Saturday 8 July 2017

Rabari community of Gujarat

                                    Gujarat Rabari are originally nomads Maldhari-shephard community with strong & powerful physique engaged in animal husbandry & agriculture.As per myth Lord Shiva produced a camel & man named Sambal to graze it.Sambal married celestial nymph Rai.Their descendants are Raika. Rabari.As per another myth Sambal & Rai had 4 daughters Namala,Kamala,Premala & Uma.They were married to Rathod,Padhiyar,Parmar & Yadav Rajputs.Historians believe that Rabari came to India with Gurjjars from central Asia in 6 century.They may be Gurjjar/Hum/Kushan/Barbar/Bulban Turk.In ancient time Rabari came to Jaisalmer-Marwad from Haryana.In 8th -14th century they came to Kutch & North Gujarat from Marwad & via Sindh.In 1540 AD when Jam Raval migrated from Kutch to Halar in Saurashtra,his Rabari subject also came with him in Saurashtra & settled in Gir & Barada mountain forest.Major population of Rabari were at Tharparkar in Sindh,Marwad,North Gujarat,Kutch and Gir jungle & Barada mountain range in Saurashtra.

                                      Local names for Rabai:In west Kutch-Kachhela,In Anjar & Bhachau-Dhebaria,east Kutch-Vagadia,north Gujarat-Patania,central Gujarat-Desai.In Gir & Sasan-Sorathia,In Barada mountain range-Bhopa,In Marwad- Raika,In Punjab-Bhopa & In Sindh-Mir.Cluster of Rabari dwellings is known as Nes in Saurashtra,Vandh in Kutch and Dhanni in Marwad.It is like a camp which can be shifted easily.Rabari are Shakti worshipers.Their deity is Goddess Momay-Mahamaya Mataji.They also worship Hinglaj,Vankol,Sakkat,Ravechi,Zampi,Bheda Mataji.Rabaris of Gujarat have faith in Ramdev,Vachhada Dada,Pabuji,Alam Pir,Jaduva Pir and Haji Pir who sacrificed his life to save cows in Kutch.Every year in Aso month Rabaris gathered in mass at their Bhuva temple for a religious ritual of Punj.They spray Gulal mixed Ghee each other.Rabari sing 'Saraju' in chorus in rhyme in religious rituals which is believed are hymn of Samveda.It can not be understood by hearing.

                                       Rabari are Maldhari-livestock owner.In time of famine,they shift their cattle to jungles of MP,Chhatisgadh and far to Andhra Pradesh.Rabari community respect their women who take care of financial matters and keep accounts of sale of milk,Ghee,wool and animals.Rabari are martial & brave community.In middle age they worked as soldier,guard & escorts.In early 14th century a Rabari became Delhi Sultan.Gujarati Rabari slave boy became army chief Khushrukhan who killed last Khilji Sultan Kutubuddin in 1320 & became Delhi Sultan Nasiruddin.It is believed that 10th century Sama dynasty Kutch king Lakha Fulani was a son of a Rabari lady named Sonal Rabaran.


Written by Bipin Thanky

(From my tweets of my twitter handle @GujaratHistory)

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