Mahar
Encyclopedia
Mahar is an important social group within the India
n state of Maharashtra
and surrounding states. A grouping of related endogamous castes, the Mahar are the largest scheduled caste group in Maharashtra, in which they comprise ten percent of the population (in the early 1980s, the Mahar community was estimated to make up about nine percent of the population of Maharashtra).
On October 14, 1956, at Dikshabhumi in Nagpur
, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the most notable leader of the Mahars, converted to Buddhism
along with thousands of his followers. Since then, almost the whole caste has converted to Buddhism; they are no longer Mahars after the conversion.
The Mahars traditionally were made to live on the outskirts of villages and their duties included those of village watchman, messenger, wall mender, adjudicator of boundary disputes, street sweeper, and remover of carcasses. They also worked as agricultural labourers and held some land, though they were not primarily farmers In the twentieth century, as the collective consciousness of the Mahar grew, significant numbers of Mahars began to leave their traditional villages and move into the urban centers of India in search of better employment and educational opportunities.
While invading India the British faced fierce resistance in some regions while easily conquering others. The British officials sought 'martial races' accustomed to hunting or agricultural cultures from hilly or mountainous regions with a history of conflict, here the Mahars came in handy. Other castes who consider themselves martial and upper caste were excluded due to their 'ease of living' or branded as seditious agitators.[3] The doctrine of 'martial races' postulated that the qualities that make a useful soldier are inherited and that most Indians, with the exception of the specified groups, did not have the requisite genes that would make them warriors.[4]It is a notable fact that 'marital races' places the Mahar's warrior inheritance and usefulness as soldier above many other 'warrior' races of the Hindusthan region.
The Mahars have excelled in military services for the last several centuries and Shivaji recruited a large number of Mahars into his army in the 17th century.. Shivaji's one of bodyguard was belonged to Mahar community, his name was Jiva Mahale. He had saved Shivaji's life when Afzal Khan
's private secretary, Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni attacked Shivaji with his sword. During the colonial period, a large number of Mahars were recruited for military duties by the East India Company
and the British Raj
. This martial tradition has continued and has found expression in the organization of a Mahar Regiment
by the Indian Army
in 1941.
The Imperial Gazetteer of India, writing about Nagpur
district, India, described the social status of the Mahars in the early 1900s:
In the month of November 1817 Peshwas devastated the Regency of Pune giving no scope for the British army to retaliate successfully. The British commanding officer in Pune called the Chief of the second Battalion-first Regiment Native Infantry for help which was encamped in the Shirur Taluka of Pune district. This contingent, with only 500 foot soldiers and 250 cavalry both predominantly consisting of Mahars defeated the mighty Peshwa army of 8,000 foot soldiers and 20,000 cavalry.
This battle had unusual significance for many reasons. First, British army fought this battle with a minuscule army expecting the worst, especially after their experience of the Pune Regency. Secondly, the battle of Koregaon was one of the most important events which helped tear down the Peshwa Empire and subsequently the Peshwa had to abdicate. Thirdly and most importantly, it was an attempt by the untouchables of Maharashtra to break the shackles of the age-old caste order.
The Peshwa's troops had to withdraw that evening, despite their overwhelming numbers, giving the British an important victory. The men of the 2/1st Regiment Bombay Native Infantry, who fought in this battle, were honored for their bravery. The official report to the British Residents at Poona recalls the "heroic valour and enduring fortitude" of the soldiers, the "disciplined intrepidity" and "devoted courage and admirable consistency" of their actions.
Further, the battle is commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon pillar, which featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until Indian Independence. The monument has names inscribed of twenty two Mahars killed there, erected at the site of the battle and by a medal issued in 1851. Today, the monument still "serves as a focal point of Mahar heroism".
According to Saint Balakdas, the Mahars were originally of Chandravanshi lineage from Marwar
and desccended from Samaji (the first Mahar) and that the Rishi of the Mahars is Markendeya and God was Shiva
.
Traditionally considered lower in the Hindu
caste system, during the 20th century a number of Mahars converted to Buddhism
, including one of the most prominent of Mahars Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
. Ambedkar, the first individual from a traditionally so called untouchable caste to receive a university education, encouraged Mahars to leave Hinduism in protest of their caste status. Mahars who have transformed back to Buddhism are referred to as 'Ancient Buddhist- Buddha people of Naga decent- solar race' (Buddhists). Some Buddhist leaders among the population have expressed a desire for the 'Mahar' label to no longer be applied to Buddhist converts. Dr.B.R.Ambedkar written a book the untouchable in which he told that Mahars were the naga people of India who were Buddhist by their religion in ancient India. There are many evidence that one could still find in Maharastra that the Mahar people were originally buddhist people of India.
Although the majority have converted to Buddhism, some converted to Christianity earlier than the Buddhist conversion of B. R. Ambedkar
. Many got converted to Christianity after evangelicization by British and American missionariesin the nineteenth century; these Christian Mahars are found in largely in Ahmednagar. Mahar Christians are found also in many parts of Maharashtra
such as Solapur
, Kolhapur, Raigad
, and Aurangabad, though most still may be encountered in Ahmednagar.
The Mahars found in Nanded district of Maharashtra were also converted to Sikhism in small amounts.
Some of the Mahars also converted to Islam during Islam kings rule on India, particularly in Nizam's Hyderabad.
Presently major portion of Mahar Community are Neo-Buddhists and follow Therigatha/ Theravada Buddhism. Many old, ritualistic, orthodox and traditional Hindu practices are abandoned by the Neo-Buddhists though some Hindu festivals (like Diwali and Holi) and cultured practices are still followed by the Neo-Buddhists. Use of Mahar word as a representation of society is generally avoided instead Buddhist orientations are favoured.
Mahars who worked on the railways or in the ammunition factories, who were thus free from traditional village work, created a receptive body of urban workers who were ready to join a movement for higher status and equality.
There were a number of local leaders in Poona and Nagpur, but Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is still seen by Mahars, Buddhists, and many other educated untouchables as the supreme example of untouchable achievement. Statues of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar dot the landscape of Maharashtra, UP and all dalit dominated states in India, and in those statues he is often shown with a book in his hand, symbolizing the constitution of India, for his crowning achievement was to serve as chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution and as law minister in independent India's first cabinet.
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...
n state of 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...
and surrounding states. A grouping of related endogamous castes, the Mahar are the largest scheduled caste group in Maharashtra, in which they comprise ten percent of the population (in the early 1980s, the Mahar community was estimated to make up about nine percent of the population of Maharashtra).
On October 14, 1956, at Dikshabhumi in Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the most notable leader of the Mahars, 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...
along with thousands of his followers. Since then, almost the whole caste has converted to Buddhism; they are no longer Mahars after the conversion.
The Mahars traditionally were made to live on the outskirts of villages and their duties included those of village watchman, messenger, wall mender, adjudicator of boundary disputes, street sweeper, and remover of carcasses. They also worked as agricultural labourers and held some land, though they were not primarily farmers In the twentieth century, as the collective consciousness of the Mahar grew, significant numbers of Mahars began to leave their traditional villages and move into the urban centers of India in search of better employment and educational opportunities.
Martial races and Mahar regiment
The Mahar regiment is one of the renowned infantry arm of independent India's army. Members of mahar community have warrior like appearance, they are strong, with broad shoulders, tall and they can be easily identified by their strong athletic body. The Mahar warrior is recognized as brave and fearless with a very disciplined approach towards the art of warfare. Skin color of Mahars ranges from dark to fair.While invading India the British faced fierce resistance in some regions while easily conquering others. The British officials sought 'martial races' accustomed to hunting or agricultural cultures from hilly or mountainous regions with a history of conflict, here the Mahars came in handy. Other castes who consider themselves martial and upper caste were excluded due to their 'ease of living' or branded as seditious agitators.[3] The doctrine of 'martial races' postulated that the qualities that make a useful soldier are inherited and that most Indians, with the exception of the specified groups, did not have the requisite genes that would make them warriors.[4]It is a notable fact that 'marital races' places the Mahar's warrior inheritance and usefulness as soldier above many other 'warrior' races of the Hindusthan region.
The Mahars have excelled in military services for the last several centuries and Shivaji recruited a large number of Mahars into his army in the 17th century.. Shivaji's one of bodyguard was belonged to Mahar community, his name was Jiva Mahale. He had saved Shivaji's life when Afzal Khan
Afzal Khan
Afzal Khan may refer to:*Afzal Khan , Bijapuri general*Afzal Khan , Pakistani actor *Mir Afzal Khan, former Pakistani politician*Afzal Khan Lala, Pashtun nationalist...
's private secretary, Krishnaji Bhaskar Kulkarni attacked Shivaji with his sword. During the colonial period, a large number of Mahars were recruited for military duties by the East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and 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...
. This martial tradition has continued and has found expression in the organization of a Mahar Regiment
Mahar Regiment
The Mahar Regiment is an Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army. Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahars in Maharashtra, the Mahar Regiment is one of the only regiments in the Indian Army that is composed of troops from all communities and regions of...
by the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1941.
The Imperial Gazetteer of India, writing about Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
district, India, described the social status of the Mahars in the early 1900s:
“Mahars form a sixth of the whole population, the great majority being cultivators and laborers. The rural Mahar is still considered impure, and is not allowed to drink from the village well, nor may his children sit in school with those of the Hindu castes. But there are traces of decay of this tendency, as many Mahars have become wealthy and risen in the world, with their tenacity and adaptive ability”
Battle of Koregaon
The Battle of Koregaon took place on January 1, 1818, at the bank of river Bhima in Koregaon (Maharashtra State, India), situated on the north west of Pune. A small force of 500 men of the 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment of the Bombay Native Light Infantry mostly Mahar under the command of Capt. F. F. Staunton fought without rest or respite, food or water continuously for twelve hours against a large force of 20,000 horse and 8,000 infantry of Maratha Leader Peshwa Baji Rao II who was threatening the British garrisons at Kirkee and Poona.In the month of November 1817 Peshwas devastated the Regency of Pune giving no scope for the British army to retaliate successfully. The British commanding officer in Pune called the Chief of the second Battalion-first Regiment Native Infantry for help which was encamped in the Shirur Taluka of Pune district. This contingent, with only 500 foot soldiers and 250 cavalry both predominantly consisting of Mahars defeated the mighty Peshwa army of 8,000 foot soldiers and 20,000 cavalry.
This battle had unusual significance for many reasons. First, British army fought this battle with a minuscule army expecting the worst, especially after their experience of the Pune Regency. Secondly, the battle of Koregaon was one of the most important events which helped tear down the Peshwa Empire and subsequently the Peshwa had to abdicate. Thirdly and most importantly, it was an attempt by the untouchables of Maharashtra to break the shackles of the age-old caste order.
The Peshwa's troops had to withdraw that evening, despite their overwhelming numbers, giving the British an important victory. The men of the 2/1st Regiment Bombay Native Infantry, who fought in this battle, were honored for their bravery. The official report to the British Residents at Poona recalls the "heroic valour and enduring fortitude" of the soldiers, the "disciplined intrepidity" and "devoted courage and admirable consistency" of their actions.
Further, the battle is commemorated by an obelisk, known as the Koregaon pillar, which featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until Indian Independence. The monument has names inscribed of twenty two Mahars killed there, erected at the site of the battle and by a medal issued in 1851. Today, the monument still "serves as a focal point of Mahar heroism".
Religion
Though of lower status, during the Bhakti Era of Hinduism several Mahar saints were popularized. For example the most popular Mahar saints are:- Balakdas (Shaiva), Banka Mahar, Bhagu, Channayya (Virashaiva disciple of Basavana), devotee of Shiva, disciple of Basava, Chokha Mela, Kanhopatra, Karmamelam, Nirmala and Soyarabai.
According to Saint Balakdas, the Mahars were originally of Chandravanshi lineage from Marwar
Marwar
Marwar is a region of southwestern Rajasthan state in western India. It lies partly in the Thar Desert. In Rajasthani dialect "wad" means a particular area. The word Marwar is derived from Sanskrit word 'Maruwat'. English translation of the word is 'The region of desert'., The Imperial Gazetteer...
and desccended from Samaji (the first Mahar) and that the Rishi of the Mahars is Markendeya and God was Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
.
Traditionally considered lower in 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...
caste system, during the 20th century a number of Mahars 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...
, including one of the most prominent of Mahars Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , popularly also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, political leader, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, a revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of independent India. He was also the Chairman...
. Ambedkar, the first individual from a traditionally so called untouchable caste to receive a university education, encouraged Mahars to leave Hinduism in protest of their caste status. Mahars who have transformed back to Buddhism are referred to as 'Ancient Buddhist- Buddha people of Naga decent- solar race' (Buddhists). Some Buddhist leaders among the population have expressed a desire for the 'Mahar' label to no longer be applied to Buddhist converts. Dr.B.R.Ambedkar written a book the untouchable in which he told that Mahars were the naga people of India who were Buddhist by their religion in ancient India. There are many evidence that one could still find in Maharastra that the Mahar people were originally buddhist people of India.
Although the majority have converted to Buddhism, some converted to Christianity earlier than the Buddhist conversion of B. R. Ambedkar
B. R. Ambedkar
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , popularly also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian jurist, political leader, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, a revolutionary and one of the founding fathers of independent India. He was also the Chairman...
. Many got converted to Christianity after evangelicization by British and American missionariesin the nineteenth century; these Christian Mahars are found in largely in Ahmednagar. Mahar Christians are found also in many parts of 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...
such as Solapur
Solapur
Solapur is a city in South Western Maharashtra, India governed by municipal corporation.Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra . It is the fourth largest district in Maharashtra in terms of land area and seventh largest in terms of population...
, Kolhapur, Raigad
Raigad
Raigad is a hill fortress situated in the modern day Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. The Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj made the fort his capital in 1674 when he was crowned King of a Maratha Kingdom which later developed into the Maratha Empire eventually covering majority of modern day...
, and Aurangabad, though most still may be encountered in Ahmednagar.
The Mahars found in Nanded district of Maharashtra were also converted to Sikhism in small amounts.
Some of the Mahars also converted to Islam during Islam kings rule on India, particularly in Nizam's Hyderabad.
Presently major portion of Mahar Community are Neo-Buddhists and follow Therigatha/ Theravada Buddhism. Many old, ritualistic, orthodox and traditional Hindu practices are abandoned by the Neo-Buddhists though some Hindu festivals (like Diwali and Holi) and cultured practices are still followed by the Neo-Buddhists. Use of Mahar word as a representation of society is generally avoided instead Buddhist orientations are favoured.
Homonym Contradictions
Mahar Tribe living in Sindh, Pakistan is entirely different from the Mahar (Caste-Presently Neo Buddhists) living in Maharashtra, India. Both the Mahar Tribe and Mahar Caste have different origins and historical backgrounds. The Famous and Fierce British Regiment, the Mahar Regiment was constituted by the Mahar (Caste) people living in Maharashtra. The Mahar Regiment is presently functional in India and constitute of soldiers and personnel from different castes and creeds.History
It is clear that Mahars were among the earliest inhabitants of the Marathi-speaking area of India, if not the original dwellers. Their myths reinforce the epithet bhumiputra, "son of the soil," which implies original ownership of the land. The first Mahar to figure in history is Chokhamela, a fourteenth-century poet-saint in the devotional religious tradition that allowed participation by all castes. Chokhamela, the Untouchable Mahar, along with his wife, her brother, and their son are all historic figures in the Warkari cult. The sixteenth-century Brahman poet, Eknath, wrote more than forty poems as if he were a Mahar, underlining their importance to the everyday world of that time. There is mention of Chokhamela even in the Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs. In the seventeenth century, Mahars were part of the armies of the Maratha king Shivaji, and in the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth Century, Mahars joined the British armed forces and served until the army was reorganized on a "martial people" basis in the late nineteenth century. Former army Mahars were the first to petition the British government for redress and for equal treatment.Mahars who worked on the railways or in the ammunition factories, who were thus free from traditional village work, created a receptive body of urban workers who were ready to join a movement for higher status and equality.
There were a number of local leaders in Poona and Nagpur, but Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar is still seen by Mahars, Buddhists, and many other educated untouchables as the supreme example of untouchable achievement. Statues of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar dot the landscape of Maharashtra, UP and all dalit dominated states in India, and in those statues he is often shown with a book in his hand, symbolizing the constitution of India, for his crowning achievement was to serve as chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution and as law minister in independent India's first cabinet.