Rawal (caste) - Revision history

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	{{Short description\|Community in Rajasthan and Gujarat}}		{{Short description\|Community in Rajasthan and Gujarat}}
	'''Rawal''' ~~(IAST: Rāvala)~~ is an Indian community from [[Rajasthan]] and [[Gujarat]]. They are known as [[Priest\|priests]] of [[devi]] temples and perform a form of dance known as Rammat during the worship. They were well respected and patronised by the [[Charan]]s.<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=Another client caste of the Charans were the Bhands, who sang and danced for the Charans on festive occasions. Their particular form of dance is still popular and called rammat.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last=Singh\|first=Munshi Hardyal\|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/652191570\|title=The castes of Marwar: being Census Report of 1891\|date=1990\|publisher=Books Treasure\|location=Jodhpur\|language=English\|oclc=652191570}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last=Singh\|first=Hardyal\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WNtHAAAAMAAJ\|title=The Castes of Marwar, Being Census Report of 1891\|date=1990\|publisher=Books Treasure\|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book\|last=Mathur\|first=Madan Mohan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yjVNAQAAIAAJ\|title=Kuchamaṇi Khyal: An Endangered Folk Theatre Style of Rajasthan\|date=2006\|publisher=Madan Mohan Mathur\|language=en\|quote=Rawals are the caste genealogists of the Charans . They claim to have been converted from the Brahmins in about 1195 A.D.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Qanungo\|first1=Kalika Ranjan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F149AAAAMAAJ\|title=Studies in Rajput History\|last2=Kānūnago\|first2=Kālikā Rañjana\|date=1960\|publisher=S. Chand\|language=en\|quote=There are seven categories of persons and communities, who in their turn have a hereditary claim on the Charan’s bounty, and are not allowed to beg of any other community. Besides their kula-guru family of Brahmans living in Ujjain till today, and the purohit (family priest), these are: the Rao Bhat of Chandisa sept of Marwar (who are the Bhats of the Charans as of the Rathors of Marwar); the Rawal Brahmans, the Goind-pota and the Viram-pota (Bhats singing with dhol?) and the Motisar community}}</ref>		'''Rawal''' is an Indian community from [[Rajasthan]] and [[Gujarat]]. They are known as [[Priest\|priests]] of [[devi]] temples and perform a form of dance known as Rammat during the worship. They were well respected and patronised by the [[Charan]]s.<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=Another client caste of the Charans were the Bhands, who sang and danced for the Charans on festive occasions. Their particular form of dance is still popular and called rammat.}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book\|last=Mathur\|first=Madan Mohan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yjVNAQAAIAAJ\|title=Kuchamaṇi Khyal: An Endangered Folk Theatre Style of Rajasthan\|date=2006\|publisher=Madan Mohan Mathur\|language=en\|quote=Rawals are the caste genealogists of the Charans . They claim to have been converted from the Brahmins in about 1195 A.D.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Qanungo\|first1=Kalika Ranjan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F149AAAAMAAJ\|title=Studies in Rajput History\|last2=Kānūnago\|first2=Kālikā Rañjana\|date=1960\|publisher=S. Chand\|language=en\|quote=There are seven categories of persons and communities, who in their turn have a hereditary claim on the Charan’s bounty, and are not allowed to beg of any other community. Besides their kula-guru family of Brahmans living in Ujjain till today, and the purohit (family priest), these are: the Rao Bhat of Chandisa sept of Marwar (who are the Bhats of the Charans as of the Rathors of Marwar); the Rawal Brahmans, the Goind-pota and the Viram-pota (Bhats singing with dhol?) and the Motisar community}}</ref>

	== Origin ==		== Origin ==
	Rawals claim to be converted from [[Brahmin]]s around the 12th century.<ref name=":0" />		The Rawals claim to be converted from [[Brahmin]]s around the 12th century.<ref name=":0" />

	== History ==		== History ==
	~~In the past,~~{{when\|date=February 2022}} Rawals would wander from village to village to present night-long Rammat performances in the temples.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book\|last1=Rajasthan\|first1=India Superintendent of Census Operations\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SStXAAAAMAAJ\|title=Ethnographic Atlas of Rajasthan: With Reference to Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes\|last2=Mathur\|first2=U. B.\|date=1969\|publisher=Manager of Publications\|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Vidyarthi\|first1=Lalita Prasad\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CaIiAAAAMAAJ\|title=Applied Anthropology and Development in India\|last2=Sahay\|first2=B. N.\|date=1980\|publisher=National\|language=en\|quote=The Rawals provide entertainment particularly for the people of Charan caste by arranging night long shows.}}</ref>		{{when\|date=February 2022}} Rawals would wander from village to village to present night-long Rammat performances in the temples.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book\|last1=Rajasthan\|first1=India Superintendent of Census Operations\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SStXAAAAMAAJ\|title=Ethnographic Atlas of Rajasthan: With Reference to Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes\|last2=Mathur\|first2=U. B.\|date=1969\|publisher=Manager of Publications\|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Vidyarthi\|first1=Lalita Prasad\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CaIiAAAAMAAJ\|title=Applied Anthropology and Development in India\|last2=Sahay\|first2=B. N.\|date=1980\|publisher=National\|language=en\|quote=The Rawals provide entertainment particularly for the people of Charan caste by arranging night long shows.}}</ref>

	== Rammat of Rawal ==		== Rammat of Rawal ==
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	== Genealogists ==		== Genealogists ==
	Rawals are one of the [[caste]]s who ~~perform~~ as [[Genealogy\|genealogists]] for the [[Charan]]s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Jansen\|first1=Jan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJEyHSUy8GMC\|title=Epic Adventures: Heroic Narrative in the Oral Performance Traditions of Four Continents\|last2=Maier\|first2=Hendrik M. J.\|date=2004\|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster\|isbn=978-3-8258-6758-4\|language=en}}</ref>		Rawals are one of the [[caste]]s who acted as [[Genealogy\|genealogists]] for the [[Charan]]s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book\|last1=Jansen\|first1=Jan\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJEyHSUy8GMC\|title=Epic Adventures: Heroic Narrative in the Oral Performance Traditions of Four Continents\|last2=Maier\|first2=Hendrik M. J.\|date=2004\|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster\|isbn=978-3-8258-6758-4\|language=en}}</ref>

	== Modern occupations ==		== Modern occupations ==

Ajay Kumar: Introducing Rawal (caste)

2023-07-23T15:10:40Z

Introducing Rawal (caste)

New page

{{Short description|Community in Rajasthan and Gujarat}}
'''Rawal''' (IAST: Rāvala) is an Indian community from [[Rajasthan]] and [[Gujarat]]. They are known as [[Priest|priests]] of [[devi]] temples and perform a form of dance known as Rammat during the worship. They were well respected and patronised by the [[Charan]]s.<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=Another client caste of the Charans were the Bhands, who sang and danced for the Charans on festive occasions. Their particular form of dance is still popular and called rammat.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Munshi Hardyal|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/652191570|title=The castes of Marwar: being Census Report of 1891|date=1990|publisher=Books Treasure|location=Jodhpur|language=English|oclc=652191570}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=Hardyal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WNtHAAAAMAAJ|title=The Castes of Marwar, Being Census Report of 1891|date=1990|publisher=Books Treasure|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Mathur|first=Madan Mohan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yjVNAQAAIAAJ|title=Kuchamaṇi Khyal: An Endangered Folk Theatre Style of Rajasthan|date=2006|publisher=Madan Mohan Mathur|language=en|quote=Rawals are the caste genealogists of the Charans . They claim to have been converted from the Brahmins in about 1195 A.D.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Qanungo|first1=Kalika Ranjan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F149AAAAMAAJ|title=Studies in Rajput History|last2=Kānūnago|first2=Kālikā Rañjana|date=1960|publisher=S. Chand|language=en|quote=There are seven categories of persons and communities, who in their turn have a hereditary claim on the Charan’s bounty, and are not allowed to beg of any other community. Besides their kula-guru family of Brahmans living in Ujjain till today, and the purohit (family priest), these are: the Rao Bhat of Chandisa sept of Marwar (who are the Bhats of the Charans as of the Rathors of Marwar); the Rawal Brahmans, the Goind-pota and the Viram-pota (Bhats singing with dhol?) and the Motisar community}}</ref>

== Origin ==
Rawals claim to be converted from [[Brahmin]]s around the 12th century.<ref name=":0" />

== History ==
In the past,{{when|date=February 2022}} Rawals would wander from village to village to present night-long Rammat performances in the temples.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last1=Rajasthan|first1=India Superintendent of Census Operations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SStXAAAAMAAJ|title=Ethnographic Atlas of Rajasthan: With Reference to Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes|last2=Mathur|first2=U. B.|date=1969|publisher=Manager of Publications|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Vidyarthi|first1=Lalita Prasad|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CaIiAAAAMAAJ|title=Applied Anthropology and Development in India|last2=Sahay|first2=B. N.|date=1980|publisher=National|language=en|quote=The Rawals provide entertainment particularly for the people of Charan caste by arranging night long shows.}}</ref>

== Rammat of Rawal ==
Rawals are known for their performances called ''Rammat'', which are [[Devotional prayer|devotional]] in nature dedicated to their [[Patronage|patron]] [[goddess]]. It begins with a prayer to the goddess after which the performing [[arena]] is marked with a [[sword]]. This Rammat [[tradition]] is thought to be ‘almost extinct’ in modern times.<ref name=":0" />

Mahendra Bhanawat in the study of folk theatre traditions of Rajasthan, states about the origin of Ramat:<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Bhanawat|first=Mahendra|url=http://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.18326|title=Overview of the folk theatre of Rajasthan|date=1979|publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi}}</ref><blockquote>“Rawals of [[Rajasthan]] who visit their distinguished clients ([[Charan]] [[Yajamana|Yajamans]]) for gifts (virats) would impersonate in various [[disguise]]s (Swangs) and perform various acts of [[entertainment]]s-called Ramats. I was told on [[Inquiry|enquiry]] that the Rawals, in earlier times, would impersonate the goddesses they worshipped during [[Navaratri|Navaratras]] and would sing [[devotional song]]s ([[Chirja|Charjayen]]) to the accompaniment of [[Mridangam|mridanga]], [[Taal (instrument)|taal]] and rawaj etc. With the passage of time, they started playing kheras in front of Charans also and presented different impersonations(swangs). For a Khera performance, a boy would dress up like the goddess and another boy in his female garb would present various Charjas throughout the night laced with songs, [[dance]] and [[drum]]s. These devotional performances came to be known as Ramats.”<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z52fAAAAMAAJ |title=Sangeet Natak |date=1979 |publisher=Sangeet Natak Akademi |pages=26 |language=en}}</ref></blockquote>

== Genealogists ==
Rawals are one of the [[caste]]s who perform as [[Genealogy|genealogists]] for the [[Charan]]s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|last1=Jansen|first1=Jan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UJEyHSUy8GMC|title=Epic Adventures: Heroic Narrative in the Oral Performance Traditions of Four Continents|last2=Maier|first2=Hendrik M. J.|date=2004|publisher=LIT Verlag Münster|isbn=978-3-8258-6758-4|language=en}}</ref>

== Modern occupations ==
Presently, Rawals are mainly engaged in [[Agriculture|cultivation]] and in the [[weaving]] of coarse [[cotton]] cloth and tapes.<ref name=":1" />

== Population ==
According to the [[1961 Census of India|1961 Census]], the Rawal population in Rajasthan was approximately 4,500.<ref name=":1" />

== Further reading ==

# [https://books.google.com/books?id=L8pWAAAAMAAJ Rājasthāna ke Rāvala By Devilal Samar · 1967]

== See also ==
*[[Motisar (caste)|Motisar]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}{{Social groups of Rajasthan}}{{Social groups of Gujarat}}
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Charan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Gujarat]]