Occupation and Social Status

Occupation and Social Status

It will have been seen from enumertion of the sub-castes that the occpation of the kahars are diverse. Of the Western Kahar Mr. Ibbetson writes :- "He is a carrier, waterman, fisherman, and basket maker of the east Punjab, he carries palanquins and all such burdens as are borne by a yoke on the shoulders, and he is specially concerned with the water, in so much that the cultivation of water nuts and the netting of water-fowls are for the most part in his hands, and he is the well-sinker of the Province.

Except kannojiya Brahman all other caste eat pakki and drink water from Kahars hands".

Social Changes

Social Changes

In census 1931 it was recorded by Mr. A. C. Turner (Census Of India 1931) that many endogamous group or sub-castes form distinct caste broken away from Kahars like Dhimar, Kharwar, Mallah, Gond and Turaha. This separation was made due to the occupational differences which differentiate their endogamous groups. Now these separate castes has their different occupational and ethnological status with Kahars.

[edit] History & Origin

History & Origin

This community derives its name from the Sanskrit word "Skandhakara", which means one who carries things on his shoulders. A tribe who engage in cultvation particularly in connection with growing water nuts in lakes, fishing, palanquin carring, and domestic service. This variety of occupation renders a complete analysis of the tribe and its sub castes very difficult. Kahars are sometimes known as Mahra (Sanskrit, Mahila, "a woman"), because they have the entry of the female apartments. Another name for them is Dhimer, (sanskrit, Dhivara, " a fisherman"), though some of them profess to regard it as a honoric term from sanskrit Dhi, or "intellect, intelligence". When they are engaged in domestic service they are often known as Behara which is probably a corruption of the English "bearer". In parts of Bundelkhand they are known as Machhmara, "fish killer" and in other places Singhariya, because they cultivate the Singhara fruit or water caltrop. Jarasndh, the king of Magadha, during the times of Krishna was supposed to be originator of this community as per

Kahar

Kahar

A numerous & widely scattered community in Northern Indian states of Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu region of J.K.,Himanchal and Bihar. In Maharashtra there are Huge People of Kahar community also known as Dhimbar Surname Like Gavhane, Jire, Lakariya, Lahire, Pandure, Rasne...
In Gujarat, huge people of kahar community (known as Bhoy community) in Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Bhavnagar, Porbandar, Rajpipla,Bharuch, Surat and known as Bhoy his surname . mainly engaged with fishing business, Services.
In Jammu and Himachal they called themselves Dogra and Kasyap Rajpoot. In Punjab, they are Jhinwar or Jhimmar.
In Central India they are known as Keer, Bhoi, Dhimmar, Dimmar, Dhevar, Dewar, Naavda .