The word “Rabari” basically means the “outsiders”. This is because of their trade and what they used to do in times past. The Rabari’s main business used to be raising cattle, camels and goats; for some traditional-minded families this is still the case now but the new generation is slowly moving away from this way of life. These animals needed lots of space for grazing and pasturing. Due to this reason, the Rabari couldn’t live in town houses and have room for their animals also.
They started living on the outskirts of towns and beyond for this necessity. This community was given a name by the general populace -“Dhani”.Dhani means the Basti-community. As they were outside the main community, so the name became Rabari for these wandering and herding people. [edit]Caste and Faith Rabaris are often devout Hindus but many follow the Sikh religion. Keeping animals is considered a pious occupation and Rabaris see themselves primarily as custodians of grazing animals during their moral existence, rather than their owners.
It is also their beliefs that the Mother Goddess presides over them. Her advice is taken about when to start out migration and animals are commended to her care.Rabari clans are called nakhs, and are further sub-divided into shakhs “branches”. Rabaris claim descent from Rajput clans such as the Rathore, Solanki, Bhati, Paramara, Chauhan, Tanwar and Ponwar. James Tod specifically places them as Bhati rajputs descedants of the seventh wife (Bhadra) of the prophet Kirshana. [1] [edit]Part of Large Family File:Rabari. JPG Rabari Rabaris are mainly dependent on milk profession.
Other communities like them are identified by different names in different regions of the country like Maldhari, Dhanger, Gowda etc. The only commonality is the profession of cattle raising.They are living in different parts of India for millennia. While Rabari are comparatively recent migrant. They are the part of Huns (Hunas). Other tribe each claim different origin. An example, Oraon are earliest inhabitant (Abrogenial) of Orisa province in south east India.
Prier to the arrival of Aryan tribe or Sanskrit speaking people. Reference Structure of Hindu society by N. K. Bose published by Oriental Longman limited Delhi in 1937. Gowda claim origin from Dravidians. Dravidians were the original people in India.
They are the ones who established Indus civilization.Reference Harrapa and Monajodaro archaeological findings. These sites were in Indus valley thousands years prier to arrival of Aryan. These other tribes or caste are good, but none of them have any genealogical, hereditary, endogeny or exogeny relationships to each other. Each of these are proud people.
They developed their profession (cattle raising) independently of each other in different parts of India over thousands of years ago. Reference to support this statement is found in the books published in twentieth century by many authors. Particularly by N. K. Bose as above.Second book, Castes. (The emergence of the South Asian social system) by Mortan Klass.
Published by- Institute for study of Human issue, Philadelphia. PA. USA. Andar, Ahiyaru, Appugol, Ahir, Bharwad, Bharavadaru, Dhangar, Dhangad / Dhanwar / Dhanka /Dhangod, Doddi, Gadaria, Gaddi,Gadhariya, Gowda, , Gadri, Gurjar, Gollavadu, Gounder, Halumatha, Heggades, Idyar, Khuruk, Kuda, Kuruba, Kurumba, Kurmar, Kurumbar, Kalavar, Kuruma, Kurumavaaru, Kurkhi, Kurupu, Maldhari, Mer, Naikers, Nikhers, Oraon, Pal / Pala, Palaru, Paalakyatriya, Poduvar, Yadav, Pashupalak, Spetc. astes can be considered as their distant relatives. There are number of areas where Rabari community live, and majority of Rabari’s live in all over in the states of India’s Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhyapradesh and then now they are get involved and played important roles in the development of India by the developing themselves in education, milk business etc. [edit]Religion All Rabaris do follow Hindu religion.
Rabari are worshippers of Mata Devi. Many of them serve as priests (Bhuva/Bhopa) in Mata Devi temples. Mata Devi, however is honoured in all her natural elements.Rabaris also worship ‘Goga Maharaj’, who is believed to be incarnation of ‘Gogaji Chauhan’, a brave Rajput warrior, who laid down his life to save the cows of Rabaris. Rabari in Saurashtra region (Gujarat) believe in Momai mataji. They have 8 main madh(temples) and 1 deri (temple).
Every year on [Navratri festival] they celebrate a community function called punj. Rabari from all over the state, get together and worship the goddess. Rabaris in North-Gujarat annually performs ‘Ramel’, In which rituals are done for whole night by Bhuvas (Priests), generally in Chaitra maas(in summer).