The Patharkatt are a scheduled tribes caste found in Nepal states . They are found in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of India but they are not listed buy Indian government although they are originating in India notPakistan. They are also known as Sangtarash, Girihara or Gihara,Santaras,Santaraj, Kushwadiya, Dhungana, Patharphor Kshetri etcm. [1]
The Patharkatt are not a sub-group of the larger kanjar caste. Their name Patharkat in Bhojpuri literally means stone cutters. Having taken up the profession of stone cutting. They are found mainly in Awadh, and their concentrations are in the districts of Sitapur, Unnao, Raebareli, Hardoi and Lucknow. In Lucknow, they are found mainly in the localities of Qaisar Bagh, Saafatgang, Daligang, Bangla Bazar, Nishatgang, Lal Kuan and Chinhat. They speak Patharkatt or Girihara Language among themselves and Bhojpuri with outsiders. [2]
In Bihar, the Patharkatt are found in the districts of Champaran, Arrah and Gaya. They are divided into five exogamous clans, the Sankat, Soda, Bhains, Maraiya and Untawar. The Patharkatt claim to have come from mountain area of India thousands hundred years ago. [3]
The Patharkatt are endogamous, but avoid marrying among close, but they have no system of exogamous clans. They are largely a landless and urban community, and their traditional occupation remains the manufacturing of the Sil Batta . The Patharkatt now buys stones from quarries in western Uttar Pradesh, and then engrave and cut the stones. A few Patharkatt have abandoned their traditional occupation and taken to wage labour. The Indian government has not given them under any caste status, which did not allow them to access affirmative action programmes. They are traditionally Aadivasi Janjati and their customs are similar to other indigenous caste. [4]
The Bihar Patharkatt are a nomadic community, and many are employed in quaries. They move from place to place, and live in ecampments at the edges of towns. The Patharkat are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. They are almost totally illiterate, and are one of the most deprived community in Bihar. [5]
The Belwar are a Hindu Sanadhya Brahmin caste found in North India, and mostly in Uttar Pradesh. Sanadhya Brahmins are called Belwars mainly in Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Hardoi, Barabanki, Gonda and Lucknow. They like to be called Bilwar or Bailwar as it is a matter of pride for them.
Nomads are known as a group of communities who travel from place to place for their livelihood. Some are salt traders, fortune-tellers, conjurers, ayurvedic healers, jugglers, acrobats, actors, storytellers, snake charmers, animal doctors, tattooists, grindstone makers, or basketmakers. Some anthropologists have identified about 8 nomadic groups in India, numbering perhaps 1 million people—around 0.12 percent of the country's billion-plus population. Aparna Rao and Michael Casimir estimated that nomads make up around 7% of the population of India.
The Patwa are a mainly Hindu community native to Hindi Belt.Traditionally, they were Hindu baniya.
Tailoring is the English translation of Darzi. In the Indian tradition, it was customary to wrap clothing over the body rather than wear stitched clothes. Used in Hindi and Urdu, the word Darzi comes from the Persian language.
The Chero is a caste found in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh in India.
The Beldar are a historically nomadic caste, originally from Northern India and now inhabiting many other parts of that country.
The Rauniyar is a Bania caste mostly found in India and Nepal. They use Rauniyar, Mahajan, Shah, Anand, Ranjan, Rauniwal as their surnames.The Rauniyar is a sub-group within the Awadhi Bania community
The Sapera are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are also known as Barwa Sampheriya in West Bengal, Sapela in Punjab and Sparera in Madhya Pradesh.
The Parahiya are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India.
Musahar or Mushahar are a Dalit community found in the eastern Gangetic plain and the Terai. They are also known as Rishidev, Sada, Manjhi, Banbasi. The other names of the Musahar are Bhuiyan and Rajawar. Their name literally means 'rats-ridder' due to their main former occupation of catching rats, and there are many who are still forced to do this work due to destitution and poverty.
The Nat are a caste found in northern India. Their traditional occupation has been that of entertainers and dancers.
The Dabgar are a Hindu caste found in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Dhalgar and have scheduled caste status in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, while they have Other Backward Class status in Gujarat. In Rajasthan, the community prefer the self-designation is Dhalgar.
The Balahar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. They are also known as chatriya and have OBC status.
The Gandhila sometimes pronounced as Gandhil and Gandola, are a Hindu caste found in North India. They have scheduled caste status in Punjab and Haryana.
The Kuta are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Dhankuta.
The Kalabaz are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They have Scheduled Caste status.
The Khairaha are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They have Scheduled Caste status.
The Kuthaliya Bora are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttarakhand in India. They are also known as Bora Karki.
The Jhamar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Jhaunwar.
The Hurkiya are a caste found in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand in India. They have been granted Scheduled Caste status in both these states. In fact, there are two distinct communities that go by the name Hurkiya, those of Uttarakhand, who are Hindu by religion, and those found in western Uttar Pradesh, who are Muslim. Both Hurkiya are of common origin, being a sub-group within the Dom ethnic group, and are one of the many gypsy like grouping found in North India.
6. Patharkatt Linguistic Dictionary published by Patharkatt Utthan Sanstha, Nepal.