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{{Short description|Traditional priests of Hinglaj shrines}}
'''Brohi Charan''' (also called '''Brahui Charan'''; [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: Brohī Cāraṇa; [[International Phonetic Alphabet chart|IPA]]: broːɦiː cɑːrəɳə; [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]]: بروهي ڪريڻي‎) are a [[Brahui people|Brahui]]-[[Baloch people|Baloch]] [[Sindhi language|Sindhi speaking]] [[ethnic group|ethno-linguistic group]] residing in the [[Sindh]] and [[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] provinces of [[Pakistan]]. Brohi Charans are the traditional priests of the [[Hinglaj]] shrines in [[Balochistan]] and [[Thatta]].

== Origins ==
Historically, [[Charan|Charans]] lived around the [[Sindh]]-[[Balochistan, Pakistan|Balochistan]] region prior to the medieval age. From the 7-8th century onwards, the [[Charan]] population began eastern migration in waves towards the neighboring [[Rajasthan]] & [[Kutch district|Kutch]] regions.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Kamphorst|first=Janet|url=http://site.ebrary.com/id/10314656|title=In praise of death: history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia)|date=2008|publisher=Leiden University Press|isbn=978-90-485-0603-3|location=Leiden|oclc=614596834|quote="Brohi-Charans, like some Mishran and Tumbel Charan lineages of Sindh, are Charans who converted to Islam." "Hinglaj is known by many names to her eighteenth, nineteenth and earlytwentieth century devotees, including Charan, Rajput, ... Sufi and Brohi-Charan followers. "}}</ref>

Some of the Charan clans who lived in this region included Mishran, [[Tumbel]], and Brohi. In time, the remaining Charan population of these clans converted to [[Islam]].<ref name=":0" /> Over time, the remnant Charan community converted to Islam and this region of Hinglaj was given to the Balochistan province of Pakistan after independence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The sons of a goddess – The Mythology Project|url=https://themythologyproject.com/the-sons-of-a-goddess/|access-date=2021-12-05|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Hinglaj Tradition ==
The Brohi Charan community was historically associated with the worship and caretaking of the [[Hinglaj Mata mandir|Hinglaj]] shrine.<ref name=":0" /> Charans are historically known as primary worshippers of the goddess Hinglaj. Hinglaj is considered as a '''Mahashakti''<nowiki/>' born among the Charan community in present-day [[Thatta|Nagar Thatta]] in [[Sindh]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kothiyal|first=Tanuja|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IQS-DAAAQBAJ|title=Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert|date=2016-03-14|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-316-67389-8|language=en|quote="Charans regard themselves as devotees of a goddess named Hinglaj, a mahashakti, who herself was a Charani born to Charan Haridas of Gaviya lineage in Nagar Thatta. Several Charani goddesses like Avad, Karni, Nagnechi, Sangviyaan, Barbadi, among others are revered by Rajputs as patron deities. They revered them through construction of temples dedicated to the sagatis, like the Hinglaj temple in Ludrova, the Karni temple in Deshnok, the Nagnechi temple in Bikaner etc."}}</ref>

Some scholars like Samaur give the origin of Hinglaj as belonging to the Gaurviya lineage of [[Charan|Charans]] of Sindh. [[Bhanwar Singh Samaur|Samaur]] believes that the origin of Goddess Hinglaj lies in the "gaur'viyā cāraṇ" branch from [[Thatta]], a city in Southern Sindh. This connection to Thatta led to the belief among the ''sanyasis''(ascetics) of the [[Charan]] community and the [[Udasi]] sect that the temple of Hinglaj in Thatta, Sindh is as important as the main shrine of Hinglaj in [[Lasbela District|Las Bela]], Balochistan.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Schaflechner|first=Jürgen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=khBADwAAQBAJ|title=Hinglaj Devi: Identity, Change, and Solidification at a Hindu Temple in Pakistan|date=2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-085052-4|language=en}}</ref>

Other scholars find the origin of Hinglaj in the Tumbel clan of the Charan community. Some base their account on the writings of P. P. Payaka, published in Cāraṇ-Baṃdhī magazine in 1955. Based on the article by P. P. Payaka, Westphal and Westphal-Hellbusch give the following account:<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last1=Westphal-Hellbusch|first1=Sigrid|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a8PkI_c5fx0C|title=Hinduistische Viehzüchter im nord-westlichen Indien: Die Rabari|last2=Westphal|first2=Heinz|date=2021-04-28|publisher=Duncker & Humblot|isbn=978-3-428-43107-6|language=de}}</ref><blockquote>"Hala in [[Sindh]] was called Kohala in the former times, and the Goddess Hinglaj was once the queen of the Kohala or Kohana area. In this account, Hinglaj is portrayed as a Charani and the leader of the '''Tumbel''' [[Charan]], whom she guided from Sindh to the [[Makran]]. P. P. Payaka also mentions that she remained a virgin all her life and was well versed in the religious texts." (Westphal and Westphal-Hellbusch 1974, 315).<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>

== Worship Ritual of Brohi Charans ==
In Balochistan, a certain local Muslim tribe primarily worships Hinglaj known as Brohi. The right to worship is exclusively assigned to ''kanyas''(prebuscent girls) of '''Juman''' ''khamp''(branch) of Bachol branch of Brohi tribe. These Brohi tribesmen are considered to be Muslim converts from Charans. They claim they are the ''''Charan Musalmans'''<nowiki/>'.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Tantra Marg {{!}} PDF {{!}} Devi {{!}} Religion And Belief|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/321526396/tantra-marg|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Scribd|language=en|quote="Members of Muslim community are also affiliated with Hinglaj. The right to worship the goddess is assigned to young girls of Juman Khamp who belong to Bachol Branch of Brohi musalman. It is believed that Brohi musalmans are the converts of the Charans and they claim that they are the Charan musalmans."|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211204101719/https://www.scribd.com/document/321526396/tantra-marg |archive-date=2021-12-04 }}</ref>

According to "Gorakh Nath Aur Unka Yug" by Ranghe Raghav, a Muslim community worshipped Hinglaj as 'Bibi Nani'.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Raghav|first=Rangey|url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.309531|title=Gorakhnath Aur Unka Yug|date=1963}}</ref>

The Brohi Charans who were historically in charge of the Hinglaj Mata temple at Balochistan were called "Malangs".<ref name=":2" />

== Chamgali Maai or Chamgali Mata ==
Among Brohi Charans, Hinglaj is popularly referred to as 'Chole Wali Mai' or 'Nani'. The Muslim devotees call the pilgrimage of Hinglaj as 'Nani ka Hajj'. Both at the Hinglaj Temple at Lasbela, Balochistan, and the Hinglaj Temple at Thatta, Sindh, the ritual worship of Hinglaj was done by Brohi priests of Juman khamp.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Charan|first=Vasudev|title=हिंगलाज माता का इतिहास और कथा Hinglaj Mata Mandir Pakistan History And Story|url=https://www.mykuldevi.com/2020/06/hinglaj-mata-mandir-pakistan-history.html|access-date=2021-12-04|language=Hindi}}</ref>

The right of worshipping Hinglaj Devi is given to a ''Brahmacharini'' ''Kanya''(a virgin girl) of Juman khamp of the Brohi tribe. This girl is called '<nowiki/>'''Changli Maai'''' and is considered an image of Hinglaj herself.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Charan|first=Vasudev|title=हिंगलाज माता का इतिहास और कथा Hinglaj Mata Mandir Pakistan History And Story|url=https://www.mykuldevi.com/2020/06/hinglaj-mata-mandir-pakistan-history.html|access-date=2021-12-04|language=Hindi}}</ref>

The chosen priestess Chamgali Maai is also sometimes referred to as Kottari.<ref name=":0" />

The ritual of pilgrims entering and leaving the cave shrine of Hinglaj through its narrow ways inside the cave signifies re-birth. Upon emerging from the cave, pilgrims are considered to be "twice-born", without any sin. The pilgrims receive new clothes and consecrated food from the Chamgali Maai, the priestess from Baluchi Brohi-Charan lineage , as she is considered to be a full [[incarnation]] of Hinglaj.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Samaur|first=Bhanwar Singh|title=Paraṃparā kī Jīvaṃt Virāsat: Bobāsar|publisher=Pālar|year=1999|pages=72–76|language=Hindi}}</ref>

As the current Chamgali Mai reaches adolescence, she selects the next prebuscent girl from her Brohi clan by placing her hand on the head of the chosen girl. And thus, a new Chamgali Mai receives the right to worship Hinglaj and be her representative.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Charan|first=Vasudev|title=हिंगलाज माता का इतिहास और कथा Hinglaj Mata Mandir Pakistan History And Story|url=https://www.mykuldevi.com/2020/06/hinglaj-mata-mandir-pakistan-history.html|access-date=2021-12-04|language=Hindi}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{Brahui tribes}}

{{coord missing|Pakistan}}
[[Category:Charan]]
[[Category:Hindu temples in Balochistan, Pakistan]]
[[Category:Brahui people]]
[[Category:Ethnic groups in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Indigenous peoples of South Asia]]
[[Category:Social groups of Balochistan, Pakistan]]

Brohi Charan - Revision history

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