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{{short description|Indian social group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}}
'''Kinwars'''<ref>{{Cite book|last=Fox|first=Richard Gabriel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FHEcBTmxlOEC&q=kinwar&pg=PA18|title=Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: Statehinterland Relations in Preindustrial India|date=1971|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-01807-5|language=en}}</ref> [ Hindi: केनवार or किनवार ] is an Indian clan whose members claim to belong to the '''Rajput''' caste and worship Hindu goddesses Kulkula Mata or Mahamaya Mata or Durga Parameshwari Mata as their [[Kuldevi]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rathore|first=Abhinay|title=Kuldevi of all Rajputs|url=https://www.indianrajputs.com/history/rajput-kuldevis.php|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Rajput Provinces of India|language=en}}</ref> They principally resided in the states of [[Bihar]] and [[Purvanchal|Eastern Uttar Pradesh]].  Many have now migrated to other parts of India and other countries.  However, some population of Kinwars can still be found in [[Ballia district|Balia District]] and Saharsa district ,BiharMost Kinwars use Singh as their surnames but some use Kinwar or Kenwar also.
'''Kinwar''' is a clan whose members belong to the [[Rajput]] caste.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voe3AAAAIAAJ&q=kinwar+ | title=Caste: The Colonial Theories | year=2004 | publisher=Omsons Publications | accessdate=30 December 2018 | pages=3| isbn=9788171172153 }}</ref> The Rajput's members principally reside in the states of [[Bihar]] and [[Purvanchal|Eastern Uttar Pradesh]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dxDWbsztdVQC&dq=kinwar+bhumihar&pg=PA115 | title=Evolution and Spatial Organization of Clan Settlements: A Case Study of Middle Ganga Valley | publisher=Concept Publishing Company | accessdate=30 December 2018 | author=Saiyad Hasan Ansari | year=1986 | pages=115}}</ref> A particularly large population of Kinwar Rajputs can be found in [[Ballia district]].The founders of the [[Kharagpur Raj]] principality in Bihar were Kinwar [[Kshatriya]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FHEcBTmxlOEC&q=kinwar+&pg=PA18 | title=Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: Statehinterland Relations in Preindustrial India | year=1971 | publisher=University of California Press, 1971 | accessdate=30 December 2018 | pages=18–21| isbn=9780520018075 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TTpbtbmfTk0C&dq=kinwar+bhumihar&pg=PA86 | title=Geographical Research | accessdate=30 December 2018 | author=Kalluri Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy | year=1999 | pages=86| isbn=9788170227069 }}</ref><ref name=Roy1992>{{cite journal | title= | author= Yogendra P. Roy | journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume = 53| year=1992 | pages= 333–334|jstor = 44142804}}</ref>
 
It is believed that the word '''Kinwar''' (also spelt as '''Kenwar)''' takes after the [[Ken River]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Aloney|first=Hitesh|title=Ken River|url=https://upscwithnikhil.com/article/geography/ken-river|access-date=2021-12-31|website=upscwithnikhil.com|language=en}}</ref> The ancestors of the Kinwars came from Ken river basin.  According to some historians, the Ken river basin Kinwars claim to be an offshoot of Sengar Rajputs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=राजपूतों की वंशावली - क्षत्रिय राजपूत इतिहास|url=http://kalgati.wikidot.com/rajput#:~:text=%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A9.,%E0%A4%94%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%20%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-30|website=kalgati.wikidot.com}}</ref>
 
Kenwar literally means guardians of the Ken river. Ken river basin was the stronghold of Kinwars during mediaeval times. There are ruins of several castles along the banks of 427 KM long Ken river. The Kinwars were likely the guardians (and probably the owners) of many of these castles. These castles were vital in defending their territories against the foreign invaders for a long time but ultimately fell to [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] empire.
 
Not much is available in terms of recorded history about Kinwar (Kenwar) migration out of Ken river basin. It is likely, most of them were killed or migrated defending their territory. However, there are some documented evidences that at least two teenage Kinwar princes were given refuge by Raja of [[Varanasi|Benares]] (present day Varanasi). One of them was Baijul Singh Kenwar. Most present day Kinwar are descendants of Baijul. According to Saiyad Hasan Ansari (1986) in  "Evolution and Spatial Organization of Clan Settlements: A Case Study of Middle Ganga Valley", Baijul commanded the army of Raja Guhurwar (the Raja of Benares. Also spelled as Gaharwar) and married Raja's daughter.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ansari|first=Saiyad Hasan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dxDWbsztdVQC&q=Baijul&pg=PA115|title=Evolution and Spatial Organization of Clan Settlements: A Case Study of Middle Ganga Valley|date=1986|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> Their descendants are what remains of the Kinwar clan.


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Rajput clans of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rajput clans of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Rajput clans of Bihar]]
[[Category:Rajput clans of Bihar]]
[[Category:Rajput clans]]
[[Category:Bhumihar clans]]
 
 
{{India-ethno-stub}}

Latest revision as of 16:49, 22 October 2025

Kinwar is a clan whose members belong to the Rajput caste.[1] The Rajput's members principally reside in the states of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh.[2] A particularly large population of Kinwar Rajputs can be found in Ballia district.The founders of the Kharagpur Raj principality in Bihar were Kinwar Kshatriya.[3][4][5]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Caste: The Colonial Theories. Omsons Publications. 2004. p. 3. ISBN 9788171172153. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  2. Saiyad Hasan Ansari (1986). "Evolution and Spatial Organization of Clan Settlements: A Case Study of Middle Ganga Valley". Concept Publishing Company. p. 115. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  3. Kin, Clan, Raja, and Rule: Statehinterland Relations in Preindustrial India. University of California Press, 1971. 1971. pp. 18–21. ISBN 9780520018075. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  4. Kalluri Lakshmi Narasimha Murthy (1999). Geographical Research. p. 86. ISBN 9788170227069. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  5. Yogendra P. Roy (1992). Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 53: 333–334. JSTOR 44142804. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)