To popularise the Rangani caste and its dignity, establish unity and strengthen relationship and, above all, to chalk out a strategy for welfare of the people of the caste, a Mahasabha (big convention) would be organised by the Nikhila Utkal Shakahari Samaj here on January 15, said the organisation’s president Kishore Chandra Sahoo at a Press meet here on Wednesday.

About 8,000 people from across the State would attend the Mahasabha, he said.

The most significant thing about the Rangani caste is that its people are purely vegetarians, simple and sober in behaviour. Rangani is a weaver caste like the Mehers of western Odisha and Saraka, Hansi and Dera in southern Odisha. They constitute 20 per cent of the weaver population in the State and are found in Ganjam , Khordha, Nayagarh, Puri, Cuttack, Jajpur and Sambalpur districts, said Sahoo.

Nikhila Utkal Shakahari Samaj general secretary Harihara Behera said there is no concrete historical proof of origin of the caste, but the social activities of the Ranganis in Athagarh and Banki sub-divisions indicate that they were part of Buddhism or Jainism. The presence of one Rangani Matha in Puri, the service of Ranganis at the Sakhigopal temple and Sankirtan groups in the Rangani indicate that they are the followers of Srichaitanya and lord Jagannath, said Behera. 

If the Government does not think seriously for protection and preservation of this age-old weaving tradition of the State, the Rangani weavers would lose their identity in near future, said acting president Jambeswar Prusty.

Among others, advisor Kunja Bihari Prusty and president of Bhubaneswar zone Shyamsundar Sahoo were present.