Vanjari/Wanjari (Caste)
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Wanjari / Vanjari (caste) is a Kshatriya clan with origins in Ajmer, Rajasthan.
| Vanjari/Wanjari | |
|---|---|
| Varna | Kshatriya |
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Marathi, Hindi, Rajasthani |
| Populated states | Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka |
| Population | Approx. 9 Lakhs (in 2011) |
A huge number of this community's members were Shiledar (Cavalry men) and Paik (Infantry men) some with exceptional martial abilities held the post of nayaks and village heads.
There are 4 sub-castes within Vanjari which are Ladjin, Raojin, Mathurjin, Bhusarjin.
Post-1875 similar to the Maratha and Kunbi Marathas, majority of the Vanjaris turned farm land owners deriving most of their income from agricultural sources.And some took up inter-state trading of commodities as their occupation.[1]
History[edit]
The Vanjari community migrated to Maharashtra in early 1600's realizing the growing strength of Mughals in Delhi and surrounding North Indian regions; settling in Sindhkhed Raja Jagir (now part of Buldhana District, Maharashtra) aligning themselves with Sardar & Jagirdar Lakhuji Raje Jadhav, Father of Jijabai and the maternal Grandfather of Chhatrapati Shivaji Bhosale.
After the treacherous murder of Lakhuji Jadhav, his sons and a grandson, the Vanjaris were in service of Lakhuji's son-in-law Shahaji Raje Bhosale and when Shahaji Raje got the Jagir of Bengalur and Thanjavur (now Bangalore & Tamil Nadu) they obliged under the reign of his son Chhatrapati Shivaji.
There is a popular belief amongst the Vanjaris, that their ancestors participated in war supporting Parashuram where he defeated the tyrannical rulers "21 times over" and creating Prashuram-Kshetra. Co-incidentally Parashuram's mother Renuka Mata happens to be the kuldaivat (Prime diety of worship) of alot of Vanjaris.
In present times most of the Vanjari population resides in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and some in the cities like Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Kolhapur. Minority of the population reside in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka.
Vanjaris and Banjaras even though different in occupations and traditions have originated from the same region. In a legal court proceeding of 1991 Vanjaris minority status was differentiated from Banjaras; as Vanjaris are soldiers who later turned to farming and trade as an occupation. Meanwhile Banjaras are a nomadic tribe who were traders originally.[2][3]
Culture and Traditions[edit]
Tuljabhavani, Renuka Mata & Khandoba are the three main Kuldaivats of the Vanjaris. Every year a Vanjari has to religiously pay homage to his/her Kuldaivat; where the entire family of a member travel to Tuljapur, Mahurgadh or Jejuri.
And every 3 years or Quinquenially a ceremonial Yatra is held in honour of the local diety called Mhasoba in Bhandgaon, Indapur. In this yatra other members of the community are invited for a feast after sacrifices are made to the god. Such celebrations are considered sacred and beneficial for social welfare.
Their culture and tradtions of community are similar to that of Marathas and Kunbi marathas as majority of them shared areas of settlement for hundreds of years.[4] Surnames like Magar, Shelke, Sanap, Warhade, Naik, Bodkhe, Karad are commonly found in all three of the mentioned communities. One differance between the three communities is of diet, whereas Maratha and Kunbi Marathas consume meat heavily but Vanjaris avoid eating meat or even abstain from eating meat citing religious beliefs.
It is customary for two members of the community to greet each other by saying "Jai Bhagwan" or "Jai Tuljabhawani". As they identify themselves as Bhagvatins
Maintaining geneological records is given much importance amongst them as every 12 years elders of the Vanjari community travel from Ajmer to visit the native villages of the community members to update the existing records. Inter-caste marriages are often looked down upon by older generations, and marrying outside of the one's caste can result in ostracization and derision of the family members with the name of the person (who inter-marries) cut of from the geneological archives (family tree).[5]
Another notable rule of the community is to prevent marriages within relatives, same gotra and even sister-clans (related surnames).
As vegetarianism is commonly practiced in India, Vanjaris are moderate in their approach towards consuming too much meat. Most of the Vanjaris strictly adhere to diet rules concerning meat and some become "Malkaris" later on in life. Men followed religious rules for the consumption of meat and stick to a vegetarian diet 75% of the times. Women take oath to never consume meat or even eggs (a custom which a dwindling in the current generation of Millenials and Gen Z).
Notable Members[edit]
Rashtriya Sant Shri Bhagwan Baba
Dharmaji Garje Raje - Revolutionary & Chieftain of Nagjhari, Beed Region (Also son of Bogaji Garje)
Bogaji Prataprao Garje (aka Waghoji) - Heroic figure during Pratapgad War - Bestowed the title of Prataprao by the King.
Gopinath Munde (aka Lokneta) - Member Of Parliament, Dep.Chief Minister of Maharashtra State, Minister of (Rural Development, Water & Sanitation, Panchayati Raj etc)
Bhagwat Karad - Minister of Maharashtra State in Ministry of Finance, Member of Parliament
Prof Vishwanath Karad - Chairman & Founder of MIT World Peace University and MIT Colleges
Padmashree Dr.Tatyarao Lahane - Former Dean of Grant Medical Colleges & J.J Hospital Mumbai, also holds the world record for performing more than 130,000 Cataract surgeries.
Babanrao Dhakane - Union Minister of Maharashtra State, Cabinet Minister, State Minister.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Census of British India 1881. Wanjaris/Vanjari are a Kshatriya Race" (PDF).
- ↑ "Legal Proceedings differentiating Vanjari community from Banjara community".
- ↑ "1991 - Legal Proceedings of the High Court of Mumbai. Vanjaris & Banjaras are two different communities".
- ↑ "Maharashtra gazetteer Bombay (1911) on the status and lives of castes" (PDF).
- ↑ "Customs and Law of Marrying of Vanjari Community".
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