The Bodh people, also known as Khas Bhodi, are an ethnic group of
Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh (; ; "Snow-laden Mountain Province") is a state in the northern part of India. Situated in the Western Himalayas, it is one of the thirteen mountain states and is characterized by an extreme landscape featuring several peaks ...
, India. They are found in
Lahaul tehsil
The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul () and Spiti (; or ). The present administrative centre is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged ...
,
Lahaul and Spiti district
The Lahaul and Spiti district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh consists of the two formerly separate districts of Lahaul () and Spiti (; or ). The present administrative centre is Kyelang in Lahaul. Before the two districts were merged, ...
, predominantly in the
Bhaga
''Bhaga'' is the Vedic god of wealth, as well as a term for "lord, patron" and "wealth, prosperity". He is an Āditya, a group of societal deities who are the sons of Aditi. Bhaga's responsibility was to make sure that people received a share o ...
and
Chandra valleys, but also to a lesser extent in
Pattani valley, Miyar Valley, in the upper reaches of
Pangi, Himachal Pradesh
Pangi is a tehsil of Chamba, Himachal Pradesh, India. The Pangi Valley is a beautiful and poorly developed tribal area, as well as one of the most remote areas in Himachal Pradesh state. The Pangi Valley is divided into the Saichu, Hudan Bhator ...
and
Paddar
Paddar, also spelled Padar ( hi, pāḍar), is a Sub-District and remote valley in the Kishtwar district of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It falls in the Jammu division. It consists of two tehsils namely Machail and Atholi ...
valley,
Jammu and Kashmir. Their religion is predominantly
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...
with
animistic
Animism (from Latin: ' meaning 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, hum ...
and
shaivite practices.
Caste
Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...
wise, they are identified as
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
,
Thakur or
Kshetri although caste rules are not as rigid as in the plains. Historically, 3-4 prominent families of the area were accorded the titles of
Rana
Rana may refer to:
Astronomy
* Rana (crater), a crater on Mars
* Delta Eridani or Rana, a star
People, groups and titles
* Rana (name), a given name and surname (including a list of people and characters with the name)
* Rana (title), a histori ...
,
Wazir or
Thakur by the kings of
Chamba Chamba may refer to:
People
* Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer
* Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist
Places Ghana
* Chamba, a town in the Northern Region
India
* Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh ...
,
Kullu
Kullu is a municipal council town that serves as the administrative headquarters of the Kullu district of the states and union territories of India, Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It is located on the banks of the Beas River in the Kullu Va ...
or
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
for the purpose of general administration and revenue collection.
They have a mix of martial traditions alongside shamanistic and lamaistic beliefs. Certain families/clans used to be significant
zamindars
A zamindar ( Hindustani: Devanagari: , ; Persian: , ) in the Indian subcontinent was an autonomous or semiautonomous ruler of a province. The term itself came into use during the reign of Mughals and later the British had begun using it as a ...
/
jagirdars. There is a significant cultural and ethnic mixing due to the region passing under the hegemony of rulers of Ladakh, Kullu and Chamba over the last many centuries. The language spoken differs from valley to valley with some dialects being very close to
Kumaoni, while others are mixed with Chambyali and Dari.
They are progressive, enterprising, honest and were involved in the centuries old India-Tibet-Nepal trading routes.
Organized into family groups/clans with clan names ending in the suffix "-pa" (eg - Barpa, Karpa, Tholakpa, Cherjipa, Gerumshingpa, Khingopa) similar to the "-ta" suffix (eg- Khimta, Zinta, Brakta, Bragta, etc.)found in the family/clan names of the Simla area.
Art and craft in Himachal
The art and craft of any region is a reflection of its environment, people and traditions. This statement is apt for Negi and Bodh tribes of Himachal Pradesh, which borrows elements from its scenic surroundings to create “pahari” jewellery, breathing a sense of rigour and sturdiness.
While some communities have unique traditions, some ornaments are common to all. These include neck ornaments like hansli or small pendants called toke and the most cherished necklaces called coin necklaces.
See also
*
Bhoti Kinnauri
Bhoti Kinnauri (or Nyamkat, or the Nyam language) is a Tibetic language spoken in the Lahaul and Spiti region of Himachal Pradesh, India. It forms a closely knit group with other Lahuli–Spiti languages, and is fairly close to Standard Tibetan ...
Bibliography
*
*
Scheduled Tribes of Himachal Pradesh
Buddhist communities of India
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