Mahyavanshi

Mahyavanshi are a scheduled caste of India, who were originally identified as Dhedhs, Vankars, Mahars and Holiyas but started a successful movement in the early 20th Century to establish their identity as a branch of Mayavat Rajputs. The community members are mainly located in regions of Gujarat, Maharashta, Daman and Rajasthan.

The new nomenclature of Mahyavanshi was given to them via a Government of India circular in the year 1939, due largely to the efforts of K. M. Munshi, then Home Minister of Bombay and Dr. Purshottam Solanki, representative of Depressed Classes of Gujarat, who stressed that Mahyavanshis are descendats of Rajputs.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Later on in year 1968, vied a Government of India circular, the Dhedhs of Daman, were also given the status of Mahyavanshi after the liberation of Daman from Portuguese.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Historical revision

A prominent figure in re-writing the new history of Mahyavanshis was Makanji Kuber Makwana, who wrote several works on the ancient history of Mahyavnashi and linking them with the Mayavat Rajputs (a branch of Parmara clan), and started a new social movement to "regain" their Rajput and Kshatriya status.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

In the 1930s-40s many Dalit communities were active in changing their caste name and social status to Rajput: Rohits from Khalpa to Rohit, others like Dhedhs to Mahyavanshis, Garua to Guru and Bhangi to Rishi. Of these, only the Mahyavanshis were successful in getting official recognition from British Government of India to get a change of name from Dhedh and Vankar, and gain Kshatriya status officially. The Mashyavanshis were able to mobilize public opinion and procured support for their cause from both from British and Indian leaders.^[4]

Published works

The historical research books published like:

• Mayavat Rajput Prakash (1908) ( A light on Mayavat Rajputs )
• Mahyavanshi no Itihas (1910) ( History of Mahyavanshi)
• Mayavat Rajputoday (1911) ( The rise of Mayavat Rajput )
• Mahyavanshi Atle Shu? (1911) ( Who is a Mahyavanshi? )

all written in Gujarati by Makanji Kuber Makwana (1849–1924), in which he tried to establish that Dheds or Vankars were originally Mayavat Rajputs and should be recognised as Mahyavanshis. These books also helped them get the Rajput status.^{[2][4] [6]}

Dr. Kanhaiyalal Maneklal Munshi, in a 1931 lecture stressed that the Mahyavanshi were the descendents of the Hattiavanshi king Arjuna, arguing that because of the slaughter of Parsuram they were relegated to a lower caste.^[4][5][7]

Subdivisions

The Mahyavanshis are primarily divided in to exogenous clan: Pardinar, Danania, Katharia, Barodia, Chaseia or Surti, Gohel, Parmar, Rathod, Wadekar, Makwana, Solanki and Vaghela.^[1]

Customs

Many Mahyavanshi customs are Rajput in origin:^[7] They have following customs in their caste, which point towards that they are of Rajput origin:-^[7][8]

• They worship Mata or Devi and always have a 'Kuldevi'.
• They used to sacrifice a goat in times of calamity (This has now been replaced by offering food).
• Sacrificing a lamb during marriage (This has now been replaced by making a tiny cut in the lambs ear, sprinkling the blood and then setting it free).
• Under the head of the dead body, they keep a knife.
• When a married person dies his wife wears her best clothes and performs aarti of her dead husband^[8]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Kumar Suresh Singh; B. R. Solanki; N. K. Sinha; Jaime F. Pereira, Anthropological Survey of India (1 January 1995). Daman and Diu. Popular Prakashan. pp. 127–. ISBN 9788171547616. http://books.google.com/books?id=KRhkT8SjhD8C&pg=PA127. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Shri Makanji Kuber Makwana, The only Historian who gave Mahyavanshi, their Lost Pride! at Mahyavanshi Foundation
3. ^ ^{a b c} Dr. P. G. Solanki: The Man Who Wrote the Destiny of Kshatriya Mahyavanshi Community. At Mahyavanshi Foundation
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Y. A. Parmar (1987). The Mahyavanshi: the success story of a scheduled caste. Mittal Publications. pp. 87–. GGKEY:KEQ4SL0H0RJ. http://books.google.com/books?id=GRR5aUwQUVsC&pg=PA87. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d} Sarat Chandra Roy (Ral Bahadur) (1982). Man in India. A. K. Bose. http://books.google.com/books?id=4qs4AAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 26 July 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} [1] The other Gujarat By Takashi Shinoda
7. ^ ^{a b c} Makanji Kuber Makwana, considered the spearhead of the Mayawat Rajput movement, examined this question in his 1911 book 'Mahyavanshi Atle Shu?' (Who is a Mahyavanshi?). Dr. Kanyaiyalal Munshi, in a 1931 lecture stressed that the Mahyavanshi were the descendents of the 'Hattiavanshi' king Arjuna. It was because of the slaughter of Parsuram that they were relegated to a lower caste.
8. ^ ^{a b} 'Mahyavanshi Atle Shu?' (Who is a Mahyavanshi?) (1911) by Makanji Kuber Makwana

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahyavanshi"