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The Charans (IAST: Cāraṇ; Sanskrit: चारण; Gujarati: ચારણ; Urdu: ارڈ; IPA: cɑːrəɳə) are a South Asian community natively residing in the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra states of India, as well as the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Historically, Charans were poets & literateurs, as well as warriors and jagirdars. They specialised in diverse occupations as historians, literateurs, soldiers, agriculturalists, traders, and merchants. | The Charans (IAST: Cāraṇ; Sanskrit: चारण; Gujarati: ચારણ; Urdu: ارڈ; IPA: cɑːrəɳə) are a South Asian community natively residing in the Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra states of India, as well as the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Historically, Charans were poets & literateurs, as well as warriors and jagirdars. They specialised in diverse occupations as historians, literateurs, soldiers, agriculturalists, traders, and merchants. <ref>Palriwala, Rajni (1993). "Economics and Patriliny: Consumption and Authority within the Household". Social Scientist. 21 (9/11): 47–73. doi:10.2307/3520426. ISSN 0970-0293. In Rajasthan, they were bards and 'literateurs', but also warriors and jagirdars, holders of land and power over men; the dependents of Rajputs, their equals and their teachers. On my initial visit and subsequently, I was assured of this fact vis-a-vis Panchwas and introduced to the thakurs, who in life-style, the practice of female seclusion, and various reference points they alluded to appeared as Rajputs. While other villagers insisted that Rajputs and Charans were all the same to them, the Charans, were not trying to pass themselves off as Rajputs, but indicating that they were as good as Rajputs if not ritually superior....most of the ex-landlord households, the Charans and one Pathan, remained in the middle and upper ranks of village society</ref> <ref>Sharma, K. L. (2019-02-02). Caste, Social Inequality and Mobility in Rural India: Reconceptualizing the Indian Village. SAGE Publishing India. pp. 322–323. ISBN 978-93-5328-202-8. "Charans, a landowning caste (ex-zamindars), Brahmins and Banias were at the centre of the village...the upper castes, namely, Brahmins, Charans and Banias were dominant and grabbed new jobs and opportunities.</ref> <ref>Patel, Tulsi (2006-11-30). Fertility Behaviour: Population and Society in a Rajasthan Village. OUP India. ISBN 978-0-19-568706-4. The jagir was held by members of the Charan caste...By this criterion most of the vegetarian castes enjoy a high rank while the non-vegetarian castes belong to the lower category, except Charan and Rajput who belong to the highest category, despite being non-vegetarian and non-teetotaler...While the abolition of feudal land tenures has led to downward mobility of Charans and Rajputs, it has helped upward mobility of Patels and Jats...Except for Charans and Rajputs, all others cultivate land as tenants and sharecroppers, especially if their own holding is small...However, Brahmins do take up wage labour in agriculture, unlike Banias, Charans and Rajputs...My entry into homes of higher castes, especially those of Charans and Rajputs, was not easy either. | ||
</ref> <ref>Paul, Kim (1993-01-01). "Negotiating sacred space: The Mandirand the Oran as contested sites". South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies. 16 (sup001): 49–60. doi:10.1080/00856409308723191. ISSN 0085-6401. In the past some Charans were agriculturalists, engaged in farming lands which were divided equally between male descendants of the lineage.</ref> <ref>Harald Tambs-Lyche (9 August 2017). Transaction and Hierarchy: Elements for a Theory of Caste. Routledge. p. 130. ISBN 978-1-351-39396-6. Their vegetarian, non-violent and economically puritan ethos conflicts with the Charan tradition, marked by the aristocratic values...Some Charan bards received lands in jagir for their services, and in parts of Marwar, certain Charan families were effectively Darbars.</ref> <ref>Marcus, George E. (1983). Elites, Ethnographic Issues. University of New Mexico Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-8263-0658-6. Charans were court poets and historians.</ref> <ref>Shah, P. R. (1982). Raj Marwar During British Paramountcy: A Study in Problems and Policies Up to 1923. Sharda Publishing House. p. 194. ISBN 978-0-7855-1985-0. The Charans constituted a body of faithful companions of the Rajputs. They composed poems in praise of the heroic deeds of the Rajputs, and thus inspired them with courage and fortitude. They also guarded the mansions of their patrons, gave protection to their women and children during emergency and also acted as tutors for the young ones. In return land gifts and honours were conferred upon them. The Charans, who could not devote themselves to intellectual pursuits, took to trade. They also protected merchants and travellers passing through desolate regions and forests.</ref> <ref>Chandra, Yashaswini (2021-01-22). The Tale of the Horse: A History of India on Horseback. Pan Macmillan. p. 235. ISBN 978-93-89109-92-4. Charans were poets</ref> <ref>Gupta, Saurabh (2015-10-01). Politics of Water Conservation: Delivering Development in Rural Rajasthan, India. Springer. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-319-21392-7. Sharma (ibid) argues that the ex-Zamindars (or landlords) who own big landholdings even today are influential but those who do not retain it are not only less influential but have also slid down the scale of status hierarchy. The families most affected by this belong to the Rajputs, Jats, Charans and Brahmins (all traditionally powerful caste groups).</ref> | |||
Historical Occupations | Historical Occupations | ||
Traders & Merchants | Traders & Merchants | ||