Nethakani

Nethakani, also known as Netkani,Mala Sale sub-caste of Sale, is a Telugu caste of cotton weavers and labourers.In Maharashtra Nethakanis are known as Mahar Caste people. Traditionally they have been associated with the occupation of weaving (netha neyuta means "weaving" in Telugu), but they have now largely moved to cultivation and agricultural labour; with a few of them being small land-owners.^[1]. According to Bhadravathi Kalyana Natakamu, a folk-drama which hasbeen published, the Nethakani are one among the four sections of Padmasaliyulu who are the sons of one Bhavana Rushi. The Four sections mentioned in this drama are Padmiyulu, Padmasakhiyulu, Padmasalikulu and Padmapulindulu. Padma-pulindulu was the Original Name of the Nethakani. From Padmapulindulu, the name became Chenethakanivaru, which in course of time changed to the present form, Nethakani. [Ref: Global encyclopaedia of the West Indian dalit's ethnography By K.C. Das]

Most of the people related to this caste are located in the northern region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh in the districts of Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Khammam and Warangal. Nethakanis also migrated to Maharashtra and distributed through out, they speak Marathi in Maharashtra & Adilabad bordering MH. Nethekanis are classified as a scheduled caste (SC) in India,^[2] and were considered social pariahs, untouchable, "impure and degraded".^[3][4] Nethakani's are among the smaller SC castes in Andhra Pradesh; a study estimated their population to be around 80,000, constituting about 1% of the state's total SC population.^[5]

The Nethakanis are distinguished by their custom of tying their head cloth in a roughly square shape, and by their loin cloths, which are worn very loose and not knotted.^[3][6]

References

1. ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh (2003). People of India. vol. 2. Anthropological Survey of India. pp. 886–887. ISBN 0195632540. 
2. ^ Kashyap, Anirban (1996). The Scheduled Castes in India. vol. 4. Gyan Pub. House. pp. 1308. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Russell, Robert Vane; Lal, R.B.. The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. vol. 4. Anthropological Publications. pp. 156. 
4. ^ Dube, S. C.; Opler, Morris Edward (1955). Indian village. International Library of Sociology E: The Sociology of Development. Routledge. 
5. ^ Chalam, K. S. (2002). Human Development in South India: The Dravidian Marvel. Anmol Publications. pp. 78. ISBN 8126110341. 
6. ^ Sharma, Jagdish Saran (1981). Encyclopaedia Indica. vol. 2 (ed. 2 ed.). S. Chand. pp. 761. 

7. Global encyclopaedia of the West Indian dalit's ethnography By K.C. Das