Kanjar

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Kanjar are a nomadic tribe or group of people of North India, Kashmir and Pakistan.[1] The Mirasi tribes are also probably related to them. These people are also sometimes called by the names of Nath, Banchra and Gashtay.[2]

Old photograph of Kashmiri dancing girl of the Kanjar tribe, by Samuel Bourne, 1860s

In old times, most of the Kanjar people used to live in jungles or forests. They used to hunt wild animals to eat and also keep some goats, cows and Water buffaloes for their meat and milk.[3] Many of them still live like nomads, moving from place to place but some have started to live in towns and cities. Some of them are Hindu and Sikhs and some are Muslims. They are mostly very poor people The subcastes of kashmir which are also known as (Kanjal) live in Central Kashmir. Althouh they belong to poor category of people, but they still a diginified life in kashmir, their anceators used to make goods made up of wood. Eventhough, this is caste is not that prominent in kashmir but they have a sizeable population presence.These people are usually a considered (Naangars), which means they were not among the (Zamindars) means landlord class.

References[change | change source]

  1. HA Rose 'Tribes and Castes of Punjab' 1908 reprint, p 475
  2. Rose aa
  3. Rose