Khateek

Khatik

Regions with significant populations
•  India •  Pakistan
Languages
• Hindi • Punjabi • Rajasthani
Religion
• Hinduism • Islam
Related ethnic groups
• Qassab

The Khatik (Hindi: खटीक, Urdu: کھٹیک‎), a sub-clan of Kshatriyas, are a caste found in Punjab province in Pakistan and in several states in India. Those in Pakistan are Muslim, while most Indian Khateek are Hindu while there is a small minority in Gujarat and Maharashtra, who are Muslim. They are one of the most widespread communities in South Asia. The Hindu Khatik have scheduled caste status in some states in India, while the Muslim Khatik are campaigning for Scheduled Caste status.^[1]

Distribution

The Khateeks, both Hindu and Muslim were found mainly in Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Patiala districts of Punjab, and Sirsa, Jind and Kurukshetra districts of Haryana and in all parts of Rajasthan. As with other Muslim communities in Punjab, the Muslim Kathik of Punjab left their homeland after the independence in 1947, except those of Malerkotla State, who remain in India. Other Muslim Khatik communities remain in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Hindu Khateek are also found in the states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.^[2]

History and origin

The Khatik are widely distributed community in North India, and each Khatik group, has its own origin myth. What they have in common is that they were historically a kshatriya tribe who were assigned to kill animals in yajnas performed by kings. Also today, only khatiks has right to kill animals during bali offerings at Hindu temples.

According to their traditions, the god Brahma assigned to them a goats skin, the bark of trees and lac- so they could graze cattle, dye skins of goat, and deer; and tan hides with bark and lac.^[3] Another tradition, claims that the origin of the word Khatik has been derived from the Hindi word khat, which, means an immediate killing.^[4] They relate this to early days when they used to supply mutton to the kings of Rajasthan. While other sources claim that the word khatik is said to have originated from the Sanskrit word kathika, which means to butcher or hunter. The Khatik of Punjab used salt and juice of the maddar tree (Calotropis procera) to tan and dye goat and sheep skin^[5]

The Delhi Khatik have two subgroups, the Soor Khateek and the Khal Rangay Khateek. Soor Khateek Sonkar have a different tradition as to their origin. According to them, some members of the Khateek community were converted to Islam, during the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. To prevent further conversion, the community decided to raise pigs.The traditional occupation of the Delhi Khateek is the rearing of and butchering of pigs and goats. The Hindu Khatik in Punjab have five gotras (clans), the Mogha, Bairiwal, Aswal, Jatoria, and Kenchi. The Hindu Khatik only avoid one gotra in marriage. The tribe worships Bhairon and Sidh Massani. They also as a clan worship Durga. The Hindu Khatiks were also pork butchers, and are classified as a scheduled caste.

In the 17th Century, several Khateek clans in Punjab were converted to Islam. The Muslim Khateeks of Punjab have two clans, the Rajputs and Ghori Pathan. Since the independence in 1947, the Muslim Khateeks moved to Pakistan have established tanneries, and are now referred to as Shaikhs.

Present circumstances

In India

In India, the Khateek are found in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar. Each of these groups maintains a distinct identity, speaking various dialects of Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and Marathi, and having different sub-groups.

In Bihar

In Bihar, the Khatik are mainly involved in selling fruits and vegetable as merchants, and have never been butchers.they are very well-to-do and moderately rich people. The community speak Bhojpuri and Hindi, and are found mainly in north Bihar.They are either cultivators, growing and selling vegetables, or in urban areas are simply vegetable sellers.^[6]

In Uttar Pradesh

In Uttar Pradesh, the Khatik enjoy scheduled caste status. They speak Bhojpuri, and other dialects of Hindi. The Khatik engage themselves in various economic activities, such as selling vegetables, fruits, flowers, as well as acting as butchers. The Sonkar sub-division are involved in the selling of fruits, flowers and vegetables. With reforms brought about by the abolishment of the zamindari system, many of the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Khatik have become farmers. As their agricultural holdings are extremely small, many are now share croppers. Despite land reforms, the UP Khateek remain are marginalized group.

The Khatik of UP are Hindu, and their traditional deities are Nāga, Santoshi Mata and Hanuman.^[7] While those of Haryana worship regional deities such as Beriwali Devi and Vaishno Devi.^[8]

In Haryana

In Haryana, the community are also known as Chaudhury, and speak Haryanvi. They enjoy scheduled caste status in the state. The community is split along religious lines, with some members of the community belonging to the Hindu faith, while others being Sikh. However, intermarriage does take place between the Hindu and Sikh Khatiks. They are further divided into eighty four clans, which are exogamous. The main ones being the Grover, Chawla, Asiwal, Bahwal, Bargujar, Tanwar, Chauhan, Aswal, Tisware, Bagli, Khichi, Kataria, Tangsuria, Baswale, Paharia, Malwalia, Meowal, Solanki, Badsiwal, Bamboria, Bhilwara and Sankhale. They are strictly an endogamous community, with very few cases of intermarriage with other groups. Badgujars are very strong and clever in the khateek they rule over the community especially in Haryana.

Their traditional occupation has remained the dyeing of goat and sheep skin. Unlike their kinsmen in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, they have never been pig butchers. Many are now peddlers, selling scrap, household goods and bangles.^[9]

In Punjab

The Khatik of Punjab are is still involved with tanning and dyeing of goatskin. According to their traditions, the community immigrated from Uttar Pradesh in the distant past. The Hindu Khatik have scheduled caste status, while Muslim have other backward class status. Both groups of Khatik are strictly endogenous, and do not intermarry. The Muslim Khatik are Sunni Muslim, and the community has been greatly reduced by emigration to Pakistan. They are now found mainly in Malerkotla, where historically the Nawab had set up a traditional caste council headed by a chaudhary. But with reduction in the numbers of the Muslim Khatik, the position of the Chaudhary is no longer influential. Both communities of Khatik speak Punjabi, with many Muslims also speaking Urdu.^[10]

In Rajasthan

Traditionally the Rajasthani Khatik are a caste of butchers. They also raise cattle and sell in the town markets. In urban Rajasthan, the Khateek run many of the meat shops, and are the main supplier of Jhatka meat, as opposed to the Qassab, who are sellers of halal meat.^[11]

In Gujarat

The Khatik are found mainly in Eder, Himmatnagar, Khedbrahma, Vijayagar and Bhiloda. They are divided into the Hindu and Muslim sub-groups. The Hindu Khateek do not slaughter animals, which is done by Muslim Khateek, but they simply sell the meat. There are further territorial divisions, the Jaipuria and Bagard Khateek. The community is also split into a number of gotras, the main ones being the Bagod, Demaria, Dindmania, Chauhan, Chaula, Khoiwad, Khinchi, Lindiwal, Chandal, Bagma and Daima. The community is mostly butchers, but a good many of them have now taken up petty trade.^[12]

In Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, the Khatik are found mainly in Nagpur District. They are said to have immigrated from Madhya Pradesh. According to their traditions, they are a sub-group of the Dhangar community. The majority of the Kathik are Hindu, with a small minority in Pune who are Muslim. They now speak Marathi. The Hindu Kathik have two sub-divisions, the Barade found in Amravati, Yeotmal, Nagpur, Akola and Buldana, whereas the Marathe are found in Nagpur, Chandrapur, Poona and Marathwada. Both these sub-divisions are endogamous. They usually marry within their own community and preferably in the same sub-division. These two sub-divisions are further divided into clans called kur, which also used as surnames. The main clans are the Barane, Dhoke, Gholpe, Katare, Larokar, Madne,Mahure, Pardhi and Tumane. Each of these clans are of equal status.^[13]

The Khatik are still mainly engaged in the selling mutton, and selling of goats and goats skin and other livestock. A small minority are now cultivators. With growing urbanization, many Khatik are abandoning their traditional occupation. The Khatik have set a state wide association, the Khatik Samaj Sabha, based in the town of Nagpur. Many Kathik are now doctors, engineers, and police officers. Their customs are similar to neighbouring Marathi communities. The community pay special reverence to Ambagade or Karoji Bua, who is a local deity.^[14]

The Muslim Khateek in Maharashtra have now petitioned to the Supreme Court of India for the inclusion of Muslim Dalit, within Scheduled Caste category, a status they have so far been excluded from.^[15]

In Chhattisgarh

In Chhatisgarh, the Sonkar are a different community. They are sub-cast of kachhi (Kushwaha/Koshwaha/Maurya) & comes under other backward casts of India.^[16]

In Pakistan

The Khateek in Pakistan have assimilated with the Punjabis in Punjab province. Many Khateek families have migrated to the Persian Gulf, United Kingdom and North America.

Notable members

• Udit Raj - Politician, Founder & National president of Indian Justice Party
• Jagannath Pahadia -Politician, Governor of HARYANA

Veerwal Movement

Historically Jainism has been practiced by many different communities in different parts of India.^[17] They are often conservative and are practically always considered upper-caste.^[18] However the 1901 Census report of India ^[19] reports that in some parts of India some members of several supposedly low-caste communities were identified as Jain.

in 1958,^[20] a Stanakvasi Jain Muni Sameer Muni ^[21] came into contact with members of the Khatik community in Udaipur region, who decide to adapt Jainism. Their center Ahimsa Nagar, located about 4 miles from Chittorgarh, was inagurated by Mohanlal Sukhadia in 1966. Sameer Muni termed them Veerwaal, i.e. belonging to Lord Mahavira. A 22-year-old youth Chandaram Meghwal was initiated as a Jain monk at Ahore town in Jalore district in 2005^[22] and was given the name Anant Punya Maharaj.

See also

• Sikh
• Hinduism
• Dalit

References

External links

• http://www.khatiksamaj.org/