Historical Background-
- Col.Mackenzie in his account of the Banjara community remarks "It is certain that Chárans whoever they were, first rose to demand, which the great armies of Northern India, contending in the exhausted countries, far from their basis of supply, created, viz. the want of a reliable and fearless transport service.
The start of which the Chárans acquired, they are retained among the Banjaras to this day, though in very much diminshed splendour and position. As they themselves relate, originally they were five brothern, Rathor, Turi, Chavan, Panwar and Jadon, but fortune particularly smiled on Bhika Rathod, as his four sons, Mersi, Multasi, Dheda, Khamdar great names in Charans rose immediately to eminence, a commissariat transporters in North, and not only under the Delhi Emperors but under Satara, sunsequently under Poona Raj and Subhasanship of the Nizam, did several of the decendants rise at consideration and power. It thus seems reasonable hypothesis that the nucleus of Banjara community was constituted by Charans and Bards of Rajputana". Mr. Bhimbhai Kirparam also indentifies the Chárans and Banjaras, Col. Mackenzie could not find the exact passage. - The following notice by Col. Tone is of interest in this connecion. He states, "The vast consumption that attends the Maratha army necessarily super induces the idea of great supplies, not-with-standing this, the native powers never concern, themselves, about providing for their forces, and had no idea of grain and victualling department, which froms so great an object, in the European campaigns. The Banians or the grain sellers in an Indian army, have always their servants, ahead of the troops, on the line of march to purchase in the circumjacent countries whatever necessaries are to be disposed off. Articles of consumption are never wanting in a native camp, though they are generally twenty five per cent dearer than in the town bazzar, but independent of this mode of supply the Vanjaries or itinerant grain merchants, furnush large quantities, which they bring on bullocks from an immence distance. These are very peculiar race and appear marked and discriminated people from any other. "
- Mr. Irvine notices, Banjaras with the Mughal armies in the said terms, "It is by these people that the Indian armies in the field are fed, and they are never injured by either armies. The grain is taken but are invaribably paid for. They encamp for safety every evening in a regular square formed of bags of grain, of which they construct a breast work. They and their families are in the centre, and their oxen are made past outside, guards with match-locks and spears are plced at the corners, and their dogs do duty as advance posts. I have seen them with droves of 500 bullocks. They do not move more than two miles an hour, as their cattle are allowed to graze as they proceed on march."
- One may suppose that Chárans acted as carriers for Rajput Chiefs and Courts both in times of peace and in their continous internal feuds; were pressed into service when Mughal armies entered Rajputana and passed through it to Gujrat and Deccan. In adopting the profession of transport agents for the Imperial troops, they may have been amalgamated into fresh caste, with other Hindus and Mussalmans doing the same work, just as the camp language is formed by super imposition of Persian vocabulary on grammatical basis of Hindi became Urdu or Hindustani.
- The Cháran Bajaras, Mr. Cumberledge states came to Deccan with Asafkhan, in the campaign, which closed with the annexation, by Emperor Shahjahan, Ahmednagar and Berar about 1630 AD. Their leaders were Bhángi and Jánghi of Rathor and Bhagwandas of Jadon clan. Bhángi and Jánghi had 18,000 pack bullocks and Bhagwan Das had 52,000. It was naturally an object with Asaf Ali to keep his commissariat well-up with his force.
- And as Bhángi and Jánghi made diffculties, with the supply of grass and water to their cattle, he gave them an order engraved on copper, in letters of gold to the following effect:
"Ránganká Páni
Chapperka ghás
Din ke Tin khun Muáf
Aur Jhan Asaf Khan ke ghore
Wahan Bhángi Jánghi ke bail"
Which may be rendered as follows, "If you find no water elsewhere, you may take it even from the pots of my followers, grass you make take even from the roofs of thier huts, I will pardon you, upto three murders a day, provided whereever I find my cavalry, Bhángi and Jánghi's bullocks shallbe with them." - This grant is still in possesion, with the Bhángi Naik's decendants, who live at Musi near Hingoli. He is recognised as the head, Naik of Banjara Community and on his death his successor received the Khillat or Dress of Honour from His Highness of Nizam. Both Bhángi and Bhagwandas (of Jadon clan) were slain in feud and Jadons captured the standard consisting of eight thans of cloth, which was annually presented by Nizam to Bhángi's decendants.
- Mr. Cumberledge wrote in 1869, this standard was in possession of Naik; a decendants of Bhagwan Das, who had an estate near Muchi Bunder in Madras Presidency.
- In 1791-92, Banjaras were employed to supply grain to the British army under the Marquis of Cornwalis during the seize of Sering Pattam, and the Duke of Welligton regularly engaged them as a part of commissariate staff of his army. On one occasion he said of them, "Banjaras, I look upon in the light of servants of public, whose grain I have right to regulate sale, always taking care that they have proportionate advantage."
- They were first prominently noticed, about at the end of the nineteenth century, during the wars between Maratha & Tipu Sultan, when immense number of them were employed by the armies of both sides, as forgers and transporters of supplies required for the troops. They are to be met with all over Mysore wandering gangs accompanied by large herd of bullocks especially in the hilly and forest tracts, where there are a few good roads. They do not keep fixed to one place, but move from place to place, according to the demand for their services in gang of twelve to thirty families including twenty five to one twenty men, women and children.
- Banajara the caravan men are found all over the districts of Maharashtra. they say they came from Bombay and Karnataka when and why they do not know. In south of the district of Akola (Balapur) are Vanjaries and Banjaras, the two are absolutely distinct. The Vanjari hold Patilki of sixteen villages in the north of Wasim taluka, all bearing a kind of allegiance to a "Naik" or the Patil of Rajpura. In former days, considerable trade between Noth India and the seaboard passed through the district of Ahmednagar. The carriers were a class of Vanjaras called as Lamans, owners of herds of bullocks ,but since the opening of the two lines of the Great Indian Peninsula Railways the course of traffic has changed. The trade is almost entirely carried on by means of permanent market. Lamans or Vanjaries, pass through the district of Ratnagiri (Sawantwadi), along the trade routes between the coast and the Deccan. Carriers of grain and salt on pack-bullocks, they generally pass rains in Deccan and after the early harvest is over, come to the coast. They generally make two trips each fair season. Formerly they were a very large class, but since the opening of the hill-passes fit for the carts, the demand for their services has in great part ceased.
- Banjaras of Berar ( Vidharb & Varhad) are the same people as the Lambadies of Madras Presidency and the Manaris mentioned by Tavernier. They are supposed to be the people, mentioned by Arrian in the 4th century B.C., as leading wandering life, dwelling in tents and letting out their beasts of burden.
- The roads even though the most wild and unhealthy were traversed by troops of pack bullock, after several hundreds in number and sometimes numbering in thousands. They belong to a peculiar class of people named Banjara,who are both traders and carriers. they travelled at considerable expenses; at some risk of human life and health and with great wear and tear of cattle and carriage, the distance maximum 339 miles from Raipur via aran & Sonpur to Cuttack and Raipur to Ganjam, (Central Provinces)
- The Banjaras in Sarkar of Basim (Washim) are mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari, as being under the headship of a women and it is known from the change of surname, among the local Naiks, who have their head-quarters in Parbhani district in Hyderabad State (then, now in Maharashtra), that the office has been decendend atleast once in a female line.
- That the deshmukhs of Basim (Washim) received in the seventeenth century a large number of grants and perqusities from Mughal emperors and the family has always been of some consideration in the South Berar. From the Imperial Gazzatteer of India - Khandesh District, we get information that Vanjaries or Lamans, the pack-bullock carriers of the former and Gypsies of the present times have suffered much from the increased use of carts and the introduction of railways.
- We learn from the book " Punjab Castes" by Ibetson ,1916, that they were the great travelling traders and carriers of the Central India, the Deccan and Rajputana; under the Moghal and Afghan Empires were the commissariats of the Imperial forces. In anarchical times, when breaks of feuds of the petty governors, would drive the Jats and Gujars to seek temporary abiding place away from their ancestral villages, Laohans would stand their ground and perhaps improve their grasp, over the best lands in the villages in which their less provident, and short sighted lords of Manor, had permitted them in some former period to take their abode or purposes of commerce. Several cases of this nature came into the light, during the settlement, and in most of them the strength and spirit of progress were as apparent in the Labhanas, as were opposite, qualities, conspicuous, in their Gujar opponents.
- Places like Bareilly, Tanda, Sujavli, Parganas, Kharigarh, Philbit, Bijnor, Jaunpur, Saharanpur, Kanchangarh from Oudh and United Provinces, inhabited by a large number of Banajaras from the time immemorial, leads us to doubt, if it was their original home. If we go through the historical events , our doubts are confirmed. Fox example Tanda-North Eastern Tehsil f Faijabad district (U.P), Tanda town in the Suhar Tehsil of the State of Rampur (United Provinces) the place, as its name implies, was originally an encampment of Banjaras of grain carriers, who still form the chief inhabitants.They purchased the unhusked rice in the Kumaun Hills or Terai and carried it to Tanda on ponies. There it was husked by the women and taken to Murarabad by the railway station. It ecame one of the most noted weaving centres in India producing muslins which rivalled those of Dacca (This may be the reason, why Banjaras admitted Patwas in their castes, though out-siders). Though never a popular city, Tanda, was always a favourite residence of the Governors of Bengal.
- Northern Parganas : While Raikwars and Janwars spreading themselves over thus west and east, the North was still held by the hill-chiefs and the tribes of the Banjaras, who under the cover of wood penetrated further south. The Sujauli-Pargana of this time i.e. prior to 1816 A.D. was almost entirely held by Banjaras, who refused to pay tribute to any one.
- In 1814 A.D. the attitude assumed by the Naipal government towards the Honorable Company became so aggressive that the war was inevitable. by the third article of the treaty of Sujaoli of 4thMarch 1816, the whole of the low lands between river Kali (Sarda) and Rapti, besides the other territories to the east was ceded to the company, and these lands with district of Kharigarh, were made over by the British to the Oudh Government in satisfaction of the loan of crores of rupees borrowed by the company from the Nawab Vazir in the previous year.
- The result of the annexation and cession was suppression of the Banjaras in the Sujaoli Pargana (Dharmanpur) Chakladar-Mehendi in his expedition against these turbulent genrty, was assisted by the uncle of talukdar of Isanagar, that they were no longer to hold out and their villages were made over to the assisting noble. it was no doubt the cession of Tarai to the North, that encouraged the Hakim to sweep away the Banjaras once for all.
- Kharigarh : It is alleged that when the Imperial forces, under Chhatardas Jangre, beseized and took the fort of Kamp, certain Banajaras accompanied the commander as his priest, they being Gaur Brahmanas, probability is that they supplied the force with grains during the long seize. A any rate when the Jangers seized the Bhur and Dhaurahram, the Banjaras got the Kharigarh, it is alledged from Bisen, this must have been in the reign of Jahangir.
- At any rate from the time of expulsion of the family from Dholi in the year 1790 to that at their seizure of Kanchapur, 1830, they wandered about subsisting either on charity of the Oudh nobles or fighting under the British Government. The year 1630 is important as it is the year, maintained as the time, when Banjaras as pack-bullock carriers came to Deccan with Asaf Ali, Vazir of Shahjahan. It may be the reason, that they prefered, joining Mughal and Afghan Chiefs, being under their service, either as carriers and traders or warriors, than to survive on charity of the nobles. The Banjaras were defeated in 1830, Raj Ganga Sah of Kanchanpur, with the aid of Bhur Raja, when he planned an attack on the Banjara estate, the Banjara family entirely disappeared from Oudh. On ancient women, the widow of Gain Singh came forward in 1870 to claim her husband's property but as the Raja's right to the entire estate had been admitated, both in 1856, when Oudh was annexed and in 1858 after mutiny nothing could be done.
- Pilbhit : Tradition states that in the 15th century Rao Basant Sah founded Deoria on the land seized from the Banjaras and then expelled the Bhurs from Gehra Khera. Banjaras are of considerable importance in the forest tracts, particularly in Puranpur though many of them are now mussalman.
- Little is known of the early history of the Banjaras, but as in Kheri also they gradually rose to considerable power in the forest tracts defying all authority and extending the predatory raids for long distances in the surrounding territories, according to the tradition, they held, undisputed sway in this part of the country for several centuries, and their possession reduced only when the onward movement of Jangers and Kalehriyas forced them to retire from Bilaspur and Jahanbad.
Their original home seems to be the mountain tracts from Gorakhpur to Haridwar in the Northern Provinces.Rural Vanjari's of Maharashtra-The Scene : Field full of sugar cane swaying in the breeze. You see a farmer cutting and throwing the cane back and moving forward, three four kids swiftly remove the blades of leaves and a silent working wife collecting all the sugar cane sticks and bundling them and loading them on a trailor. Doesnt these scene seem so nice, a hardworking family of farmers at harvest time. But there is a sad story behind this beautiful scene.
This family of three four chidlren, the man and his wife have left behind their village and their home and for six months are working as sugar cane harvesting labourers. In return for the labour the labour contractors give them a pittance of salary. Rs.25000 for six months.. for leaving behind their houses, villages the old and the elderly behind, schools of the children to work as a team of six people for six months for 10 hours a day. Just to keep the body and soul together, thousands of families in rural Maharashtra desert their villages and people for six months. Half of their lives and totally the future is in the hands of the contractors. They move when and where the contractor orders them to move, and continue for the sake of daily bread. We are on the doorstep of new millinieum and do such thing really occur in India, who could be these people ? these are the questions that come to our mind.Yes, most of these people belong to the community called as Vanjari. Vanjaris are mostly found in rural Maharashtra, though some more fortunate members are found in the cities and towns.Background :
In modern times the Vanjari is like a unwanted step child. The Vanjaris and the banjaras in olden times were one and the same. Basically they were grain carriers and traders of commodities including quality cattle which they used to breed. The community was honest but was absolutaly frank in conversation. If they supported some thing, it was wholeheartedly. But this all changed with the advent of the British. The british change the landscape with opening of the frontiers with railways and posts and other means of communication, education etc. This meant doom to the traditional means of livelihood for the Vanjaris.
They could now get education, but who will get educated when the question of survival arises. The Vanjaris buy nature and type of occupations were nomads, on the fringe of the society and hence not having firm relation with others. After the loss of livelihood, having no education which would help them earn a decent living and with mechanisation of industries the value of hand crafted items declined. So per force, some of them had to steal just to keep their families alive. The British, in their typical fashion, branded the whole community as "Criminal tribes" and hence were always at the receiving end of the law. Even after independence the classification continued for sometime.
After loss of traditional occupations, many Vanjaris settled down as marginal farmers near mountains and hilly regions. Since they got the worst ariable lands, they stayed poor and could not rise above the crowd. Even today in Maharashtra wherever their are mountain you are bound to find the Vanjari community. The estimated population of Vanjaris is about 6-7 million, predominantly found in the districts of Ahmednagar, Beed, Parbhani and Osmanabad.
Since in most places they are able to get only one crop a year, the Vanjaris accepted the demanding job as a cane harvestor for the sake of feeding his family. He till his fields and harvests his crop in Kharip season and then when the sugarcane factories start in rabi season for six months works as a labourer. Today atleast 70 % of the harvestors are of Vanjari community. Also the porters working from Mumbai to Manmad on the rail route atleast 80% of them belong to Vanjari community.The times are such, that the Vanjari on the eve of the 21st century is still trying to find a meaning to his existence. The community faces the uphill task of coming out of the vicious circle of poverty, baring few well to do and educated members of the community most of them are very poor. Most of them are rural, uneducated and labourers working thier lives in darkness. The need is for the new generation to get educated, so that they can break free from the vicious circle of poverty due to lack of education which is due to poverty.The Government of Maharashtra has started some novel schemes for educating the children of these wandering labourers so that atleast the new generation does not have to face the hard life which their fathers did. The government is planning residential schools for these children so that they can study and get educated. Let us hope that the next century shall bring education and prosperity to all the vanjari's.Origin,Original Places-- Mr. Bhimabhai Kirparam remarks that, "After Parshurams despersion of the Kshatrias the Charans accompanied them on their Southward flight. In those trouble times Charans took charge of supplies of the Kshatria forces and so fell to their present position of cattle breeders and grain carriers'. Col.Todd says that the Charans, Bhats Bards and geneologists are the chief carriers of these regions, i.e. Marwar, their sacred character, overawes the lawless Rajput chiefs. He identifies Charans and Banjaries as follows, "Murlah is an excellent township inhabited by a community of Charans of the Tribe. Cucholia (Kachi) who are Banjaries (carriers) by profession, though poets by birth. For thier persons being sacred the imminity extended to their goods like wise and saved the same from all impost, so that in process of time they, became the free traders of Rajputana".
- Lamani -Brinjáries : The origin of the Lambanis is unknown perhaps even to themselves, for they acknowledge no home nor country, but their miserable huts for the time being. Vanjaris or carriers are not natives of Kathewar, they claim Rajput origin. They visit occasionally bringing grain, tobacco on long string of bullocks and returning with salt. They have large colonies in Rajasthan, Central India, always return there for rains. Owing to the fast spread of railways and roads. Their trade is fast dying out.
- Bijapur : The main group of Banjaras belong to the Bhukia stock and claim Rajput origin. They seem to have settled in Rajputana and after that in Gujrat.
Ahmednagar -Maharashtra : They say that they have no story of their origin and they have come from Marwar and settled in the district when and why they do not know.
Buldhana : They claim to be of Maratha origin and yet assert that they were originally Paundraksas, a tribe, inhabiting the old Poundra country, Berar and Bengal. They however are unable to reconcile, their claim of Maratha origin, with the Bengali one, which also they claim and of which no traces in their manner, customs, and gotras now remain. - Saharanpur : Among the castes, not found in all parts of the provinces, and Banjaras who Chiefly belongs to the sub-mountain tract. Their homes, seem, originally to have been the long tract of the country under the northern nills from Gorakhpur to Haridwar, in Berar as in Punjab the Banjaras are generally known as Labhanas. Although the Cháran division outnumbers the Labhana, a Cháran if asked his caste will answer Labhana and if asked what Labhana will answer Charan Labhana. The Labhana or the salt carriers came from further North than the other Hindu Banjaras. Their claim to descended from Gaur Brahmanas, when coupled with details of their serpent worship, as described by Tavernier suggests that they are possibly, connected with the Gaur Taga Tribe. They are considered to be superior to the Chárans.
- Panjab Caste Banjaras : Banjaras and Labhana castes are generally said to be identical being called Banjara in the eastern districts and Labhana in whole of the Punjab proper. The original Banjara caste seems to be inhabitant in the sub-mountainous tract from Gorakhpur to Haridwar. From Sir. Elliot's description; they seem to be a very composite class including sections of various origin.
There is a very curious a colony of Labhans on the Lower Indus, who are said to have been settled here under Sikh rule, and who are almost all Munna Sikhs or followers of Baba Nanak.
Though many of them have returned in Bahawalpur tables as Hindus. The abstract No. 72 (page 224) of Bahawalpur ; Labhanas were returned as Jats. The Labhanas of Jháng are said to have been returned from Jodhpur and Jaipur and to be same as Mahatam. On the whole Labhanas appear to be by origin closely allied with this if not actually, belonging to the vagrant and probably aboriginal tribes. - Caste & Tribes by Syed Siraj-Ul-Hasan : Banjaras claim to be descended from Mota and Mola two brothers who tended Shrikrishna's cows. From Mota sprang the ancestors of modern Marvaris, Mathuria, Banjaras and Labhana. Mola having no issue once visited the princes court with wife Radha and there exhibited the gymnastic feats in which he was adept. The prince was so pleased with Mola's skill and so charmed with Radha's beauty and grace, that he gave them as reward three infant boys of different castes, whom they adopted as their sons. In due course of time the boys grew up and were married. Their progeny has been collectively known as Cháran Banjaras.
This account ascribing to Banjaras a mixed parentage appears to have been founded on facts. there can be no doubt that these people so varied in their characteristics were recruited from different races of Northern India and bound together by one common occupation. - In Dashkumars Charitra, a work written by Dandi, mention is made of a cock fighting in a Banjara camp. It is said that these grain carriers came into Deccan with Mughal armies, early in the 17thcentury. Their carrying has been noticed by almost all European travellers of the past three centuries. Thus Mandelson wrote of them in 1638 AD. as buying wheat and rice from the markets of Deccan towns and carrying them to Hindustan in caravans, sometimes of ten thousand animals (Mandelso in Haris page 130.)
"Many thousands of them " says Abbe Dubois were employed by English for transporting their provisions in the las twar with Sultan of Mysore (Abbe Dubois Page.451) "They seem to have derived their origin and organisation", remarks Mr. Lyall "from the long wars of Delhi Emperors in the south, and the restoration of peace and prosperity is breaking them up. Neither trade nor their tribal system can survive another generation of English predominance."
Prof. Hasan has given various fanciful accounts of their origin, and it is difficult to find some consistancy and significance in any of them but all agree in assigning, Northern India, probably Marwar, as their original home. They claim to be kshatriyas and to be descended from Rajput ancestors.
Another account states that the three boys which Mola received from the prince as a reward for his skill at gymnastics, married three Brahmin sisters, who had remained unmarrie after coming of age, who had been abandoned in the jungle according to the custom of their caste. All the Banjaras are said
- Mr. Bhimabhai Kirparam remarks that, "After Parshurams despersion of the Kshatrias the Charans accompanied them on their Southward flight. In those trouble times Charans took charge of supplies of the Kshatria forces and so fell to their present position of cattle breeders and grain carriers'. Col.Todd says that the Charans, Bhats Bards and geneologists are the chief carriers of these regions, i.e. Marwar, their sacred character, overawes the lawless Rajput chiefs. He identifies Charans and Banjaries as follows, "Murlah is an excellent township inhabited by a community of Charans of the Tribe. Cucholia (Kachi) who are Banjaries (carriers) by profession, though poets by birth. For thier persons being sacred the imminity extended to their goods like wise and saved the same from all impost, so that in process of time they, became the free traders of Rajputana".
