Majhwar
Encyclopedia
The Majhwar are scheduled caste, found in North India
. They are also known as Manjhi.
word madhya, which means those at the centre. They claim to have originally belonged to the Gond
community. About five hundred years ago, there was a battle between the Muslim
s and the Gond
s, where there ancestors occupied the centre of the battlefield. As the Gond were defeated, they emigrated and settled in Mirzapur
. They are now found mainly in Allahabad
, Mirzapur
and Varanasi
.
s. Their main gotra
s include the Tekam, Netam, Airum, Keram, Karium, Sarium, Bhajbi, Mashram and Shyam. They are endogamous, and practice clan exogamy.
The Manjhi are now mainly farmers, with the raising of livestock as a secondary occupation. A few are also engaged in wage labour. They are Hindu
, and have their own tribal deities such as Burha-deo, Burhi-mai and Maror-maidevi. Their customs are similar to other tribal communities in their neighbourhood, such as the Bind
and Chero
.
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...
. They are also known as Manjhi.
History and origin
The Majhwar get their name from the HindiHindi
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...
word madhya, which means those at the centre. They claim to have originally belonged to the Gond
Gondi people
The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
community. About five hundred years ago, there was a battle between 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...
s and the Gond
Gondi people
The Gondi, Goindi or Gond people are people in central India, spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, eastern Maharashtra , Chhattisgarh, northern Andhra Pradesh, and Western Orissa. With over four million people, they are the largest tribe in Central India.The Gondi language is related to...
s, where there ancestors occupied the centre of the battlefield. As the Gond were defeated, they emigrated and settled in Mirzapur
Mirzapur
Mirzapur is a city in the heart of North India, nearly 650 km between Delhi and Kolkata and also equidistant from Allahabad and Varanasi. Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Mirzapur has a population of a little over 205,264 and is renowned for its famous carpet and brassware industry...
. They are now found mainly in Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, Mirzapur
Mirzapur
Mirzapur is a city in the heart of North India, nearly 650 km between Delhi and Kolkata and also equidistant from Allahabad and Varanasi. Located in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Mirzapur has a population of a little over 205,264 and is renowned for its famous carpet and brassware industry...
and Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
.
Present circumstances
The Manjhi claim to be an offshoot of the Rajgond community, and are divided into six divisions, based on their earlier places of settlement. These sub-groups are further divided into gotraGotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
s. Their main gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
s include the Tekam, Netam, Airum, Keram, Karium, Sarium, Bhajbi, Mashram and Shyam. They are endogamous, and practice clan exogamy.
The Manjhi are now mainly farmers, with the raising of livestock as a secondary occupation. A few are also engaged in wage labour. They are 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...
, and have their own tribal deities such as Burha-deo, Burhi-mai and Maror-maidevi. Their customs are similar to other tribal communities in their neighbourhood, such as the Bind
Bind (tribe)
The Bind are scheduled caste, found in North India. They are also known as Chatai Bin or Chai.-History and origin:They originate from the Vindhya hills in central India. According to their traditions, the daughter of Nisadh, on the way to her husband's house, was passing by a river, when she was...
and Chero
Chero
The Chero are scheduled caste, found in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, in North India.-History and origin:The community claim to have originally been Chandravanshi Rajputs. Other members of the tribe claim to be Nagvanshi. The Chero are essentially one of many tribal communities, such as...
.