IJMSS Vol.

04 Issue-10, (October, 2016) ISSN: 2321-1784

International Journal in Management and Social Science (Impact Factor- 6.178)
Sociological review of Mendicancy

Dr.Shialendra Kumar* Dr. Nister Kujur**

*Research Associated, **Sinior Assistant Professor
SOS in Sociology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh)

Abstract: The present era known us era of development. What is development? What are the
measurenment of development? What level are stishfied levels of development? These are questions
which makes two different views about development. Process of development is result of changes.
Every changes of socities origion some positive and some negative results. Positive result called
development and negative changes called social problems and mendicancy is one of them. Every
undeveloped and developing country is suffering with these problems. Mendicancy affected directly
baggers and their families. Human are primary unit of society so if one man effected with some problem
naturally all family member are affected. There are no satishfied definitions of mendicancy in social
sciences. As nature and work behavioure we can define it as social problem like “Mendicancy is a socio-
economic problem, which is done by poor and physically hanicaped men, women and children for their
survival.” Mendicancy is generally affected childern and old age men/women. Mendicants are suffering
for basic needs of life like food, cloths and shelters. Generally mendicancy is known economic problems
but that is socio-cultural problems also. Present paper tries to know mendicant problems in old age men
and woemen. What are the reasons because of old age men/women expend their whole life in
mendicancy? If they are come suddenly in this field so what are the reasons? All the old agers are not
poor as well as phycially hanicaped so why they are in these field? Present paper tried to know answers
of these questions. Present research work conduct in three major railway stations Durg, Raipur and
Bilaspur of Chhattisgarh state. Trinagulation methods (quantitative and qualitative) are used in present
work. Present work reveled division of labour in socity and concept of nucaluer family are major factors
of mendicancy.
Key Words: Mendicancy, old age, division of labour.

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IJMSS Vol.04 Issue-10, (October, 2016) ISSN: 2321-1784
International Journal in Management and Social Science (Impact Factor- 6.178)
Introduction: India is suffered with various outer and inner problems. Terrisiom, naxalism, various
communal riots these are some outer problems and poverty, mendicancy are inner problems of India
which are work us barriers to way of development. Every country, every socity are not a single structure
but it is made by various structures that’s why if any structure are affected with some problem all
sturture are affected. As similliare if any individual who are basic unit of socities, affected with some
problems whole countries/socites are affected because a family made by humans, a socity made by
society, and a country made by societies. So, it is chains which are affected each other. Mendicancy is an
also negative part of society. There are no universal definition of mendicancy butvaccording to its natue
and work behavior we can difine tha a social problems where are men/women, children/old ager
medicance cloths \, food, money for her/him survival. Generally crowed places like railway station,
temples, market etc are selected for these because there ae more chances to meet something comrition
to other places. Mendicancy affected not a particular age group but it’s affected all age groups like
children, younger especially phycically handicapped persons, old agers etc. Mendicancy is maximum
seen in crowded areas like markets, railway station and bus stand. Generally we think mendency are a
economical problems but it is also effected by socio-cultural, health, educational etc. problems. Like
hazard of joint families, physically handicaaped persons, week physical stamina all of these problems
pressuried to mendicancy. There are no universal definitions of mendicancy. In Wikipedia (2009),
begging is presented as requesting something in a supplicating manner with the implication that person
who is begging will suffer emotional and or physical harm. Like Jelili (2006), Wikipedia (2009) also agrees
that the term is applicable not only to individuals but to groups. Some scholars use the term
mendicancy, vagrancy (Hanchao, 1999), panhandling, sponging (Wikipedia, 2009) to reflect means and
reasons for begging. While panhandling and sponging are synonymous with street begging, mendicancy
and vagrancy connote more than street begging. Mendicancy refers to an act of begging usually
associated with religious belief, vagrancy is used to describe the begging activities of jobless, homeless,
and wanderers or vagabond (Hanchao, 1999).whatever term used: street begging, panhandling,
sponging (Wikipedia, 2009), mendicancy or vagrancy (Hanchao, 1999), it has its root in the general idea
of asking people for money, food, clothes etc. Family is the most important institution for support
human in any problems at any stage. Positive family automosphere are wayfor solve all problems. The
present paper tried to search factors of mendicancy and also tried to make some ground leve suggestion
for solve this problems.

Objectives of Study:
1. Study for know cause-effect of mendicancy.
2. Study about economic, social and physical problems of mendicancy and co-relation in these factors.
3. Try to make some ground level suggestion for solve mendicancy.

Study area and used method and techniques: Present study condut in three main stations of
Chhattisgarh state which ae durg, Raipur and Bilaspur and some small stations. Ole age mendicant are
selected for study in these stations by purposive sampling. Total 127 respondents are selected in this
study which is busy in mendicancy in these railway stations. The tringulation method used in present
study. Quantative and qualitative both research menthods are used for data collection. Strutural
interview schedule, semi participatory observation and interview used in quantitative mwthods and case

A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories
International Journal in Management and Social Science
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IJMSS Vol.04 Issue-10, (October, 2016) ISSN: 2321-1784
International Journal in Management and Social Science (Impact Factor- 6.178)
study, life history and content analysis used are in qualitative study. MS-Excel and SPSS (16-version) are
used for data analysis.

Result and discussion:

1. General information of old ager mendicant:
Age is the major factor of mendicancy. Maximum 46 percent old mendicants are in age group of
60 to 65 percent and secondry 25 percent old mendicants are in between 66 too 70 year. 8.7 percent,
mendicants are in 80 and over 80. So, as result we can say that mendicants which are in 60 to 80 year
age, they need complitally physically and social rest and secuirity but they are suffering in mendicancy.
Mendincy could be very harmful them because railway station and railway are very busy and crowded
area.
Education is basic need for survival in present era. Edcucated persons have large view for
understand the problems and for solve the problems on not only in present but future also. In study
group 65 percent medicants are illiterate and 28 percent mendicates are studied in less of primary and
primary. Only 8.6 percent mendicants are cross middle school and hifh school.So, we can say that
illtration is a major factor for mendicance but not only single factors because high school educated
persons are also engaded in mendicance. 5.5 percent mendcant are physically handicapped who are
high school educated. If all mendicants are educated dafanently our percent could be less than
comarsion to present data and they could not suufer with these problem.
There are no and directly and indirectly co-relation of religion and cast with medinncay because
the main cause are poverty and other economical factors for these. Generally, mendicants used some
god or goddess name and some religious sentences for medinancy. Like a mendicance who are hinu they
used hindu god and goddess, Muslims used religios mats for menancy, In present study 69 percent
mendicance are hindu and secondary 11 percent are muslims which are general result becasu main
population of india are hindues and secondary muslims. Almost similiear result found in cast related
data. We found mandicates of various cast groups. In present study 55 percent mendicates are
scheduled cast and 29 perecent are representing general catogerory.

2. Family Status of Mendicates: Joint family or support of family member makes easier to easier
big problems and other side destroyed family origion big problems. Natle and old age both are the
conditions where human wants family supports. In study groups 67 percent mendicates are releted to
joint family, 29 percent mendicates are related to nucluer family and 4 percent mendicates have no one
in this world.So, as result we can say that family contention of joint families are moe responsible
compirition to nucleuar family. According to many social scientict family makes human life easy to easier
and that is its main function but in this study that are not seen.
Shelters are very important for human to psychological and health view. In study group, 66
percent mendicates ae return to their home after mendicancy and 34 percent mendicates live in railway
station, bus stand, market stages etc after mendicancy.That is the direct result shows families
unresponicibilties for old age family members. That is very sensitive problems of current socities and
according to many sociologist, anthropologist family members want to care them.
Without sociological life no one human survive in this world. Entertenment, friends group,
family’s member etc are very important part for human. In study groups many mendicates said there all

A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories
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IJMSS Vol.04 Issue-10, (October, 2016) ISSN: 2321-1784
International Journal in Management and Social Science (Impact Factor- 6.178)
day expend in their mendicancy Some mendicates have some friends who are meeting in railway
stations, bus stands etc where they are engage with mendicates like gram seller, news paper seller etc.

3. Economic Status of Mendicates:

Mendicancy is a hard work especially for olg ager because they can’t stay one place. This
papragraph try to shows enocome groups of mendicates. In present study 43 percent mendicates are
belonging to very low income groups and 29 percent mendicates are related to low income group. In
present study group no one in present group representaning middle and high income group which are
general finding about mendency. Mendicancy is related to hard work but comarision to work
mendicates earn very low income.
Some shoking result find out in present study about past family income of mendicates. In
present study gropus 52 percent mendicates were related to middle class economic groups and 7
percent were related to high income groups. So, as result we can say that economic condition are major
factor for medency but not a single reason. In study groups 45 percent mendicates who are representing
middle and high income groups they are also agricultural land holders but some family issues like joint
family contention, men dominated division of labour etc.
Some other shoking result find out in present study about mendicates past works or their life
time works. In present study group 34 percent mendicates said they were related to various unregular
but good ecomomically related jobs and 4 percent mendicates are related with setteled/regular jobs. All
of these 38 percent medicates who were related with unregular and regular job found good money in
their retuirenment but they can’t manage their payments and reyuienment monies. Some mendicates
give their money to their children. In present study group’s maximum mendicates who gave their money
to their children, their children out their parents in home and properties and after that they engage in
medency. Some mendicates who have agricultural land they also do same thing they give their land to
their children and relatives and after nomination their relatives out them from there own properties and
they cample to mendancy. All of these examples, representing mentality of youth groups of the present
era. Present data shows negative mentality of present youths which are very harmful for not only
present era but also for future of socity. In present study 8 percent mendiactes had regular government
job an they got good amount for her survival but they lost there whole money on alchohal, playing
cards, bets etc. So as result we can say that absent of managenment of there money are mjor cause of
there mendicancy.

4. Health Status of Mendicates:

In study groups 76 percent mendicates their health status are not good, 20 percent
mendicates their health status are good and 4 percent mendicates give not answer about this questions.
In study groups, 45 percent mendicates suffer with fever and body pain and secondary 20 percent
mendicates they suffer with chaist pain and cough.
Physical handicapped are an important factor of mendicates and present study also support
these. Physically handicapped persons are disabling for hard work. In present study groups many
mendicates are physical handicapped which is reason for mendication. Present study revealed 23
percent mendicates are suffered with physical handicapped related problems which is high percentage

A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories
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IJMSS Vol.04 Issue-10, (October, 2016) ISSN: 2321-1784
International Journal in Management and Social Science (Impact Factor- 6.178)
in only 117 mendicates. In present study there are positive correlation between physical problems and
illitration. Maximum mendicates who are sufferinf with physical handicapped problems they are itttarte
also and illitratio are also reason because they can’t do any hard or labour works. If they are physical
handicapped but littrate than they do some work for own economy because every physical handicapped
are not engage with medency.
In study group, 64 percent mendicates are treat their physical problems and 26 percent
mendicates are not interested about their health related treatment. 52 percent mendicates done their
treatment in various government hospitals and 8 percent mendictes refer private hospitals for
treatment. According to 4 percent mendicates ther refer railway general hospital for their treatment. So,
as result we can say that, because of low economic condition mendicates avoid their treatment that is
very harmful for them.

Conclusion: 1. Illracy is a major factor of mendicance but it is not only single factor.
2. Ecomomic problem is a major factor of mendicance in old age mendicants but it is also not a single or
only factor for mencidence
3. No particular plans in youth stage are also a reason for mendency.
3. Family of joint family becomes an important result for mendicences comparision to nucluer family.
4. In the present era, destroyed function of families and negative mentality of youth about families
member are a reson for poverty of old age family members.
5. Different physical problems are generated in old age mendicates because of mendicates.
Maximum factors which are fonded in present study these can be stoppable.
Good management of reuiterement amounts, Policices, small business etc. these can be some
treatment which can be take by old mendicants at there young age. Other side central or government
wants to provide some hermitage. Councellig can be major way for solve thee problems. Sociologist,
anthropologist and other social scientist wants to council mendicates family members spcially there
young children. I tried to solve these problems by counciliing and i got positive result. So we can say that
mendicancy is a social problem and its soluations are also present in socities.

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