| Revision as of 18:03, 5 July 2014 view sourceJerrysharma (talk | contribs)31 edits Reverting due to vandalism and incorrect facts updated by Sitush.← Previous edit | Revision as of 18:05, 5 July 2014 view source Sitush (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, File movers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers260,192 edits Reverted good faith edits by Jerrysharma: I've explained this to you in the prior edit summary, on your talk page & in response to your message on my talk page. (TW)Next edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}} | ||
| '''Jatav''', also known as '''Jatava'''/ '''Jatiya'''/ '''Jatba'''/ '''Jatoi'''{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} is a |
'''Jatav''', also known as '''Jatava'''/ '''Jatiya'''/ '''Jatba'''/ '''Jatoi'''{{citation needed|date=February 2013}} is a social group that in India are considered to be a part of the ] caste, one of the ] communities (or ]s), who are now classified as a ] under modern India's ].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Social Force in Politics: Study of Scheduled Castes of U.P. |first=M. P. S. |last=Chandel |publisher=Mittal Publications |year=1990 |isbn=9788170991939 |url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=MEjGvOu90x4C&pg=PA51 |page=51}}</ref> | ||
| == |
==History== | ||
| In the early part of the twentieth century, the Jatavs attempted the process of ], claiming themselves to be historically of the ] varna. They gained political expertise by forming associations and by developing a literate cadre of leaders, and they tried to change their position in the caste system through the emulation of upper-caste behavior. As a part of this process, they also claimed not to be Chamars and petitioned the government of the ] to be officially classified differently: disassociating themselves from the Chamar community would, they felt, enhance their acceptance as kshatriya. These claims were not accepted by other castes and, although the government was amenable, no official reclassification as a separate community occurred due to the onset of ].<ref>{{Cite book |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=_g-_r-9Oa_sC |title=Structure and Change in Indian Society |editor1-first=Milton |editor1-last=Singer |editor2-first=Bernard S. |editor2-last=Cohn |year=2007 |pages=216–217}}</ref> | |||
| Like most of the castes in India, there is not one confirmed source of origin. | |||
| Several possible theories are suggested by various researchers, historians and jatavs themselves. | |||
| Some or even all of the theories might hold true, as one single ancestor cannot be claimed. | |||
| They are as follows: | |||
| It has also been suggested that the ]s and ] ] and formed the Jatavs.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Politics of Untouchability |last=Lynch |first=Owen M. |year=1969 |place=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press |oclc=31520 |quote=It is sometimes said that they are descendants from the marriage of Jats with Chamars.}}</ref> | |||
| 1. A close linkage has been found between DNA & appearance between ] and Jatavs and ]. Hence their ancestral origins would be the same. Both are 'generally' found to be tall and light skinned, and also reside in the same regions of the country. (North, North Western, West and Central India) Any one caste could have led to formation of another. However, it is also quite possible that another ruling race/caste was the predecessor of all these communities. (See Point 4) | |||
| ⚫ | ==Demography== | ||
| 2. A majority of Jatavs claim that they have an ancestral Kshatriya origin. | |||
| ⚫ | It is estimated that Jatavs are about nearly 57 percent of the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, and eight to nine per cent of its total population.<ref></ref> | ||
| Also most Jatavs have similar gotras like other Kshatriya clans in the region. | |||
| Class formation inside the community and various rituals and behavior also confirm the same. | |||
| During the medieval time, a lot many tribes and races entered into the Indian subcontinent and attacked the existing ruling Kshatriya people in this region, thus displacing them from their primary roles. | |||
| This ancient Kshatriya clan could be the ancestor as stated in point 1. | |||
| 3. The primary occupation of Jatavs is found to be agriculture and selling/manufacture of leather made goods. | |||
| Most of them were landowning farmers even in time of British rule ie 1800-1900 AD. | |||
| Their peaceful existence at that time with Jats & Ruling communities and similar occupation (Jats: agriculture) is worth noting here. | |||
| Manufacture/Sale i.e. Business of Leather Made Goods links them in some way to Chamar community. | |||
| However, Jatavs are never found to be associated with leather extraction, tanning and processing. | |||
| 4. Most Hindu Jatavs are followers of Shiv/Shakti. Another community existing in the same region called Yadav are followers of Krishna. Also Hindu Jats follow Ram and Hanuman. Others even converted to Sikhism and Islam. This could also be a reason for bifurcation of the same ethnic group into various groups/clans/castes based on their religious beliefs. In medieval and pre-medieval periods, any ruling community made its people follow its own gods/goddesses. However, when the Mughal Rule began, all of the communities lost their ruling positions & territories, and were displaced as mere agriculture farmers, workers or even worse. | |||
| (Also refer to religious belief section) | |||
| 5. A majority of Jatavs are well acquainted with Brahmanic practices and followed rituals prevalent during medieval times. Some even are well acquainted with Sanskrit. | |||
| However, access to all these was not allowed to the lower castes at that time. Hence this also adds to the above theories. | |||
| === Modern History Post 1800 AD. === | |||
| During the British Rule, Jatavs petitioned the government to be officially classified as a Kshatriya Community. | |||
| These claims were not accepted by other castes and, although the government was amenable, no official reclassification as a separate community occurred due to the onset of ].<ref>{{Cite book |url= http://books.google.com/books?id=_g-_r-9Oa_sC |title=Structure and Change in Indian Society |editor1-first=Milton |editor1-last=Singer |editor2-first=Bernard S. |editor2-last=Cohn |year=2007 |pages=216–217}}</ref> | |||
| During and Post independence Jatavs started forming literate cadre of leaders and officers. | |||
| Current Most prominent leader being Kumari Mayawati. (Four Times Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh). | |||
| ==Religious Beliefs== | |||
| More than 90% of Hindu Jatav population are strict followers of Shaivism and/or Shaktism. (i.e followers of Shiva and Goddess Shakti). Rest have adopted other beliefs including Arya Samaj, or follow any religious Guru. | |||
| Due to the still prevalent caste based discrimination and following the path of Late Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, majority of Hindu Jatav population have embraced Buddhism now. A Few have also embraced Christianity. | |||
| The numbers are increasing every year. | |||
| ⚫ | == |
||
| Jatavs are prominently found in North, West, and Central parts of the country, i.e Western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, etc. | |||
| The population of Jatavs is not recorded officially in census and are counted with other Scheduled caste communities. | |||
| ⚫ | It is |
||
| It is also arguable as a lot of Jatavs have migrated to other regions in search of better livelihood and jobs. | |||
| However, still a majority of Jatav population is not literate and associated to its primary occupations. | |||
| ==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 18:05, 5 July 2014
Jatav, also known as Jatava/ Jatiya/ Jatba/ Jatoi is a social group that in India are considered to be a part of the Chamar caste, one of the untouchable communities (or dalits), who are now classified as a Scheduled Caste under modern India's system of positive discrimination.
History
In the early part of the twentieth century, the Jatavs attempted the process of sanskritisation, claiming themselves to be historically of the kshatriya varna. They gained political expertise by forming associations and by developing a literate cadre of leaders, and they tried to change their position in the caste system through the emulation of upper-caste behavior. As a part of this process, they also claimed not to be Chamars and petitioned the government of the British Raj to be officially classified differently: disassociating themselves from the Chamar community would, they felt, enhance their acceptance as kshatriya. These claims were not accepted by other castes and, although the government was amenable, no official reclassification as a separate community occurred due to the onset of World War II.
It has also been suggested that the Chamars and Jats inter-married and formed the Jatavs.
Demography
It is estimated that Jatavs are about nearly 57 percent of the Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, and eight to nine per cent of its total population.
References
- Chandel, M. P. S. (1990). A Social Force in Politics: Study of Scheduled Castes of U.P. Mittal Publications. p. 51. ISBN 9788170991939.
- Singer, Milton; Cohn, Bernard S., eds. (2007). Structure and Change in Indian Society. pp. 216–217.
- Lynch, Owen M. (1969). The Politics of Untouchability. New York: Columbia University Press. OCLC 31520.
It is sometimes said that they are descendants from the marriage of Jats with Chamars.
- One more party for Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, Arpit Parashar, Tehelka, 04 May 2011
Further reading
- Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 9780253222626.