Jogi

The 'Jogi (also spelled Jugi,^[1] Yogi^[2] ) are a Hindu community, found in North India, and smallers numbers also found in the southern state of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala . They are known as Giri, Nath, Jogi Nath, Jugi Nath, NathJogi, Rawal, Joginath, Nathjogi and Goswami.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Jogi is a colloquial term for the "yogi", which refers to the people who practiced Yoga as part of their daily rituals. Over the time, this led to the formation of a community, and subsequently was formed into a caste.

History and origin

The Jogi are followers of yoga and worshipers of the Hindu god Shiva. Gorakshanath is credited with the systemization and categorization of the practice of yoga. This system eventually led to the formation of a separate Hindu caste. As followers of the yoga, they traditionally wear saffron-colored clothing. The community once comprised mendicants only, but now are outnumbered by those who have taken to cultivation. They and their descendents form a caste with two sub-groups, the Kanphata and Augur. In North India, they speak Hindi and its various dialects.^[7]

The term Jogi now consists of three distinct classes of persons. One is purely religious mendicants of the various Jogi orders, the second includes various people who live by fortune telling, practising exorcisms and divination. And finally, there are a number of endogamous castes.

Jogis of Haryana

The Jogi are found throughout the state of Haryana and speak Haryanvi.^[8]

The Jogis of Haryana are often referred to as Padha Jogi, and are divided in three groupings or orders. These are the Kanphate Jogi, Padha Jogi and Jangam Jogi. Like in other parts of North India, the Jogi started off as mendicants and holymen, but over time formed a distinct caste. This is seen by the fact that they are strictly endogamous. Most Haryana Jogis are farmers, with very few still involved in their traditional occupation. The main work of jogis people are become a sent, wear bagwa and do jog sadana.

Jogis of Mangalore

There is a small population of Jogis in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. Going by the registration to the Jogi Sangha there could be around 600–800 families of Jogis in Mangalore city and in villages of the district. How they came to be there is not recorded but the presence of Jogi families around the Kadri Jogi Mutt indicates that they were associated with this Hindu monastery. According to tradition, the Kadri Jogi Mutt and the nearby Manjunatha Temple were a seat of Jogi culture since the time of Matsyendranath and Gorakshanath, both of whom arrived from the Nepal and Uttar Pradesh region and established the mutt (monastery) here.

The Jogis established the permanent "rule" of the Kadri Mutt by assigning a new "Jogi Arasu" (ruler) once in 12 years and making it a part of the Bara (Twelve) Panths of the Jogi system. The bara panths or twelve mutts are spread across India. The word "ruler" is rather an exaggeration, as the Arasu, who had no military power, could hardly have ruled over any geographical or social entity. He was more of a "caretaker" of the graves of dead Jogi Sanyasis (saints), who were revered as demi-gods. The Arasu has no major daily rituals to perform and is expected to spend most of his time in spiritual contemplation.

The early Jogi caste members may have been converts from other castes who were either employed as workers at the mutt or who became followers of the various Jogi Arasus. Jogi mendicants arriving from the north may have also married locals and settled down around the mutt.

The sub-culture of the Jogis is a mix featuring local "Tulu" beliefs and rituals and a small element of Jogi mendicant culture. The burial of the male dead in a sitting position with the legs in a yoga position is a pointer to the latter.

The Kadri Manjunatha temple at Mangalore in the present form was founded by Jogi Matsyendranath of the Natha pantha. The Jogis and the Jogi Mutt of Kadri are involved with the administration of Kadri temple since historical days. The place was known as "Kadarika Vihar". The word "Natha" means lord, owner or God.

The early Jogis, being wandering mendicants, may have subsisted on hand-outs from visitors to the mutt and temple. Their needs being few they did not feel the need to acquire "worldly assets" like land or productive employment. They must have spent their time in meditation or lazy spiritual contemplation. But once some of them married and settled down to family life the need to provide for their dependents drove them into more socially acceptable occupations such as cultivation, music, teaching, government service, trading etc. Today, only a small proportion of Jogis are actually saffron-clad mendicants. The vast majority lead lives that are indistinguishable from members of other castes. With social barriers breaking down, quite a few have also married outside the caste.

A small group of Jogis in Mangalore are still keeping alive, the hope of a unified and powerful caste, by running a Jogi Sangha and conducting periodic meetings. But the small size of the caste and rapidly changing social norms are defeating such attempts. Eventually the caste may disappear into the potpourri of Indian and Global culture.

Jogis of Mandya

There is considerable amount of Jogis found in Mandya district. Adi Chunchanagiri Temple, the most attractive destination in karanataka is part of Nathapathi community. Hence the name came to swamiji Bala gangadhara Nath.

Jogis of Shimoga

There are 700 to 900 families throughout Shimoga District. They are small landholders, with 2 to 5 acres of land. Some families conduct "Jogi Kathe" in Malenadu.

Jogis of Bangalore

The Jogarhalli near magadi road Bangalore and contains around 400 to 500 families of Nathapanthi community peoples with their own small temples near to their places.in jogerahalli ther is a famous temple of swamy bhairaveshwara, where it is worshipped by the nath panth families. these families are invited to family functions which is organised by the sarpanchas. these people of jogerahalli are treated royal in their village. most of the people among these are zamindars and landlords.

[source by : priya sunil kumar (patel family jogerahalli)

Jogis in Hyderabad Karnata (Bellary, Davangere, Chitradurga)

There are significant number of jogi(nath panth) families in this region also. Most of them do agriculture, but still many people do Bhikshatana. They are followers to Sri Kala Bhairava Mutt Molakalmuru.

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  Sri Kaala bhairava murthi at nunke malesiddeswara betta, molakalmuru

Other Backward Classes

Jogi are designated Other Backward Classes in most states, starting from 1993.

See also

References

Further reading

1. Philosophy of Gorakhnath by Akshaya Kumar Banerjea archive.org
2. Detailed description about Jogis at shivshakti.com
3. More information on Jogis at religiousworlds.com
4. Yogis under the British Raj
5. The tribes and castes of the central provinces of India, Volume 1
6. Legend of the Nath Jogis
7. Yoga of the Yogis
8. jogis in facebook
9. About Gorakhnath
10. About Gosavisamaj History