The Dhedh are a menial worker and weaving caste of India. Historically, other Hindu communities considered them to be an
untouchable group, outside the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
ritual ranking system known as
varna
Varna may refer to:
Places Europe
*Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria
**Varna Province
**Varna Municipality
** Gulf of Varna
**Lake Varna
**Varna Necropolis
*Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy
*Varniai, a city in Lithuania
* Varna (Šaba ...
. This community too observes untouchability in relationships with other low-status castes.
The community are sometimes referred to as
Patel
The Patel is an Indian surname or title, predominantly found in the state of Gujarat representing the community of land-owning farmers and later (with the British East India Company) businessmen, agriculturalists and merchants. Traditionally th ...
s.
In the 1930s-40s, many
depressed classes and communities were active in trying to change their caste name and elevate their social status to that of
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 ...
. These included the
Khalpa, who wanted to be known as ''
Rohit
Rohit (Devanagri: रोहित), ) is a given name, typically male, used among Indian people. It is also used in some parts of Nepal. It is mostly used by Jains, Hindus, and Sikhs.
The word "rohit" signifies the color red. It is derived from ...
'', and the
Bhangi's desire to be known as ''Rishi'', as well as the Vankar claim to ''
Mahyavanshi
Mahyavanshi are Rajput Caste system in India caste ]
Historical revision
The new nomenclature of ''Mahyavanshi'' was given to a large number of the Dhedh and Vankar Dalit castes in South Gujarat via a Government of India circular in 1939. This w ...
'' status. Of these, only the Mahyavanshi claim was successful in gaining official recognition from the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
administration.
This success was limited to a part of the community in South Gujarat.
See also
*
Makanji Kuber Makwana
Makanji Kuber Makwana (1849-1924) was a social leader, social worker and a historian, who is noted for writings on the history of the Mahyavanshi caste.
Life sketch
Makanji was born in 1849 at Ahmedabad district, Ahmadabad in a Vankar community. ...
References
{{India-ethno-stub
Dalit communities
Scheduled Castes of Haryana
Scheduled Castes of Delhi
Scheduled Castes of Gujarat
Scheduled Castes of Rajasthan
Scheduled Castes of Madhya Pradesh
Scheduled Castes of Chhattisgarh
Weaving communities of South Asia