The Charans are a caste living in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India, as well as the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. They are well known for their contribution to the literature of Rajasthan, Sindh, and Gujarat as well as the earliest literature of Hindi. As Akbar's historian Abul Fazl pointed out Charans are good poets and better soldiers. They were a part of the landed aristocracy in Rajasthan and Gujarat, receiving jagirs and shashans for their literary and military services. They were considered a divine community among Hindus, tracing their origins to ancient India, mentioned numerous times in Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayan, and other sacred texts. They were pastoral in ancient times, before becoming feudal coming in contact with Rajputs in the medieval era.
Hindu Charans mainly reside in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra (Gujarat border). A small number of Hindu Charans still live in rural eastern Sindh (Pakistan), in the Thar Parkar district. There are few villages of Hindu Charans in Haryana (Rajasthan border) also.
Charans historically received shashans and jagirs, which made them part of the feudal system in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and Amarkot (Sindh). Charans were poets, soldiers, merchants, horse traders, caravan protectors, and cattle breeders. At present, Charans are mainly engaged in government services at administrative positions. Many farm their lands and work in agriculture.
Charans believe in the Hinglaj, whose main temples are located in Balochistan and in Nagar-Thatta(Sindh) in Pakistan. Goddess Hinglaj is considered the first avatar of Shakti in Charans, laters ones being Awar Maa, Karni Ji, Tanot Rai, Khodiyar, Mogal, and many others.
Scripture Prayers for the Charan (Hindu traditions) in India.
Kamphorst, Janet (2008). In Praise of Death: History and Poetry in Medieval Marwar. Leiden University Press. ISBN 978-90-8728-044-4.
Profile Source: Anonymous |
People Name General | Charan (Hindu traditions) |
People Name in Country | Charan (Hindu traditions) |
Alternate Names | Bahror; Banna; Barath; Barhat; Barhath; Barhatt; Barhatta; Charan; Gadhavi; Gadhpati; Gadhvi; Gadvi; Gadwa; Gadwi; Hukum; Kaviraj; Maldhari; चारण (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 375,000 |
Population all Countries | 417,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 7 |
People ID | 16571 |
ROP3 Code | 111764 |
ROP25 Code | 301590 |
ROP25 Name | Charan |
Country | India | |||||||||||||||
Region | Asia, South | |||||||||||||||
Continent | Asia | |||||||||||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||||||||||||||
National Bible Society | Website | |||||||||||||||
Persecution Rank | 11 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||||||||||||||
Total States on file | 14 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States |
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Districts | Interactive map, listing and data download | |||||||||||||||
Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | India |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 11 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 14 |
Rajasthan 180,000 | |
Gujarat 140,000 | |
Maharashtra 40,000 | |
Madhya Pradesh 13,000 | |
Daman and Diu 400 | |
Tamil Nadu 300 | |
Dadra and Nagar Have 300 | |
Delhi 200 | |
Telangana 100 | |
Chhattisgarh 80 | |
Bihar 80 | |
West Bengal 80 | |
Karnataka 60 | |
Jharkhand 20 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
99.95 %
|
Islam |
0.05 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Gujarati (115,000 speakers) | ||||||||||||
Language Code | guj Ethnologue Listing | ||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||||||||
Total Languages | 13 | ||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Gujarati (115,000 speakers) |
Language Code | guj Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 13 |
Secondary Languages | |
Hindi 72,000 | |
Marwari 57,000 | |
Kacchi 17,000 | |
Dhundari 13,000 | |
Marathi 9,600 | |
Mewari 9,500 | |
Haroti 6,900 | |
Shekhawati 6,800 | |
Konkani 6,300 | |
Nimadi 1,200 | |
Malvi 1,100 | |
Wagdi 600 | |
People Groups | Speaking Gujarati |
Primary Language: Gujarati
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1809-1965) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1820-1985) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1823-2021) |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
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Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | Anonymous |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |