They turned their bodies into temples: The Ramnamis of Chhattisgarh and their living connection with Lord Ram

Temples in those days were inaccessible to all. Some temples built by the people of a certain community would limit access for others. Sant Parsuram saw the pain of the people who were denied worshipping, and hence, he decided to make a community that would worship Ram in their own body. The members of this community came to be known as Ramnamis. He was the first person to tattoo the name of Ram on his forehead. The Ramnamis tattoo "Ram" all across their bodies—on their faces, heads, hands, and feet—using traditional ink and wear shawls and headgear made from peacock feathers with the name of Lord Ram printed on them. Ram-Ram is their mantra, and they avoid alcohol and tobacco completely. The daily lives of the people is simple and spiritually inclined. But their Ram is not the same as the Ram of the Ramayana. For them, Ram is an embodiment of faith. He is Nirgun, or formless. According to them, he is omnipresent and accessible to everyone regardless of caste. They often use the double repetition "Ram-Ram" to distinguish their concept of the divine from the historical figure of the Ramayana. Mostly concentrated in Chattisgarh, the Ramnamis are agriculturalists, and they live on both sides of the Mahanadi. The life is simple and dedicated to devotion and prayer. Once they return home from work, they welcome visitors and frequently engage in chanting bhajanas and kirtans. They strictly abstain from tobacco and alcohol.Over the years while the Ramnami community has spread its wings across the globe, its population has also shrunk drastically as the younger generations are now opting out of full-body tattooing due to social pressures, the pursuit of higher education, and fears of professional discrimination. Despite these changes, many youth continue to uphold the community's core values of equality and daily devotion. "Now only two people of the community have their whole body tattooed, and there are 20-30 whose face and other body parts are tattooed. With the rise of urbanisation and education, there indeed is a decline in full-body tattoo but the basic principles of equality for all, abstaining from vices, and daily ‘Ram’ chants are being followed even by the younger generations," says Kunj Bihar, Ramnami Samudaya Sanchalak. The community's population has significantly dwindled from a peak of nearly six lakh (600,000) to estimates ranging between 20,000 and 100,000 today. Annual fair and unique templeAccording to Kunj Bihari, "Ram for us is made of 5 tatvas—agni, vayu, shakti, jal, and akash—and we believe him as an abstract form. One of our most important events is our 3-day festival called Bhajan Mela. It happens in the month of Paush, at the end of the harvest season in December–January. During the festival we make our temple called Jayostambh. It does not have any image or idol but is a white pillar with the name of Ram inscribed on it. One important highlight of the festival is the chants from the Ramcharitmanas" Though the Ramnami community may have declined in numbers, their existence continues to stand as a powerful reminder that faith is not confined to rigid norms or prescribed practices. Instead, it is rooted in deeply held beliefs—ones that can take on many shapes and forms, evolving yet enduring across time.