The Meo - Revision history

Pdewan: /* Caste No. 34 */

2014-05-01T17:49:24Z

‎Caste No. 34

Pdewan at 17:46, 1 May 2014

2014-05-01T17:46:25Z

Pdewan: /* Caste No. 34 */

2014-05-01T17:39:16Z

‎Caste No. 34

Pdewan at 07:08, 1 May 2014

2014-05-01T07:08:02Z

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This article is an extract from
PANJAB CASTES
SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I.
2014-04-30T07:04:39Z

Created page with " {| class="wikitable" |- |colspan="0"|<div style="font-size:100%"> This article is an extract from PANJAB CASTES SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I. <br..."

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{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="0"|<div style="font-size:100%">
This article is an extract from 

PANJAB CASTES 

SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I. 

Being a reprint of the chapter on 
The Races, Castes and Tribes of 
the People in the Report on the 
Census of the Panjab published 
in ''' 1883 ''' by the late Sir Denzil 
Ibbetson, KCSI 

Lahore : 

Printed by the Superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab, 

1916. 
''Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees '' 
''with the contents of this article.''
</div>
|}
[[Category:India|M]]
[[Category:Communities|M]]

=Caste No. 34=

The Meos are the people who have given
its name to Mewat or the hill country of Alwar, Gnrgaon, and Bhartpur.
They are found within the Panjab chiefly in Gurgaon, though a considerable
number have spread into the south of the Dehli district. They are all Maho
medan, though, as will be seen presently, their religion is of a very impure
type. They are so excellently described by Captain Powlett in his Gazetteer
of Alwar, that I cannot do better that quote the passage almost in full, adding
to it Mr. Channing's remarks upon it. Captain Powlett writes as follows : —

The Meos are numerically the first race in the State, and the agricultural portion of them is
con aider ably more than douhle any other class of cultivators except Chamars. They occnpy about
half the TJlwar territory, and the portion they dwell in lies to the north and east.

They are divided into fifty-two clans, of which the twelve largest are called ' Pals,' and the
smaller ' gots.' Many of these are not settled in Ulwar, but would be found in Mathra, Bhartpur,
and Gurgaon. Of the 448 villages belonging to the Meos the Ghisen'a clan holds 112, the
BMnqai 70, the Landdtoat 64, the Na> 63, the Singal 54, the Dvlot 53, and the Fundlot 22.

It has already been set forth in the historical sketch that the Meos — for they no doubt are
often included under the term Mewatti — were, during the Muhammadan period of power, always
notorious for their turbulence and predatory habits: however, since their complete subjection by
Bakhtnwar Singh and Banni Singli (during the first-half of this century), who broke up the
large turbulent villages into a number of small hamlets, they have become generally well
behaved ; but they return to their former habits when opportimity occurs.

In 1857 they assembled, burnt state ricks, carried of cattle, &c., but did not succeed in
plundering any town or village in Ulwar. In British territory they plundered Firozpur and
other villaees, and when a British force came to restore order many were hanged.

Though Meos claim to be of Rajput origin, there are grounds for believing that many spring
From the same stock as the Minas. The similarity between the words Meo and Mina suggest
that the former may be a contraction of the latter. Several of the respective clans are identical
in name (Singal, Nai, Dulot, Pundlot, Dingal, Balot) ; and a story told of one Daria Meo, and his
lady love Sisbadani Mini seems to show that they formerly intermarried. In Bulandshahr a caste
called Meo Minas is spoken of in the Settlement report, which would seem farther to connect the
two. However, it is probable enough that apostate Rajputs and bastard sons of Rajputs founded
many of the clans, as the legends tell.

The Meos are now all Musalmans in name ; but their village deities are the same as those of
Hinda zamindars. They keep too several Hindu festivals. Thus the Holi is with Meos a season
of rough play, and is considered as important a festival as the Moharram, Id, and Shabrat ; and
they likewise observe the Janamashtami, Dusehra and Diwali. They often keep Brahmin priests
to write the pili chitti or note fixing the date of a marriage. They call themselves by Hindu
names, with the exception of Ram j' and ' Singh ' is a frequent affix though not as common as
' Khan.'

On the Amawas, or monthly conjunction of the sun and moon, Meos, in common with Hindu
Ahirs, Gujars, &c., cease from labour ; and when they make a well the first proceeding is to
erect a ' Chabutra to ' Bairuji’ or ' Hanuman. ' However, when plunder was to be obtained,
they have often shown little respect for Hindu shrines and temples ; and when the sanctity of a
threatened place has been urged, the retort has been ' Tum to Deo, Ham Meo !' You may be a
Deo (God\ but I am a Meo !

As regards their own religion Meos are very ignorant. Few know the Kalima, and fewer
still the regular prayers, the seasons of which they entirely neglect. This, however, only applies
to Ulwar territory ; in British, the effect of the schools is to make them more observant of religious
duties. Indeed, in Ulwar, at certain places where there are mosques, religious observances
are better maintained, and some know the Tcalima, say their prayers, and would like a school.

Meos do not marry in their Pal or clan, but they are lax about forming connections with
women of other castes, whose children they receive into the Meo community. As already stated
Brahmins take part in the formalnies preceding a marriage, but the ceremony itself is performed
by the Kazi.

As agriculturists, Meos are inferior to their Hindu neighbours. The point in which they
chiefly fail is working their wells, for which they lack patience. Their women, whom they do
not confine, will, it is said, do more field work than the men ; indeed one often finds women at work
in the crops when the men are lying down. Like the women of low Hindu castes they tattoo
their bodies, a practice disapproved by Musalmans in general. Meos are generally poor and live
badly ; they have no scruples about getting drunk when opportunity offers. The men wear the
dhoti and kumri, and not paJamas. Their dress is, in fact, Hindu. The men often wear
gold ornaments, but I believe the women are seldom or never allowed to have them.

To this Mr. Charming' adds : —

My own enquiries on the subject were imperfect when they were interrupted by my transfer
from Gurgaon ; but they led me to a conclusion which I find has also been adopted by Major
Powlett, that the Minas and Meos are connected, and I should bo inclined to add that both are
probably representatives of the earlier non-Aryan inhabitants of the country'. In Tod's
Rajasthan, Vol. N, page 76, I find it stated that Mewas o is a name given to the fastnesses in
the Aravalli hills, to which Minas, Kolis and others make their retreat. Palis, on the same
authority, the term for a community of any of the aborignial mountain races ; its import is a
defile or valley, fitted for cultivation and defence ; and Pal is the term given to the main Sub
'• Divisions of the Meos and also of the Minas. These latter, who in Gurgaon are known only as a
body of professional criminals, were the original masters of the State of Amber or Jaipur,
the Rajput kingdom of which was founded by Dhole Rao about A.D. 967 aftrr subduing the Minas.
Tod also states that in Jaipur the Minas are still the most numerous tribe, and possess large
immunities and privileges ; formerly the tika of sovereignty was marked by blood taken from
the groat toe of a Mfna of Kalikbo, another token, as I intejiret it, of the ancient sovereignty of
the tribe. Meos are often mentioned, although not in Gurgaon, as Mina Meos : and in the
' older Mnhammadan historians and in Tod, I find expeditions against their country spoken of as
expeditions against the Mawasat, and in later time as against the Mawas. These facts incline
me to the belief that the Meos are such of the aborginal Mrna population of the Aravalli bills as
were convert m1 to Muhammadanism, and that their name is probably a corruption of Mewasati
or the men of the mountain passes. Perhaps other enquiries may be able to confirm or refute this
theory, which I only put forward tentatively.

Besides these there is a thirteenth Palakhra or little Pill Pahat. The Pals which are strongest
in Gurgaon are the Dahngals in the north of Nnh ; the Chirklots in the south-east of Nnh and
'in the country round Punahana; the Landawats, Uimrots, and Dulots in the Firozpur
valley, and the Darvvals in the country south of Nuh. These Meo sub-tribes still possess
a strong feeling of unity and the power of corporate action.

The principal Meo sub
divisions returned in Gurgaon
are shown in the margin. In
Ambala and perhaps elsewhere
the word Meo seems commonly
to be used as equivalent to
Men or fislierman ; and it may
be that some of the Meos re
turned from other districts
than Gurgaon and those bor
dering upon it, are not true
Meos.

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:08, 1 May 2014
Line 144:		Line 144:
	dering upon it, are not true		dering upon it, are not true
	Meos.		Meos.
		+
		+	See [[The Khanzadah ]]

@@ Line 127: / Line 127: @@
 Besides these  there is a thirteenth  Palakhra or little Pill Pahat. The Pals which are strongest
 in Gurgaon are the Dahngals in the north of Nnh ; the Chirklots in the south-east of Nnh and
-*'in the country round Punahana; the Landawats, Uimrots, and Dulots in the Firozpur
+in the country round Punahana; the Landawats, Dimrots, and Dulots in the Firozpur
-valley, and the Darvvals in the country south of Nuh. These Meo sub-tribes still possess
+valley, and the Darwals in the country south of Nuh. These Meo sub-tribes still possess
 a strong feeling of unity and the power of corporate action.

@@ Line 111: / Line 111: @@
 the Aravalli hills, to which Minas, Kolis and others make their retreat. Palis, on the same
 authority, the term for a community of any of the aborignial mountain races ; its import is a
-defile or valley, fitted for cultivation and defence ; and Pal is the term given to the main Sub
+defile or valley, fitted for cultivation and defence ; and Pal is the term given to the main Sub Divisions of the Meos and also of the Minas. These latter, who in Gurgaon are known only as a
-'• Divisions of the Meos and also of the Minas. These latter, who in Gurgaon are known only as a
 body of professional criminals, were the original masters of the State of Amber or Jaipur,
-the Rajput kingdom of which was founded by Dhole Rao about A.D. 967 aftrr subduing the  Minas.
+the Rajput kingdom of which was founded by Dhole Rao about A.D. 967 after subduing the  Minas.
 Tod also states that in Jaipur the Minas are still the most numerous tribe, and possess large
 immunities and privileges ; formerly the tika of sovereignty was marked by blood taken from
-the groat toe of a Mfna of Kalikbo, another token, as I intejiret it, of the ancient sovereignty of
+the great toe of a Mina of Kalikbo, another token, as I interpret it, of the ancient sovereignty of
 the tribe. Meos are often mentioned, although not in Gurgaon, as Mina Meos : and in the
-*' older Mnhammadan historians and in Tod, I find expeditions against their country spoken of as
+older Muhammadan historians and in Tod, I find expeditions against their country spoken of as
 expeditions against the Mawasat, and in later time as against the Mawas. These facts incline
 me to the belief that the Meos are such of the aborginal Mrna population of the Aravalli bills as

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 often included under the term Mewatti — were, during the Muhammadan period of power, always
 notorious for their turbulence and predatory habits: however, since their complete subjection by
-Bakhtnwar Singh and Banni Singli (during the first-half of this century), who broke up the
+Bakhtnwar Singh and Banni Singh (during the first-half of this century), who broke up the
 large turbulent villages into a number of small hamlets, they have become generally well
-behaved ; but they return to their former habits when opportimity occurs.
+behaved ; but they return to their former habits when opportunity occurs.
 In 1857 they assembled, burnt state ricks, carried of cattle, &c., but did not succeed in
@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 they likewise observe the Janamashtami, Dusehra and Diwali. They often keep Brahmin priests
 to write the  pili chitti or note fixing the date of a marriage. They call themselves by Hindu
-names, with the exception of   Ram j' and ' Singh ' is a frequent affix though not as common as
+names, with the exception of   'Ram;' and ' Singh ' is a frequent affix though not as common as
 ' Khan.'