Bangali
Encyclopedia
The Bangali are a caste
found in India
, and the Hindu
branch have scheduled caste status in Haryana
and Uttar Pradesh
. They are distinct from the Bengali
ethnic group
of eastern India
and Bangladesh
. The Bangali are one of the many nomadic groupings found in North India
, and have customs similar to other nomadic communities such as the Kanjar
.
parent group when they took up snake charming. The majority of the Bangali are now settled, occupying their settlements of reed huts at the edge of established villages. They are found mainly in the Doab
region, with two clusters, one in Muzaffarnagar District
in the villages of Bhokaredhi, Kamhera, and Kithora and the other in Bijnor District
, in the villages of Raoli and Seemla Fatehpur. The Bangali speak their own dialect, which contains substantial Punjabi
loanwords.
In Haryana
, traditions point to the fact that they originally belonged to the Deha
community, who took begging and snake charming, and as such were ostracised from the parent community. In Haryana
, the word bangala is also means a beggar, and the community could have gotten its name from the fact that they were traditionally beggars. They are found mainly in the districts of Kurukshetra
and Ambala
. The Bangali speak Haryanvi, and live in multi-caste villages.
s. They are generally divided into the Hindu
and Muslim
groupings, with no intermarriage between the two groupings. The Hindu Bangali trace their ancestry to a Shivai Ram Rajput, who is said to have immigrated from Bengal
, while the Muslim
Bangali claim to be Lodhi
Pathans
, who are said to have come from Bengal
. Most Hindu Bangalis were followers of Sakhi Sarwar, however most are now orthodox Hindu
. The Muslim
branch are Sunni Muslim
s.
In Haryana
, the Bangali are entirely Hindu
, and have a village deity called Khera. They are further divided into clans, called gotra
s. Their main clans are the Gandhila, Guar, Bhambi, Panjpasia, Marar, Ladar and Kalandar. Most Bangali are still employed as snake charmers, with a small minority who are now daily wage labourers.
The Bangali are a landless community, and are involved mainly in the rearing of donkeys, ox, fox, buffalos and goats, as well as collecting roots and other minor forest products. They also supplement their income by begging. A great number are now employed as agricultural labourers. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste
council, known as a biradari panchayat. The panchayat acts as instrument of social control, dealing with issues such as divorce and adultery.
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 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...
, and 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...
branch 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...
and 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...
. They are distinct from the Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
of eastern 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...
and 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...
. The Bangali are one of the many nomadic groupings 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...
, and have customs similar to other nomadic communities such as the Kanjar
Kanjar
Kanjar is a traditionally nomadic community resident in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and parts of Uttar Pradesh in India. The community is also known by the names of Nath, Banchra, Marwari Kumar, and Bhantu. They are reputed to have made a living by kidnapping, theft, prostitution,...
.
Origin
The Bangali are semi-nomadic tribal grouping, who are said to by origin Sansiya. They are said to have separated from the SansiSansi
Sansi is a nomadic tribe originally located in the Rajasthan area of northwestern India, but expelled in the 13th century by Muslim invaders and now living in states of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab as well as scattered throughout India.Their language is Sansiboli, Sansi or Bhilki that is a highly...
parent group when they took up snake charming. The majority of the Bangali are now settled, occupying their settlements of reed huts at the edge of established villages. They are found mainly in the Doab
Doab
A Doab is a term used in India and Pakistan for a "tongue" or tract of land lying between two confluent rivers...
region, with two clusters, one in Muzaffarnagar District
Muzaffarnagar District
Muzaffarnagar district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It is part of Saharanpur division. The town of Muzaffarnagar is the district headquarters.-Communication:...
in the villages of Bhokaredhi, Kamhera, and Kithora and the other in Bijnor District
Bijnor District
Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
, in the villages of Raoli and Seemla Fatehpur. The Bangali speak their own dialect, which contains substantial 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...
loanwords.
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...
, traditions point to the fact that they originally belonged to the Deha
Deha
The Deha, sometimes pronounced as Dhaya, Dhea, Daiya and Dheya are a caste found in India, and have scheduled caste status in Haryana.- Origin :...
community, who took begging and snake charming, and as such were ostracised from the parent community. 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 word bangala is also means a beggar, and the community could have gotten its name from the fact that they were traditionally beggars. They are found mainly in the districts of Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra is a land of historical and religious importance. Historically the land belonged to Punjab now a district in Haryana state of India. It is a holy place and is also known as Dharmakshetra . According to the Puranas, Kurukshetra is named after King Kuru, the ancestor of Kauravas and...
and Ambala
Ambala District
Ambala district is one of the 21 districts of Haryana state in India. Ambala town is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district has an area of 1568.85 km².-History:...
. The Bangali speak Haryanvi, and live in multi-caste villages.
Present circumstances
The Bangali are strictly endogamous community, but have no system of 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. They are generally divided into 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...
and 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...
groupings, with no intermarriage between the two groupings. The Hindu Bangali trace their ancestry to a Shivai Ram Rajput, who is said to have immigrated from 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...
, while 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...
Bangali claim to be Lodhi
Lodhi
Lodhi is a Batani Pashtun tribe mainly found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were part of a wave of Pashtuns who pushed east into what is today Pakistan. Often accompanying the Timurids who conquered South Asia, the Lodhi established themselves during the Islamic period as a Muslim ruling class...
Pathans
Pathans of Uttar Pradesh
The Pathans of Uttar Pradesh , have a large community of Pashtuns in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, who form one of the largest Muslim communities in the state...
, who are said to have come from 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...
. Most Hindu Bangalis were followers of Sakhi Sarwar, however most are now orthodox 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...
. 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...
branch are Sunni 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.
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 Bangali are entirely 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 a village deity called Khera. They are further divided into clans, called 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. Their main clans are the Gandhila, Guar, Bhambi, Panjpasia, Marar, Ladar and Kalandar. Most Bangali are still employed as snake charmers, with a small minority who are now daily wage labourers.
The Bangali are a landless community, and are involved mainly in the rearing of donkeys, ox, fox, buffalos and goats, as well as collecting roots and other minor forest products. They also supplement their income by begging. A great number are now employed as agricultural labourers. Each of their settlement contains an informal 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...
council, known as a biradari panchayat. The panchayat acts as instrument of social control, dealing with issues such as divorce and adultery.