- Dhanuk
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Dhanuk Total population 3,808,000[1] Regions with significant populations • 
India • 
Nepal • 
BangladeshLanguages Religion • Hinduism 100% •
Related ethnic groups • Basor •
The Dhanuk are an ethnic group found in Bangladesh, India and Nepal. In India, the Dhanuk, who are also known as Dharhi and are found in the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They have been granted Scheduled Caste status.[2] In Nepal, they are settled in the Terai districts of Saptari, Siraha and Dhanusa. They are either Dalits or a minority indigenous people, and in Nepal are also called Rajbanshis. The Dhanuks of eastern Terai are known as Kurmis, while in the western Terai, they are known Patel. The Dhanuk in both countries are Hindu, and speak various dialects of Hindi, such as Bhojpuri and Awadhi. According to tradition, the community gets its name from Sanskrit word dhanushka, meaning a bowman.[3]
Contents
In India
In India, the Dhanuk community are traditionally associated with the manufacture of bamboo baskets. According to some traditions, they are a branch of the Basor caste, who separated from the parent community, when they took to bow making. According to the traditions of the community, they were originally graziers. They used to graze buffaloes and were fond of wearing white clothes, and once some of their animals entered muddy waters. To avoid getting their clothes dirty, they let their animals drawn. The Dhanuk were then forced to raise pigs, and lost status. They are thus now associated with domestication of pigs, and their women are employed as midwives. The Dhanuk speak various dialects of Hindi.[4]
The Dhanuk are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their main clans are the Dhankar, Dholbaja, Kanaujia, Katheria, Khakarpuria, Laungvasta, and Supabandha. All these sub-groups are not of equal status, and there is hierarchy on the bases of their respective occupations. The majority of the Dhanuk are still involved in basket making and pig rearing. A small number of the Dhanuk are a now petty landowners. As a Dalit community, they face social discrimination. There settlements are found at the edge of villages. The Dhanuk have been granted Scheduled Caste status in India, and have started to benefit from the affirmative action policies of the Indian government.[5]
The Dhanuk of Haryana
The Dhanak of Haryana are a community of weavers, and are also known as Kabirpanthi. They have been granted Scheduled Caste status, and are found throughout the state. They now speak Haryana, and said have immigrated from Awadh. The community consits of a number of clans, and practices clan exogamy. Their main clans include the Nugaria, Khangwal, Ninania, Khetak, Pacherwal, Kerar, Mundadiya, Ladwal, Morwal, Bamania, Mohar, Rangbhaa, Bagadi, Suralia, Solia, Bharor, Atkan, Gorraiya, Boombra, Siyan, Kharera and Andora. The Dhanak are a landless community, with many employed in their taditional occupation of weaving. Most live in multi-caste villages, occupying their own distinct quarters. Each settlement contains traditional caste council known as a biradari panchayat. This acts as an instrument of social control, as well as acting as an informal welfare association.[6]
In Nepal
The rites of birth, death and marriage are performed by giving due importance like other tribes. The pregnant woman is kept in a separate home to arrange assistance from dagrin (midwife) of Chamar caste. The baby is caused to cry as soon as it is born. The ghosts are driven away by putting the branches of jujube and discarded shoes in the main gate of the house. The baby is given the milk of she-goat to drink. Chhaiti is done in six days and Barahi in twelve days. In Barahi, worships and festivities are arranged.
Dhanuks do not marry within the clan nor do they have the practice of cross-cousin marriage. In most of the cases, the parents seek the girl or the boy. Due to the influence of neighbours they also have the system of dowry.
When a Dhanuk dies, the corpse is cremated if the deceased is above 12 years of age and is buried if her or she is below 12 years.
The houses of Dhanuks are plastered with mud and pictures are drawn of mud, too. Women go outside for work but a male member remains the head of the family. Lots of feasts are organized on various occasions. Some Dhanuks never drink spirit and jaand but Dhanuks in general have the practice of drinking raksi or spirit.
The houses of Dhanuks are built in cluster in the river basins and edges of forests. They like to settle in river basins. A group of ten or eleven households makes a bindar committee and five bindars constitute a praganna. The chief of praganna is called maijan. There is one post, called chaurasi, above him. These institutions manage tribal reconciliation and settlement of disputes. Those who do not abide by rules are expelled from the ethnic group. Mandal, Mahato and Kurmi are their thars (clans).
Since they dwell in the river basins and the edges of forests, they do fishing and animal husbandry. Some people of various types within the Dhanuks are even big landowners, but the Dhanuks who belong to the group of minority nationality are absolutely landless. They earn their livelihood by working as agriculture labourers and household servants.
Beliefs
In some places Brahmins are appointed as priests while in other places they use Dhanuk priests. Dhanuks believe in magic, witchcraft and ghosts. They are divided into two groups in terms of religion: those who worship Kali are called Kaliyaha and others are called Maharkhiya. Those who worship Kali eat meat of pig (pork) and drink spirit or wine, whereas Maharkhiyas do not do so. They worship a goddess called Gahil, who is one of five sisters. The other goddesses are Shitalmata and Goureya Gaiya. The main occupation of Dhanuks is working for big zamindars (landowners) and farming.
Distribution
The Dhanuks live all across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. In Nepal, the Dhanuks are scattered from Morang in the east to the Terai in the west. But they Dhanuk are also found in Saptari, Siraha and Dhanusa in the east. Their main area of settlement streches from Saptari to Dhanusa in the plain inner valley south of the Churia hills. It is hard to tell the population of minority nationality of Dhanuks in Nepal. In India, they are found in a wide region stretching from Haryana to Bihar.
Language
In Nepal, their language is similar to the Tharu. They are influenced by Hindu religion and the Indian culture across the border.
In India, the Dhanuk of north Bihar speak Maithili, while those of eastern Uttar Pradesh speak Awadhi.
References
- ^ http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php
- ^ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 433
- ^ A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab by H. A Rose Volume I
- ^ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 432 to 437
- ^ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 432 to 437
- ^ People of India Hayana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 142 to 148 Manohar
External links
- Dhanuk Community You can share your view, experience etc.
- Blog-Dhanuk
Categories:- Ethnic groups in Nepal
- Social groups of Uttar Pradesh
- Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh
- Social groups of Haryana
- Scheduled Castes of Haryana
- Social groups of Bihar
- Social groups of Nepal
- Ethnic groups in Bangladesh
- Shudra castes
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