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The Sikligar (also known as Moyal) is a community found in the Indian states of Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab. By tradition, the Sikligar people specialized in the craft of making and polishing weapons. They are typically Hindu in Gujarat, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh; Sikh in Punjab; and either Hindu and Sikh in Haryana. [1] [2] [3]
The Arabic word saiqal means a polisher, and the Sikligar are those people who had the hereditary duty of making and maintaining weapons. [1] Many administrators of the British Raj, such as H. A. Rose, Denzil Ibbetson and William Crooke wrote books that referred to the blacksmith communities as Lohars, although in fact that term refers to a specific group of people and is not interchangeable. [4] They were once Lohars and thus blacksmiths but split from the Lohar community and became specialist bladesmiths. [5]
They are a nomadic community, often with encampments at the edge of towns and cities. The Sikligar claim to have been Rajputs who fled from Islamic invading armies and subsequently became weapon polishers to disguise themselves from their foes. Their ancestral home is said to be the city of Kannauj, but they speak Gujarati. The community is strictly endogamous and is divided into twelve clans with equal status. These are the Kanthiwala Bhand, Mole Bhand, Gandhiwala Bhand, Jumarwala, Jilpatia, Pathlerde, Juni, Mat and Bardika clans. [1]
According to their traditions, during the period of the Hindu deity Rama known as Haryana, there was a clan called the Chakreli. The Chakreli were the traditional manufacturers of swords and shields. The Chakreli lived in Chitor, in Rajasthan. Their ancestors fled their hometown in the face of invaders, and the ancestors of the Haryana Sikligar moved into the region in ancient times. Other traditions relate that the community is of Rajput origin. According to those stories, they were Rajput soldiers in the army of Prithvi Raj Chauhan, and became blacksmiths after his defeat at the hands of Mohammed Ghori. [3]
In Punjab, the Sikligar claim to have immigrated from Rajasthan, where they manufactured swords. The community converted to Sikhism after they settled in Punjab, and are now found throughout the area, especially in the districts of Bathinda, and Ludhiana. The Sikligar are now divided into a number of clans, the main ones being the Moyal, Tank, Junni, Dangi, Bhond, Bhori, Khichi, Thilipithiya, Dudani, Ghor-chare Tank, Kalyani and Churi te Biori. [2]
The Hindu Sikligar of Gujarat continue their traditional occupation of sharpening knives, scissors, household articles and agricultural implements. Economically, they are extremely marginalised, with cases of child labor existing. [1]
The Sikligar in Haryana are now divided into two groups, the Hindu Sikligar and Sikh Sikligar. The difference in religions mean that both groups are distinct communities, with no intermarriage. Both speak the Haryanvi dialect. They are found mainly in the districts of Hissar, Jind, Rohtak, Sirsa and Mohendargarh. Settled in hamlets on the outskirts of towns and villages, living often in thatched huts, they are further divided into 84 clans, known as gotras. The main ones being the Chauhan, Nirban, Taunk, Kalilot, Mohil, Joone, Dugoli Ke, Moyal, Padyar, Khankhara, Bhati, Dhare, Khichi, Ghelot, Badke, Dangi, Jaspal, Patwa, Solanki, Matlana, Dagar, and Banwari. Their main occupation remains metal burnishing. They are involved in the manufacturing of implements such as spades, sickles, sieves and iron baskets. A small number are now farmers, raising poultry and cattle. [3]
In Punjab, the Sikligar are still engaged in the manufacture of swords, knives, daggers and buckets, selling these implements directly to villagers. The Sikh Sikligar are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy; their customs are similar to other Sikh communities in Punjab. They speak Punjabi, with most understanding Hindi.
Khatri is a caste originating from the Punjab region of South Asia that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the Indian subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade. They were the dominant commercial and financial administration class of late-medieval India. Some in Punjab often belonged to hereditary agriculturalist land-holding lineages, while others were engaged in artisanal occupations such as silk production and weaving and some were scribes learned in Sanskrit or Persian.
The Bangali may refer to a Scheduled Caste found in northern India. They are distinct from the Bengali ethnic group of West Bengal. The Bangali are one of the many nomadic groupings found in India, and have customs similar to other nomadic communities such as the Kanjar.
Parmar, also known as Panwar or Pawar, is a Rajput clan found in Northern and Central India, especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and North Maharashtra. The clan name is also used by Kōḷīs, Garoḍās, Līmaciyā Valands, Mōcīs, Tūrīs, Luhārs, Kansārās, Darajīs, Bhāvasārs, Cūnvāḷiyās, Ghañcīs, Harijans, Sōnīs, Sutārs, Dhobīs, Khavāsas, Rabārīs, Āhīrs, Sandhīs, Pīñjārās, Vāñjhās, Dhūḷadhōyās, Rāvaḷs, Vāgharīs, Bhīls, Āñjaṇās, Mer and Ḍhēḍhs.
Gogaji is a folk deity, worshipped in the northern states of India especially in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Punjab region, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Gujarat. He is a warrior-hero of the region, venerated as a saint and a 'snake-god'.
Bazigar, or Goaars, are an ethnic group of north-western India. They are primarily found in Punjab and in Pakistan's Punjab, but there are also communities in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Rajasthan. They were previously nomadic with their main occupation the performance of acrobatics and other forms of entertainment, but they are now settled and engaged mainly in agricultural and similar forms of labour.
Lohar are considered to be a caste among Hindus and a clan among Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, and in Nepal. They form traditionally artisanal castes. Regional synonyms include.
Ror is a caste found primarily in the Indian state of Haryana.
Mehta is an Indian surname, derived from the Sanskrit word mahita meaning 'great' or 'praised'. It is found among several Indian religious groups, including Hindus, Jains, Parsis, and Sikhs. Among Hindus, it is used by a wide range of castes and social groups, including Yadavs, Khatris, Rajputs, Brahmins and Bania (caste). Mehta is also a common surname found among the Koeri caste of Bihar, who are commonly known as Kushwaha.
Rajasthani people or Rajasthanis are a group of Indo-Aryan peoples native to Rajasthan, a state in Northern India. Their language, Rajasthani, is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages. The people of Rajasthan showcase a notable spectrum of phenotypic diversity, encompassing the dark-skinned nomadic tribes of the Thar Desert to the stature and fair complexion characteristic of people of West and North Rajasthan. Additionally, there is an observed incidence of red and blonde hair, coupled with a high prevalence of light-colored eyes, contributing to the region's multifaceted demographic features.
The Thori are a scheduled caste found in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana in India. They are also known as the Nayak.
Khatana is a major clan of the Gurjar (Gujjar) community of India, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Chunara are an ethnic group found in the state of Gujarat in India. A small number are also found in the port city of Karachi in Pakistan. There are now two communities of Chunara, one Hindu and the other Muslim.
The Lakhera are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are a community traditionally associated with bangle making.
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 Sirkiband are a Hindu caste found in the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. They have scheduled caste status in Haryana. A small number in Punjab are now Sikh.
The Heri are a Hindu caste found in the states of Haryana and Punjab in India.
The Rai Sikh is a Sikh community, mainly found in the states of Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Delhi and Haryana in India.
Bharai are a Muslim community found in India and Pakistan. They are settled in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in India, and in Punjab province and Karachi in Pakistan. They are also known as Parahin and in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharai are also commonly known as Sheikh Sarwari. It is also the name of a Jat and Rajput clan.
Taunk or Tak is a surname found in people and diaspora of Indian sub-continent. Apart from India the usage of last name is largely in found in diaspora in USA and UK. The last name is found largely among communities of North West Indian States like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana.
Rawat is a surname of people belonging to Hindu Rajput community. It is used as a surname, but during the medieval period it was a designation or title given to a soldier who performed exceptionally well in war. There is a legend that a man who kills 100 enemy soldiers during war was given the title of RAWAT. Breach of contract of 'Rawat' goes like Ra stands for Rajput, Wa(व) stands for Veer (Courageous) and T(त) stands for Talwar (Sword); in other words Rajput warrior who is rich with sword is Rawat Rajput. Types of Rawat are Chauhan Rawat, Pawar Rawat, Sisodiya Rawat, Dogra Rawat etc. from Uttarakhand and U.P divisions in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and Rajputs of Uttarakhand.
