The Ramnami community of Chhattisgarh is a Dalit religious group whose followers tattoo their bodies with the name of Ram. The Ramnami Samaj movement started in the 1890s in the villages of Chhattisgarh where Dalits were not allowed entry into Hindu temples. In peaceful protest, the Ramnanis wrapped themselves in the name of Nirgun (unmanifest) Ram from head to toe and made recital of Ramcharitmanas a part of their daily lives.
The images in this gallery give us a glimpse of the everyday life of the community.
