Ghotul
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A gotul is a tribal youth dormitory in form of a spacious hut surrounded by earthen or wooden walls. It is an integral part of Gond and Muria tribal life in regions of Chhattisgarh and the neighboring areas in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in India. It is a place for youths, an independent and autonomous "children's republic" as described by Verrier Elwin. The gotul is central to social and religious life in Gond society. According to Gond legend, Lingo, the supreme deity, created the first gotul.[1]
Lingo, the supreme deity and the heroic ancestor of the tribe, was the founder of the first gotul, and is at the centre of the gotul's culture. It has an elder facilitator with young, unmarried boys and girls as its members. Girl members of the gotul are called motiaris, while boy members are called cheliks; their leaders are called the belosa and siredar respectively. The members are taught lessons of cleanliness, discipline, and hard work. They are taught to take pride in their appearance and to respect themselves and their elders. They are also taught the idea of public service.