While there is rich cultural significance in these Hindu surnames, it is important to highlight the fact that once these families immigrate to the United States or Canada, they are not defined by these social classes. [31], The Balmikis represent 0.7 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and are mainly concentrated in Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh. Bhangi is an Indian caste that was previously classed as untouchable.
Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland. They have many subdivisions. They have deprived the lower-caste people of equal opportunities to earn a livelihood, enjoy social mobility, and excel in different fields. The upper-caste people have always followed the strategy to keep the lower-caste people engaged and not to let them unite. Names such as Pusapati and Kothapalli are both Kshatriya surnames. Any marriage in the lower class has frowned up. [13][25] Despite placing great emphasis on social equality and brotherhood among all Muslims, early South Asian Muslims did not address the problem of untouchability for the Chuhras or Bhangis. Brahmins were traditionally priests (pandit, purohit, or pujari) or teachers (guru or acharya). Bhangi were the defeated soldiers who destroyed their Jeneu instead of getting converted to Islam. [15], The Bhangis claim descent from Balmiki (also known as Lal Beg or Balashah), a Brahmin who composed the Ramayana and who is worshipped as a Hindu patron saint by the Bhangis. The occupation of these people is considered menial. Their traditional occupation is sweeping, a "polluting" occupation that caused them to be considered untouchables in the Hindu caste system.. The Shudras are the community’s laborers, performing numerous different service jobs. The Chuhras did not accept Mohammed as their prophet and also continued observing traditional Hindu festivals, such as Diwali, Raki and Holi. They believe that because Balmiki was a Brahmin, the Bhangis too are Brahmins, but were later declared outcastes during the time of Mughal rule in India when the majority refused to convert to Islam. [16][17][18] The word Bhangi is derived from Bhang which means Destroyed. There are several other surnames that are used to identify this caste and these names are - Kaviraj, Barhath and Gadhavi. Just like Hindus, the Kashmiri Muslims also have caste systems. New rehabilitation policy for terrorists in Kashmir coming soon? The last group is the service caste with surnames like Hanjis, Waza, Gilkar, Sofi, Dobi, Ganie, Bangi, or Sheikh. Their names tell a different story. The last group is the service caste with surnames like Hanjis, Waza, Gilkar, Sofi, Dobi, Ganie, Bangi, or Sheikh. If the title is used as a prefix then the person is believed to belong from the upper-caste and if the title is used in the surname then it indicates that the person belongs to the lower rung of society. [11] A minority continue to follow Hinduism, which incorporates elements of Sikhism in its practices.
When these people adopted surnames, they turned to the caste system as a means to obtain a family name, thereby adopting names related to … Chuhra, also known as Bhanghi and Balmiki,[1][2] is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Your email address will not be published. The political conflict in Kashmir has always taken a center stage to such an extent that several other socio-economic issues have been buried under its weight. According to one Mushtaq Ahmad a resident of Sheikh Mohalla âwe are treated as pariahs, nobody except our community considers us as equal citizens. When these people adopted surnames, they turned to the caste system as a means to obtain a family name, thereby adopting names related to a distant ancestor’s occupation. The second group in the list is the occupational castes which include surnames like Wani, Zargar, Bhat, Naqash, Lone, Khandey, Ahangar, etc.
They prefer to be called "Balmiki" or "Valmiki." In the Indian caste system, there are four different varnas, or the major social classes, that caste-based surnames generally fall under. People didn’t know much about that because the people of Kashmir always denied such discrimination and not much information has been produced on such issues. The ongoing issue faced by the lower caste in the Kashmir valley has been relegated to the background. That said, their surnames come from a rich historical context which directly influences how Asian Indians interact with and respond to marketing. Required fields are marked *. The Indian caste system is a complex part of Hindu culture and this only touches the surface of its intricacies. "Dalit Christians and Caste Consciousness in Pakistan", "Punjab: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes", "Delhi: Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes", "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh", "Memorandum submitted by Central Valmiki Sabha International (UK)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chuhra&oldid=986546844, All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 November 2020, at 15:06. Same surnames in different linguistic race shows migration of Brahmins from one linguistic race to other linguistic race, and adoption of the surnames due to same professions. [6][7] Their traditional occupation is sweeping, a "polluting" occupation that caused them to be considered untouchables in the Hindu caste system. The caste system is a form of social stratification where, historically, Hindu Indians were grouped by their occupation within society.
In Kashmiri society, the caste system is socially institutionalized and has deep roots. Other major communities of the society including the Rajput kings consider the Charan caste as sacred and divine and women are loved and honoured as mother goddesses. [26], Chuhras who converted from Hinduism to Sikhism became known as Mazhabi Sikhs.
They bring with them diverse surnames indicating differences in religion, language, and culture, and frequently stemming from an inherited social system from across the globe. Many historians believed that the Hindus who were converted into Muslims never left their identity and they have started caste-based discrimination in Kashmiri society. For centuries Kashmiri Muslims have struggled with caste-based discrimination. [8], In the northern Indian subcontinent, the Chuhra Dalits are divided into the sub-castes including the Sahotra, Gill, Khokhar, Mattu, Bhatti, Sindhu, Ladhar, Untwal, Hansi, Dharival, Kandabari, Khosar, Borat, Chhapriband, and Lal Begi. 27.05.2002. The last major social class of the caste system is the Shudras. [36][37], The following are sub-castes of the Balmiki/Bhangi/Chuhra caste:[1], The location "Chuhra-Chamar" is a locution used derisively by some members of the Jat caste to refer to both Dalit castes, the Chuhra and Chamar.[39][40]. The caste in Kashmiri society plays an important role in social functions like marriages. Chuhras adopted the externals of Islam by keeping Muslim names, observing Ramadan and burial of the dead. [10] Today, Chuhras in Indian Punjab are largely followers of Sikhism. Kashmiris often ignore the uncomfortable question when talking about caste discrimination. During the colonial period they were brought from villages to remove human excrement and clean the cities. (2003) Authority and Meaning in Indian Religions: Hinduism and the Case of Valmiki. [22] The censuses of British India became increasingly confused regarding Chuhra Dalits' religious beliefs because the respondents were allowed to choose their designation. Do all Indian Americans speak Hindi? As far as the marriage is concerned every Kashmiri family tries to marry their children either into the upper-class families or families of the same caste. Ashgate publishing. It is certain that a large majority of the 391,270 Indian Christians enumerated in Punjab were Chuhras - that is, the most stigmatized minority in the province. [23], In what is now Pakistan, the conversions to Christianity and consequent invention of a new identity were largely responsible for the name Chuhra becoming archaic. Families with the names Agrawal, Khandelwal and Mahawars all fall under this varna. People from these castes denote only the business they or their ancestors had taken up. Chuhra, also known as Bhanghi and Balmiki, is a Dalit caste in India and Pakistan. Politics have also contributed to caste-based discrimination. One such issue in Kashmir is caste discrimination. Only a few cases of circumcision have ever been recorded for Chuhras or Bhangis and these were Chuhras who lived very near Jama Masjid. They became an urban community.
The upper-class people get more privileges than lower-class people. The caste system is a form of social stratification where, historically, Hindu Indians were grouped by their occupation within society.
They adopted different measures like ideology, patriotism, religion to keep the lower class divided. [29] [30], The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Balmiki population, which was classified as a Scheduled Caste, as 1,319,241. The Brahmins form the top of this social hierarchy. [34] In Andhra Pradesh they are known as Boya Valmikis or Valmikis.
Asian Indians are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States and Canada. As a result, only a very few members from this community ever embraced Islam, most converting to Christianity. 11 Land Laws repealed, outdated provisions removed in J&K. âThat is why we have separate colonies like Sheikh Mohallas, where they live in isolation and miserable conditionsâ. [10], In 1932 in colonial India, the Balmiki Sabha was created to advocate for the rights of the Chuhras. Caste-based discrimination has always benefitted the people of the upper-class. Patel, Yadav and Kurmi are a few of surnames historically associated with the Shudra working class. The occupation of these people is considered menial. [12], Chuhras who converted from Hinduism to Islam were known as Musalis. Many Kashmiri young men and women lost their lives who tried to marry someone of a different caste. [19], As with the Lal Begi, the majority of Hindu Chuhras belong to the Balmiki sect of Hinduism. [11][1] In Pakistani Punjab 90-95% of its Christian population are Dalit Christians of the Chuhra caste; other Chuhras practice Islam or continue to follow Hinduism. However they never underwent circumcision. Under the Kshatriyas are the Vaishyas, the farmers, traders, and merchants. Famous Kashmiri sociologist, late Bashir Ahmed Dabla, in his book tried to explain the detailed nature of castes in Kashmir.
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