DHANUK
The Dhanuk are an ethnic
group found in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. In India, the Dhanuk are found in the
states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.[1] In Nepal, they are settled
in the Terai districts of Saptari, Siraha and Dhanusa. They are either Kshetris or a minority indigenous people.
The Dhanuks of eastern Terai are also known as Mandal. The Dhanuk is also known as Jaswal
Kurmi. The Dhanuk in both countries are Hindu, and speak various dialects of Hindi, such as Bhojpuri and Awadhi.
In India
According to tradition, the
Dhanuk community gets its name from the Sanskrit word dhanushka, meaning a bowman.
The Dhanuk (Dhanak) are strictly
endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their main clans are the Dhankar,
Dholbaja, Kratheriya, Khakarpuria, Laungvasta, and Supabandha. All these
sub-groups are not of equal status, and there is hierarchy on the basis of
their respective occupations. A small number of the Dhanuk are a now petty
landowners. Because of their switching to petty works for livelihood they are
treated as Dalits. As a Dalit community, they face social
discrimination whose settlements are found at the edge of villages.[2]
The Dhanuk speak various
dialects of Hindi.[3]
The
Dhanuk of Haryana
The Dhanak of Haryana are a community of weavers, also
known as Kabirpanthi Pandit. They have been granted Scheduled Caste status, and are
found throughout the state. They now speak Haryana, and are said to have
immigrated from Awadh. The community consists of a number of
clans, and practices clan exogamy. Their main clans include the Duggal ,
Nugaria (Nagoria), Ninania, Khatak, Pacherwal, Kerar, Katheria, Mundadiya,
Ladwal, Morwal, Mahore, Rangbhaa, Bagadi, Suralia,Frand, Solia (Solanki),
Bharor, Atkan, Gorraiya, Bumra, Siyan, Kataria and Indora. The Dhanak are a
landless community, with many employed in their traditional occupation of
weaving. Most live in multi-caste villages, occupying their own distinct
quarters. Each settlement contains a traditional caste council known as a
biradari panchayat. This acts as an instrument of social control, as well as
acting as an informal welfare association.[4]
In Nepal
Different types/groups of Dhanuk
live in Nepal.
They are settled all over the country from Eastern Terai
to Western hills. Among them, the Dhanuks of hilly region in Far-Western
are considered as a Kshetris, who were believed to have
originated from Bhatt Brahmin of Doti Rajya, Ugratara temple. One brother of
Brahman was believed to have been given titled Kshetri by Kalu Shahi the king
of Doti Rajya at that time as he protected the king from Muslims who attacked
the Doti kingdom. It is also believed that that Brahmin used his tantrik
knowledge and bravery to protect his religion and kingdom. These people have a
history of about 200 years being called Dhanuk. The people of this group follow
the rituals like other Kshetris of that area.
There are Dhanuk called mandal
or Rajvansi living in the Eastern part of Nepal. They are also mainly Hindu
but perform different rituals. The rites of birth, death and marriage are
performed by giving due importance like other tribes. The pregnant woman is
kept in a separate home to arrange assistance from a dagrin (midwife) of the
same caste. The baby is caused to cry as soon as it is born. The ghosts are
driven away by putting the branches of jujube and discarded shoes in the main gate of
the house. The baby is given the milk of a she-goat to drink. Chhaiti is done in
six days and Barahi in twelve days. In Barahi, worships and
festivities are arranged.
Dhanuks do not marry within the
clan nor do they have the practice of cross-cousin marriage. In most of the
cases, the parents seek the girl or the boy. Due to the influence of neighbours
they also have the system of dowry.
When a Dhanuk dies, the corpse
is cremated if the deceased is above 12 years of age and is buried if her or
she is below 12 years.
The houses of Dhanuks are
plastered with mud and pictures are drawn of mud too. Women go outside for work
but a male member remains the head of the family. Lots of feasts are organised
on various occasions. Some Dhanuks never drink spirit and jaand but Dhanuks in
general have the practice of drinking raksi or spirit.
The houses of Dhanuks are built
in clusters in the river basins and edges of forests. They like to settle in
river basins. A group of ten or eleven households makes a bindar committee and five bindars constitute a
praganna. The chief
of a praganna is called maijan. There is one post, called chaurasi, above him.
These institutions manage tribal reconciliation and settlement of disputes.
Those who do not abide by rules are expelled from the ethnic group. Mandal is their
thars (clans).
Since they dwell in the river
basins and the edges of forests, their main occupations are fishing and animal
husbandry. Some of the Dhanuks are big landowners, but the Dhanuks who belong
to the group of minority nationality are absolutely landless. They earn their
livelihood by working as agricultural labourers and household servants.
Beliefs
In some places Brahmins are appointed as priests while in
other places they use Dhanuk priests. The Dhanuk caste believes in magic,
witchcraft and ghosts. They are divided into two religious groups: those who
worship Kali are called Kaliyaha and others are called Maharkhiya. Those
who worship Kali eat meat and drink spirit or wine, whereas Maharkhiyas do not
do so. They worship a goddess called Gahil, who is one of
five sisters. The other goddesses are Shitalmata and Goureya Gaiya.
The main occupation of Dhanuks is working for big zamindars (landowners) and farming.
Distribution
The Dhanuks live all across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In Nepal, they are scattered from
Morang in the east to the Terai in the west. But the Dhanuk are also found in
Saptari, Siraha and Dhanusa in the east. Their main area of settlement
stretches from Saptari to Dhanusa in the plain inner valley south of the Churia hills. It is hard to tell the
population of minority nationality of Dhanuks in Nepal. In India, they are found in a wide region
stretching from Haryana to Bihar.
The 2011 Census of India for Uttar
Pradesh showed the Dhanuk classified as a Scheduled Caste with a population
of 651,355.[5]
Language
In Nepal, their language is Maithali.
They are influenced by Hindu religion and the Indian culture across the border.
In India,
the Dhanuk of north Bihar speak Maithili, while those of eastern Uttar Pradesh speak Awadhi. Jharkhand speak Santhali.
References
- People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 433
- People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 432 to 437
- People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 432 to 437
- People of India Haryana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 142 to 148 Manohar
"A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract
Data and its Appendix – Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census
Commissioner, India.
Retrieved 6 February 2017………………………..By Amit Katyheriya
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें