In Rajasthan, one of the north-western states of India,
whoever has heard of the Kāmaḍ (or Kāmaḍiyā) would
define them as wandering minstrels or jugglers,
singing hymns in praise of Bābā Rāmdeo, a famous
saint from Mārwāṛ, whose footprints they worship.
Most people could not say much more about this
community of religious singers who, since
Independence, have been listed among the “scheduled
castes”. In any case, everybody seems to be aware of
their connection with Rāmdeo, a famous folk deity,
also popular in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, now
venerated by devotees of all castes and creeds, but
mostly by Hindus, as an avatār of
Vishnu-Krishna.