Bhanushali

Bhanushali
Languages Gujarati, Kutchhi, Hindi, Sindhi
Populated states Gujarat, Maharashtra
Subdivisions Joisar

Bhanushali (Gujarati : / Bhānshali / Bhansali)[1] is a Hindu agrarian community of Vaishya Varna. The majority reside in Gujarat and some parts of Maharashtra in India.

History

The Bhanushali are chiefly farmers and traders. Although they claim to be of Kshatriya descent, but are recognized as Vaishya.[1] Jyotindra Jain theorized that the Bhanushalis migrated to Gujarat from Sindh, based on their worship of Hinglaj Mata. He also believed that the Lohanas and Bhansalis shared a common home in Sindh before their migration to Gujarat.[1]

Communities

Bhanushalis are at present divided in to two subgroups, according to where they live. The Cutchhi Bhanushali Community (have ancestry in Kutch region) and Halai Bhanushali Community (have ancestry in Halar (Jamnagar) region).[2]

Occupation

Bhanushalis are mainly involved in agriculture and farming.[1]

Religion

Bhanushalis worship different kuldevis as per their clan names / surnames.[3] They follow Hindu customs and beliefs.[4] They also worship Veer Dada Jashraj and claim, like Lohanas, that he belonged to their community. Bhanushalis chiefly worship Hinglaj, whose main temple is in Baluchistan, Sind, their ancestral home.[1]

Lohanas

Bhanushalis shared their early home in Sind with Lohanas and seem to share history.[1] Like Lohanas, Bhanushalis are involved in trading and gained visibility in business. Like Lohanas they worship Dada Jashraj as their kuladevata and Harkor, as Kuldevi. Many Bhanushalis surnames are also found among Lohana community.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jain, Jyotindra (1980). Folk art and culture of Gujarat: guide to the collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat. University of Michigan. OCLC 499443714.
  2. ↑ Bhanushalis Samaj (2018). "About Bhanushalis Community".
  3. ↑ Berger, Peter (2010). The anthropology of values: essays in honour of Georg Pfeffer. Longman. p. 366. ISBN 9788131728208.
  4. ↑ Urmi Chanda-Vaz (January 20 2018). "Indian millennials are embracing religious and spiritual tattoos, as indigenous cultures reject them".
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