Bhanushali

Bhanushali
Languages Kutchhi, Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi.
Populated States Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
Subdivisions Joisar, Gajra, Dama, Vador, Nanda, Katarmal, Nanda, Gori, Bhadra, Hurabada, Joisher, Mithiya, Mange, Kanakhara, Fuliya, Visariya, Nakhua, Harvara, Chandra, Dhhabha, Chunada, Mengar, Khichda, Vador, Maajania, Mav, Motani, Ratda, Dama, Kataria, Kapadiya, Raner, Meethiya, Khaniya, Mange

Bhanushali (Gujarati : ભાનુશાલી) / Bhānshali / Bhansali (Gujarati : ભણશાળી)[1] is a Hindu community, origin and mainly belonging to State of Gujarat in India.

History

The Bhanushali farmers claim descent from Chalukyas of Gujarat, and often have Rajput surnames. Jyotindra Jain theorized that the Bhanushalis migrated to Gujarat from Sindh, based on their worship of Hinglaj Mata. He also believed that the Lohanas and Bhansalis shared a common home in Sindh before their migration to Gujarat.[1][2]

Bhanushalis are divided into two sub groups according to their region of living, that is :- kutchhi Bhanushali Community[3] ( those living or having ancestry in Kutch region ) and Halai Bhanushali Community those living or having ancestry in Halar (Jamnagar) region.[4]

Bhanushalis worship different kuldevis as per their clan names / surnames.[5] and follow Hindu customs and beliefs and worship God like Maa Hinglaj, Asapura Mataji, Shiva, Durga and Vishnu.[6] Further, they also worship Veer Dada Jashraj and claim, like Lohanas, that he belonged to their community.[7] They are largely Vaishnava community.[1] and are considered as a trading or vaishya community in Gujarat. Bhanushalis chiefly worship Hinglaj, whose main temple is in Baluchistan, Sind, their ancestral home.[1]

Among their community Sant Odhavramji of Vandhay was prominent figure of Kutchi people and did much work for up-liftment and education of Bhanushali community in decades of 1930-1950s.[2]

Relationship with Lohanas

Bhanushalis also shared their early home in Sind with Lohanas and seem to share common history.[1] They like Lohanas worship Dada Jashraj as their kuladevata. Many of the surnames of Bhanushalis, coincidentally, are also found among Lohana community and as they and Lohanas share common history or lineage. Like Lohanas, Bhanushalis are largely involved in trading and have gained name as businessman and identified as Vaishya community although have its origins as Kshatriya clan.[1]

Surname

Bhanushalis often use their community name also as their surname and as such you can find many people using Bhanushali and Bhanshali surname. However, other surnames among this community are Shethia, Amal, Kataria, Hemani, Damani, etc. etc.[8] It is said that Bhanushali's had 96 surnames. Few others are Joisar, Katarmal, Nanda, Gori, Bhadra,lakher, Hurabada, Joisher, Mithiya, Gajra, Mange, Kanakhara, Fuliya, Visariya, Nakhua, Harvara, Chandra, Dhhabha, Chunada, Mengar, Khichda, Vador, Maajania, Mav, Motani, Ratda, Dama, Kataria, Kapadiya, Raner, meethiya, Khaniya, Mange, Kataria (Also known as Katarmal) and Bhadra are said to be most largely used surnames.

Again, it seems that many Bhanushalis, changed to Jainism during course of history and therefore Bhanushali surname can be found among Jain people of Gujarat.

Notable Persons

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Folk art and culture of Gujarat:guide to the collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat
  2. 1 2 Sant Odhavram : Bhanushali’s are “Surya Vanshi” but due to illiteracy & poverty were being harassed by society. Odhavramji decided to draw a path for his own community and give them their real place in the society. He traveled across villages and cities preaching the importance of education and finally succeeded in starting the first boarding in Mandvi. Bhansuhali Haridas Pradhan Joisar sold off almost all his properties & life savings to manage the required funds for this cause. A few years later Odhavramji also struggled to build home shelter for the Bhanushali’s who had migrated from Kutch to Mumbai for work & with funds provided by Bhanushali Haridas Velji Joisher of Mumbai, The Bhanushali wadi in Mumbai came into existence in 1952.
  3. ↑ Genetics abstracts, Volume 5, Issues 6-9. 1973. p. 217.
  4. ↑ Indian journal of medical sciences , Volume 25. 1971. p. 311.
  5. ↑ The Anthropology of Values By Berger Peter. p. 366.
  6. ↑ Bhimnath Mahadev-Kutch Sethias- a Bhanushali
  7. ↑ Jasraj Dada Archived January 15, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑
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