(This post is contributed by Sh. Tararam)
'Global
Encyclopedia of the North Indian Dalits- Ethnography' में
उत्तर भारत विशेषकर जम्मू-कश्मीर
आदि क्षेत्रों में बसे मेघों
के बारे में निम्नलिखित विवरण
है-
"MEGH"
Demography-
"The
megh claim an ancient origin and they seem to be the original
inhabitants of the Jammu region and the owners of land in this tract.
They are distributed in the state of Jammu and Kashmir,
HimachalPrades, Chandigarh and punjab...They are predominantly found
in Rural Areas. Their major concentration is in Jammu, Rabisinghpura,
and Akhnoor tehsil of Jammu. They are also concentrated in Ambala,
Kurukshetra, Rohtak and Hissar in Haryana. They are also found in all
districts of Punjab but their major concentration is in the district
of Gurdaspur and Ferojpur. The Megh in Himachal Pradesh are mostly
confined to lower hill ranges of Kangra, adjoining Punjab and to some
extent to the Chamba district."
Settlement:
"The
Meghs are inhabitants of the plains and hills between the Ravi and
Chenab rivers, except Akhnur which lies to the west of the latter
river. Over 60% of them live in the fertile plain irrigated by canals
and kuhis (water ducts), whereas 20% of inhabit the high forest
covered tract to north and northeast of Jammu. They are found
distributed over the dry kandiliaa also. Inspite of difference of
natural environment, there is practically no difference in their life
pattern."
Dress
Ornament:
"The
members of community do not wear any distinctive dress or marker but
like general Hindu Classes-----------.The state government has now
accorded them constitutional status of a Scheduled Caste and they
have been enjoying special benifit and privileges under the
provisions-------------"
Food
and Drinks:
"The
Megh, except their sub caste Basith, used to eat flesh of dead
animals, but by a contract or decision signed in 1879 through the
influence of their Guru of Keran in Jammu tehsil, who had been
religious head of the Megh community, they
pledged total abestation from it. A breach of this agreement made a
man liable to pay Rs.25/ to the government, Rs.5/-
to the head of village and a some fixed according to the means of
offender, as a penalty to the biradari. In default of payment, he was
liable to be excluded from the Megh community. With this change, the
Meghs are becoming vegetarian like other Hindu communities. Their
womenfolk usually, and men on certain occasions avoid taking
non-vegetarian diet. Rice and wheat
and makkie (Maize) from their staple food, pulses, particularly mah
and masur and all type of vegetables are now available to them in
villages. They have no particular liking for alcoholic drinks, but
occasionally indulge in it publicly on festive occasions, as such
birth of son, marriage, fairs and festivals. They used country
made alcoholic drinks and did not have any prejudice against
preparing at home. Now the spread of modern ideas in community and as
result of constitutional benefits the community has come out of much
of its backwardness and adopted food habits as in all the other Hindu
Communities of the state."
History
of origin-
"They
believe to have migrated from Jammu to which they originally belonged
four to five hundred years ago. Due to change in ruler, they migrated
to different neighbouring areas. It is said that Raja Barar of
Akhnoor gave them land but, owing to attacks during Sikh rule they
migrated to the hills, west Punjab, Rajasthan, Punjab and Harysna.
Those who stayed back became Muslims and are known as Dindaur. The
local chronicles of Jammu support this view and they are stated to be
the original occupants of Jammu territory before migrating Jamwal
ruling clans ousted them from power and subjugated them. This
according to the Jamwal Vanshavali, happened much before the
Christian Era. In some details, the Megh traditions support their
close connection with Jammu region since a hoary past."
Social
System: Kinship-
"The
community is divided into different clans like Bakarwal, Gandhi,
Tindu, Chopre, Batten, Kale, Kunmunde, Gotre, Tilar, Gidar,
Tilchate, Bhardwaj, Pachada, Malhotra, Singotra. They are further
divided into Hindu Megh and Sikh Megh. The basis of differentiation
is religious and the chief function of this class or gotras is to
regulate marriage alliances. They consider themselves equal to Julaha
or Kabirpanthis and superior to Chura, Chamar, Deha and other S/Cs.
They are inferior to Brahman, Rajput and other caste Hindu. They are
aware of the Varna System and recognize their place in it as Shudra.
Others also consider them of low status as that of Julaha. Many
consider them Julaha only."
Marriage
and Divorce-
"They
are endogamous at community level and exogamous at village, and at
gotra level. The village exogamy is not strictly observed now.
Earlier four gotras were avoided like that of self, mother's,
paternal and maternal grandmother. But now only the self gotra is
avoided. Marriages are negotiated by the elders, when the boy attains
the age of around eighteen years and the girl is around sixteen
years. Monogamous form of marriage are prevalent. Sindur, bindi and
bangles are the symbols of marriage. Kanyadan exists and dowry is
given in the form of household articles and some cash. Rule of
residence is patrilocal."
"The
Divorce is traditionally not allowed. The young widow and widower are
allowed to remarry in case of willing and young individuals. Junior
levirate and junior sororate are permissible. There is no proper
marriage in this regard and is called Bethana. Change of marriage
rule is observed in leaving self gotra only, increase in marriage age
and non observance of marriage symbols strictly. The marriage symbols
are observed only during fairs, festivals, marriages and joyous
occasions and family gatherings."
"Widow
marriage is permitted. But the chance is limited to the deceased's
elder or younger brother, failing which, she can, with the consent of
her guardian, marry any belonging to the gotra of her husband, the
man must bear all the experiences of marriage, or he must give his
sister or daughter or any other near relative to some male member of
the widow's household in exchange. When a widow declines to remarry,
provision for the necessities of her life is arranged
out of contributions made by biradari of the village and she is held
in high esteem.
Family-
"The
megh family is patrilocal in which proper reverence and respect and
affiliations are observed according to the status of all members."
Occupational
Activities-
"The
Meghs are primarily an agricultural community. Formerly, they were
owners of the land in this tract but, because of high handedness and
oppressions of the ruling tribes, most of them have been deprived of
large tract of agricultural land. Till recently, the Megh
families were petty landholders, but majority of them had been
rendered landless, though they still stuck to the agriculture
occupation and mostly work as tillers and agriculture workers.
However, recent agrarian reforms in the state and also as
constitutional benefits, there has been
much amelioration in their economic condition. Most of their families
have received small agricultural lands and have purchased additional
tracts."
"The
land in the Megh family is owned, as in case of other Hindu
communities of the area, by the eldest male of family, and is equally
shared by all the sons after the death of their father or elder. In
addition to working on their own fields, they work as farm labourers
and tiller of the land. They receive wages both in cash and kind
according to the nature of job or agriculture operations and in
rearing cattles. They mostly work in their own or nearby villages,
and there is limited mobility among them. Children and women help
their manfolk in agriculture operations and in rearing cattle.
Children of 14 or 15 years and above are sent out to earn wages.
Previously the Megh men and women worked in the houses of the village
zamidars and money landers against repayment of their own or
ancestral debts. A limited type of bondage labour was prevalent in
this region too. But since independence, conditions have undergone
much changes and this has disappeared from this region."
"By profession the
Megh are largly weavers and they profess to have learnt this craft
from Kabir, the bhagat. The members of
community are, therefore, sometimes addressed as Bhagat and some
among them write Bhagat as caste with their names. They practised
this craft as a part time work, in addition to agriculture and the
older among them, when weakened by age, mostly confined their
activities to weaving, but, of late, they have given up this craft as
the Khadi is little in demand in the villages. Now the craft is
revived and power driven handloom have replaced the older, out of
date manual Khaddies. Being primarily a rural community, their
economic activities are conditioned by the conditions prevailing in
their respective villages."
(Reference:-
"Global Encyclopedia of the North Indian Dalits- Ethnography---"
Volume-1, pages- 445; 446; 448)
MEGHnet