The Karwal are a 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...

  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 the state of 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...

 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...

. They are also known as Korual and have scheduled caste status.

Origin

The word karwal is derived from the Hindi word karol, which means a sickle. They are an endogamous

Endogamy

Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...

 sub-group of the Baheliya

Baheliya

The Baheliya are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They have scheduled caste status. A small number of Baheliya have converted to Islam and now form a distinct community of Muslim Baheliya...

 community. Like many other gypsy like communities 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 were nomadic and traditionally hunters. Karwal and Baheliya are generally known as their Title Aheriya in Agra and Aligarh region. They all are writing deferents surnames like Rawal, Rana, Aheriya, Chittaudi, Sishodia etc. They are further sub-divided into a number of clans, the main ones being the Purabia, Hazari, Uttariya, Koiereriya and Turkiya. According to their traditions, they were 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...

s of Jodhpur

Jodhpur

Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...

 who migrated to 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...

 in the 19th Century. They are now found in the districts of Agra

Agra District

Agra District is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and the historical city of Agra is the district headquarters. Agra district is a part of Agra division.-Geography:...

, Mathura

Mathura District

Mathura District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of northern India. The historic town of Mathura is the district headquarters.The district is bounded on the northeast by Aligarh District, on the southeast by Hathras District, on the south by Agra District, and on the west by Rajasthan and...

, Aligarh

Aligarh District

Aligarh District is a district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Its district seat is located in the city of Aligarh .The Aligarh District belongs to Aligarh Division...

, Etah

Etah District

Etah district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Etah town is the district headquarters. Etah district is a part of Aligarh Division. It is dominated by Yadavs and Rajputs.-Economy:...

, Hathras

Mahamaya Nagar District

Mahamaya Nagar district , earlier known as Hathras district, is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. The town of Hathras is the district headquarters. Mahamaya Nagar district is a part of Aligarh Division. This district occupies an area of 1800.1 km²...

, Kanshiram Nagar, Mainpuri

Mainpuri District

Mainpuri district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Mainpuri town is the district headquarters. Mainpuri district is a part of Agra division.-Demographics:...

, Moradabad

Moradabad District

Moradabad district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Moradabad town is the district headquarters. Moradabad district is a part of Moradabad division...

, Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad District

Ghaziabad district is a largely suburban district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India of National Capital Region . The town of Ghaziabad is the administrative headquarters of the district. This district is part of Meerut Division...

, Bulandshahar, Barabanki

Barabanki District

The Barabanki district is one of four districts of Faizabad division, lies at the very heart of Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and forms as it were a centre from which no less than seven other districts radiate...

, Basti, Gorakhpur

Gorakhpur District

Gorakhpur district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Gorakhpur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-History:The district was ceded by the Nawab of Awadh to the British East India Company in 1801. With this cession, Gorakhpur was raised to the status of a district. The...

, Lucknow

Lucknow District

Lucknow District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The city of Lucknow is the district headquarters and the district is part of Lucknow Division...

 and other District of Uttar Pradesh. The Karwal speak a dialect of their own, known as Karwali, which shows strons influneces of Rajasthani

Rajasthani language

Rajasthani Rajasthani Rajasthani (Devanagari: , Perso-Arabic: is a language of the Indo-Aryan languages family. It is spoken by 50 million people in Rajasthan and other states of India and in some areas of Pakistan. The number of speakers may be up to 80 million worldwide...

.

The work 'Karwal' is composed of two words 'kar' meaning 'hand' in devnagri and 'wal' or 'bal' which means power. The word 'karwal' mean the person whose hands are powerful. Karwal is also a Rajput community found in Panjab.

Present Circumstances

The Karwal are a landless community. Their main occupations include huntings of rabits and trapping birds. Many are also employed as agricultural labourers. They are an extremely marginalized community, suffering from societal discrimination. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste association, known as a biradari panchayat, which acts an instrument of social control.

The karwals is a sub-community belonging to Rajput clans (in Panjab).