The Romani Hindu Faith/Dharma, Culture & History

The origin of the name Roma, Domari & Loma In a part of South Asia historically known as Bharat (nowadays India, Pakistan, Nepal & Bangladesh) exists a group of people called the Domba or Dom (which is either ethnic group or caste umbrella of various jatis within Śudra varna ), in Sanskrit known as  ḍoma  (pronounced as Roma, with retroflexed R , which in some Romani dialects survives till present). The Domba/Dom are mostly nomadic group , but exists settled down communities, most of them are of Śudra varna and very few of them are Dalits. The Dom are among other things musicians, blacksmiths, snake-leaders and acrobats. Which corresponds with traditional Romani jobs. Its presumed root,  ḍom , which is connected with drumming , is linked to  damara  and  d amaru , Sanskrit terms for "drum" and the Sanskrit verbal root डम्  ḍam-  'to sound (as a drum)', perhaps a loan from  D ravidian , e.g. Kannada   ḍamāra  'a pair ...

Among the Roma People you may often hear that some Roma are degeša. What it means? Word "degeš" is original Aryan word, to call someone who got ritually "tainted". Basically, as a degeš is seen someone who does something ritually unclean. Be it work, cooking style, behaviour or eating ritually unclean things. Work As you may know, among the Roma existed various castes which originate in India. For example the musicians, blacksmiths (the blacksmiths worked same as in India, sitting), adobe throwers, sieve-makers, bear-leaders, acrobats, buy-sell traders and before coming to Europe snake-leaders. (Those are few I named) Ritually upper castes were these which worked "with head" than with hands, and if hands depended what work they did. For example the traders and musicians are ritually highest castes, while adobe-throwers one of lowest. Blacksmiths are intermediate. There were ritually totally unclean jobs, which included work as farmers, as digging in the gr...