ADILABAD: Seventeen years after his death in London, the ashes of famous Austrian anthropologist Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf arrived on Sunday at Marlavai in Jainoor mandal of Adilabad district, which was his home away from home.
His son Nicholas, who is known as Lachu Patel in these parts, brought the ashes to be buried alongside the tomb of Haimendorf’s wife Elizabeth who died in Hyderabad on January 11, 1987.
Her ashes were enshrined at Marlavai.
Nicholas was given a warm welcome by the tribals at the village.
He distributed books to students and offered prayers at Nagoba temple.
He said that it was the last wishes of his father that his ashes be brought here.
As the Advisor for Tribes and Backward Classes to the Nizam’s government, Haimendorf spent several years among the Rajgonds in this district from 1941 onwards.
The anthropologist came to India in 1936 on a fellowship to carry out his studies on aboriginal tribes.
It was his work among the primitive Rajgonds in Adilabad district that stood out.
Haimendorf, assisted in his studies by Elizabeth, came to the area to study the problems besetting the tribes in the northern region of Hyderabad state following the famous uprising led by legendary Gond martyr Komram Bheem at Jodeghat.
The couple camped at Marlavai village in a hut built by local chieftain Lachu Patel.
The tribals built a statue of the couple in Marlavai village.