Bhanushali
Encyclopedia
Bhanushali / Bhānshali / Bhansali (Gujarati : ભણશાળી) is a Hindu
, Kshatriya
community mainly belonging to State of Gujarat in India
.
Bhanushalis are believed to be Kshatriya people, who were mainly living in Punjab
and Sindh
region before their migration to present day Kutch and Halar region of Gujarat, somewhere in 16th century AD. Bhanushalis claim to have descended from Chalukyas and often have Rajput
surnames.
Bhanushalis are at present divided in to two sub groups, according to their region of living, that is :- Cutchhi Bhanushali Community ( those living or having ancestry in Kutch region ) and Halai Bhanushali Community those living or having ancestry in Halar (Jamnagar
) region.
Bhanushalis were mainly involved in agriculture and farming.
Bhanushalis worship different kuldevis as per their clan names / surnames. and follow Hindu customs and beliefs and worship God like Shiva
, Durga
and Vishnu
. Further, they also worship Veer Dada Jashraj
and claim, like Lohana
s, that he belonged to their community.Incidentally, Bhanushalis also shared their early home in Sindh
with Lohanas. They are largely Vaishnava community.Bhanshalis largely worship goddess Hinglaj Mata
, whose main shrine is at Hinglaj
in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Among their community Sant Odhavramji
of Vandhay
was prominent figure of Kutchi people
and did much work for up-liftment and education of Bhanushali community in decades of 1930-1950s.
and as such you can find many people using Bhanushali and Bhanshali surname. However, other surnames among this community are Sethia, Amal, Kataria, Hemani, Damani, etc. etc. These surnames, coincidentally, are also found among Lohana
community and it seems that they and Lohanas share common history or lineage. Like Lohanas, Bhanushalis are largely involved in trading and have gained name as businessman and identified as Vaishya
community although have its origins as Kshatriya
clan.
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...
, Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
community mainly belonging to State of Gujarat 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...
.
Bhanushalis are believed to be Kshatriya people, who were mainly living in Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
and Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
region before their migration to present day Kutch and Halar region of Gujarat, somewhere in 16th century AD. Bhanushalis claim to have descended from Chalukyas and often have Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
surnames.
Bhanushalis are at present divided in to two sub groups, according to their region of living, that is :- Cutchhi Bhanushali Community ( those living or having ancestry in Kutch region ) and Halai Bhanushali Community those living or having ancestry in Halar (Jamnagar
Jamnagar
Jamnagar is a city and a municipal corporation in Jamnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. The city was built up substantially by Maharaja Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji in the 1920s, when the district was known as Nawanagar. The district lies just to the south of the Gulf of Kutch and is...
) region.
Bhanushalis were mainly involved in agriculture and farming.
Bhanushalis worship different kuldevis as per their clan names / surnames. and follow Hindu customs and beliefs and worship God like 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...
, Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
and Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. Further, they also worship Veer Dada Jashraj
Veer Dada Jashraj
Dada Jasraj / Dada Jashraj also called Veer Dada Jasraj is a folk deity revered and worshiped by Lohana and Bhanushali community of India....
and claim, like Lohana
Lohana
The Lohana also referred to as Luvana are an Indian caste,largely classified as merchants and are categorized as Vaishya or Bania caste although their ancient history proves that they are Kshatriya of Suryavanshi descant, claiming their lineage from Lava, son of Rama...
s, that he belonged to their community.Incidentally, Bhanushalis also shared their early home in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
with Lohanas. They are largely Vaishnava community.Bhanshalis largely worship goddess Hinglaj Mata
Hinglaj mata
Hinglaj Mata is a Hindu temple in Hinglaj, on the Makran coast in the Lyari district of Balochistan in Pakistan. It is one of the Shakti Peethas of Goddess Sati....
, whose main shrine is at Hinglaj
Hinglaj
Hinglaj is an important Hindu pilgrimage place in Balochistan, Pakistan and Kuldevi of many Kshatriya and other Hindu Communities of India. It is situated in Balochistan province about 250 km north of Karachi.-Mythological Origin:...
in Balochistan, Pakistan.
Among their community Sant Odhavramji
Odhavram
Sant Sri Odhavram Ji was born in Jakhau, a small village located on the west coast of Gujarat, India in District Kutchh. He was born in a Bhanushali family on the auspicious day of Hindu festival of “Ram Navami” in 1889, he was named Udhav. His parents were mother Chaagbai & father Hemraj. Udhav...
of Vandhay
Vandhay
Vandhay or Vandhai is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat. It is 59.6 km from Bhuj, district and taluka headquarters.It is a very small village with a population of around 350 people and about 70 houses...
was prominent figure of Kutchi people
Kutchi people
The Kutchi people traditionally reside in the Kutch region of the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat and in the Sindh province of Pakistan...
and did much work for up-liftment and education of Bhanushali community in decades of 1930-1950s.
Surname
Bhanushalis often use their community name also as their surnameSurname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
and as such you can find many people using Bhanushali and Bhanshali surname. However, other surnames among this community are Sethia, Amal, Kataria, Hemani, Damani, etc. etc. These surnames, coincidentally, are also found among Lohana
Lohana
The Lohana also referred to as Luvana are an Indian caste,largely classified as merchants and are categorized as Vaishya or Bania caste although their ancient history proves that they are Kshatriya of Suryavanshi descant, claiming their lineage from Lava, son of Rama...
community and it seems that they and Lohanas share common history or lineage. Like Lohanas, Bhanushalis are largely involved in trading and have gained name as businessman and identified as Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
community although have its origins as Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
clan.
Notable Persons
- Shyamji Krishna VarmaShyamji Krishna VarmaShyamji Krishna Varma was an Indian revolutionary, lawyer and journalist who founded the Indian Home Rule Society, India House and The Indian Sociologist in London. A graduate of Balliol College, Krishna Varma was a noted scholar in Sanskrit and other Indian languages...
(1857–1930) - prominent freedom fighter from MandviMandviMandvi is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once a major port of the region and summer retreat for Maharao of the Kachchh. The old city had a surrounding fort, and remains of the fort wall can still be seen to this day...
, Kutch - Sant OdhavramjiOdhavramSant Sri Odhavram Ji was born in Jakhau, a small village located on the west coast of Gujarat, India in District Kutchh. He was born in a Bhanushali family on the auspicious day of Hindu festival of “Ram Navami” in 1889, he was named Udhav. His parents were mother Chaagbai & father Hemraj. Udhav...
(1889–1957) - a prominent saint and social worker of Kutch - Kishor Bhanushali - a film actor ( look alike of Dev AnandDev AnandDharam Dev Anand , better known as Dev Anand , is an Indian Hindi Cinema actor, director and film producer. Dev is the second of three brothers who were active in Hindi Cinema. His brothers are Chetan Anand and Vijay Anand. Their sister, Sheel Kanta Kapur, is the mother of renowned Hindi and...
) - Jay Bhanushali - a television actor and achor.
- Sanjay Leela BhansaliSanjay Leela BhansaliSanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian film director. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India...