Labana (also spelled Lubana, Lavana, Lubhana; ) is a

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

and

transportation Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...

community in India engaged in maritime trade and land trade, which includes trading and transportation of goods such as saltpetre,

silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...

, diamonds, etc. In the

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

region, during socio-economic reforms, Labanas overwhelmingly became agriculturists. The Labanas of

and

Haryana Haryana () is a States and union territories of India, state located in the northern part of India. It was carved out after the linguistic reorganisation of Punjab, India, Punjab on 1 November 1966. It is ranked 21st in terms of area, with les ...

are mostly Sikhs and Hindus and mainly speak Punjabi or Hindi.

Etymology

The term "Lubana" is believed to be a combination of two words - "lūn," meaning "salt," and "bānā," meaning "trade." The Lubanas, as a community, were deeply involved in the transportation and trading of salt. They were also occasionally referred to as Banjaras.

History

The history of the Lavana/Labana community traces back to their association with the salt trade and transportation, which influenced their name and occupation. The term 'Lubana' is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word 'Lavan,' meaning salt. This connection is evident in the various historical references and cultural practices of the tribe. According to Kahn Singh Nabha in

Mahan Kosh ''Guru Shabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh'' (Punjabi: ਗੁਰਸ਼ਬਦ ਰਤਨਾਕਰ ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼), known by its more popular name of ''Mahan Kosh'' (ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼) and by the English title ''Encyclopædia of the Sikh ...

, the term 'Lubana' is linked to the Sanskrit word 'Lavan,' signifying salt. Members of the Lubana tribe engaged in salt trading, suggesting that their name is closely related to their traditional business activities. The connection between the Lubana tribe and salt-carrying is further supported by the work of Crooke. In his book Tribes and Castes of the North-Western India, Volume I, which was reprinted by Cosmo Publications in Delhi in 1974, he mentions that the Lubana tribe of Banjaras derived their name from their business of transporting salt. Additionally, Gurcharan Singh highlights the popularity of a game called 'lun - Miani' among the Lubanas until 1947 AD. This game likely originated from their historical association with salt-carrying as it reflects their occupation in its name and nature. Over the centuries, the Lubana community has evolved and diversified, engaging in various other professions and adapting to changing times. However, the historical connection to the salt trade remains an essential aspect of their identity and heritage. The Labanas were a salt-carrying and salt-trading community in Punjab. Over time, they transitioned from their merchant work and shifted towards agriculture as their primary profession, becoming a landholding community since the times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Some Labanas claim that they are Gaur Brahmins who migrated to Punjab during the reign of Aurangzeb. The Labanas perform religious events with their own rituals.

List of Lubanas

The Lavana are an endogamous community. They have eleven exogamous clans mentioned below: * Dharawat * Dhogan * Multani * Sandlas * Basi * Gundalia * Datnawat * Anderia * Tageria * Kalchana * Baluda * Lakhrond * Bakrea All these clans have equal status.People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Two edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas pages 580 to 583 Popular Prakashan The community is traditionally associated with saltpetre trading, but many are now farmers, agricultural and traders.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Tribune article on Labanas
* Punjabi tribes Social groups of Punjab, India Ethnic groups in India Sikh communities Sikh names Indian castes Saltmaking castes Salt industry in India

Etymology

History

List of Lubanas

See also

References

External links