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| {{More citations needed|date=April 2013}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Meghwal people]] |
| {{Use British English|date=October 2011}}
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| {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}
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| {{infobox ethnic group| | | {{Redirect category shell| |
| |group= Megh / Meghwal / Meghraj
| | {{R from move}} |
| |image= Megh girls-3.jpg
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| | caption = A group of Megh girls in Jammu, India
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| |poptime =
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| |popplace = • India • Pakistan
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| |langs =
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| |rels= •[[Hinduism]]
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| |related=
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| }}
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| The '''Meghwal''' (also known as '''Megh''' and '''Meghraj''') people live primarily in northwest India, with a small population in Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://webconte.com/community/meghwal|title=Meghwal Community, Rajasthan}}</ref> Their traditional occupation was agricultural farming, cattle-herding and weaving. Meghwals are known for their contribution to embroidery and the textile industry. Most are Hindu by religion, with Rishi Megh, [[Kabir]], [[Baba Ramdevji|Ram Devji]] and Bankar [[Mataji]] their chief gods.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Khan |first1=Dominique-Sila |title=The Kāmaḍ of Rajasthan — Priests of a Forgotten Tradition |journal=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland |volume=6 |issue=1 |date=April 1996 |pages=29–56 |access-date=5 June 2010 |doi=10.1017/S1356186300014759 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-royal-asiatic-society/article/abs/kamad-of-rajasthan-priests-of-a-forgotten-tradition/DAB4B8D64E9D0FB1EC401A75AB73022A }}</ref>
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| ==Synonyms==
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| The Meghwal community is known by various names, depending on location. Examples include ''Balai,'' ''Menghwar''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Pathak|first=Bindeshwar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l2Qt9tv2nSkC|title=Continuity and Change in Indian Society: Essays in Memory of Late Prof. Narmadeshwar Prasad|date=1998|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-726-7|language=en}}</ref>
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| ==Origins==
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| They claim to have descended from Rishi Megh,<ref name="tribuneindia.com">{{cite web
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| |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090119/region.htm.
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| |title=Regional Briefs, Punjab, Abohar.
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| |access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref> a saint who had the power to bring rain from the clouds through his prayer.<ref name=samanta>{{cite book
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| |title=Rajasthan, Part 2, Volume 38 of "People of India"
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| |author1=D. K. Samanta |author2=S. K. Mandal |author3=N. N. Vyas |author4=Anthropological survey of India |publisher=Popular Prakashan
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| |year=1998
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| |pages=629–632
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| |isbn=81-7154-769-9}}</ref> The word ''Meghwar'' is derived from the [[Sanskrit]] words ''megh'', meaning clouds and rain, and ''war'' (Hindi: वार), meaning a group, son and child. (Sanskrit: वार:)<ref>{{cite book|title=Supreme Sanskrit-Hindi Kosh|author1=Alok Kumar Rastogi |author2=Shri Sharan |name-list-style=amp |publisher=Kalra Publications (Pvt.) Ltd., Delhi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
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| |url = https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.5.apte3.954296
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| |title = The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary
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| |access-date = 9 September 2009
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| }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
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| Literally, then, the words ''Meghwal'' and ''Meghwar'' connote a people who belong to Megh lineage.<ref>{{cite web
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| |url=http://www.shabdkosh.com/en2hi/search.php?e=cloud&f=0
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| |title=English Hindi Dictionary: Cloud
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| |publisher=Shabdkosh.com
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| |access-date=24 August 2009}}</ref>
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| However, it is theorized that at the time of [[Muslim invasion of India]], many people of high castes including [[Rajput|Rajputs]], [[Charan|Charans]], [[Brahmin|Brahmins]], and [[Jat people|Jats]] joined or were recruited in the Bhambhi caste. Due to this, there came 5 main divisions in the community:<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Choudhry|first=P. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5K-1AAAAIAAJ|title=Rajasthan Between the Two World Wars, 1919-1939|date=1968|publisher=Sri Ram Mehra|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|last=Shyamlal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qRBuAAAAMAAJ|title=From Higher Caste to Lower Caste: The Processes of Asprashyeekaran and the Myth of Sanskritization|date=1997|publisher=Rawat Publications|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Commissioner|first=India Census|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F7UptQEACAAJ|title=Census of India, 1901, Volume 25, Parts 1-2|date=2018-02-22|publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC|isbn=978-1-378-47136-4|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last1=Channa|first1=Subhadra Mitra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tTAnAgAAQBAJ|title=Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India|last2=Mencher|first2=Joan P.|date=2013-05-30|publisher=SAGE Publications India|isbn=978-81-321-1777-3|language=en}}</ref>
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| i) The Adu or unmixed Bhambis,
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| (ii) The Maru Bhambis comprising Rajputs,
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| (iii) The Charaniya Bhambis including Charans,
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| (iv) The Bamnia Bhambis comprising Paliwal Brahmins, and
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| (v) The Jata Bhambis including Jats.
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| Some Meghwals are associated with other social groups. Shyam Lal Rawat refers to the Meghwals of [[Rajasthan]] as "one of the dominating backward castes ...",<ref>{{cite book |title=Studies in Social Protest |first=Shyam Lal |last=Rawat |year=2010 |pages=xiv, 356 |isbn=978-8131603314}}</ref> a connection also made by Debashis Debnath.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Hierarchies Within Hierarchy: Some Observations on Caste System in Rajasthan |first=Debashis |last=Debnath |journal=Indian Anthropologist |volume=25 |issue=1 |date=June 1995 |pages=23–30 |jstor=41919761}}</ref> The Balali and Bunkar communities have also begun using the Meghwal name.<ref>{{cite book |title=Dalit Women in Rajasthan: Status of Economic, Social & Cultural Rights |url=http://www.pwescr.org/Dalit_Report.pdf}}</ref>
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| == Culture ==
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| There exists cultural differences among these sub-caste groups of Meghwal. For example: the Meghwal like Jata Bhambis, Bamnia Bhambis and Charania Bhambis in Rajasthan do not [[Interethnic marriage|inter marry]] within other sub-castes. These sub-groups being more conscious about their previous identities maintain their old customs and [[Tradition|traditions]].<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />
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| Furthermore, there were also considerable diversity in dressing habits between different [[Chamar]] sub-groups. In 1891, when Hardyal Singh wrote about the Bhambi, [[Regar]], Meghwal and Chamar castes of Marwar states, he observed:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><blockquote>"The first two divisions (The Adu or unmixed Bhambis and the Maru Bhambis) are very closely connected and inter-marry, while the last two divisions only marry in their own communities respectively. The Bhambis are not allowed to wear gold and silver ornaments, but an exception is made in the case of head village Bhambi and his wife. There is striking popularity in the dress of men, but the '''Maru Bhambi''' women generally wear [[Lehenga|Ghagra]] or petticoat of country chintz, while the '''Jata Bhambi'''s dress themselves like the [[Jat people|Jat]] women and are distinguished from the use of lac churas instead of ivory ones. The women of the '''Charnia Bhambis''' wear a dress of yellow colour like the [[Charan]] women."</blockquote>
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| ==Geographical distribution==
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| The Meghwal are found in [[Gujarat]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Maharashtra]] and Rajasthan.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} The Meghs, Kabir Panthi or Bhagat are from [[Himachal Pradesh]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]]<ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_jk.pdf/ Census India - Govt. of India]</ref> and are known as Megh, Arya Megh and Bhagat. In some places they are known as Ganeshia, Meghbansi, Mihagh, Rakhesar, Rakhia, Rikhia, Rishia and other names. Some of the Mahashas also claim to be belonging to Meghs.<ref>{{cite book
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| |author=Mark Juergensmeyer.
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| |title=Religious Rebels in The Punjab: The Social Vision of Untouchables
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| |year=1988
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| |publisher=Ajanta Publications, Delhi
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| |isbn=81-202-0208-2 |page=214}}</ref>{{qn|date=August 2014}} After [[Partition of India]] in 1947, the Meghs who had become converts to the [[Hinduism]], had to migrate to Indian territory.<ref>{{cite book
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| |author=Mark Juergensmeyer.
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| |title=Religious Rebels in The Punjab: The Social Vision of Untouchables
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| |year=1988
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| |publisher=Ajanta Publications, Delhi
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| |isbn=81-202-0208-2 |page=225}}</ref>{{qn|date=August 2014}}
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| As of 1991, the population of Meghs in Punjab (India) was estimated at 105,157.<ref>{{cite web
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| |url=http://data.undp.org.in/shdr/punjab/07-Dalits.pdf
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| |title=Dalits – On the Margins of Development
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| |access-date=15 August 2009
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| |url-status=unfit
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| |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721180829/http://data.undp.org.in/shdr/punjab/07-Dalits.pdf
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| |archive-date=21 July 2011
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| }}</ref>
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| == Meghwals of Kutch-Gujarat ==
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| In [[Kutch district|Kutch]], Meghwals are divided into 4 entities depending on their origin or their time period of arrival:<ref>{{Cite book|last=Demski|first=Dagnoslaw|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342345053|title=Questions of inequality and collective experience: Hinduism from several inner perspectives|publisher=Archaeologia Polona|year=2006|pages=217|language=English|quote=Meghwal is the name of clusters of Chamars widely populating North India and divided intomany subgroups. Under the name of Meghwal they live in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Sind. In Kutch,they are divided into smaller entities – the Marvada,Maheshvari, Gujara and Charania, each of them coming from a different part of the neighbouring states and originating in different periods (Peopleof Gujarat 2003: 279)}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
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| # Maheshvari,
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| # Charania,
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| # Marmara, and
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| # Gujar
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| == Meghwal of Madhya Pradesh ==
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| Meghwal of [[Madhya Pradesh]] are largely concentrated in [[Khargone]] district. They are known by various names such as Ganeshia, Rikhia, and Risha. They are divided into four subdivisions, namely Maheswari or Kachhi, Charania, Gujra, and Marwada.<ref name=":4">{{Cite book|last=Singh|first=K. S.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n8P0zAEACAAJ|title=People of India: The scheduled castes|date=1992|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India|pages=942|language=en}}</ref>
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| ==Lifestyle==
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| In the countryside of Rajasthan, many of the people of this community still reside in small hamlets of round, mud-brick huts painted on the outside with colourful geometric designs and decorated with detailed mirror inlays.{{citation needed|date=October 2017}} In earlier days the main occupation of the Meghwal community was agricultural labour, weaving, specially [[Khadi]] and woodcarving, and these are still the main occupations. The women are famous for their embroidery work and are master wool and cotton weavers.<ref>{{cite web
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| |url=http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/node/1922
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| |title=Weaving a common destiny
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| |date=June 1992
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| |publisher=Centre for Science and Environment
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| |access-date=15 August 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
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| |url=http://www.craftrevival.org/CraftArtDetails.asp?CountryCode=India&CraftCode=003678
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| |title=Ancient Lac Dyeing Practices of Kachchh and its revival by the Vankar Shyamji Valiji of Bujodi
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| |publisher=Craft Revival Trust
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| |access-date=15 August 2009}}</ref>
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| Increasing numbers of the Meghwal today are educated and are obtaining government jobs. In Punjab, especially in the cities like [[Amritsar]], [[Jalandhar]] and [[Ludhiana]] a good number of them is engaged as workers in factories producing sports, hosiery, surgical and metal goods. Very few of them have their own business or a small scale industry. Tiny business and service units are their main support for livelihood.<ref>{{cite journal
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| |url=http://joe.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/19/1/43
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| |title=Innovations, Entrepreneurship and Development
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| |year=2010
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| |journal=Journal of Entrepreneurship
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| |doi=10.1177/097135570901900103
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| |access-date=11 April 2010|last1=Bal
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| |first1=Gurpreet
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| |last2=Judge
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| |first2=Paramjit S.
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| |volume=19
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| |pages=43–62
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| |s2cid=154601153
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| }}</ref>
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| Their staple diet includes rice, wheat and maize, and pulses such as moong, urad and channa. They are vegetarian but eat egg.
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| Marriages are arranged through negotiation between the families before puberty. After marriage, the wife moves to the husband's house, except for the period of childbirth.
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| ==Arts==
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| The Meghwal women in Rajasthan are renowned for their exuberantly detailed costumes and jewellery. Married women are often spotted wearing gold nose ring, earrings and neckpieces. They were given to the bride as a "bride wealth" dowry by her soon-to-be husband's mother. Nose rings and earrings are often decorated with precious stones of [[ruby]], [[sapphire]] and [[emerald]]. The Meghwal women's embroidery is avidly sought after. Their work is distinguished by their primary use of red, which comes from a local pigment produced from crushed insects. The Meghwal women artisans of Thar desert in Sindh and Balochistan, and in Gujarat are considered master of the traditional embroidery and [[Ralli quilt|Ralli]] making. Exotic hand-embroidered items form part of dowry of Meghwal woman.<ref>{{cite book
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| |title=Asian embroidery
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| |author1=Jasleen Dhamija |author2=Crafts Council of India |author-link=Jasleen Dhamija
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| |publisher=Abhinav Publications
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| |year=2004
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| |page=125
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| |isbn=81-7017-450-3}}</ref>
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| ==References==
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| {{commons category}}
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| {{reflist}}
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| [[Category:Dalit communities]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of Sindh]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of India]]
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| [[Category:Weaving communities of South Asia]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Chhattisgarh]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Jammu and Kashmir]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Delhi]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Rajasthan]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Gujarat]]
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| [[Category:Scheduled Castes of Madhya Pradesh]]
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