Charan

The Charans (Devnagari: चारण ; Gujarati: ચારણ ; Urdu: ‫ارڈ‬ ; IPA: cɑːrəɳə) are a South Asian
caste/community natively residing in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India, as well as the
Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. Historically, Charans were poets & literateurs, as
well as warriors and jagirdars.[1] They specialised in diverse occupations as literateurs, warriors,
and traders.[2] Charans were entrenched in medieval Rajput kingdoms as ministers, mediators,
administrators, councellors, and soldiers. The position of Kaviraja(State Poet & Historian) in the
royal courts was generally reserved for the Charans. Charan poets contributed heavily to
Rajasthani, Gujarati, and Sindhi literature.

Charans are considered an ancient and sacred race mentioned in the Hindu scriptures & epics
such as Yajurveda, Ramayana, Mahabharata,etc. It was considered sinful to shed the blood of a
Charan or cause it to be shed.[3]

Charans fought in battles alongside Rajputs and encouraged them to fight valiantly with honour.
Those who survived, composed poems in the memory of their fallen friends and heroes.
Charans were awarded jagir(fief) by rulers in return for their services and were known as
thakur/jagirdar(feudal class).[4] Charans primarily worship 'Shakti' in the form of Hinglaj and her
avatars(reincarnations) as divine Charan women[3] such as Awad Mata, Tanot Rai, Karni Mata,
Aai Khodiyar, Deval Mata, Bahuchara Mata, etc. Due to this, they are also known as
'Deviputras'(children of the Goddess).[5]

Charan poets developed an unique literary language(style) to use in their literature known as
Dingal(Old Western Rajasthani), which became the literary court language in the regions of
Rajasthan, Kutch, Gujarat, Saurashtra, and Malwa.[6]
 Origins & Mythology

Charan lineages have been traced to the Charan-Rishis/Munis of the Hindu-epic Mahabharata, in
which it is mentioned that the Charans looked after Raja Pandu during his stay in the Himalayan
region "Land of Charans". And after his death, Charans took it upon themselves to safely deliver
Kunti and her sons to Dhritarashtra, ruler of Hastinapur and brother of Pandu.[7]

Other tales in Puranic texts relate ancestry of deva-Charan(divine Charans) to Mount Sumer from
where they left due to increase in members of 'divine populace'.[7]

Arrival in Rajasthan

Charans arrived in Rajasthan in large numbers[8] from Sindh during 8-9th century AD due to
political tensions arising from the rise of Islam in Sindh.[9] They are supposed to be led by
Goddess Avad in this migration.[7]

Social structure

Members of the caste are considered to be divine by a large section of society. Women of the
caste are adored as mother goddesses by other major communities of this region including,
Khatris and Rajputs.[10] For centuries, Charans were known for their reputation of preferring to
die rather than break a promise.[11]

A Charan will consider all the other Charans as equal even if they do not know each other and
have radically different economic or geographic status.[12]

Charan men are also known as the sacrosanct guides of camel and pack oxen and carvans
through Thar desert and as traders in horses, wool and salts , suppliers of food and weaponry to
armies.[13]

Anil Chandra Banerjee, a professor of history, has said that

In them we have a combination of the traditional characteristics of the

Brahmin and the Kshatriyas. Like the Brahmins, they adopted literary
pursuits and accepted gifts. Like the Rajput, they worshipped Shakti
 and engaged in military activities. They stood at the front gate of the
fort to receive the first blow of the sword.[14]

Banerjee's opinion is shared by another historian, G. N. Sharma, who said that

Charans exercise great respectability and influence in Rajasthan. The

speciality of the caste is that it combines in its character the
characteristics of Rajputs and Brahmans in an adequate manner.[15]

Clans

Charans have mainly 2 endogamous sections in India: Maru Charan(those from Rajasthan) and
Kachela Charan(those from Gujarat)[3]

Major clans among Maru-Charans are Rohariya, Detha, Ratnoo, Ashiya,Mehru,Kiniya, and Arha.
Kachelas are divided into 7 main exogamous clans: Nara, Chorada, Chana, Avsura, Maru, Bati,
and Tumbel.[3]

Customs and Traditions

In Rajasthani society, widow remarriage was forbidden in high castes such as Charans, Rajputs,
and Brahmins.[16] The practice of purdah is strictly observed in Charan community.[3]

Mode of Greeting

Charan and Rajput men greet each other by saying 'Jai Mataji Ki'(Victory to the Mother
Goddess).[17]

Inheritance

One of the Charan customs where they differ from Rajputs is in their laws of inheritance.
'Charania Bunt', as it is popularily known, indicates the equal division of the land among the sons
whereas in Rajputs, a major portion of the land is given to the elder son.[3]

Food and drink

Charans used to enjoy consumption of opium (also known as Afeem in regional languages),
practices which are also popular among the Rajputs of this region. But unlike Rajputs, Charan
women do not consume liquor. [18] Charans do not eat the flesh of cows, and hold those who do
in utter disregard. Cows are respected like mothers. Before Indian independence in 1947, a
sacrifice of a male buffalo constituted a major part of the celebration of Navratri.[19] Such
celebrations quite often used to be presided over by Charan woman.[20]

Opium Consumption

In the 'First Report of the Royal Commission on Opium' in Rajputana, Charans were found to be
among the topmost opium consuming community in accordance with their feudal standing.[21]

The occasions on which it was considered obligatory to take opium were:[21]

1. Betrothals.

2. Weddings.

3. The visit of a son-in law to his father-in-law's house.

4. After a death, for 12 days by Rajputs and Charans, and for the same or lesser periods by
other castes.

5. On the birth of a male child among Rajputs and Charans.

6. First removal of hair of a male child among Rajputs and Charans.

7. On the parting (or shaving in the middle) of the beard by Rajputs and Charans.

8. On the 'Akhatij' festival.

9. On reconciliations. It is also considered the right thing to do at other festivals, friendly

greetings, and on certain days at the temples.

Navratra

In pre-independence India, royal Navratra celebrations in Rajput kingdoms were presided by a

Charan women, considered as an avatar of Shakti, while a Rajput carried out the task of killing
the sacrificial animal.[22]

Dingal
Dingal is a language or poetic medium developed by Charans from Old Rajasthani around 9-10
CE AD. As Charans themselves became part of court & feudal elite, Dingal became the literary
language of the courts and spread throughout Rajasthan, Gujarat, Sindh, Malwa, and Kathiyawad
region of North-Western India. Dingal Bhasha and Marwari are synonymous.[6]

Contributions to Indian literature

A whole genre of literature is known as Charan literature.[23] The Dingal language and literature
exist largely due to this caste.[24][25] Zaverchand Meghani divides Charan-Sahitya (Charan
literature) into thirteen subgenres:[23]

Songs in praise of gods and goddesses (stavan)

Songs in praise of heroes, saints and patrons (birdavalo)

Descriptions of war (varanno)

Rebukes of wavering great kings and men who use their power for evil (upalambho)

Mockery of a standing treachery of heroism (thekadi)

Love stories

Laments for dead warriors, patrons and friends (marasiya or vilap kavya)

Praise of natural beauty, seasonal beauty and festivals

Descriptions of weapons

Songs in praise of lions, horses, camels, and buffalo

Sayings about didactic and practical cleverness

Ancient epics

Songs describing the anguish of people in times of famine and adversity

Other classifications of Charani sahitya are Khyatas (chronicles), Vartas and Vatas (stories),
Raso (martial epics), Veli - Veli Krishan Rukman ri, Doha-Chhand (verses).[24][25]

Modern Era

After the independence of India in 1947 and the establishmeent of democarcy, princly states
were merged into the Indian Union. Shortly after, in 1952, jagirdari system(feudal land tenure
system) was abolished by the government of India. This adversaly affected the dominance of
upper castes such as Charans(as well as Rajputs) who were a part of feudal class. They no
longer held the entirety of village land as ownership was transferred to the communities such as
Jat & Patel who cultivated the land. Gradually, Charans lost their feudal rights and privilages and
their dominance declined. [4]Charans as an upper caste group were found to have higher
landholding per capita figures relative to other communities.[26]

However, Charans continue to hold large tracts of land themselves and maintain a certain
traditional lifestyle. Charan women continue to observe purdah(customary veil) in addition to
ghungat.[1] Charans use their land for agriculture but do not cultivate themselves but with hired
labour. Their dominance, although declined, continues due to adapting to modern education and
access to white-collar government jobs.[4]

References

1. Palriwala, Rajni (1993). "Economics and Patriliny: Consumption and Authority within the Household" (http
s://www.jstor.org/stable/3520426) . Social Scientist. 21 (9/11): 47–73. doi:10.2307/3520426 (https://d
oi.org/10.2307%2F3520426) . ISSN 0970-0293 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0970-0293) .
JSTOR 3520426 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/3520426) . "Charans are a caste peculiar to Gujarat and
Rajasthan and their ranking is controversial. In Rajasthan, they were bards and 'literateurs', but also
warriors and jagirdars, holders of land and power over men; the dependents of Rajputs, their equals and
their teachers. There were no Rajputs in this village, though one of my original criteria in selecting a study
village was the presence of Rajputs. On my initial visit and subsequently, I was assured of this fact vis-a-
vis Panchwas and introduced to the thakurs, who in life-style, the practice of female seclusion, and
various reference points they alluded to appeared as Rajputs. While other villagers insisted that Rajputs
and Charans were all the same to them, the Charans, were not trying to pass themselves off as Rajputs,
but indicating that they were as good as Rajputs if not ritually superior."

2. Shah, P. R. (1982). Raj Marwar During British Paramountcy: A Study in Problems and Policies Up to 1923
(https://books.google.com/books?id=XGseAAAAMAAJ) . Sharda Publishing House. ISBN 978-0-7855-
1985-0. "The Charans constituted a body of faithful companions of the Rajputs. They composed poems
in praise of the heroic deeds of the Rajputs, and thus inspired them with courage and fortitude. They also
guarded the mansions of their patrons, gave protection to their women and children during emergency
and also acted as tutors for the young ones. In return land gifts and honours were conferred upon them.
The Charans, who could not devote themselves to intellectual pursuits, took to trade. They also protected
merchants and travellers passing through desolate regions and forests. Both among the Rajputs and the
Charans the bride and the bridegroom publicly took opium on the occasion of their betrothal."
3. Commissioner, India Census (2018-02-22). Census of India, 1901, Volume 25, Parts 1-2 (https://books.go
ogle.com/books?id=F7UptQEACAAJ) . Creative Media Partners, LLC. ISBN 978-1-378-47136-4.

4. Patel, Tulsi (2006-11-30). Fertility Behaviour: Population and Society in a Rajasthan Village (https://books.
google.com/books?id=RiwTAQAAIAAJ) . OUP India. ISBN 978-0-19-568706-4. ""Kalan was a khalsa
(ryotwari) and Khurd a jagir village. The jagir was held by members ofthe Charan caste. After 1952, it was
converted, like many other jagir villages in the region, into a khalsa village.... A street or ward is named
after the caste numerically dominant in it. For instance, there is Charan vah.... Upper Brahmin, Bania,
Charan, Rajput... Vegetarianism and teetotalism are ranked as superior attributes of a caste. By this
criterion most ofthe vegetarian castes enjoy a high rank while the non-vegetarian castes belong to the
lower category, except Charan and Rajput who belong to the highest category, despite being non-
vegetarian and non-teetotaler. The non-vegetarianism of Charan and Rajput has, however, one
connotation while that of the lower castes has another. The Bhambi, Bhangi and Sargara eat carrion,
which Charan and Rajput do not. True to their martial tradition, they occasionally hunt animals and birds
for food. Ritual defilement through alcohol and non-vegetarian food among the Charan and Rajput is
considered temporary as against permanent ritual defilement ofthe untouchables....The abolition of the
feudal land tenure system of jagirdari in 1952 has adversely affected the dominance ofthe upper castes,
especially Charans and Rajputs....although the Charans and Rajputs have lost their old feudal rights and
privileges, they continue to hold large tracts of land...Charans and Rajputs continue to be dominant also
due to their access to formal education and consequent naukri..."

5. Tambs-Lyche, Harald (2017-08-09). Transaction and Hierarchy: Elements for a Theory of Caste (https://bo
oks.google.com/books?id=AOsrDwAAQBAJ) . Routledge. ISBN 978-1-351-39396-6. "...the murder of a
Charan was as much a sacrilege as that of a Brahmin...This status led to a number of other roles, such as
envoys to the enemy in wartime, or protectors of trade caravans...Charan bards received lands in jagir for
their services, and in parts of Marwar, certain Charan families were effectively Darbars...all the
goddesses of the area are deified Charan women...the Charani goddess creates and protects kingdoms
and chiefs, looks after individual destiny, and protects the dharmic world order, often metonymized as the
chastity of women. The king who runs after women not allowed to him, is destroyed by the Goddess’
terrible vengeance, whether she appears as a lion and gobbles him up on the spot or changes the course
of the Indus to convert his kingdom into a desert... the Charans, known as Deviputra, children of the
goddess, occupy a pivotal position in traditional society...The cult of the Goddess had no need for
Brahmin priesthood: far more important as mediators between the Goddess and the king were the
Charan...In the old Rajput world, the Charan bard was the arbiter of morals and honour...For medieval
Rajputs, the link went through the Charan to the Goddess, with no need for Brahmin mediation..."

6. Jr, Dr Cecil Thomas Ault (2017-02-09). Folk Theatre of Rajasthan: Introducing Three Marwari Khyal Plays
Translated into English (https://books.google.com/books?id=9kYiDgAAQBAJ) . Partridge Publishing.
ISBN 978-1-4828-8816-4. "...It became an independent language around the fifteenth century, eventually
becoming the poetic language of the Rajputs, particularly the Charans who became the most important
literary force in Rajputana..."
 7. Kamphorst, Janet (2008). In praise of death: history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia) (http://si
te.ebrary.com/id/10314656) . Leiden: Leiden University Press. ISBN 978-90-485-0603-3.
OCLC 614596834 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/614596834) . "...Various myth-histories relate Charan
ancestry to classical traditions, Sanskritic gods and mythical and/or historical abodes in the
Himalayas...The Maru Charan of Marwar, for example, relate their ancestry to semi-divine beings or spirit-
beings like the half-divine Siddhas of Vedic lore and Puranic Sutas who used to eulogize the gods and
allegedly became demi-gods themselves...Maru and other Charan lineages have also been traced to
Charan Munis of the Mahābhārat, of whom it is said that they looked after Raja Pandu when he stayed in
the “Land of Charans” and who, after Pandu’s demise, accompanied his queen and son on their way to
Dhritarashtra in Hastinapur. Other comparable tales relate Charan ancestry to the semi-divine DevCharan
of Mount Sumeru. One such tale records how the Dev-Charan are thought to have left Mount Sumeru due
to the increase in members of the divine populace, which caused several groups of divine and semi-
divine origin to move elsewhere..."

8. Devaṛā, Ji. Esa. Ela (2012). Environmental crisis and social dismemberment in Northwest India: during
the Pre-Colonial period (https://www.worldcat.org/title/environmental-crisis-and-social-dismemberment-i
n-northwest-india-during-the-pre-colonial-period/oclc/859170434) . ISBN 978-81-87614-40-1.
OCLC 859170434 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/859170434) . "...The Chroniclers of Sind associate
such incidents with the fall of local Sumra and Sama dynasties that succeeded after the fall of Arab
regime. A good number of historical tales of Sind elaborate that the tyrannical and unjust rule of these
local dynasties offended the river goddess. Hence she decided to move from her original path and flow in
another direction. Rajasthani tales related to the incidents of Awad or Karni Shakti or goddess worship
also support such occurrences. Oppressive regimes and growing desiccation probably compelled a large
number of people from the Charan community to migrate from Sind to Rajasthan..."

9. Tambs-Lyche, Harald. "Between the Desert and the Sown: Pastoralists of Western India through the
Centuries" (https://www.academia.edu/29734173) .

10. Shah, A. M.; Shroff, R. G. (1958). "The Vahivanca Barots of Gujarat: A Caste of Genealogists and
Mythographers". Journal of American Folk-Lore. 71 (281): 246–276. doi:10.2307/538561 (https://doi.or
g/10.2307%2F538561) . JSTOR 538561 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/538561) .

11. "Cāraṇ, Hindu caste" (https://www.britannica.com/topic/Caran) . Britannica.com.

12. Thomson, G. R. (1991). "Charans of Gujarat: Caste Identity, Music and Cultural Change".
Ethnomusicology. 35 (3): 381–391. doi:10.2307/851968 (https://doi.org/10.2307%2F851968) .
JSTOR 851968 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/851968) .

13. Kamphorst, J. (June 18, 2008). In praise of death : history and poetry in medieval Marwar (South Asia) (ht
tps://hdl.handle.net/1887/12986) (Thesis). Leiden University. hdl:1887/12986 (https://hdl.handle.net/1
887%2F12986) – via scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl.

14. Banerjee, Anil Chandra. (1983). Aspects of Rajput State and Society. pp. 124–125. OCLC 12236372 (http
s://www.worldcat.org/oclc/12236372) .
15. Sharma, G. N. (1968). Social Life in Medieval Rajasthan (https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.120
777/2015.120777.Social-Life-In-Medieval-Rajasthan-1500-1800-A-D#page/n109/mode/2up) . Agra:
Lakshmi Narayan Agarwal Educational Publisher. p. 111.

16. Hunter, William Wilson (2020-11-19). The Imperial Gazetteer Of India (Volume Xxi) Pushkar To Salween (h
ttps://books.google.com/books?id=8tAOzgEACAAJ) . Alpha Editions. ISBN 978-93-5421-782-1.

17. "Rajasthan District Gazetteers: Nagaur" (http://www.indianculture.gov.in/gazettes/rajasthan-district-gazet

teers-nagaur) . INDIAN CULTURE. Retrieved 2021-09-18.

18. Singh, Khushwant (1982). We Indians. Delhi: Orient Paperbacks. OCLC 10710940 (https://www.worldcat.
org/oclc/10710940) .

19. Harlan L (2003). Goddesses' Henchmen - Gender in Hero Worship. USA: Oxford University Press. p. 258.

20. "Matanamadh, Desh Devi Ashapura" (https://www.webcitation.org/5QwfGajJD?url=http://www.matanama

dh.org/history.html) . Matanamadh Jagir, Kachchh, India. 2006. Archived from the original (http://www.
matanamadh.org/history.html) on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2006-12-23.

21. Opium, Great Britain Royal Commission on (1895). First Report of the Royal Commission on Opium: With
Minutes of Evidence and Appendices (https://books.google.com/books?id=I7U-AQAAMAAJ) . H.M.
Stationery Office.

22. Berger, Peter; Heidemann, Frank (2013-06-03). The Modern Anthropology of India: Ethnography, Themes
and Theory (https://books.google.com/books?id=sQF5-d9BMqcC) . Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-06118-
1.

23. Meghani, Z. (1943). Charano and Charani Sahitya. Ahmedabad.

24. Sharma, G. N. (1968). Social Life in Medieval Rajasthan (https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.120

777/2015.120777.Social-Life-In-Medieval-Rajasthan-1500-1800-A-D#page/n109/mode/2up) . Agra:
Lakshmi Narayan Agarwal Educational Publisher. pp. 94–96.

25. Smith, J. D. (1974). "An introduction to language of the historical documents from Rajasthan". Modern
Asian Studies. 9 (4): 433–464. doi:10.1017/S0026749X00012841 (https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0026749
X00012841) .

26. Agrawal, Arun; Agrawal, Associate Professor of Political Science Arun (1999). Greener Pastures: Politics,
Markets, and Community Among a Migrant Pastoral People (https://books.google.com/books?id=tAduA
AAAMAAJ) . Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-2233-7. "Brahmins, Rajputs, and Charans, the
upper castes, form just 10 percent of the population...The charans and the patels have the highest
landholding figures in the village..Although the members of the panchayat are drawn from different
castes, charans, patels, and brahmins form a majority in it..."

Further reading
 Kamphorst, Janet (2008). In Praise of Death: History and Poetry in Medieval Marwar (https://op
enaccess.leidenuniv.nl/handle/1887/12986) . Leiden University Press. ISBN 978-90-8728-
044-4.

Kothiyal, Tanuja (2016). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great
Indian Desert (https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Nomadic_Narratives/IQS-DAAAQBA
J) . Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-67389-8.

External link

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