Total population | |
---|---|
51,000[ citation needed ] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
India | |
Languages | |
Gujarati, Kutchi | |
Religion | |
Hindu | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Mistri, Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia, |
Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] (also known as Mistri [6] [7] or Mestri [8] [9] ) are a minority Hindu community of Gujarat [10] in India, who claim to be Kshatriyas. [9] They are an artisan community related with masonry, artistic carvings, sculpting and building and construction works. They are also known as the Mistri or Mistris of Kutch. [7] [8] [11] [12]
The community is believed to be from Kota [8] and first entered into Saurashtra and founded 36 villages in the area, while others moved further into Kutch. Around 1177–78 AD (VS 1234), a major group migrated to Kutch from Saurashtra [8] under the leadership of Patel Ganga Maru. [13] They settled in the village of Dhaneti. [14] [13] There are several Parias of the community, located near village pond of Dhaneti, standing as memorials of the war that was fought in 1178 AD. The community members still go once every year to offer pooja and their respects to their fore-fathers. [15]
This group, later, made their distinct identity not only by building historical forts, palaces, temples and architects not only in Kutch but also all over British India, primarily in the fields of railways and coal mining. [7]
The Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas left Dhaneti and went on to establish eighteen villages in Kutch [8] which were granted to them by the King: Anjar, Sinugra, Khambhra, Nagalpar, Khedoi, Madhapar, Hajapar, Kukma, Galpadar, Reha, Vidi, Jambudi, Devaliya, Lovaria, Nagor, Meghpar, Chandiya and Kumbharia. [13]
Over the centuries, they have been known or identified by some other names like Kadias, Kadia Kshatriyas and Kumar Gnati. [11] [13]
They are a Hindu community. Some are followers of Swaminarayan and Pranami sect of Hinduism, They are vegetarian in diet and avoid consumption of alcohol. The staple food is khichdi, vegetables, pulses and butter-milk. [9]
The community consists of clans like Rathod, Chauhan, Chawda, Jethwa, Yadav, Chudasama, Parmar, Taunk, Solanki, Sawaria, Vaghela, Vegad, Varu, Maru, Gohil, Padhiyar, Bhalsod, Makwana, who enjoy same status. However, most of people prefer to prefix Mistri to their name. [9]
The community are an endogamous community who practice the principle of clan exogamy. Dowry is generally not asked for, neither practice of bride price is there in community. Divorce is generally not encouraged; however, divorce can be claimed in certain cases. [9]
Betrothal ceremony generally precedes marriage, which is held usually within one year of engagement and marriage is observed as per Hindu rites by taking seven circumambulation of fire. [9]
Widow remarriage (ghargenu) is allowed, where the women is usually married outside husband's family. [13] [9]
The Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas were master craftsmen, architects and contractors and have played a major role in erection and construction of the majority of forts, palaces and architecture of Kutch. It was because of this they came to be known as Mistri in Kutch. [8]
It was during 1850 to 1930 AD that the KGK migrated outside Kutch and were involved in the construction of major rail-bridges and the laying down of railway tracks in almost all major rail routes of undivided British India doing the "Railway Thekedari" (Railway Contractors also Thikadari) and as Thekedar (or Thikadar) in Irrigation projects and Forest Department and Public Works Department. [13] They have also done major roadway, road bridges, canal works, irrigation dams and barrage work throughout British India from 1850 to 1980. The communities largest contribution is in the building of the early railway lines and bridges throughout British India. Their works in Railway construction span from 1850 to 1980 for more than one and a quarter of century.[ citation needed ]
The KGK contributed to the building of docks, dams, barrages and irrigation canals between 1850 and 1980,[ citation needed ] and they in the eighteenth century had been among the communities who built the first ports of Bombay and Hornby Vellard. Other docks were developed in Bombay during 1870–1895 (Prince's Docks built in 1885 and Victoria Docks built in 1891 [16] ) in which many Mistris of Kutch and Kadia Kshatriyas of Saurashtra worked. The Mandavi Docks, bridge over Rukhmavati at Mandvi and many road bridges across territories of British India are built by the community using their mason's skills. [13]
In the regions of British India known as Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, the Kutch Gurjar Kshatriyas pioneered Indian involvement in coal mining from 1894. They broke the previous monopolies held by British and other Europeans, establishing many collieries at Jharia coalfields and Ranigunj coalfield. [17] [18]
Seth Khora Ramji of Sinugra was the first Indian to break the British monopoly in the Jharia Coalfields. [17] [19] Natwarlal Devram Jethwa [17] says that
The East Indian Railway in 1894-95 extended its line from Barakar to Dhanbad via Katras and Jharia. Messrs. Khora Ramji in 1894 was working on railway lines contract of Jharia branch line and with his brother Jetha Lira and was also building Jharia Railway Station, when he discovered coal in Jharia belt. The location of his three collieries named Jeenagora, Khas Jherria, Gareria is mentioned also in 1917 Gazetteers of Bengal, Assam, Bihar and Orissa. [20]
The community members are found scattered throughout India and Community's associations exist in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal. [13]
They are marked as one of the Socially and Educationally Backward community by Government. The community on national level is referred as "Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya" mostly in present-day India. However, the "Mistri", which was mostly used during the last century and before is nowadays only used in Kutch and Gujarat. The term Mestri/Mistry is used to refer to community by the Government of Gujarat and the Other Backward Class Certificate as per the Bakshi Panch report. [10] [11] [13]
Sinugra is a village 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) from the town of Anjar, in the Anjar taluka of Kutch district in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Madhapar is a village located in Kachchh district
Kukma or Kookma is a village near the Bhuj town, taluka in Kachchh District of Indian State of Gujarat. It is located at a distance of 16 kilometers from Bhuj, the headquarters of Kachchh District.
Galpadar is a village in the Gandhidham Municipal Corporation, within the Kutch District of the Gujarat State of India. It is located at a distance of about 3 km from Gandhidham, 11 km from Anjar and 51 km from Bhuj.
Kumbharia or Kumbhariya is a village in Anjar Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat State of India. It is situated at a distance of 14 km from Anjar town, the taluka headquarters.
Dhaneti or Dhanetee is a village in Bhuj Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat State of India. It is at a distance of about 26 km from Bhuj the Taluka and district headquarters of Kutch. Although it is in Bhuj Taluka, the Anjar Taluka headquarters of Anjar is only 18 km away.
Meghpar Kumbhardi is a village in Anjar Taluka in Kutch District of Gujarat of India. It is located on Anjar to Galpadar Road. About the history of Meghpar it is one of the 18 villages founded by Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya or Mistris of Kutch. It is located at a distance of about 4 km from Taluka Headquarters Anjar. The famous Malkeshwar Mahadev Temple is located nearby. It is also known as Meghpar-Borichi.
Jagmal Raja Chauhan (1887–1974), better known as Rai Bahadur Jagmal Raja, was a noted railway contractor, industrialist, miner, private banker, aviation pioneer and philanthropist of India.
Khora Ramji Chawda (1860–1924), better known as Seth Khora Ramji, was a reputed railway contractor, coal mines owner, banker and philanthropist of the early 20th century in India, who worked from Jharia near Dhanbad.
The Kutch Gurjar Kshatriya's (KGK) contributions to the Indian railways were widespread from the late 1850s to the latest reorganization of the Indian Railways infrastructure in 2003–2006. The community also widely known as Mistris of Kutch migrated from Kutch to perform the work and were involved in the laying down of railway tracks and construction of rail bridges in almost all railway routes of undivided British India.
D. D. Thacker (1884–1961) better known as Diwan Bahadur D. D. Thacker was a noted coal miner and philanthropist from Jharia, Dhanbad.
Chhaganlal Karamshi Parekh popularly known as Chhagan Bapa was an Indian philanthropist and social worker who worked for education, the end of poverty, and social reform of women.
Purushottam K. Chauhan (1905–1958) was a freedom fighter, coal mines owner, social leader, labor activist and politician from Dhanbad, India.
Rai Saheb Koovarji Karsan Rathor (1898–1976) was a noted Kutchi railway & civil contractor, businessman & philanthropist from Cuttack, India.
Jharia coalfield is a large coal field located in the east of India in Jharia, Dhanbad,Jharkhand. Jharia represents the largest coal reserves in India having estimated reserves of 19.4 billion tonnes of coking coal. The coalfield is an important contributor to the local economy, employing much of the local population either directly or indirectly.
Mulji Jagmal Sawaria, Rai Saheb (1899–1956) was a noted railway contractor, miner and Kutchi businessman, who established himself at Bilaspur, India.
Jharia Gujarati Hindi High School founded as Jharia Anglo-Gujarati School is a Middle school and a High School. It is a co-educational school. It is located at Bata More, Jharia, Jharkhand. It is one of the oldest school of the region being established in year 1905.
Kalyanji Ramji Rathor (1912-1995) was a leading Gujarati businessman and mill owner from Raipur, India.
Amritlal Ojha (1890–1944) was a noted coal miner and businessman from Calcutta, India.
Pootkee Balihari Area is one of the 12 operational areas of BCCL located in Dhanbad Sadar subdivision of Dhanbad district in the state of Jharkhand, India.
MESTRI: They are also known as Mistri. Kota in Rajasthan is believed to be their native place from where they came to Kutch in vs 1234 in search of livelihood. In Gujarat, the community is distributed in about eighteen villages of the Bhuj and Anjar
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