The Pateliya is a scheduled tribe found in the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India.[1][2]
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The term Pateliya is derived from the word patel, which means a headman. They are found mainly in the districts of Kota, Jhalawar and Banswara. They are a sub-group of the Bhil tribe. The community said originate in Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh. They speak Malvi among themselves and Hindi with others.[3]
The community is sub-divide into exogamous clans such as the Hangaria, Mera, Gohari, Bhoria, Damra, Parmaria, Hania, Dhokiya, Bhabria, Musaria, Kocharia and Amliar.[4]
The community traditionally practices settled agriculture, but they are landless, are the land owned is small, and insufficient to sustain them. Many migrate to Kota to work in the stone quarries.They profess Hinduism, and worship local deities such as Devkarji, Mataji, and Kalka devi.
In Gujarat, they are found in the districts of Ahmedabad, Surat, Sabarkantha, and Kheda. They speak Bhili, although consider themselves distinct from the Bhil tribes. The Pateliya are divided into a number of clans, the main ones being the Parmar, Solanki, Jadhav, Chauhan, Rathore and Gohil. They are mainly a community of small farmers and are also involved in animal husbandry.[5]