Wagher
Encyclopedia
The Wagher are a Hindu
caste found in the state of Gujarat in India
. They are also known as Vagher, but have no connection with the Vagri
tribe. There is also a surname, Wagher, of Polish origin, which is derived from the city of Wejherowo not far from the gulf of Gdansk on Poland's Baltic Sea coast.
. They are said to have migrated from Kutch, and their ancestor Jam Hamirji Jadeja, a Bhuj
Rajput
married a Garasia
girl. The community is thus one of the many mixed Rajput
groups such as the Khant
found in Saurashtra region.
, and are endogamous. They have several clans, the main ones being the Manek, Ker, Sumania,Jam, Hahtal, Bhaththad, Gohil, Parmar, Gad, Giggla, Mapani, Tilayat, and Bhayad. The community maintain the practice of clan exogamy. They are a major landowning community in the Dwarka sub-division of Jamnagar District
. The community are still mainly farmers, but like other Gujarat castes, they have migrated to other parts of India
and overseas in search of work. They are Hindu
by religion, although small number have converted to Islam
, and form a separate community of Muslim Wagher
.
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 found in the 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...
. They are also known as Vagher, but have no connection with the Vagri
Vagri
The Vagri or Bagri are a scheduled caste found in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat in India, and the province of Sindh in Pakistan.-History and origin:The etymology of the word Vagri is said to come from the Rajasthani word vagode, which means to run away...
tribe. There is also a surname, Wagher, of Polish origin, which is derived from the city of Wejherowo not far from the gulf of Gdansk on Poland's Baltic Sea coast.
History and origin
The Waghers are principally found in Okhamandal taluka of Jamnagar DistrictJamnagar district
Jamnagar District is located in state of Gujarat, India on the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch. The headquarters is in Jamnagar. The famous city of Dwarka is situated in this district. The district had a population of 1,904,278 of which 43.91% were urban as of 2001.Jamnagar is a very beautiful...
. They are said to have migrated from Kutch, and their ancestor Jam Hamirji Jadeja, a Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
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...
married a Garasia
Garasia
Garasia is a scheduled tribe living in the forest areas of the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. They are divided into Rajput Garasia, Adiwasi Garasia and Bhil Garasia....
girl. The community is thus one of the many mixed 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...
groups such as the Khant
Khant (caste)
The Khant are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India.-History:Khants numbered 13,423 , including 6,733 males and 6,690 females. They are found chiefly in Gir villages in Junagadh district in Kathiawar. The chief of the tribe claims descent from Bhati Rajputs. The leading families are...
found in Saurashtra region.
Present circumstances
The community still speak KutchiKutchi language
Kachhi Kachhi Kachhi (also spelt Cutchi, Kutchhi or Kachchhi, is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat as well as in Sindh.- Closely related languages :...
, and are endogamous. They have several clans, the main ones being the Manek, Ker, Sumania,Jam, Hahtal, Bhaththad, Gohil, Parmar, Gad, Giggla, Mapani, Tilayat, and Bhayad. The community maintain the practice of clan exogamy. They are a major landowning community in the Dwarka sub-division of Jamnagar District
Jamnagar district
Jamnagar District is located in state of Gujarat, India on the southern coast of the Gulf of Kutch. The headquarters is in Jamnagar. The famous city of Dwarka is situated in this district. The district had a population of 1,904,278 of which 43.91% were urban as of 2001.Jamnagar is a very beautiful...
. The community are still mainly farmers, but like other Gujarat castes, they have migrated to other parts of 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 overseas in search of work. They 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 religion, although 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 separate community of Muslim Wagher
Muslim Wagher
The Wagher are a Muslim Rajput community found in the state of Gujarat in India. They are Muslim converts from the Wagher caste.-History and origin:...
.