The Majhwar are Scheduled Caste, found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Manjhi.
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History and origin
The Majhwar get their name from the Hindi word madhya, which means those at the centre. They claim to have originally belonged to the Gond community. About 500 years ago, there was a battle between the Muslims and the Gonds, where their ancestors occupied the centre of the battlefield. As the Gond were defeated, they emigrated and settled in Mirzapur. They are now mainly found there and in Allahabad and Varanasi.
Present circumstances
The Majhwar are divided into six divisions based on their earlier places of settlement. These sub-groups are further divided into gotras. Their main gotras include the Tekam, Netam, Airum, Keram, Karium, Sarium, Bhajbi, Mashram and Shyam. They are endogamous, and practice clan exogamy.
The Majhwar are now mainly farmers, with the raising of livestock as a secondary occupation. A few are also engaged in wage labour. They are Hindu, and have their own deities such as Burha-deo, Burhi-mai and Maror-maidevi. Their customs are similar to other communities in their neighbourhood, such as the Bind and Chero.
The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Majhwar Scheduled Caste population as 23,123.