Rabari

Rabari, a caste of camel-herders - Tashrih al-aqvam (1825)

Members of the Rabari or Rewari are an Indian community. In the state of Gujarat, they are pastoralists.

Origin

The Rabari myth of origin is that Shiva put them on earth to tend to the camels owned by Parvati.^[1]The Rabari consider themselves to be descended from the mythological Nandvanshiline that began with Nanda, the foster-father of Krishna. Legend has it that Nanda came from Gokul, in Mathura district, and passed through Saurashtra on his way to Dwarka.^[2]According to their traditions, the Rabari were at some time based around Mathura and migrated to Mewar before later spreading out in Gujarat.

• Rabari (Hindu traditions) in India, joshuaproject.net

Demographics

In the semi-desert Kachchh region of Gujarat, they and the Muslim Maldharis are the most significant of the pastoralist communities. In that area they comprise five related groups, being the Debar, Gardo, Kantho, Katchi and Ragad,^[2]

References

Citations

1. Street (2002), p. 29
2. Street (2002), pp. 28-29

Bibliography

• Street, Brian V. (2002), Literacy and Development: Ethnographic Perspectives, Routledge, ISBN 9781134566204

Further reading

• Davidson, Robyn (November 1, 1997). Desert Places, pastoral nomads in India (the Rabari). Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-026797-6.
• Mirella Ferrera, People of the world. Published by VMB publisher 13100 Vercelli, Italy 2005
• Flavoni, Francesco D'orazi (1990). Rabari: A Pastoral Community of Kutch. Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and Brijbasi Printers. ISBN 978-8-17107-026-8.