ABSTRACT
The Lambadas are a nomadic tribe, one among the scheduled tribes of India. The versatile and colourful Lambadas are the most populous and widely dispersed tribes in Andhra Pradesh. They had adopted the nomadic way of life and originated as a caravan trading community in South India. The Lambadas have a rich tradition of oral literature which has been preserved in their community from time immemorial. The oral songs and tales of the Lambadas are the distinct ways of knowing their culture. The main religious festivals of the Lambadas are Seetala and Teej. The Teej festival known as the 'fertility festival' is an important ceremony of the Lambadas. The Lambada women, whose colourful dresses are embroidered with small mirrors, dance ceremonial dances. The Lambada young maidens sing a song praising the beauty of the tender wheat saplings grown in the Teej baskets. The indigenous songs, dances and rituals express the community's way of life in the physical and spiritual environment.
