Journey of The Roma Through Time And Space

The book 'Journey of the Roma through Time and Space' marks one thousand years of exodus of Roma, the forgotten children of India, and focuses on the historical, linguistic and cultural connection of Roma with their homeland, India. The Roma or Romani people (representing the largest ethnic minority of Europe) are traditionally nomadic itinerants who were widely known by the appellation 'Gypsies' until the First World Romani Congress, held at the suburb of south-east London in April 1971, when the name "Roma" was officially adopted as the sole preferred ethnonym for the Roma-Gypsy groups. The immensely significant outcome of the First Congress was the unanimous consent to adopt the Roma flag embossed with the red chakra containing 16 spokes (known as the Dharma Chakra in recognition of its Indian origin) that was reaffirmed as the official emblem of the Roma people. Despite the long passage of time and their perennial journey to different parts of the world, Roma have managed to maintain a distinct identity by preserving certain aspects of their culture, traditions and language. The book manifests a vivid image of political, economic and socio-cultural situations and ethnic identity of Roma communities. Roma have a long history of suffering discrimination, persecution and exclusion in Europe. European rulers unleashed hatred and discrimination against them. They were, for instance, enslaved in Romanian principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia from 14th to 19th centuries. They were also victims of genocide during the Second World War when about half million Roma were massacred along with Jews by the Nazi regime. Their situation still remains critical as they continue to face discrimination and unequal access to vital services especially healthcare, housing, education and employment. While there have been some initiatives taken by European Commission to encourage Roma inclusion and participation, the limited progress has been reported in many European countries. A wide array of activities, undertaken by Centre for Roma Studies and Cultural Relations -Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad, beckons a strong hope to Roma communities around the world. This book is an imperative source for scholars, researchers and students to research on myriad aspects of Roma communities.