GADI LUHAR TRIBE AND HERITAGE OF PUNJAB: A...

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55 South -Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies (SAJMS) ISSN:2349-7858:SJIF:2.246:Volume 4 Issue 3

GADI LUHAR TRIBE AND HERITAGE OF PUNJAB: A STUDY

Anita Chahal

Senior Research Fellow

Dept. of Journalism and Mass Communication

Punjabi University, Patiala

E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

In northern India, tribes are further categorized in north-west border tribes, north-east

border tribes and tribes of central India. Punjab being the important gate of India, many people

entered and lived here. Punjab being agricultural state, opens doors for many people migrated

from other regions in search of daily wages. Like other migrated people, Gadi Luhar Tribe came

here from Chitorhgarh, Rajasthan. Social declination of this tribes is said to be the triumph of

Allahudin Khilji over Chitorh in 1308. At that time, they took oath to not to live in houses, not to

sleep on bed and not to live at a particular place. Due to this, all the places they pass through,

different areas they stayed in, could not affect their identity. Their culture is being held by

generations. Their culture is not personal but united in nature. This is a culture born from war and

tragedy so it is a culture of escapism, fear and taboos. Industrialization, mechanization and

urbanization affected their occupation but it could not affect their culture and identity. The cultural

revivalism, reincarnation of traditional values did not change their style of living at large. The

objective of this research work is to study these parameters in context of Gadi Luhar tribe with

respect to Punjabi culture and heritage. The studies and literature of Gadi Luhar tribe is followed

in this research work and interviews will be conducted from people of tribe.

KEYWORDS: Gadi Luhar Tribe, Heritage, Culture, Occupation, cultural signifiers, identity.



INTRODUCTION:

Punjabi culture accepts the existence of various tribes into itself. The geographical location

of Punjab is such that many castes and communities in the forms of warriors, dacoits and forces had

entered here. Due to this, many changes occurred in this land. Thus, culture of Punjab is named as

‘Mixed Culture’.

Tribal life means the life style of 'such' a group of people who lives in the common field or

area and run their social groups, themselves. These people have common language, common

religious structure, law, costume and they follow their own cultural traditions. 1

Tribal community is

defined as small or big groups, living in the bounded parameters that participate in and fulfill the

moral conditions of ‘common life’ than saving ‘personal welfare’, such family groups are named as

tribal community.2 In nomadic Tribe, occupation at a particular place is not always possible. Every

nomadic Tribe is found to be scattered in small units in any place. To maintain an organization in a

tribe, communal efforts are found more useful than the individual struggle. It is said that the

organization, oneness, and uniqueness is formed from the need to share mutual experiences. 3

The

Tribal councils are formed on the basis of Tribal norms, traditional accreditations, religious taboos,

and rules for the mutual welfare. These all are not forced or by any ruling class but is natural in

entire life style of any tribe. 4

For Dr. Rivers, Geographic specificity is not the basic indicator of

tribes as many tribes are migrating. These migratory habits are concerned with the tribal lifestyle.

As this lifestyle is the specification and origin of various tribes.5

HISTORY OF GADI LUHAR TRIBE:

The earliest human inhabitants of Indians are pre-Dravidians, proto-Australiods, or Veddids,

who entered from north-west in two or more waves.6

As per popular affirmation, the ancestors of

Tribe consider themselves from high communities, as castes of Rajput because people of Gadi

Luhar Tribe say their caste is higher than ‘Malvia’ and ‘Maru’ Luhars of Rajasthan.7

The historical evidences are found of Tribal people to be the followers of Maharana Pratap.

This includes the affirmations of the follower Rajputs of Maharana Pratap like not to go to Chitorh

until the lost prestige of Rajputs and Chitorh is not achieved. To fulfil this affirmation, these

Rajputs left homes, took their families into forests, made arms for Maharana Pratap and fight

against Muslim rulers. As they lost the war, and could not regain the prestige of Chitorh, that Rajput

lineage of Gadi Luhar Tribe will never go to Chitorh.8

For Colonel James Tod, the sand of Mewar consist of bloodshed of Rajput warriors, the

situations in which Maharana Pratap occupied the empire of Mewar, the stigma of anti-state

interests of father Uday Singh, the declination of Chitorh and the feeling of prestige. Thrice attacks

on Chitorh had destroyed everything except the Rajput prestige.9

The tragic connection between the tragedy of Tribal ancestors and the victory of Akbar

occurred. Few moments before Akbar’s imperial victory, a custom of gimmick presentation held in

Chitorgarh fort. As per Rajinder Shankar Bhatt, as per the royal force entered in the fort after the



victory, all the alive Rajputs were ordered to be killed. The people were burned or killed in that

mutiny, the weight of sacred thread is found to be 74½ mann (A weighing Unit). Till today, the

people of Gadi Luhar Tribe during some aggrement, writes the figure 74½ and write ‘At the sin of

killing Chitrh’.

Meaning: One who does not obey will be named of all the soldiers died in Chitorh.10

DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRIBES IN PUNJAB :

As per the book ‘Punjab da Lok Virsa part-1’ by Dr. Karnail Singh Thind, there are 27 Nomadic

Tribes in Punjab. These tribes include Sansi, Boriya, Bazigar, Barar, Gandhile, Nat, Gujjar,

Madari, Gadi Luhar, Sikligar and Mahatam.

LANGUAGE :

The language of Gadi Luhar tribe is ‘Pijin’, said to be formed by the Business English, a mixture of

English and Chinese. This language formed ‘Kiryol’ as the mother language.11

The migrating and

refugee traditions of tribe in different areas of Punjab and Rajasthan, never affected their language.

Either not being a geographical language, they retain the existence of the language. Many criminal

tribes have the code language.12

The fertilized soil of Punjab paves way for various people involved in direct or indirect agricultural

tools. They left Chitorh in particular and Rajasthan in general. They had limited sources and could

not face the attackers. They were separate from their origin and had lived a nomadic life.13

IDENTITY OF GADI LUHAR TRIBE: A SPECIFICATION OF CULTURE AND

HERITAGE

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF CHITORH

For Rajinder Bhatt, Chitorh is named after Raja Chitrakut. Bappa Raval was the first emperor to

establish rule over Chitorh in 8th

century.14

Different affirmations are made at the name of Chitorh.

Tribal people are very much associated with the Chitorh Fort. For their folk tales, the stories told by

ancestors, Chitorh is formed and built by them. According to Tribal myth, Chitorh is built by Bhim,

the Pandava son, in the Mahabharata period. One pond associated with this is called ‘Bhimtal’ and

the second is called ‘Bhimgodi’.15

In Jahangir period, the renovation of Chitorh fort was refused

and not only Aurangzeb established his fort army but also destroyed 63 historical temples of

Chitorh. In 1941, when William Welferd Web was collecting historical evidences related to

Rajputana, he did not consider the popular affirmation of Tribe to be logical and kept silent for any

comment about tribe in the historical facts. Opposite to above, during the ‘Gadi Luhar Seva Sangh

Convention’ held in 1975 in Chitorgarh, the writers like Ram Singh, G.K. Pawar, Mohinder Saxena

and Sh. B. D. Sharma etc proved Gadi Luhar tribe to be related with Maharana Pratap and gave

strong argument on this.16



LAKHOTA BARI :

According to Mohan Kumar, Harbu Chauhan and Chimni Bai, guides from Chitorgarh, For

centuries, the ancestors of Gadi Luhar Tribe were living in Chitorgarh. For them, when first Mughal

emperor, Babar defeated Sangram Singh alas Rana Sangha in war, then tribal ancestors were with

Rana Sangha. In this war of swords with guns and tanks, Rana was brutally injured and his

companions brought him out of the field. Disturbed knowing this, he criticized them and took an

oath to not to go back to Chitorh without his victory. Being stubborn to his decision, they killed him

with a poison. His death enrooted the Muslim empire and was a reason of Gadi Luhar’s decline.17

WOMEN OF GADI LUHAR TRIBE:

Facing problems related to health, security and existence while living and shifting

in various places, the women of tribe were supposed to be strong, both physically and

psychologically. The women have more freedom in Gadi Luhar Tribe. And the tribe is women

specific. There is no difference between son and daughter. The families without daughters face

difficulties for boy and girl’s interchange marriage proposal between two families. The families

with equal proportion of boys and girls are found to be prestigious in the tribe. As per tribal

affirmation, many families do not accept marriage proposals from the family with no daughter.

During pregnancy, they don’t bother if the woman is giving birth to a daughter or son. They take

care of her equally. The tribe woman is expected to give birth to a child without help of another

woman.

Following taboos in the tribe represent the women power:

To shout during delivery

To ask for water

To eat anything till mid noon after delivery

To insist to see the face of dead child18

In common with Hindu lower castes, the tribes emphasize equality in social

behavior with ethnic group, greater equality of status for women, more liberal relations between

sexes as the men and women work together, a more personal relation between husband and wife, a

more ‘romantic’ type of courtship, love adventures and love feuds.19

TABOOS :

Taboos are more helpful to differentiate and see any tribe from a (Jati Samuh) caste

community. Taboos like sacrifice of kingdom till the freedom of Mewar, prohibition of using pots

made of five metals like Gold, Silver, Copper, Brass and Kenh for food, prohibition of beds,

prohibition to shave, and prohibition of using war nagara (drum). In 1891 survey, these facts were



specified that Rajputs were the ancestors of Gadi Luhar Tribes and they transformed into Gadi

Luhar Tribes after Chitorh defeat.20

The tribe people don’t use Lajj (The rope to fetch water from well) to get water. It is said

that Muslim soldiers mixed poison in all the wells of Chitorh. Due to which, Maharana Pratap

denied his followers to use the rope. According to Colonel Tod, when Maharana Pratap and his

companions were overpowered by Muslim soldiers at Kalamgir hill, a rajput faithbreaker named

Devraj mixed poison in a well named ‘Nagan’ in Kamalmeer.21

Taboos are found to stay away from the people, not belonging to the Tribe since they have

only economic relations with them.

Following taboos are found:

To fetch water from the Shudra’s waterhole or tap

To accept the clothes or food of other people

To sit on the others’ bed or seater

To participate in bullock or cart race with a shudra

To call another outer woman as nurse during delivery

Sexual freedom of tribal women for sale purposes

To take shelter in a mosque

To stop cart near cementry

To participate in the outer people’s birth or death ceremonies

Physical relations with outers

To take photograph with outers

To accept gift or any present from the outers

To let outers participate in decision making of panchayat

To be associated with Muslim community

To give others’ shelter in camp

To drink with outer or to be part in crime with them22

TABOOS FOR WOMEN :



Tribal families are women specific so, the income and spending along with all the decisions

are taken by the women. Men are supposed to make women comfortable and help them out in

upbringing children, household chores and occupation.23

As women used to sell things, gather iron utensils from houses for repair, specific taboos

were mentioned for them with the fear of losing the Tribal prestige. A Tribal woman could take any

freedom inside the tribe but not outside.24

Keeping in mind the tribal women are allowed for physical freedom for selling things to the

outsiders. This has been done to decrease the distance between the seller women and the customer.

For the women’s physical freedom has been divided, dividing her body into three parts (bottom to

top):

The part of body from waist or from the belt of ghagra to feet is for husband.

The Part of body from waist to chin is for child.

The part from chin to forehead is for occupation.25

OCCUPATION:

The ancestors of Gadi Luhar Tribe lived in Chitorhgarh and they used to make weapons for

emperors. Later, leaving Chitorh they used to build soles to buffaloes’ feet and poke horses’ nose

for riding. During British government, the tribes like Gadi Luhar, Sikligar and Luhar castes used to

make weapons and swords. Some People of Gadi Luhar Tribe used to bring bullocks from Bangar

area, serve them and later sell them. These were called as ‘Bangariya Luhar’. The villagers used to

wait for them to buy bullocks. Another occupation remains the agricultural tools made of iron. E.g.

Datari, daat, gandasi fal, kahi, kuhari, fala, sangal, dubki kanda, ramba, rambi, tangali sutan, toke,

sangala sut, kalpa, jang etc. Along with these, the iron bowls used to fetch water from well were

constructed.26

Along with agricultural tools, women use to sell the iron utensils for kitchen and

home. They used to collect utensils like iron boxes, knives, digging tools for repairing too. The

tribal occupation is both in hands of men and women. Men have to build things and women have to

sell them door to door.

ART AND CRAFT FOR OCCUPATION: IMPORTANCE OF PUNJAB

Punjabi being art loving, emerged every art into its culture. For survival, many Tribes

utilized their art to entertain people. Madari entertain with monkeys’ dance, baazigar with the baazi

(jumping and stunt) art, Bhand with their mimicry, Sansi and Marasi with singing and Banjaras

with art of dance etc. Becoming a part of lifestyle of Punjabi people, these arts became the

inseparable part of Punjabi literature and culture. Which are the representatives of Punjabi heritage.

Among all these, Gadi Luhar Tribe comes with its skill of crafting and manufacturing iron tools. All

these arts, performing and manufacturing, were being embedded into cultural heritage of Punjab.



Being independent for living and sources, with artisan apecializations, the tribal people were

skilled, talented and creative. The sand of Punjab is fertilized enough for agricultural end products

and raw materials to be used by Tribal people in crafting. As they needed to earn for their survival

from these things so, they used to go to markets to sale them. The unique work by them added

Punjabi Cultural value. Their this art introduced them with the culture and heritage of Punjab. Their

art has been emerged as the heritage of the state. And their artistic work contributed in the richness

of heritage.

COSTUMES, ORNAMENTS AND TATOOS:

Along with the Customs, traditions and taboos being invisible signifiers, the costumes, ornaments

and tattoos on the bodies of Tribal people work as their culture signifiers.



IMG 1

Costumes and Ornaments- Gadi Luhar Tribe in Donn Kalan Village, Patiala



IMG 2

Artisan tool making: Gadi Luhar Kabika in Donn Kalan Village, Patial



IMG 3

Life Style: Gadi Luhar Kabika in Donn Kalan Village, Patiala

THE PHENOMENON OF EMERGENCE OF TRIBES INTO CASTES:

The entire Indian history shows the tribal elements being fused in general society. The

fusion should be viewed in accordance with the rules Antipodes have played in the development of

Indian culture by the fact of separateness and their difference from caste society. These Antipodes



consist of two layers: pure tribal remnants, who have not taken to regular food production, little

bands of tribal or partially detribalized people living on the fringes of society even in the

neighborhood of well developed modern cities.

The most important difference between tribe and caste is the non specialization of the tribe.

If a tribe is linked with a specialized occupation, it becomes a caste. For such specialization, the

tribes start emerging into castes on the basis of primitive economies. Gadi Luhar Tribe worked as

lower castes in various areas or Rajasthan, Gujrat and Punjab while leaving Chitorh.Verrier Elwin

describes in ‘The Religion of Indian Tribe’ that how the Saros of Orissa are married to Hindu

Ghosts. This specifies the King Lavana theme in ‘Yoga Vasishtha’, suggesting a similar emotional

need among tribes in reverse direction. This would safeguard their independence and separate

identity. The tribe is a complete, self-contained, integral society, but a caste is the part of society.

Endogamy, being the acceptance of tribes into castes, accepts the difference between itself and

tribes as natural and immutable. It is not only for providing the shelter or space to live tribal

communities but a life-long, a generation long concept. Until the population pressure in any given

area become too acute, tribe and caste lived at peace.27

The annual report of Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs 2003-2004 said Punjab has no tribal

population. The ethnographic study of the de-notified and nomadic tribes of Punjab was entrusted

to the department of sociology and social anthropology of the Punjabi University, following several

representations to the Centre from these communities that they be recognized as STs and SCs.28

There are a numerous ways in which tribes have contributed to the institutional pattern of

the majority society. ‘Totemism’ is a system of classification or cosmology whereby a tribe orders

the species of nature and sees itself in relation to that order. As per Geza Roheim, totemism is an

intimate relation supposed to exist between a group of kindred people on the one side and species of

natural or artificial objects on the other side, or expressed more psychologically, the self-projection

of a social unit into a natural unit. According to Claude Levi-Strauss, totemism is a particular

expression, by means of a special nomenclature formed of animal and plant names, which is its sole

distinctive characteristic, of correlations and oppositions. For him, it is a way to make opposition,

instead of being an opposition, instead of being an obstacle to integration, serve rather than to

produce it. He says, man originally felt himself identical to all those like him, plants and animals,

and he come to acquire capacity to distinguish himself as he distinguishes them, i.e. to use the

diversity of species as conceptual support for social differentiation.29

CULTURAL ASSIMILATIONS OF GADI LUHAR TRIBE:NEMERGENCE INTO

PUNJABI CULTURE

According to experts, cultural assimilation is the embedment of one cultural

traditions into dominating one. In this process, every individual of assimilated culture owns the

traditions and habits of other one. In other words, they sacrifice their own cultural identity and

adopt the other.30



For this process, the tribal existence is seen as- Independent, Inter dependent and

dependent. In the first stage, they are nomadic, in second, semi-nomadic and in third they are

assimilated simultaneously. The condition evolves from the modernization and social, economic

and political changes. Since such socio economic dependence plays major role in changing their life

style. If they own technologically run and industrial occupations leaving the traditional, they have

to wear the costumes, change their life style accordingly. Which slowly lead to their cultural

decline.31

EDUCATION OF GADI LUHAR’S CHILDREN:

The education of tribal people began with 1871 Criminal Tribes Act by British

govt. As per this act, there was a provision to educate the children of tribal people. So, the

arrangements were made to teach them while their parents were imprisoned. Under this act, many

families were relieved so that they could teach atleast one child. During schooling, the involvement

of children with non-tribal children started which affected their though and behavior. In 1952,

Indian Govt. demolished Criminal Tribes Act and many plans were made for the social up gradation

of Tribal people in order to disconnect them from the illiteracy and to connect with the developed

life. In context with Punjab, the tribes could not utilize the reservation quota as Punjab was

announced to be a state without tribes as all the quota was provided at the name of other scheduled

castes.32

CONCLUSION :

More than the religion, tribe has set of rules which are holding the culture within. Their

heroes did not challenge the customs, and if they did, they had to sacrifice with their lives. Such

stories increase the tribal people’s firm belief into the tribal norms, affirmations, traditions and

customs. These are the stories of fear which does not let them go out of the limitations.

If they were manufacturing or repairing agricultural tools, they were using their artisan

capabilities, they were living in a free lifestyle and were not bounded to work under anyone. If they

are working in fields now, they are slaves of landlords. The occupation is lowering their Rajputana

self-esteem but they have no choice. The taboos, stories and punishments of the story rise from

mythology. So they become affirmation to be never proved right or wrong, trust to be never formed

or broken. They no more follow the taboos of not using steel, copper or silver pots. It seems, there

is no longer any historical pride, any heritage value, specific identity or the Chitorh prestige. They

wish to live their lives as a common citizen of country. They believe as if their residence is possible

in Punjab. The researcher appreciates their decision. As the heritage should not be a burden on

people’s lives. More than being following their prestige, now they have become insecure, needy

and poor. Their survival is difficult and if they are unable to survive, the taboos and tribal identity

cannot be restricted. Their distinct identity is becoming a big obstacle for their survival. Their right

to live should be definitely saved. They are the rule makers of their own, if they wish to break it as

a whole, they could.



Their culture gave a lot to the heritage, to the art and culture of Punjab. The performing arts

influence the folklore, folk songs and folk dances of Punjab. The manufacturing arts influenced the

Punjabi women of making Pakhi, bedsheets, table sheets, curtains, mirror covers, cousins for house

utensils and ghagras, kurtis and shirts in costume and followed the designs of ornaments. The

culture of Gadi Luhar Tribe influence Punjabi heritage directly or indirectly. All these traditions

travelled generations to generations and shadowed the literature and cultural heritage of Punjab.

References:

1. Dariya. 2014. Punjab de atit te vartaman kabile. Amritsar: Ravi Sahit Prakashan. pp. 36

2. Kazak, Kripal. 2005. Gadi Luhar Kabile da sabhyachar. Patiala: Publication Bureau,

Punjabi University. pp. 24


Punjabi University. pp 27-28



5. Singh, Baldev, 1975. Bharti Sanskriti ate Jatiya. (Majumdar, D. N., Trans.). Patiala: Punjabi

University. pp. 415

6. Lannoy, Richard. 1971. The Speaking Tree: A Study of Indian Culture and Society. pp. 177



8. Paliwal, Devi Lal (ed). 2005. Maharana Pratap Samriti Granth. Udaypur: Sahit Sansthan

Rajasthan, Vidyapith. pp. 169

9. Tod, Colonel James. Rajasthan ka Itihas. (Keshav Kumar, Trans.). Allahabad: Adarsh Hindi

Pustkalya. pp. 192








14. Mewar ke Maharana aur Shenshah Akbar. pp. 53



16. Ruhela, Satpal. 1968. The Gudiala Luhar of Rajasthan. Delhi: Inspex Indian Publishers.

pp.12-13




Punjabi University. pp. 38-42



19. Lannoy, Richard. 1971. The Speaking Tree: A Study of Indian Culture and Society. pp. 183

20. Ruhela, Satpal. 1968. The Gudiala Luhar of Rajasthan. Delhi: Inspex Indian Publishers. pp.

12

21. Tod, Colonel James. Rajasthan ka Itihas. (Keshav Kumar, Trans.). Allahabad: Adarsh Hindi

Pustkalya. pp. 200






Punjabi University. pp. 68-70





27. Lannoy, Richard. 1971. The Speaking Tree: A Study of Indian Culture and Society. pp. 180-

181

28. Singh, IP . 8 tribes in Punjab match Scheduled Tribe category: Report

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/8-tribes-in-Punjab-match-Scheduled-Tribe-

category-Report/articleshow/4961528.cms

29. Levi Strauss, Claude, Jacobson, Claire & Grundfest, Brooke.1963. Structural Anthropology.

New York: Basic Books. pp. 89




http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-IP-Singh-18288.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/8-tribes-in-Punjab-match-Scheduled-Tribe-category-Report/articleshow/4961528.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/8-tribes-in-Punjab-match-Scheduled-Tribe-category-Report/articleshow/4961528.cms

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