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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{ethnic group|
{{ethnic group|
|group= Dhimar
| group           = Dhimar
|image=File:Dhimar caste hut.jpg
| image           = File:Dhimar caste hut.jpg
|image_caption=Dhimar or fisherman’s hut. (Russell, 1916)
| image_caption   = Dhimar or fisherman’s hut. (Russell, 1916)
|poptime =  
| poptime         =  
|popplace = India
| popplace         = Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and Delhi.
|langs =  
| regions          =  
|rels=  
| langs           =  
| rels             = Hinduism
}}
}}
The '''Dhimar''' are a [[Caste system in India|caste]] in India, sometimes referred to as a subcaste of boatmen.{{sfnp|Shah|2013|ps=}}
The '''Dhimar''' is a Hindu caste in [[Central India]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Shah |first=Pankaj |date=2013-04-06 |title=Political parties eye Lok Sabha polls, bank on boatmen to claim pole position |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/political-parties-eye-lok-sabha-polls-bank-on-boatmen-to-claim-pole-position/articleshow/19409283.cms |access-date=2026-04-25 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> The term Dhimar originates from the Sanskrit word "Dhivara," which means a fisherman.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Singh |first=Kumar Suresh |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/Maharashtra/F3TiAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=dhimar&dq=dhimar&printsec=frontcover |title=Maharashtra |last2=Bhanu |first2=B. V. |last3=India |first3=Anthropological Survey of |date=2004 |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India |isbn=978-81-7991-100-6 |page=514 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gunda |first=Béla |url=https://www.google.ca/books/edition/The_Fishing_Culture_of_the_World/fDjXAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=dhimar&dq=dhimar&printsec=frontcover |title=The Fishing Culture of the World: Studies in Ethnology, Cultural Ecology, and Folklore |date=1984 |publisher=Akadémiai Kiadó |isbn=978-963-05-3279-2 |pages=660-661 |language=en}}</ref> Dhimars are also known as Kahar, Bhoi, Palewar, Baraua, and Machhandar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gangaputra Fisherman Community |url=https://gangaputra.net/ |access-date=2026-04-25 |website=gangaputra.net}}</ref>


Communities that are related to the Dhimar by occupation in [[Uttar Pradesh]] include the Bind, Bhar, Dhinwar, Dhewar, Gariya, Gaur, Godia, Gond, Jhimar, Jhir, Jhinwar, Jhiwar, Kahar, Keot, Kewat, Kharwar, Khairwar, Kumhar, Machua, Majhi, Majhwar, Mallah, Nishad, Rajbhar, Tura, Turah, Turaha, Tureha and Turaiha. There were proposals in 2013 that some or all of these communities in the state should be reclassified as [[Scheduled Castes]] under India's [[Reservation in India|system of positive discrimination]]; this would have involved declassifying them from the [[Other Backwards Class]] category.{{sfnp|Shah|2013|ps=}} Whether or not this would happen was a significant issue in the campaign for the [[2014 Indian general election]].{{sfnp|Srivastava|2014|ps=}}
Historically, Dhimars have primarily worked as the fishermen.<ref name=":1" /> Dhimars primarily reside in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and Delhi.
 
Communities that are related to the Dhimar by occupation include Kanshilya, Koshyal, Dhinwar, Jhinwar, Dhewar, Jhimar, Kashyap, Kahar. Dhimars sometimes referred to as a sub-caste of boatmen.<ref name=":0" />


==See also==
==See also==
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{{Refbegin}}
{{Refbegin}}
*{{citation |title=Political parties eye Lok Sabha polls, bank on boatmen to claim pole position |first=Pankaj |last=Shah |date=6 April 2013  |work=The Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Political-parties-eye-Lok-Sabha-polls-bank-on-boatmen-to-claim-pole-position/articleshow/19409283.cms}}
*{{citation |title=Political parties eye Lok Sabha polls, bank on boatmen to claim pole position |first=Pankaj |last=Shah |date=6 April 2013  |work=The Times of India |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Political-parties-eye-Lok-Sabha-polls-bank-on-boatmen-to-claim-pole-position/articleshow/19409283.cms}}
*{{citation |title=BJP castes a wider UP net, uses Modi's background to attract OBC votes while seeking blessings by feeding Brahmins |first=Piyush |last=Srivastava |work=India Today |date=25 February 2014 |url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/bjp-leads-in-the-caste-game-in-up-2014-lok-sabha-polls/1/345392.html}}
*{{citation |title=BJP castes a wider UP net, uses Modi's background to attract OBC votes while seeking blessings by feeding Brahmins |first=Piyush |last=Srivastava |work=India Today |date=25 February 2014 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/elections/story/bjp-leads-in-the-caste-game-in-up-2014-lok-sabha-polls-182555-2014-02-24}}
{{Refend}}
{{Refend}}



Latest revision as of 09:29, 8 June 2026


Dhimar
Dhimar or fisherman’s hut. (Russell, 1916)
Regions with significant populations
Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and Delhi.
Religion
Hinduism

The Dhimar is a Hindu caste in Central India.[1] The term Dhimar originates from the Sanskrit word "Dhivara," which means a fisherman.[2][3] Dhimars are also known as Kahar, Bhoi, Palewar, Baraua, and Machhandar.[4]

Historically, Dhimars have primarily worked as the fishermen.[2] Dhimars primarily reside in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat and Delhi.

Communities that are related to the Dhimar by occupation include Kanshilya, Koshyal, Dhinwar, Jhinwar, Dhewar, Jhimar, Kashyap, Kahar. Dhimars sometimes referred to as a sub-caste of boatmen.[1]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 Shah, Pankaj (6 April 2013). "Political parties eye Lok Sabha polls, bank on boatmen to claim pole position". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Singh, Kumar Suresh; Bhanu, B. V.; India, Anthropological Survey of (2004). Maharashtra. Anthropological Survey of India. p. 514. ISBN 978-81-7991-100-6.
  3. Gunda, Béla (1984). The Fishing Culture of the World: Studies in Ethnology, Cultural Ecology, and Folklore. Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 660–661. ISBN 978-963-05-3279-2.
  4. "Gangaputra Fisherman Community". gangaputra.net. Retrieved 25 April 2026.

Bibliography

Further reading[edit | edit source]