Simplicity is their virtue
The Tamboli community of Pune believes in a life that's austere and committed to unity.
3 min read
The Tamboli community of Pune believes in a life that’s austere and committed to unity
The Tamboli community traces its roots to the Mughal era. Our ancestors came to India with the Mughals. They were the official paan walas of the Badshahas, says Haji Nazirbhai Etwale,the general secretary of the Tamboli community in Pune. Traditionally engaged in selling betel leaves,popularly known as paan,the community migrated to Maharashtra in the 1880s. Presently,there are around 800 families in Pune alone. The community speaks Marathi,Hindi and Urdu and is spread out in Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Simplicity in living and modesty are the community’s most fervent beliefs. We wish to show the world that life can be lived simply and in unity with the other communities, adds Nazirbhai. Their weddings too are austere affairs,with little pomp and show involved.
To better enforce this way of life,the Anjuman Etehad Tambolian Jamat was established in 1972. Community members gather once a year and fix marriage alliances amongst themselves. Inter-caste or inter-religion marriages are not allowed. On May 1 this year,33 marriages were solemnised at the Tamboli Masjid in Pune.
Ramzaan and Bakar Eid are the most important festivals and are celebrated with great fervour and gaiety. During Ramzan,a special programme called Eid Milan is organised,to which Hindus are sent exclusive invitations. It is a symbol of Hindu-Muslim bhaichara, affirms Haji Nazir Haji Bashir Tamboli,the head of the Maharashtrian Tamboli Community.
The community has also been active in social services. Last year,the Jamat distributed sewing machines to some widows living in the slum areas of the city. And the community is open-minded about educating both boys and girls. They believe that girls are pillars of the society and providing them education will benefit the society itself.
Lately,the traditional occupation of selling paans has almost faded away due to the market dominance of ghutkas and tobacco. Almost 85 per cent of the community had drifted off into other businesses. The rest are still engaged in the conventional business, says Haji Nazir Haji Bashir Tamboli. The younger generations have found their interests in business,films,travel agency work,engineering,and so on.
The community is slowly gaining economic assistance through government development programmes. Ironically though,they are also facing harassment from the same source. Because of belonging to the OBC group,proving the validity of identity poses a huge problem for the people, says Nazirbhai. To tackle this problem,the community council has decided to issue a ‘Parivar Patrika,’ with all the details of the members of the samaj. They are also coming up with a website which will be ready in the coming months. The website will feature a detailed list of the community members,making it easier for the people to come up with their membership proof, adds Nazirbhai Etwale.
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