery and artwork of the tribe, We also have a big space designated to be the museum, housing various historical and cultural artefacts of the Banjara community,” informs Totham Praveen, the site engineer for the project.

A huge function hall with a centre stage is also built inside the building, which can be used for various purposes. Equipped to accommodate about 1,000-1,500 people at a time, the venue will be suitable to host a cultural event or marriage. The hall also has a balcony area, which will soon be fitted with 100 comfortable seats.

For the benefit of people, the officials have also ensured a spacious and well-lit kitchen and dining area at the basement of the building, which can also take in about 800 to 1,000 people at a time. While the work is still in progress in this area, the site engineer informs that the kitchen will also have a sizable storage room.

The bhavan also has several meeting areas where members will be able to host business meetings. There are separate meeting areas for the VIP visitors. Apart from this, there are three smaller office spaces that can be used to host any meeting.

While most areas in the building are ready, a few minor things are yet to be done. “We are working towards finishing all the work in the next two to three months,” informs Praveen.

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