Agri Kolis

2023-03-15T09:35:43Z

103.76.56.32: /* Clans */

{{short description|Subcaste of Koli caste of Maharashtra}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

'''Agri'''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Michael|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=PEZCY_iK3GIC&pg=PA90&dq=Agri+Kolis&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwix4vv3w_HyAhUd63MBHTAoA-oQ6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=Agri%20Kolis&f=false|title=The Criminal Classes in India|date=1985|publisher=Mittal Publications|year=1985|location=[[India]]|pages=90|language=en}}</ref> also spelled as '''Aagri'''<ref name=":0" /> ({{lang-mr|आगरी}}) is a subcaste or [[subgroup]] of the [[Koli people|Koli]] [[Caste system in India|caste]] in the [[States and union territories of India|Indian state]] of [[Maharashtra]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-16|title=Navi Mumbai: Agri Koli youths on hunger strike, demand regularisation of homes|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/navi-mumbai-agri-koli-youths-on-hunger-strike-demand-regularisation-of-homes-4570839/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Has Agri Koli Bhavan become the new symbol of corruption at CIDCO and injustice to PAPs|url=https://nmtv.tv/has-agri-koli-bhavan-become-the-new-symbol-of-corruption-at-cidco-and-injustice-to-paps/|access-date=2021-09-09|website=NMTV|language=en-US}}</ref> Agri Kolis speak the [[Agri dialect]] of the [[Marathi language]] which was an oral dialect until the late 20th century.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ghurye|first=Govind Sadashiv|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=5UAdAAAAMAAJ|title=The Mahadev Kolis|date=1957|publisher=Popular Book Depot|year=1957|location=[[Delhi]], [[India]]|pages=7|language=en}}</ref> the main deity of Agri Kolis are [[Ekvira|Ekvira Devi]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=GURAV|first=Dr MAHADEV D.|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=WKQ0DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA132&dq=Aagri+Koli&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj776GkyfHyAhVEH7cAHQYwDBQQ6AF6BAgHEAM#v=onepage&q=Aagri%20Koli&f=false|title=A GEOGRAPHICAL STUDY OF FAIRS AND FESTIVALS IN PUNE DISTRICT|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-1-387-13602-5|language=en}}</ref>

{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Agri Koli
| native_name = आगरी कोळी
| native_name_lang = mr
| flag = Agri Koli Bhavan in Navy Mumbai.jpg
| flag_caption = Agri Koli Bhavan in Navy Mumbai
| rawimage = Angri Koli Sanskriti Bhavan, Navy Mumbai, Maharashtra (Entrance).jpg
| image = Entrance of Agri Koli Society Bhavan.jpg
| image_caption = Entrance of Agri Koli Society Bhavan, [[Mumbai]]
| languages = [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Hindi]], [[Agri dialect|Agri]]
| religions = [[Hinduism|Hindu]]
| related_groups = [[Mangela Kolis]]
}}

== Distribution ==
They mainly reside in places such as [[Mumbai]], [[Thane district|Thane]], Dombivli, Kalyan, [[Raigad district|Raigad]], [[Bhiwandi]], [[Virar]] and [[Vasai]] [[Gujarat|Gujrat]].

== Clans ==
Agri Kolis have several of the Clans, some of them listed here<ref>{{Cite book|last=Chand|first=Faquir|url=https://books.google.co.in/books?id=lS-vD6l8cO8C&pg=PA23&dq=Koli+Agris&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjlhc2CxvHyAhVC6XMBHROoCxkQ6AF6BAgDEAM#v=onepage&q=Koli%20Agris&f=false|title=Dadra and Nagar Haveli|last2=Sinha|first2=N. K.|publisher=Popular Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7154-762-3|location=India|pages=23|language=en}}</ref>

* Mhatre
* [[Panwar|Pawar]]
* [[Joshi]]
* Bhoir
* Gaikar
* Mali
* Kamde
* Bhope
* Dangi
* Garod

== Etymology ==
The term ''Āgri'' is derived from the [[Marathi language|Marathi]] word ''āgar'' which is first attested in an inscription located in [[Nagaon Budruk|Nagaon]] dated to 1289 CE. The term agar has two contextual meanings.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Molesworth|first=James Thomas|date=|title=A dictionary, Marathi and English|url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/app/molesworth_query.py?qs=%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B0&searchhws=yes|url-status=live|website=Digital Dictionaries of South Asia}}</ref> On the one hand, it refers to a village where coconut and areca-nut orchards are grown. It also refers to a person who grows coconut and areca-nuts orchards on contract. On the other hand, the term agar also refers to place where salt is produced. The workers at the salt-pits were known as agaris. They were also known by names such as ''Kharki'', ''Kharpate'' and ''Agare Kunbi''. So the term Agri may be related to the practice of growing orchards or the salt production business.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pathak|first=Arunchandra|url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/land_and_people/Index.html|title=Maharashtra - Land and its People|last2=Kulkarni|first2=Anand|publisher=Maharashtra State Gazetteers|year=1968|pages=30, 31}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Kumar Suresh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OmBjoAFMfjoC&pg=PA50|title=People of India - Maharashtra Part 1.|publisher=Popular Prakashan|year=2004|pages=50}}</ref>

== History ==
The early history of the Agri people is unclear. According to the local folklore, the Agri people were musicians at the court of the legendary king [[Ravana]]. Although Ravana is generally considered to be a maleficent figure, he also has the reputation of being a [[Sanskrit literature|Sanskrit]] scholar who was well-versed in the [[Shastra|shastras]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pollet|first=G|url=https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Indian_Epic_Values/EVnK3q48dL0C?hl=en&gbpv=1|title=Indian Epic Values: Ramayana and Its Impact : Proceedings of the 8th International Rāmāyaṇa Conference.|publisher=Peeters Pub & Booksellers|year=1995|isbn=9068317016|pages=75}}</ref>

== Society and Culture ==
According to Agri customs, marriages usually take place in the Hindu months of [[Agrahayana]] (November - December) and [[Vaisakh]] (April - May). Marriage ceremony begins with an engagement ceremony known as [[Sakharpuda]] which includes as many as forty rites that are performed under the supervision of a female priestess known as Dhavalarini. Each ritual is accompanied by a ritual song known as Dhavale. A Brahmin priest is invited for conducting only two rituals, the establishment of the Mandap Devata (Goddess of Pandal) and garlanding each other by the bride and the groom. The newly married bride goes to live with her husband and his family after a procession called Vavsa. After the first child is born, the new mother is welcomed back to her home with great pomp and later takes part in a ceremony called Panvet.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pathak|first=Arunchandra|url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/land_and_people/Index.html|title=Maharashtra - Land and its People|last2=Kulkarni|first2=Anand|publisher=Maharashtra State Gazetteers|year=1968|pages=32}}</ref>

Agris mainly worship deities such as [[Ganesha]], [[Vishnu]], [[Shiva]], [[Lakshmi]] and [[Hanuman]], as well as local deities such as [[Vithoba]], [[Khandoba]], [[Dhak Bahiri|Bahiri]], [[Bhavani]] and [[Veer Mhaskoba|Mhasoba]]. They celebrate festivals such as [[Ganesh Chaturthi]], [[Holi]] and [[Diwali]]. They prepare special sweets for such festivals and engage in vibrant dances. The traditional clothing of the Agris consist of [[dhoti]] and shirt for men and [[sari]] for women. Although the Agris generally consume meat, their diet also includes dal, rice and bhakri. They read religious texts such as the [[Pandav Pratap|Pandavpratap]], [[Dnyaneshwari]], [[Haripath]] and [[RamVijaya|Ramvijay]]. Many of the older generations read such devotional literature on a daily basis in the morning hours.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pathak|first=Arunchandra|url=https://gazetteers.maharashtra.gov.in/cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/land_and_people/Index.html|title=Maharashtra - Land and its People|last2=Kulkarni|first2=Anand|publisher=Maharashtra State Gazetteers|year=1968|pages=33}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Agri dialect]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Social groups of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Koli people]]
[[Category:Koli subcastes]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]

{{maharashtra-stub}}

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Agri Kolis