>Extraordinary Writ: /* Present circumstances */ Fixed misspelling found by Wikipedia:Typo Team/moss

2020-10-16T03:52:54Z

Present circumstances: Fixed misspelling found by Wikipedia:Typo Team/moss

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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
The '''Gandhila''' sometimes pronounced as Gandhil and Gandola, are a [[Hindu]] [[caste]] found in [[North India]]. They have [[scheduled caste]] status in [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]] and [[Haryana]].<ref>People of India Hayana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 166 to 170 Manohar</ref> <ref> People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 498 to 500 Manohar Publications</ref><ref>People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 194 to 196 Manohar</ref>

== Origin ==
According to the traditions of the community, they descend from a [[Rajput]] by the name of Sabal Singh. He was killed fighting in the forces of the [[Sultanate of Delhi]], and his family were driven out by his enemies. They were then forced to take menial jobs, such as rearing donkeys. The word Gandhila is said to mean a donkey rearer. The Gandhila are found mainly in [[Ambala District]], and speak [[Haryanvi]]. <ref>People of India Hayana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 166 to 170 Manohar</ref> In [[Uttar Pradesh]], the Gandhila are found mainly in [[Meerut District|Meerut]] and [[Muzaffarnagar District|Muzaffarnagar]] districts. They speak [[Hindi language|Hindi]] with outsiders, but have their own dialect. <ref> People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 498 to 500 Manohar Publications</ref> In [[Punjab (India)|Punjab]], the Gandhila are found mainly [[Jalandhar District|Jalandhar]] and [[Patiala District|Patiala]] districts. The Punjab Gandhila trace their descent from two brothers, Sambal Singh and Ajit Mal, both of whom were [[Chauhan]] [[Rajput]]s. On their defeat at the hand of the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal Emperor]] [[Babur|Babar]], the two brothers took an oath not to sleep on a bed or eat with silver utensils until the Mughals were defeated. They then fled to the jungle, where the Gandhila were helped by the [[Bangali]], another jungle nomad tribe. The Bangalis suggested that the Chauhans take up raising donkeys. The community thus became known as ''gadhewalas'' or donkey keepers, which was eventually corrupted to Gadhila. In the [[British Raj|Colonial period]], Gandhila were listed under the [[Criminal Tribes Act]], 1871, as being a tribe "addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offences."<ref>People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 194 to 196 Manohar</ref>

== Present circumstances ==
The Gandhila are strictly [[endogamy|endogamous]], and prefer marrying close kin. They are [[Hindu]]s, but have no particular tribal deity. Their customs are similar to other [[Hindu]]s.

The traditional occupation of the Gandhila is making brooms from palm leaves. However, a majority of the Gandhila are now day labourers, with many working in the construction industry. A small number have been given land as part of government schemes to settle the community. But these plots are extremely small, and most supplement their income by working as agricultural labourers. In [[Uttar Pradesh]], they were victims of a system known as ''chautha'', which is a form of sharecropping, where they have to hand over a fourth of their produce to the landowner.

Most live in multi-caste villages, often working for [[Jat]] or [[Brahmin]] patrons. They are an extremely marginalized community, suffering from severe poverty.<ref>People of India Hayana Volume XXIII edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 166 to 170 Manohar</ref><ref> People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 498 to 500 Manohar Publications</ref>

In Punjab, the Gandhila speak their own language called Pasto, although most also speak [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]].<ref>People of India Punjab Volume XXXVII edited by I.J.S Bansal and Swaran Singh pages 194 to 196 Manohar</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Bangali]]
* [[Kanjar]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}
{{Dom people}}

[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Dom people]]
[[Category:Dom in Asia]]
[[Category:Social groups of Haryana]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Haryana]]
[[Category:Romani in India]]

Gandhila - Revision history

>Extraordinary Writ: /* Present circumstances */ Fixed misspelling found by Wikipedia:Typo Team/moss