Chirimar
The Chirimar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Haryana in India. They are also known as Baheliya.[1]
Origin
In Hindi, the word chiri means a bird and the suffix mar means to kill, so Chirimar means someone who kills or catches birds. The Chirimar are an occupational caste that were traditionally employed as hunters and trappers, and are one of the many gypsy like semi-nomadic communities found in North India. They are said to have immigrated from Uttar Pradesh in the 18th Century, and are now found mainly in Ambala District. The Chirimar speak Hindi, with most understanding Haryanvi.[2]
Present circumstances
The Chirimar are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their main clans include the Banoudhiya, Pateria and Kattaha. Like other occupational castes, they have a fairly strong caste council, which deal with intra community disputes and enforces community norms. The Chirimar live in multi caste villages, occupying their distinct quarters.
Trapping and trading birds like various kinds of sparrows, pigeons and parrots and animals like rabbits remain the Chirimar main occupation. These are sold at local markets to wholesalers who belong mainly to the Baniya caste. Some are also employed as vegetable vendors and tailors. Their customs are similar to other Haryana Hindus.[3]
Current Family
Jawahar Chirimar is a New York-based entrepreneur who has previously held positions on the main board of Lehman Brothers and Citibank Alternative Investments. He got his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and then his doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania. He is married to Nandini Chirimar, an artist, who he met during his time at Cornell University. The 2nd generation of the Chirimar family now attends Cornell University, as Jawahar's nephew Aditya is pursuing his undergraduate degree there.
Aditya's father Mohan Chirimar is a Kolkata-based entrepreneur who exports high quality Indian teas to many countries. Aditya's brother Anirudh is continuing the trend of Chirimars studying abroad - one that Jawahar started - with his pursuit of an undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh.
Jawahar's nephews Abhimanyu and Priyanka are also successful global citizens. Priyanka is a lawyer working with the United Nations, specifically with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Priyanka was the first Chirimar to pursue higher studies in the United Kingdom. She completed her LLM from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2007. Abhimanyu is an internet entrepreneur who went to the University of Western Ontario for his undergraduate education.