Kabaria
Encyclopedia
The Kabaria, sometimes pronounced as Kabariya are a Muslim
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
, mainly in the Awadh
region. A small number of Kabaria are also found in the Terai
region of Nepal
. They now have Other Backward Class
status in Uttar Pradesh
.
word kabariya which literally means someone who sells scrap, and they are said to have originally belonged to the Kunjra
community, who evolved into a distinct community when they changed their occupation from selling vegetables to scrap. However, the majority of the Kabaria are still involved in the selling of fruits and vegetables. According to their own traditions, they descend from a community of Arain
from Punjab
who settled in Lucknow
. Other traditions make the community to be converts from the Hindu
Murao
caste
.
The Kabaria are found mainly in Lucknow District
, both in the city and in villages near the town of Mohanlalganj. A second settlement is found in Bahraich
and Balrampur
districts. In the 19th Century, a number of Kabaria began to settle in the Terai
region of Nepal
, in particularly Nepalganj District. They now form an important element in the Muslim
population of Nepal
.
Kabaria speak reasonable Urdu
, and belong to the Sunni sect. Like other Indian Muslim castes, they have informal caste council, referred to as a panchayat. The panchayat acts as an instrument of social control, resolving intra community disputes, and punishing community members who transcend cultural norms. Each Kabaria settlement contains its own panchayat, but unlike other communities, they have not set a formal caste association.
The Kabaria of Lucknow
city are still involved in the selling of fruits and vegetable. They buy their produce at marts from the Kachhi
, Kurmi
and Murao
communities. While the rural Kabaria are small and medium sized farmers, and cultivate wheat, paddy, maize, millets, pulses, sugar cane and vegetables. They have benefited from the land reforms carried out a Indian independence, when land reforms led to tenant farmers becoming proprietors. The Kabaria live in multi-caste and multi-religious villages, occupying their own quarters.
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, mainly in the Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
region. A small number of Kabaria are also found in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
region of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. They now have Other Backward Class
Other Backward Class
The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste , Scheduled Tribe , and Other Backward Class . The OBC list presented by the commission is dynamic and will change from time to time depending on social, educational and...
status in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
Origin
The community gets its name from the UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
word kabariya which literally means someone who sells scrap, and they are said to have originally belonged to the Kunjra
Kunjra
The Kunjra are a Muslim community found in North India, Central India and Pakistan.-History and origin:The Kunjra are a community associated with green grocing, who sell mainly vegetable and fruits. The name of the community is derived from arabic word kunj, which means a group of warrior...
community, who evolved into a distinct community when they changed their occupation from selling vegetables to scrap. However, the majority of the Kabaria are still involved in the selling of fruits and vegetables. According to their own traditions, they descend from a community of Arain
Arain
The Arain , are a Muslim agricultural caste settled mainly in the Punjab, with significant numbers also in Sindh. They are chiefly associated with farming, traditionally being landlords or zamindars.- Origin :...
from Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
who settled in Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
. Other traditions make the community to be converts from the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
Murao
Murao
The Murao or Maurya are a Hindu Kshatriya caste, who are agriculturists, found in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya State in India.- History and origin :The Murao claim descent from the ancient Maurya dynasty...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
.
The Kabaria are found mainly in Lucknow District
Lucknow District
Lucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division...
, both in the city and in villages near the town of Mohanlalganj. A second settlement is found in Bahraich
Bahraich District
Bahraich District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Bahraich town is the district headquarters. Bahraich District is a part of Devipatan Division.-History:...
and Balrampur
Balrampur district
Balrampur district is one of the 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Balrampur town located on the bank of the Rapti is the district headquarters. Balrampur district is a part of Devipatan division, and historic Awadh region....
districts. In the 19th Century, a number of Kabaria began to settle in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
region of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, in particularly Nepalganj District. They now form an important element in the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
population of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
Present circumstances
The Kabaria are strictly endogamous, and practice both parallel cousin and cross cousin marriages. They speak the Awadhi dialect, although most LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
Kabaria speak reasonable Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, and belong to the Sunni sect. Like other Indian Muslim castes, they have informal caste council, referred to as a panchayat. The panchayat acts as an instrument of social control, resolving intra community disputes, and punishing community members who transcend cultural norms. Each Kabaria settlement contains its own panchayat, but unlike other communities, they have not set a formal caste association.
The Kabaria of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
city are still involved in the selling of fruits and vegetable. They buy their produce at marts from the Kachhi
Kachhi
The Kachhi is a geographical region of Punjab, Pakistan. It lies between the Thal Desert and the part of Chenab which flows after its confluence with the Jhelum River at Atharan Hazari in Jhang District. Parts of the districts of Muzaffargarh and Layyah form this region....
, Kurmi
Kurmi
The Kurmi are a Hindu agricultural Jāti in India.The group has been associated with the Kunbi, though scholars differ as to whether the terms are synonymous. In 2006, the Indian government announced that Kurmi was considered synonymous with the Kunbi and Yellam castes in Maharashtra...
and Murao
Murao
The Murao or Maurya are a Hindu Kshatriya caste, who are agriculturists, found in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya State in India.- History and origin :The Murao claim descent from the ancient Maurya dynasty...
communities. While the rural Kabaria are small and medium sized farmers, and cultivate wheat, paddy, maize, millets, pulses, sugar cane and vegetables. They have benefited from the land reforms carried out a Indian independence, when land reforms led to tenant farmers becoming proprietors. The Kabaria live in multi-caste and multi-religious villages, occupying their own quarters.