Devanga is an Other Backward Caste OBC in India which traditionally follows the occupation of weaving and textile merchandise , mostly found in the Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana ,Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
As per the Caste purana ,the Caste is descended from Devala, an ancient Hindu sage. The Devanga Purana is a sacred text to the Devangas and they claim Brahmin status, wearing Jandhyam (Sacred thread).
Devanga is a Sanskrit word that means "Body of the God" and said to have weaved the finest clothes to Gods. Unfortunately during the course of time, especially during the British Raj weaving industry suffered a severe setback on account of stiff competition from cloth made on power looms both in Britain and in India. Even after independence successive Governments could not revive the handloom industry, as a result lives of Weavers became miserable. The Devangas also became quite poor both economically, educationally. Access to power has become a distant dream on account of their poverty though numerically they are a large number.
Inorder to ameliorate their living conditions and to improve their livelihoods , The Telangana Devanga Sankshema Sangam was established in 2019 and got registered vide Reg No under societies act. There are about 2 lakh population In Telangana state and very few people are in the weaving profession. Most of the people are doing petty businesses and in the service sector , very few people joined Govt services. Hence The society wants to take up welfare activities ,Skill development training, leading to their economic and political empowerment and dignified life.
What has your sangam done that you're proud of? Share a few highlights below. You can embed a video, document, or presentation to summarize the work.