Charan

For places in Iran, see Charan, Iran. For the biblical place, see Haran (biblical place).

Charan is a caste living in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of western India.

Social structure

Members of this caste are considered to be divine by a large section of society.Women of the caste are adored as mother goddesses by other major communities of this region including Rajputs. [1]

Charan society is based on written genealogy. A Charan will consider all the other Charans as equal even if they do not know each other and have radically different economic or geographic status.[2]

History of Charans

Charans in feudal India

In India, society has been divided on the basis of the occupation(later to be based on birth) which is known as caste.(Ref:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caste) Every caste had predefined role which it is supposed to perform in the civil society. The Charan caste had two primary duties assigned to it according to the ancient and medieval systems of living. In times of peace, Charans were engaged in writing literature and history and in times of war to serve as soldiers and commanders of the armies.[3]

Exceptionally, a Charan family yielded Chieftains, notably in the petty Gujarati princely state Derdi-Janbai in Kathiawar (Gujarat).[4]

Again there were respective secondary duties for those who could not involve themselves in primary duties. In relation to the character of history writing, the creation of legends of war heroes through poetry and in relation to the character of soldiers, the protection of caravans of merchants.[4]

Professor of Indian history at Jadavpur university, Dr. Anil Chandra Banerjee [5] in his book 'Aspects of Rajput State and Society' states that "In them we have a combination of the traditional characteristics of the Brahmin and the Kshatriyas. Like the Brahmins, they adopted literary pursuits and accepted gifts.Like the Rajput, they worshipped Shakti, drank liquor, took meat and engaged in military activities. They stood at the chief portal on occasions of marriage to demand gifts from the bridegrooms, they also stood at the gate to receive the first blow of the sword," that is participated in warfare in the vanguard of the medieval armies.

Sir John Malcomm in his book ' Memoir of Central India (Volume I, pp. 517–8)' states that " They rank as genealogists of proud and ignorant chiefs; and favoured individuals often combine with that the office of the station of counsellors, and establish an ascendancy over the minds of their superior, which is stronger from being grounded upon a mysterious feeling of awe. It is to them that the proudest Rajput looks for solace in adversity, and for increased joy and exultation in prosperity."[6]

Modern Times

After the independence of India in 1947, the caste has adopted different occupations and prefers government service. Large land holdings were forfeited by the government as per the new laws of democracy and concept of caste superiority is on decline in modern times. Charans are now engaged mostly in government services including administration , military, as diplomats, scientists, doctors, engineers etc. The caste earns its living from various other occupations such as business as well.

Culture

Origin, food, drink, costumes, culture

Marwar census report states that charans are of divine origin and were worshipped by the Rajputs Kings and common people of the region. Their eating habits, costumes and culture resemble those of the Rajputs. Like Rajputs, charans also hunt and keep weapons. [7] Charans enjoy consumption of non vegetarian food and opium and drinking of liquor, practices which are also popular among the Rajputs of this region.[8] Charans do not eat the flesh of cows and hold those who do in utter disregard. Cows are respected like mothers. A husband and wife will not drink milk from the same cow, or milk soiled by their counterpart. Drinking milk from one mother (cow) symbolizes that those who do so should be considered as siblings. Before Indian independence in 1947, a sacrifice of a male buffalo or goat constituted a major part of the celebration of Navratri.[9] Such celebrations quite often used to be presided over by Charan woman.[10]

Contributions in Literature and History

A whole genre of literature is known as Charan literature.[11] The Dingal language and literature exist largely due to this caste.[12][13] It is generally agreed that modern Rajasthani literature and history began with the works of Suryamal Misran, who was of the Charan caste.[14] Zaverchand Meghani divides Charani sahitya (literature) into thirteen subgenres:[11]

  1. Songs in praise of gods and goddesses (stavan)
  2. Songs in praise of heroes, saints and patrons (birdavalo)
  3. Descriptions of war (varanno)
  4. Rebukes of wavering great kings and men who use their power for evil (upalambho)
  5. Mockery of a standing treachery of heroism (thekadi)
  6. Laments for dead warriors, patrons and friends (marasiya or vilap kavya)
  7. Descriptions of weapons
  8. Ancient epics etc.

Other classifications of Charani sahitya are Khyatas (chronicles), Vartas and Vatas (stories), Raso (martial epics), Veli - Veli Krishan Rukman ri, Doha-Chhand (verses).[12][13]

Another form of Charani literature is the chirajaa, or song of Charan Maha Shakti mothers's worship.

References

  1. ↑ Shah A. M. and Shroff R. G. (1958). "The Vahivanca Barots of Gujarat: A Caste of Genealogists and Mythographers. J. American Folk Lore. 71 (281):": 246–276. doi:10.2307/538561. JSTOR 538561.
  2. ↑ Thomson, G. R. (1991). "Charans of Gujarat: Caste Identity, Music and Cultural Change". Ethnomusicology. 35 (3): 381–391. doi:10.2307/851968. JSTOR 851968.
  3. ↑ Singhji, Veerbhadra (1994). The Rajputs of Saurashtra. pp. 249–267. ISBN 81-71545467. OCLC 606154283.
  4. 1 2 Major K. D. Erskine, I. A. (1908). "Imperial Gazetteer of India Provincial Series Kathiawar" (PDF): 171. ISBN 81-900422-03.
  5. ↑ Banerjee, Anil Chandra. (1983). "Aspects of Rajput State and Society": 124–125. OCLC 12236372.
  6. ↑ John Malcomm (1823). Memoir of Central India (1972 ed.). Shannon, Irish University Press; New York, Barnes & Noble. pp. 517–518.>
  7. ↑ Rai Bahadur Munshi Hardayal Singh (1891). Marwar Census Report 1891 (2010 ed.). Jodhpur: Maharaja Man Singh Pustak Prakash Mehrangarh Fort. pp. 341–344. OCLC 318001631.
  8. ↑ Singh, Khushwant (1982). We Indians. Delhi: Orient Paperbacks. OCLC 10710940.
  9. ↑ Harlan L (2003). Goddesses' Henchmen - Gender in Hero Worship. USA: Oxford University Press. p. 258.
  10. ↑ "Matanamadh, Desh Devi Ashapura". Matanamadh Jagir, Kachchh, India. 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  11. 1 2 Meghani, Z. (1943). Charano and Charani Sahitya. Ahmedabad.
  12. 1 2 Sharma G. N. (1968). Social Life in Medieval Rajasthan. Agra: Lakshmi Narayan Agarwal Educational Publisher. pp. 94–96.
  13. 1 2 Smith, J. D. (1974). "An introduction to language of the historical documents from Rajasthan". Modern Asian Studies. 9 (4): 433–464. doi:10.1017/S0026749X00012841.
  14. ↑ "South Asian Arts: Rajasthani". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 2007-11-14. Retrieved 2007-11-15.

Further reading

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