Koli people
Encyclopedia
The Koli people are historically an Indo-Aryan
ethnic group native to Rajasthan
, Himachal Pradesh
, Gujarat, Maharashtra
, Uttar Pradesh
and Haryana
.
Originally, all Kolis were Hindu
. Later, during the Mauryan Empire some Kolis converted to Buddhism
, during the Mughal Empire
some converted to Islam
, and some converted to Christianity
under the British Raj
.
On demographics
, the Encyclopædia Britannica
states: "In the early 20st century the Kolis
constituted about 20 percent of the population of Gujarat, nearly 10 percent of the population of Uttar Pradesh
and Rajasthan
, and from 2 to 5 percent of the populations of Bengal
and Orissa
and Maharashtra
."
In 1931, the date of the last census of the British Raj before the abolition of caste, they were distributed throughout North India and Northwest India, mostly in the Gujarat , Uttar Pradesh
and Rajputana
.
and his descendents belonged to the Koli tribe. Gautama Buddha
's mother and wife also belonged to the Koli tribe.
Sant Kabir
ended several of his ‘bhajans’ as ‘kahet kabir kori’, and was a self-described Koli. Bhaktaraj Bhadurdas and Bhaktaraj Valram from Saurastra, Girnari Sant Velnathji from Junagadh
, Bhaktaraj Jobanpagi, Sant Sri Koya Bhagat, Sant Dhudhalinath, Madan Bhagat, and Sany Kanji Swami all belonged to the Koli tribe. Also, Valmiki
, author of the Ramayana
, belonged to the Koli tribe. The Ramayana is still sometimes referred to as Koli Valmiki Ramayan in Maharashtra
.
There are very few records concerning Kolis prior to the 19th century.
There are records of Jhalkari Bai ,
She was a daughter of a Koli
farmers, Sadovar Singh and Jamuna Devi. She was born on November 22, 1830 in Bhojla village near Jhansi.
She is one of the famous Women to fight against Britishers in Indian Rebellion of 1857
. (Other one is Rani Laxmi Bai
)
In the State of Maharashtra, Shivaji's Commander-in-Chief and several of his Generals belonged to this tribe. ‘A History of the Marathas’ note with pride the bravery of Shivaji's army consisting mainly of Mavalas and Kolis. His General, Tanaji Rao Malusare, who was always referred to by Shivaji as ‘My Lion’ was a koli. When Tanaji fell fighting for and winning the‘Kodana Fort’, Shivaji renamed the fort as ‘Sinhghadhh’ in his memory.
In the 1857 uprising a number of Koli women fighters played an important role in trying to save the life of the ‘Rani of Jhansi’. Among them was a very close colleague of the queen named Jalkaribai. She was a village girl and hailed from a very poor family. It is said that she had an encounter with a tiger while she was collecting firewood in the jungle and she killed the tiger single handed with her axe. She had a striking resemblance to Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and because of this Rani took interest in her and inducted her into the women's wing of the army. During 1857-58 there were several British raids on Jhansi Fort and the Rani repulsed every one of the attacks. Later when the fall of fort became imminent Jalkari bai and some generates convinced Laxmibai to escape quietly with the help of supporters. In a ploy to deceive the British, Jalkari bai dressed herself up like the Rani and took command of the army. The British found out the truth, but it was too late. The Rani had covered a considerable distance by then. Jalkaribai fought the British forces valiantly but was eventually forced to surrender. The British general, impressed by her loyalty, courage and fighting prowess treated her with respect and set her free .
people found almost in every State
of India
. In Gujarat , They enjoys high society privileges . Today , Kolis of Gujarat are very prosperous & comes under General Category in only Indian
State of Gujarat . They are leading in Business
, Engineers , Doctors
, & Especially Teachers
in Northern part of India
including Rajasthan
& Uttar Pradesh
.
, Madhya Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
, Rajasthan
and Delhi
areas . There are smaller distributions across the world, due to the large immigrant diaspora
. In the immigrant diaspora major populations centres include the Nepal
, Pakistan
(During the Partition of British India), Bangladesh
, Guyana
(Black Indian Koli Hindus in Guyana) and UK
.
According to earlier censuses, the Koli people accounted for approximately 25% of the entire Gujarati speaking area, making it the "Second largest single socially distinctive group" in the region.
The region-wise breakdown of the total koli people population in 1931 (including Koli
Hindus, Koli Christians
) is given in the following table. The Koli people, approximately 73%, were located mainly in the Western Part of India.
Some specific clans of Koli people are classified as Scheduled Tribe in some states, e.g.Kolis of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi
and Panthi or Kabirpanthi Koli people (except Koli Christians) in Maharashtra
.
Land reforms, particularly the abolition of Jagirdari and Zamindari systems, Panchayati Raj
and Green Revolution
, to which Koli people have been major contributors, have contributed to the economic betterment of the Koli people.
The Koli people are one of the most prosperous groups in State
of Gujarat on a per-capita basis. (Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat are the wealthiest of Indian states).
Some Koli people have become notable Personalities, including the Saint Ravidas .
Adult franchise has created enormous social and political awakening among Koli people. Consolidation of economic gains and participation in the electoral process are two visible outcomes of the post-independence situation. Through this participation they have been able to significantly influence the politics of North India
. Economic differentiation, migration and mobility could be clearly noticed amongst the Koli people .
, there are also Kutchi Kolis
among the Pakistanis. The Hindu
Koli tribes are located mostly in southeastern Pakistan. They are primarily concentrated in the fertile flood plain of the province of Sindh
. There are several major subdivisions of Koli in that area, including the Parkari Koli, the Wadiyara Koli and the Tharadari Koli.
The Koli community has its own distinct identity, with a particular focus on folk dance
. These dances typically incorporate nautical themes that commemorate the fishing and seafaring traditions of the community. The dance is performed by both men and women divided into two groups, where fishers stand in two rows holding oars in their hands. The dancers move in unison, miming the rowing of a boat. Fisherwomen stand opposite the men with their arms linked, and advance towards the men. The separate formations then break up and dance together, with movements symbolizing the waves and the actions of rowing and casting fishing nets.
Additionally, Kolis have a rich tradition of Folk Song, with songs such as Aga Pori Sambhaal Dariyala Tufaan Ayalay Bhari and Me Hai Koli being famous both within and beyond the Koli community.
In 1925, the population of the Koli people was around three million in British India, made up of followers of Two major religions Hinduism
(80%), Buddhism
(19%).
Most Kolis are adherents of Hinduism, India's dominant religion. Kolis from around Mumbai worship the goddess Ekaveera
, most notably at her shrine in the Karla Caves at Malavli near Lonavala. Ekaveera is particularly venerated on Chaitra Purnima (the 15th day of the first month of the Hindu calendar
Most Koli Christians
were converted from Koli Hindus
, during British Indian Empire (1857-1947) .
festivals and traditional festivals unique to their community.
Narali Punaw is the most important festival for Kolis. According to the Koli seafaring tradition, this is the day after which the wind strength and direction changes in favor of fishing, and thus this is the day on which Kolis celebrate the start of a new business season. Prayers are made to the sea god, and Puja
- religious offerings - are made for the community's fishing boats.
Shimaga is the Koli counterpart to the Hindu festival of Holi
, and is celebrated at the same time .
, Hindi
, Gojri
, Dogri, Rajasthani
, its dialects (Haryanvi, Malvi). Kolis from Haryana and Rajasthan mostly speak Haryanvi and Rajasthani
specially their dialects Katchi .
Indo-Aryans
Indo-Aryan is an ethno-linguistic term referring to the wide collection of peoples united as native speakers of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-Iranian family of Indo-European languages...
ethnic group native to Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, Gujarat, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, 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...
and Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
.
Originally, all Kolis were 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...
. Later, during the Mauryan Empire some Kolis converted to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, during the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
some converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and some converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
under the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
.
On demographics
Demographics
Demographics are the most recent statistical characteristics of a population. These types of data are used widely in sociology , public policy, and marketing. Commonly examined demographics include gender, race, age, disabilities, mobility, home ownership, employment status, and even location...
, the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
states: "In the early 20st century the Kolis
KOLI
KOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
constituted about 20 percent of the population of Gujarat, nearly 10 percent of the population 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...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, and from 2 to 5 percent of the populations of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
and Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
."
In 1931, the date of the last census of the British Raj before the abolition of caste, they were distributed throughout North India and Northwest India, mostly in the Gujarat , 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...
and Rajputana
Rajputana
Rājputāna was the pre-1949 name of the present-day Indian state of Rājasthān, the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area. George Thomas was the first in 1800 A.D., to term this region as Rajputana...
.
Origin of name
- Koli means a spider, one who spins a web or one who weaves a net. It also means fisherman, presumably because the fisherman makes and uses a net to catch his prey as a spider his web.
Origin of the Community
- The term Koli means fisherman; according to legend, the Koli claim to be descendents from the Black Dwarf that came forth from the body of King Vena. Numbering more than 12 million they are one of the largest communities of western India. The Koli constitute of a number of communities with various occupations and cultural identities while still remaining Koli. As their name implies, fishing is a common occupation; other common occupations include: laborers, agriculturists, water carriers, boatman, and animal husbandry. There are also Koli people that have obtained advanced degrees and have placed themselves well within society and government.
Early Period
Chandragupta MauryaChandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya , was the founder of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta succeeded in conquering most of the Indian subcontinent. Chandragupta is considered the first unifier of India and its first genuine emperor...
and his descendents belonged to the Koli tribe. Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
's mother and wife also belonged to the Koli tribe.
Sant Kabir
Kabir
Kabīr was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement...
ended several of his ‘bhajans’ as ‘kahet kabir kori’, and was a self-described Koli. Bhaktaraj Bhadurdas and Bhaktaraj Valram from Saurastra, Girnari Sant Velnathji from Junagadh
Junagadh
Junagadh is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat. The city is located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. The city is in western India. Literally translated,...
, Bhaktaraj Jobanpagi, Sant Sri Koya Bhagat, Sant Dhudhalinath, Madan Bhagat, and Sany Kanji Swami all belonged to the Koli tribe. Also, Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...
, author of the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, belonged to the Koli tribe. The Ramayana is still sometimes referred to as Koli Valmiki Ramayan in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
.
Medieval period
There are records of Jhalkari Bai ,
She was a daughter of a Koli
KOLI
KOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
farmers, Sadovar Singh and Jamuna Devi. She was born on November 22, 1830 in Bhojla village near Jhansi.
She is one of the famous Women to fight against Britishers in Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. (Other one is Rani Laxmi Bai
Rani Lakshmibai
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi was the queen of the Maratha-ruled princely state of Jhansi, situated in the northern part of India...
)
In the State of Maharashtra, Shivaji's Commander-in-Chief and several of his Generals belonged to this tribe. ‘A History of the Marathas’ note with pride the bravery of Shivaji's army consisting mainly of Mavalas and Kolis. His General, Tanaji Rao Malusare, who was always referred to by Shivaji as ‘My Lion’ was a koli. When Tanaji fell fighting for and winning the‘Kodana Fort’, Shivaji renamed the fort as ‘Sinhghadhh’ in his memory.
In the 1857 uprising a number of Koli women fighters played an important role in trying to save the life of the ‘Rani of Jhansi’. Among them was a very close colleague of the queen named Jalkaribai. She was a village girl and hailed from a very poor family. It is said that she had an encounter with a tiger while she was collecting firewood in the jungle and she killed the tiger single handed with her axe. She had a striking resemblance to Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and because of this Rani took interest in her and inducted her into the women's wing of the army. During 1857-58 there were several British raids on Jhansi Fort and the Rani repulsed every one of the attacks. Later when the fall of fort became imminent Jalkari bai and some generates convinced Laxmibai to escape quietly with the help of supporters. In a ploy to deceive the British, Jalkari bai dressed herself up like the Rani and took command of the army. The British found out the truth, but it was too late. The Rani had covered a considerable distance by then. Jalkaribai fought the British forces valiantly but was eventually forced to surrender. The British general, impressed by her loyalty, courage and fighting prowess treated her with respect and set her free .
Modern Period
Today , KoliKOLI
KOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
people found almost in every State
State
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
of 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...
. In Gujarat , They enjoys high society privileges . Today , Kolis of Gujarat are very prosperous & comes under General Category in only Indian
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...
State of Gujarat . They are leading in Business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, Engineers , Doctors
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, & Especially Teachers
Teachers
Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers , one of the five Ascension Gift Ministries* Teachers , a British sitcom* Teachers Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers (ministry), one of the...
in Northern part of India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
including Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
& 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...
.
Demographics
Today, the largest population centre is located in Gujarat, Uttar PradeshUttar 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...
, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
areas . There are smaller distributions across the world, due to the large immigrant diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
. In the immigrant diaspora major populations centres include the 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...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
(During the Partition of British India), Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
(Black Indian Koli Hindus in Guyana) and UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Census under the British Raj
The census in 1931 in India recorded population on the basis of ethnicity. In 1925, the population of Kolis was around 3 millions in South Asia, of which 99% were Hindu, 0.5% Christian and 0.5% Muslim.According to earlier censuses, the Koli people accounted for approximately 25% of the entire Gujarati speaking area, making it the "Second largest single socially distinctive group" in the region.
The region-wise breakdown of the total koli people population in 1931 (including Koli
KOLI
KOLI is a radio station serving Wichita Falls, Texas and Vicinity with a country music format. It operates on FM frequency 94.9 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. It is the radio flagship station for the Wichita Falls Wildcats hockey team....
Hindus, Koli Christians
Koli Christians
Koli Christians are a religious subset of the Kolis, the indigenous people of the seven islands of Bombay, which now form part of the modern city of Mumbai. In 1989, there were approximately 9,000 Koli Christians, most of whom were fishermen, like their Hindu counterparts. Koli Christians blend the...
) is given in the following table. The Koli people, approximately 73%, were located mainly in the Western Part of India.
Census Under Indian Independent Government
| Name of region | Koli population (2001) | Approx Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Gujarat | 7,287,000 | 59 % |
| 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... |
2,345,000 | 19 % |
| Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city.... |
662,000 | 5.3 % |
| Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh is a state in Northern India. It is spread over , and is bordered by the Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir on the north, Punjab on the west and south-west, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the south, Uttarakhand on the south-east and by the Tibet Autonomous Region on the east... |
494,000 | 4.0 % |
| Rajasthan Rajasthan Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with... |
478,000 | 3.8 % |
| Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... |
214,000 | 1.7 % |
| Haryana Haryana Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south... |
60,000 | 0.5 % |
| Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third... |
59,000 | 0.5 % |
| Uttaranchal | 45,000 | 0.4 % |
| Maharashtra Maharashtra Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... |
38,000 | 0.3 % |
| Total | 12,299,000 | 100 % |
Post-independence estimates
Professor Sriram panthi states that by taking population statistical analysis into consideration the Koli population growth of both India and Pakistan & Bangladesh since 1925, Quanungo's figure of three million could be translated into a minimum population statistic (1988) of 10 million & 20 Million in (2011)Republic of India
Koli people are considered a Scheduled Caste in mostly all the states of India with those of Haryana or Punjab origin.Some specific clans of Koli people are classified as Scheduled Tribe in some states, e.g.Kolis of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Panthi or Kabirpanthi Koli people (except Koli Christians) in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
.
Land reforms, particularly the abolition of Jagirdari and Zamindari systems, Panchayati Raj
Panchayati Raj
The panchayat raj is a South Asian political system mainly in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. "Panchayat" literally means assembly of five wise and respected elders chosen and accepted by the local community. Traditionally, these assemblies settled disputes between individuals and villages...
and Green Revolution
Green Revolution
Green Revolution refers to a series of research, development, and technology transfer initiatives, occurring between the 1940s and the late 1970s, that increased agriculture production around the world, beginning most markedly in the late 1960s....
, to which Koli people have been major contributors, have contributed to the economic betterment of the Koli people.
The Koli people are one of the most prosperous groups in State
State
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...
of Gujarat on a per-capita basis. (Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat are the wealthiest of Indian states).
Some Koli people have become notable Personalities, including the Saint Ravidas .
Adult franchise has created enormous social and political awakening among Koli people. Consolidation of economic gains and participation in the electoral process are two visible outcomes of the post-independence situation. Through this participation they have been able to significantly influence the politics of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
. Economic differentiation, migration and mobility could be clearly noticed amongst the Koli people .
Pakistan
As the Rann of Kutch extends into parts of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, there are also Kutchi Kolis
Rann of Kutch
The Great Rann of Kutch, also called Greater Rann of Kutch or just Rann of Kutch , is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan....
among the Pakistanis. 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...
Koli tribes are located mostly in southeastern Pakistan. They are primarily concentrated in the fertile flood plain of the province of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
. There are several major subdivisions of Koli in that area, including the Parkari Koli, the Wadiyara Koli and the Tharadari Koli.
Culture and society
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
. These dances typically incorporate nautical themes that commemorate the fishing and seafaring traditions of the community. The dance is performed by both men and women divided into two groups, where fishers stand in two rows holding oars in their hands. The dancers move in unison, miming the rowing of a boat. Fisherwomen stand opposite the men with their arms linked, and advance towards the men. The separate formations then break up and dance together, with movements symbolizing the waves and the actions of rowing and casting fishing nets.
Additionally, Kolis have a rich tradition of Folk Song, with songs such as Aga Pori Sambhaal Dariyala Tufaan Ayalay Bhari and Me Hai Koli being famous both within and beyond the Koli community.
Religion
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
(80%), Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
(19%).
Most Kolis are adherents of Hinduism, India's dominant religion. Kolis from around Mumbai worship the goddess Ekaveera
Ekaveera
Ekaveera is an Indian novel written by Kavi Samrat Viswanatha Satyanarayana in Telugu language. It was penned between 1925–29 and was published in Bharathi magazine in 1935. Originally written in Telugu, it has since been translated into various Indian languages. In 1969, a film version was...
, most notably at her shrine in the Karla Caves at Malavli near Lonavala. Ekaveera is particularly venerated on Chaitra Purnima (the 15th day of the first month of the Hindu calendar
Most Koli Christians
Koli Christians
Koli Christians are a religious subset of the Kolis, the indigenous people of the seven islands of Bombay, which now form part of the modern city of Mumbai. In 1989, there were approximately 9,000 Koli Christians, most of whom were fishermen, like their Hindu counterparts. Koli Christians blend the...
were converted from Koli Hindus
Koli people
The Koli people are historically an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.Originally, all Kolis were Hindu...
, during British Indian Empire (1857-1947) .
Koli Festivals
Kolis celebrate both mainstream HinduHindu
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...
festivals and traditional festivals unique to their community.
Narali Punaw
Narali Punaw is the most important festival for Kolis. According to the Koli seafaring tradition, this is the day after which the wind strength and direction changes in favor of fishing, and thus this is the day on which Kolis celebrate the start of a new business season. Prayers are made to the sea god, and Puja
Puja
Pūjā or alternative transliteration Pooja, is a religious ritual performed by Hindus as an offering to various deities, distinguished persons, or special guests...
- religious offerings - are made for the community's fishing boats.
Shimaga
Shimaga is the Koli counterpart to the Hindu festival of Holi
Holi
Holi , is a religious spring festival celebrated by Hindus. Holi is also known as festival of Colours. It is primarily observed in India, Nepal, Pakistan, and countries with large Indic diaspora populations following Hinduism, such as Suriname, Malaysia, Guyana, South Africa, Trinidad, United...
, and is celebrated at the same time .
Language
Koli people usually speak languages according to their Living areas like GujaratiGujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
, Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, Gojri
Gojri
Gojri, also known as Gujari is a variety of Rajasthani spoken by the Gujjars of Northern-Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.Rajasthani, Marwari and Gujarati are evolved from Gujari. The language was known as Gujjar bhakha or Gurjar Apabhramsha lately. It was used as literary language as early as 12th...
, Dogri, Rajasthani
Rajasthani
Rajasthani is an adjective formed from the proper-noun Rajasthan.It can refer to:* Rajasthani people* Rajasthani language* Rajasthani architecture* Rajasthani art* Rajasthani cuisine* Rajasthani music* Rajasthani Painting...
, its dialects (Haryanvi, Malvi). Kolis from Haryana and Rajasthan mostly speak Haryanvi and Rajasthani
Rajasthani people
Rajasthani people are the native inhabitants of Rajasthan region of India. They form an ethnic group which is a result of assimilation of Scytho-Dravidian, Aryo-Dravidian, Indo-Aryan, Indo-Scythian, Indo-Greeks, Indo-Iranians and Austro-Asiatic ancestries...
specially their dialects Katchi .
See also
- Indo-Aryan peoples
- Kori casteKori (people)The Kori are a Hindu caste, found mainly in North India, who are traditional associated with weaving. They are known as Bhuiyar in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Koli in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh.- History :...
- Koli ChristiansKoli ChristiansKoli Christians are a religious subset of the Kolis, the indigenous people of the seven islands of Bombay, which now form part of the modern city of Mumbai. In 1989, there were approximately 9,000 Koli Christians, most of whom were fishermen, like their Hindu counterparts. Koli Christians blend the...
- GujjarGujjarThe Gurjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujar, Gurjjara and Gūrjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest....
- BrahminBrahminBrahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
- Gaur BrahminGaur BrahminThe Gaur Brahmin or Adh Brahmin are a Brahmin sub-caste found in North India. Gurjar gaur Brahmins were priests of the Gurjars during the reign of the Gurjars....