Teli - Revision history

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	In the first decade of the 20th century, upward mobilisation became the feature of Indian society when lower castes tried to move up in the socio-economic ladder by assuming the names and practices of "upper castes". Professor [[M.N. Srinivas]] notes the attempts of Teli community to claim different surnames in different censuses in a bid to improve their position in ''[[Varna (Hinduism)\|Varna]]'' system and ''[[Caste]]'' hierarchy. In 1911, the Teli community adopted the [[surname]], Rathore and started calling themselves ''[[Rathore]] Teli''; while in 1931 they claimed themselves to be ''Rathore-[[Vaishya]]''. According to Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda Patil, this was done in order to climb the social ladder. Such practices were common amongst the lower castes in India.<ref>{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C&pg=PA88\|title=Community Dominance and Political Modernisation: The Lingayats\|first=Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda\|last= Patil\|publisher=Mittal Publications\|page =88\|year=2002\|isbn= 8170998670\|access-date=2020-08-28}}</ref> The [[Arya Samaj]] movement also attempted to improve the status of lower castes. As in the case of Telis, Shri Satyavrat Sharma Dwivedi an Arya Samajist from [[Farrukhabad]] published a magazine "''Telivarna Prakash''" to prove the Teli caste to be of ''[[Vaishya]]'' varna.<ref>{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bgpEIb4tNjgC&pg=PA2040\|title=Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?\|first=Dipankar\|last= Gupta\|publisher=SAGE\|year= 2004\|isbn=0761933247\|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref>		In the first decade of the 20th century, upward mobilisation became the feature of Indian society when lower castes tried to move up in the socio-economic ladder by assuming the names and practices of "upper castes". Professor [[M.N. Srinivas]] notes the attempts of Teli community to claim different surnames in different censuses in a bid to improve their position in ''[[Varna (Hinduism)\|Varna]]'' system and ''[[Caste]]'' hierarchy. In 1911, the Teli community adopted the [[surname]], Rathore and started calling themselves ''[[Rathore]] Teli''; while in 1931 they claimed themselves to be ''Rathore-[[Vaishya]]''. According to Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda Patil, this was done in order to climb the social ladder. Such practices were common amongst the lower castes in India.<ref>{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C&pg=PA88\|title=Community Dominance and Political Modernisation: The Lingayats\|first=Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda\|last= Patil\|publisher=Mittal Publications\|page =88\|year=2002\|isbn= 8170998670\|access-date=2020-08-28}}</ref> The [[Arya Samaj]] movement also attempted to improve the status of lower castes. As in the case of Telis, Shri Satyavrat Sharma Dwivedi an Arya Samajist from [[Farrukhabad]] published a magazine "''Telivarna Prakash''" to prove the Teli caste to be of ''[[Vaishya]]'' varna.<ref>{{cite book\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bgpEIb4tNjgC&pg=PA2040\|title=Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?\|first=Dipankar\|last= Gupta\|publisher=SAGE\|year= 2004\|isbn=0761933247\|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref>

	Despite of the later attempts to claim higher status Teli were initially considered as [[Shudra]] and were thought to be lower in status. According to [[Anand Yang]], the Telis worked with [[beast of burden]] in the oil pressers and for the purpose of obtaining the desired results from the animals, they were often blinded. This made them ritually impure but later many of them as Yang notes took up the occupation of trading and branched off as [[Bania (caste)\|Bania]] in order to conceal their impure origin.<ref>{{cite book \|title=Bazaar India: markets, society, and the colonial state in Gangetic Bihar \|first=Anand A. \|last=Yang \|date=February 1999 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D5lQutvzAp4C&pg=RA1-PA30\|page=230\|isbn=9780520919969 }}</ref>		Despite the later attempts to claim higher status Teli were initially considered as [[Shudra]] and were thought to be lower in status. According to [[Anand Yang]], the Telis worked with [[beast of burden]] in the oil pressers and for the purpose of obtaining the desired results from the animals, they were often blinded. This made them ritually impure but later many of them as Yang notes took up the occupation of trading and branched off as [[Bania (caste)\|Bania]] in order to conceal their impure origin.<ref>{{cite book \|title=Bazaar India: markets, society, and the colonial state in Gangetic Bihar \|first=Anand A. \|last=Yang \|date=February 1999 \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D5lQutvzAp4C&pg=RA1-PA30\|page=230\|isbn=9780520919969 }}</ref>

	==Subdivisions==		==Subdivisions==

Ajay Kumar: Created page with "{{other uses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}} '''Teli''' is a caste traditionally occupied in the Expeller pressing|pressin..."

2021-07-31T13:59:48Z

Created page with "{{other uses}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}} '''Teli''' is a caste traditionally occupied in the Expeller pressing|pressin..."

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{{other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2018}}
'''Teli''' is a [[caste]] traditionally occupied in the [[Expeller pressing|pressing of oil]] in India, Nepal and Pakistan. Members may be either Hindu or Muslim; [[Muslim Teli]] are called [[Roshandaar]] or Teli Malik.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das</ref> The Jewish community of Maharashtra (called [[Bene Israel]]) was also known to be a sub-group in the Teli caste called [[Shanivar Teli]] meaning ''Saturday oil pressers'' for their Jewish custom of abstention from work on [[Shabbat]].<ref name="Slapak(Jerusalem)1995"/>
{{Infobox ethnic group
|group = Teli
|image =File:Teli oil press.jpg
|caption =Teli oil press (Russell, 1916)
|regions = {{flag|India}}, {{flag|Nepal}}, {{flag|Pakistan}}
|region1 = [[Bihar]]
|pop1 =
|langs = [[Hindi]] • [[Bhojpuri]] • [[Odia language|Odia]]<ref name="Mohanty2003">{{cite book|author=Ramesh P. Mohanty|title=Dalits Development and Change: An Empirical Study|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tMCEOmVXhLkC&pg=PA40|year=2003|publisher=Discovery Publishing House|isbn=978-81-7141-696-7|pages=40–}}</ref>
|rels = [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]], [[Judaism]]
|related =
}}

==History==
In the [[Early Middle Ages|Early Medieval period]] in some parts of south India, Teli community used to work on their own oil presses to produce oil to be supplied to the temples. The emergence of "[[Temple]] towns" in various parts of south India was instrumental in the improvement of social status of some of the communities who were associated with the supply of essential items for cultural activities. The communities like ''Malakar'' (garland makers), and ''Telikars'' (oil pressers) thus became important for the functioning of such towns. Some of them even became prosperous enough to make donations to the temples.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MP5tAAAAMAAJ|title=Proceedings - Indian History Congress|year=2003|pages=383, 387, 392|publisher= Indian History Congress(original from The University of Michigan)|access-date=2020-08-28|quote= Often oil presser is referred as Teli , “ Telikar or Tailyakar ( Sanskrit - Tailikakar ) etc . The reference of ... Obviously oil industry , whether on small or large scale was important and the telikaras i.e. the oil pressers assumed importance in the rural and urban life . ... It appears from the inscriptions that some part of the oil production was donated to the Temples , for the worship of the diety ( in the temples ) . }}</ref>

In the first decade of the 20th century, upward mobilisation became the feature of Indian society when lower castes tried to move up in the socio-economic ladder by assuming the names and practices of "upper castes". Professor [[M.N. Srinivas]] notes the attempts of Teli community to claim different surnames in different censuses in a bid to improve their position in ''[[Varna (Hinduism)|Varna]]'' system and ''[[Caste]]'' hierarchy. In 1911, the Teli community adopted the [[surname]], Rathore and started calling themselves ''[[Rathore]] Teli''; while in 1931 they claimed themselves to be ''Rathore-[[Vaishya]]''. According to Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda Patil, this was done in order to climb the social ladder. Such practices were common amongst the lower castes in India.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R84n-Wv1S-8C&pg=PA88|title=Community Dominance and Political Modernisation: The Lingayats|first=Shankaragouda Hanamantagouda|last= Patil|publisher=Mittal Publications|page =88|year=2002|isbn= 8170998670|access-date=2020-08-28}}</ref> The [[Arya Samaj]] movement also attempted to improve the status of lower castes. As in the case of Telis, Shri Satyavrat Sharma Dwivedi an Arya Samajist from [[Farrukhabad]] published a magazine "''Telivarna Prakash''" to prove the Teli caste to be of ''[[Vaishya]]'' varna.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bgpEIb4tNjgC&pg=PA2040|title=Caste in Question: Identity Or Hierarchy?|first=Dipankar|last= Gupta|publisher=SAGE|year= 2004|isbn=0761933247|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref>

Despite of the later attempts to claim higher status Teli were initially considered as [[Shudra]] and were thought to be lower in status. According to [[Anand Yang]], the Telis worked with [[beast of burden]] in the oil pressers and for the purpose of obtaining the desired results from the animals, they were often blinded. This made them ritually impure but later many of them as Yang notes took up the occupation of trading and branched off as [[Bania (caste)|Bania]] in order to conceal their impure origin.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bazaar India: markets, society, and the colonial state in Gangetic Bihar |first=Anand A. |last=Yang |date=February 1999 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D5lQutvzAp4C&pg=RA1-PA30|page=230|isbn=9780520919969 }}</ref>

==Subdivisions==
The [[Bene Israel]] community which inhabit some of the places in [[Maharashtra]] are also called as ''[[Shanivar Teli]]'' and are considered to be a subgroup of Teli community due to their association with the oil trade.This community though is not divided on the basis of caste but segregated on the basis of having marital relationship with people of other caste.These two sub-groups, one having relations in other castes and another with no such relations refrain from mixing with each other.<ref name="MāḍagāṽakaraRanganathan2008">{{cite book|author1=Govinda Nārāyaṇa Māḍagāṽakara|author2=Murali Ranganathan|author3=Gyan Prakash|title=Govind Narayan's Mumbai: an urban biography from 1863|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3roNzMmM9iEC&pg=PA283|access-date=12 February 2012|year=2008|publisher=Anthem Press|isbn=978-1-84331-277-2|pages=283–}}</ref><ref name="Slapak(Jerusalem)1995">{{cite book|author1=Orpa Slapak|author2=Muzeʼon Yiśraʼel (Jerusalem)|title=The Jews of India: a story of three communities|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qhKGPprbQaYC&pg=PA108|access-date=12 February 2012|year=1995|publisher=UPNE|isbn=978-965-278-179-6|pages=108–}}</ref> The Telis of Bengal share their social position with trader communities like Suvarnabanik, [[Gandhabanik]], [[Saha (surname)|Saha]] all of which are classified as ''[[Vaishya]] or [[Baniya]]''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Folklore of Bengal: A Projected Study |first=Sankar Sen |last=Gupta |publisher=Indian Publications |year=1976 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=x0AiAAAAMAAJ&q=teli+vaishya}}</ref> Further, the Ghanchi community of [[Gujarat]] have been described as a "counterpart" of the Telis.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/nitish-kumar-s-wait-and-watch-on-bihar-bjp-s-latest-narendra-modi-gimmick-363559 |title=Nitish Kumar's 'wait and watch' on Bihar BJP's latest Narendra Modi gimmick |publisher=NDTV |date=27 May 2009 |access-date=4 December 2013}}</ref>

== Politics ==
===Bihar===
In the post [[Mandal Commission|Mandal]] phase the growing differences between upper castes and [[Other Backward Class|OBC]] due to tussle between the two groups over political power culminated into replacement of upper castes by the OBCs in the political circle. The Telis along with [[Yadav]], [[Kurmi]], [[Koeri]] and [[Bania (caste)|Bania]] took over the erstwhile political elites namely [[Brahmin]], [[Bhumihar]], [[Rajput]] and [[Kayastha]].The OBCs in Bihar are divided into upper and lower OBC on the basis of socio-economic mobility and political representation. Whilst the trio of Yadav, Kurmi and Koeri are considered as upper OBC, Teli along with Kanu, Dhanuk, Kahar, Kumhar and others are classified as lower OBC.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IVxODwAAQBAJ&pg=PT27|title=Post-Mandal Politics in Bihar: Changing Electoral Patterns|first=Sanjay|last= Kumar|publisher=SAGE Publishing India|year=2018|isbn=978-9352805860|access-date=2020-08-30}}</ref>
In the late 2000s, some among the Teli community of [[Bihar]], organised by the Teli Sena, were engaging in [[vote bank]] politics as they sought to achieve categorisation as a Most Backward Class in the state. Initially, they had failed to achieve this repositioning in India's official [[positive discrimination]] scheme,<ref>{{cite news |publisher=The Telegraph |first=Joy |last=Sengupta |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/bihar/caste-brigades-drive-hard-bargain-for-their-share-in-assembly-keep-parties-guessing/cid/481332|title=Caste brigades drive hard bargain for their share in Assembly, keep parties guessing |date=27 September 2010 |access-date=4 December 2013}}</ref> with opposition coming from other groups who considered the Teli to be too populous and socio-economically influential to justify the change.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://m.timesofindia.com/city/patna/Bid-to-make-Teli-an-EBC-opposed/articleshow/4577067.cms#:~:text=The%20committee%2C%20comprising%20several%20organziation,influential%20socio%2Deconomic%20and%20educational|work=The Times of India |title=Bid to make Teli an EBC opposed |date=26 May 2009 |access-date=28 November 2013}}</ref> In April 2015, Bihar chief Minister [[Nitish Kumar]] announced a decision to include the Teli caste in the list of Extremely Backward Class in Bihar.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bonanzas in Bihar for upper castes, contractual employees|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/bonanzas-in-bihar-for-upper-castes-contractual-employees-115042201097_1.html |work=Business Standard |agency=PTI |date=12 April 2015 |access-date=2015-06-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/politics/bihar-bjp-jdu-set-for-a-war-of-sops-ahead-of-assembly-polls-2323246.html|title=Bihar: BJP, JD(U) set for a war of sops ahead of Assembly polls}}</ref>

===Jharkhand===
In 2018 the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] led government in Jharkhand tried to include castes like Teli and [[Kurmi]] in the category of [[Scheduled Tribes]], which was welcomed by protests from tribals of Jharkhand under the banner of ''Jai Adivasi Yuvashakti'' (JAY) a local organisation which organised "Adivasi Akrosh Maharally", a gathering of all principal tribal groups of the state to protest against the same.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/state-editions/tribals-warn-govt-against-st-status-to-kurmi-teli.html&ved=2ahUKEwj1q4vTq8PrAhXCSH0KHf8UBT8QFjALegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw3kjTcCiEjrMob6Ica1CyxD|title=Tribals warn Govt against ST status to Kurmi, Teli|website=The Pioneer|access-date=2020-08-29}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gupta]]
* [[Other Backward Class]]
* [[Bania (caste)|Bania]]
* [[Ghanchi (Muslim)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |title=Karchana: lifeworld-ethnography of an Indian village |first=Øyvind |last=Jaer |publisher=Scandinavian University Press |year=1995 |isbn=9788200215073 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HSESAQAAIAAJ&q=teli+vaishya}}
*{{cite book |title=Incredible story of social justice in India |first=L. M. |last=Khanna |publisher=Aravali Books International |year=2002 |isbn=9788186880920 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wqfZAAAAMAAJ&q=teli+shudra}}
*{{cite book |title=Class, Status, and Power: Social Stratification in Comparative Perspective |first1=Reinhard |last1=Bendix |first2=Seymour Martin |last2=Lipset |publisher=Taylor & Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kVUVAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA29}}

[[Category:Punjabi tribes]]
[[Category:Social groups of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Bania communities]]
[[Category:Oil pressing castes]]
[[Category:Surnames]]
[[Category:Social groups of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Social groups of Haryana]]
[[Category:Social groups of Punjab, India]]
[[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
[[Category:Social groups of Odisha]]