Sapera (caste)
Encyclopedia
The Sapera are a Hindu
caste
found in North India
. They are also known as Barwa Sampheriya in West Bengal
, Sapela in Punjab
and Sparera in Madhya Pradesh
.
, which live in camps at the outskirts of most North Indian towns.<
In Haryana
, the community is known as the Sapera Nath. They are further divided into ten sub-groups, some of which are the Gulia, Jat Sapera, Brahmin Sapera, Jhinwar Sapera, Soggar Sapera, BihaL Sapera, Nakphule Sapera, and Sandenath Sapera. These divisions are said to reflect the diverse origin of this community, where people of different caste backgrounds took to the occupation of snake charming, and over time evolved into a distinct community. They now have Scheduled Caste status in Haryana
.
In Punjab
, the word Sapela is derived from the word sap, which means snake in Punjabi
. They are also known as Nath. The community are as much snake catchers as snake charmers, and are employed by villagers as snake charmers. According to their traditions, the community descend from a Kanipa, a Jhinwar
, who took to snake charming. They are nomadic, and are possibly of Dom
origin. The Punjab Sapela speak Punjabi
and found throughout the state.
s. They are also expert snake catchers, and are often called in by other villagers to catch snakes and remove the poison from persons bitten by snakes. A small number of Sapera have also being involved in the manufacture of a course rope called the munj. Like other nomadic groups, the Indian state has exerted pressure for them to settle down. A few have now taken up permanent settlement, and are mainly share croppers. They remain an extremely marginalized group, suffering from poverty.
The Sapela community consists of a number of clans, the main ones being the Marar, Goar, Bhambi, Doom and Ladhu. All these clans are of equal status and intermarry. The Sapela are still largely involved in their traditional occupation of snake charming and snake catching, as well as collecting wild root and tubers, which they use for medicinal purposes. They are nomadic, and visit villages, often employed to catch snakes. The community are also associated with the playing the gourd pipe, known as a bin. Like other Sapera groups, they are extremely marginalized, and have been granted scheduled caste status.
Most Sapera are Hindu
by faith, although a small number have converted to Islam
, and form a distinct community of Muslim Sapera
s. The Hindu Sapera are followers of the shakti
cult and worship the goddess Kali
.
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
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...
found in 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...
. They are also known as Barwa Sampheriya in West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Sapela in Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
and Sparera in 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....
.
Origin
Very little is known about the origin of the Sapera community. All that is known is that they are a community of snake charmers. They are one of a number of semi-nomadic communities found in North IndiaNorth 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...
, which live in camps at the outskirts of most North Indian towns.<
In 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...
, the community is known as the Sapera Nath. They are further divided into ten sub-groups, some of which are the Gulia, Jat Sapera, Brahmin Sapera, Jhinwar Sapera, Soggar Sapera, BihaL Sapera, Nakphule Sapera, and Sandenath Sapera. These divisions are said to reflect the diverse origin of this community, where people of different caste backgrounds took to the occupation of snake charming, and over time evolved into a distinct community. They now have Scheduled Caste status in 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...
.
In Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...
, the word Sapela is derived from the word sap, which means snake in Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
. They are also known as Nath. The community are as much snake catchers as snake charmers, and are employed by villagers as snake charmers. According to their traditions, the community descend from a Kanipa, a Jhinwar
Jhinwar
Bold text°The Jhinwar are a Hindu caste and Sikh caste found in the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. They are also known as Dhimar, Jhimar and Kashyap Rajputs...
, who took to snake charming. They are nomadic, and are possibly of Dom
Dom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
origin. The Punjab Sapela speak Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
and found throughout the state.
Present circumstances
The Sapera are divided into two endogamous groups, the Saharpua and the Baiga. These are further segmented into exogamous clans, and they maintain a strict system of clan exogamy. The principal occupation of the Sapera remains snake charming, and they go village to village, performing with deadly snake likes cobraCobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
s. They are also expert snake catchers, and are often called in by other villagers to catch snakes and remove the poison from persons bitten by snakes. A small number of Sapera have also being involved in the manufacture of a course rope called the munj. Like other nomadic groups, the Indian state has exerted pressure for them to settle down. A few have now taken up permanent settlement, and are mainly share croppers. They remain an extremely marginalized group, suffering from poverty.
The Sapela community consists of a number of clans, the main ones being the Marar, Goar, Bhambi, Doom and Ladhu. All these clans are of equal status and intermarry. The Sapela are still largely involved in their traditional occupation of snake charming and snake catching, as well as collecting wild root and tubers, which they use for medicinal purposes. They are nomadic, and visit villages, often employed to catch snakes. The community are also associated with the playing the gourd pipe, known as a bin. Like other Sapera groups, they are extremely marginalized, and have been granted scheduled caste status.
Most Sapera 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...
by faith, although a small number have 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 form a distinct community of Muslim Sapera
Sapera (Muslim)
The Sapera are a Muslim community found in the state of Bihar in India. They are also known as Mastan and Ustad.-Origin:The Muslim Sapera are Muslim converts from the Hindu Sapera caste. Little is known about the exact circumstances of their conversion to Islam...
s. The Hindu Sapera are followers of the shakti
Shakti
Shakti from Sanskrit shak - "to be able," meaning sacred force or empowerment, is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept, or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes...
cult and worship the goddess Kali
Kali
' , also known as ' , is the Hindu goddess associated with power, shakti. The name Kali comes from kāla, which means black, time, death, lord of death, Shiva. Kali means "the black one". Since Shiva is called Kāla - the eternal time, Kālī, his consort, also means "Time" or "Death" . Hence, Kāli is...
.