Koli
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From The Tribes And Castes Of The Central Provinces Of India
By R. V. Russell
Of The Indian Civil Service
Superintendent Of Ethnography, Central Provinces
Assisted By Rai Bahadur Hira Lal, Extra Assistant Commissioner
Macmillan And Co., Limited, London, 1916.
NOTE 1: The 'Central Provinces' have since been renamed Madhya Pradesh.
NOTE 2: While reading please keep in mind that all articles in this series have been scanned from the original book. Therefore, footnotes have got inserted into the main text of the article, interrupting the flow. Readers who spot these footnotes gone astray might like to shift them to their correct place.
Koli
A primitive tribe akin to the Bhlls, who are notice of residents of the western Satpura hills. They have the the C3.St6 honorific title of Naik. They numbered 36,000 persons in 1911, nearly all of whom belong to Berar, with the exception of some 2000 odd, who live in the Nimar District. These have hitherto been confused with the Kori caste. The Koris or weavers are also known as Koli, but in Nimar they have the designation of Khangar Koli to distinguish them from the tribe of the same name.
The Kolis proper are found in the Burhanpur tahsll, where most villages are said to possess one or two families, and on the southern Satpura hills adjoining Berar. They are usually village servants, their duties being to wait on Government officers, cleaning their cooking-vessels and collecting carts and provisions. The duties of village watchman or kotwar were formerly divided between two officials, and while the Koli did the most respectable part of the work, the Mahar or Balahi carried baggage, went messages, and made the prescribed reports to the police. In Berar the Kolis acted for a time as guardians of the hill passes.
A chain of outposts or watch towers ran along the Satpura hills to the north of Berar, and these were held by Kolis and Bhlls, whose duties were to restrain the predatory inroads of their own tribesmen, in the same manner as the Khyber Rifles now guard the passes on the North-West Frontier. And
again along the Ajanta hills to the south of the Berar valley a tribe of Kolis under their Naiks had charge of the ghats or gates of the ridge, and acted as a kind of local militia paid by assignments of land in the villages. 1 In Nimar the Kolis, like the Bhlls, made a trade of plunder and dacoity during the unsettled times of the eighteenth century, and the phrase ' Nahal, Bhll, Koli ' is commonly used in old Marathi documents to designate the hill- robbers as a class.
The priest of a Muhammadan tomb in Burhanpur still exhibits an imperial Parwana or intimation from Delhi announcing the dispatch of a force for the sup- pression of the Kolis, dated A.D. 1637. In the Bombay Presidency, so late as 1 804, Colonel Walker wrote : " Most Kolis are thieves by profession, and embrace every oppor- tunity of plundering either public or private property." 2 The tribe are important in Bombay, where their numbers amount to more than 1^- million.
It is supposed that the common term ' coolie ' is a corruption of Koli,3 because the Kolis were usually employed as porters and carriers in western India, as ' slave ' comes from Slav. The tribe have also given their name to Colaba.4 Various derivations have been given of the meaning of the word Koli,5 and according to one account the Kolis and Mairs were originally the same tribe and came from Sind, while the Mairs were the same as the Meyds or Mihiras who entered India in the fifth century as one of the branches of the great White Hun horde.
" Again, since the settlement of the Mairs in Gujarat," the writer of the Gujarat Gazetteer continues, " reverses of fortune, especially the depression of the Rajputs under the yoke of the Muhammadans in the fourteenth century, did much to draw close the bond between the higher and middle grades of the warrior class. Then many Rajputs sought shelter among the Kolis and married with them, leaving descendants who still claim a Rajput descent and bear the names of Rajput families. Apart from this, and probably as the result of an original sameness of race, in some parts of Gujarat and Kathiawar 1 Lyall's Berar Gazetteer, pp. 103-5. 4 Bombay City Census Report (1901) 2 Kathiazvar Gazetteer, p. 140. (Edwards). 3 Crooke's edition of Hobson-Jobson, ° Gujarat Gazetteer, p. 238. art. Koli.
intermarriage goes on between the daughters of Talabda Kolis and the sons of Rajputs." Thus the Thakur of Talpuri Mahi Kantha in Bombay calls himself a Pramara Koli, and explains the term by saying that his ancestor, who was a Pramara or Panwar Rajput, took water at a Koli's house. 1 As regards the origin of the Kolis, however, whom the author of the Gujarat Gazetteer derives from the White Huns, stating them to be immigrants from Sind, another and perhaps more probable theory is that they are simply a western outpost of the great Kol or Munda tribe, to which the Korkus and Nahals and perhaps the Bhlls may also belong. Mr. Hlra Lai suggests that it is a common custom in Marathi to add or alter so as to make names end in i. Thus Halbi for Halba, Koshti for Koshta, Patwi for Patwa, Wanjari for Banjara, Gowari for Goala ; and in the same manner Koli from Kol.
This supposition appears a very reasonable one, though there is little direct evidence. The Nimar Kolis have no tradition of their origin beyond the saying — Siva ki jholi Us men ka Koli, or ' The Koli was born from Siva's wallet' In the Central Provinces the tribe have the five sub- divisions of Surajvansi, Malhar, Bhilaophod, Singade, and the Muhammadan Kolis.
The Surajvansi or ' descendants of the sun ' claim to be Rajputs. The Malhar or Panbhari sub- tribe are named from their deity Malhari Deo, while the alternative name of Panbhari means water-carrier. The Bhilaophod extract the oil from bhilwa 2 nuts like the Nahals, and the Singade {sing, horn, and gadna, to bury) are so called because when their buffaloes die they bury the horns in their compounds. As with several other castes in Burhanpur and Berar, a number of Kolis embraced Islam at the time of the Muhammadan domination and form a separate subcaste. In Berar the principal group is that of the Mahadeo Kolis, whose name may be derived from the Mahadeo or Pachmarhi hills.
This would tend to connect them with the Korkus, and through them with the Kols. They are divided 1 Golden Book of India, s.v. 2 Semecarpus anacardium, the marking-nut tree. divisions.
into the Bhas or pure and the Akaramase or impure Kolis. 1 In Akola most of the Kolis are stated to belong to the Kshatriya group, while other divisions are the Naiks or soldiers, the begging Kolis, and the Watandars who are probably hereditary holders of the post of village watchman.2 The tribe have exogamous septs of the usual nature, but 3. Exo- they have forgotten the meaning of the names, and they |f™°onS . cannot be explained.
In Bombay their family names are the same as the Maratha surnames, and the writer of the Ahmadnagar Gazetteer 3 considers that some connection exists between the two classes. A man must not marry a girl of his own sept nor the daughter of his maternal uncle. Girls are usually married at an early age. A Brahman is employed to conduct the marriage ceremony, which takes place at sunset : a cloth is held between the couple, and as the sun disappears it is removed and they join hands amid the clapping of the assembled guests. Afterwards they march seven times round a stone slab surrounded by four plough-yokes.
Among the Rewa Kantha Kolis the boy's father must not proceed on his journey to find a bride for his son until on leaving his house he sees a small bird called devi on his right hand ; and consequently he is sometimes kept waiting for weeks, or even for months. When the be- trothal is arranged the bridegroom and his father are invited to a feast at the bride's house, and on leaving the father must stumble over the threshold of the girl's door ; without this omen no wedding can prosper.4 The remarriage of widows is permitted, and the ceremony 4 . widow- consists simply in tying a knot in the clothes of the couple ; ^"J^rce. in Ahmadabad all they need do is to sit on the ground while the bridegroom's father knocks their heads together. 5 Divorce is allowed for a wife's misconduct, and if she marries her fellow delinquent he must repay to the husband the expenses incurred by him on his wedding. Otherwise the caste committee may inflict a fine of Rs. 100 on him and put him out of caste for twelve years in default of payment, and order one side of his moustache to be shaved. In Gujarat 1 Kitts, Berar Census Report ( 1 88 1 ), s I'- 1 97- p. 131. 4 Hindus of Gujarat, I.e. 2 Akola Gazetteer (Mr. C. Brown), 6 Indian Antiquary, vol. iii. p. p. 116. 236.
a married woman who has an intrigue with another man is called savdsan, and it is said that a practice exists, or did exist, for her lover to pay her husband a price for the woman and marry her, though it is held neither respectable nor safe.
In Ahmadabad, if one Koli runs away with another's wife, leaving his own wife behind him, the caste committee sometimes order the offender's relatives to supply the bereaved husband with a fresh wife. They produce one or more women, and he selects one and is quite content with her.
5. Reii- The Kolis of Nimar chiefly revere the goddess Bhawani, §lon - and almost every family has a silver image of her. An im- portant shrine of the goddess is situated in Ichhapur, ten or twelve miles from Burhanpur, and here members of the tribe were accustomed to perform the hook-swinging rite in honour of the goddess. Since this has been forbidden they have an imitation ceremony of swinging a bundle of bamboos covered with cloth in lieu of a human being. 6. Disposal The Kolis both bury and burn the dead, but the former practice is more common.
They place the body in the grave with head to the south and face to the north. On the third day after the funeral they perform the ceremony called Kandhe kanchJina or ' rubbing the shoulder.' The four bearers of the corpse come to the house of the deceased and stand as if they were carrying the bier. His widow smears a little glii (butter) on each man's shoulder and rubs the place with a small cake which she afterwards gives to him. The men go to a river or tank and throw the cakes into it, afterwards bathing in the water. This ceremony is clearly designed to sever the connection established by the contact of the bier with their shoulders, which they imagine might otherwise render them likely to require the use of a bier themselves.
On the eleventh day a Brahman is called in, who seats eleven friends of the deceased in a row and applies sandal -paste to their foreheads. All the women whose husbands are alive then have turmeric rubbed on their foreheads, and a caste feast follows. 7. Social The Kolis eat flesh, including fowls and pork, and drink rules. 1 Bombay Gazetteer, Hindus of ~ Indian Antiqtiary, vol. iii. p. Gujarat, p. 250. 236. of the dead.
liquor. They will not eat beef, but have no special reverence for the cow. They will not remove the carcase of a dead cow or a dead horse. The social status of the tribe is low, but they are not considered as impure, and Gujars, Kunbis, and even some Rajputs will take water from them. Children are named on the twelfth day after birth. Their hair is shaved in the month of Magh following the birth, and on the first day of the next month, Phagun, a little oil is applied to the child's ear, after which it may be pierced at any time that is convenient.
Highlights
Introduction / History
The term Koli means fisherman. According to legend the Koli claim to be descendents from the Black Dwarf that came forth from the body of King Vena. Numbering more than 12 million, they are one of the largest communities of western India. The Koli constitute of a number of communities with various occupations and cultural identities while still remaining Koli. As their name implies, fishing is common. Some are laborers, agriculturists, water carriers, boatmen and some raise animals. Some Koli have advanced education and have positioned themselves well within society and government, but the majority live within the lower strata of society.
What Are Their Lives Like?
The Koli live mostly in the villages and towns of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. They live the simple life of agriculturalists. However, as technology has entered into the life of most people they are also aware of the life available in the city and have experienced a few of the material benefits that can be obtained.
What Are Their Beliefs?
Nearly all of Koli are Hindu while a very few practice Islam. The eldest son inherits the father's authority. The Koli cremate their dead and practice death pollution for eleven days. The Koli worship Guar Mati and Holi Mata among other deities of Hinduism. They also believe in ghosts and spirits. Depending on the region, they will celebrate the Namiya festival associated with fishing as well as Karbha, Bahan and other common festivals. A Brahmin priest will officiate at religious activities as well as rituals associated with the cycles of life.
Prayer Points
- Scripture Prayers for the Koli (Hindu traditions) in India.
Ask God that workers will be sent to every district and village.
Pray that God will raise up Koli evangelists that will have a heart to reach their own.
Pray that God will send film teams that will present the life and death of Jesus.
- Pray that the God who has set eternity in their hearts will prepare their hearts for the Gospel.
In Gujarat
Gaurang Jani, September 7, 2007: The Indian Express
Apart from the upper caste Patidars, another major group that has challenged the supremacy of the Modi government is the OBC Koli community, estimated to constitute over 22 per cent the state's population. The ruling party may find the going tough in elections later this year if significant sections of the Patidars and Kolis drift away from it.
The Kolis are evenly spread across all regions of the state. Socially, they are divided into several sub-sections like Chumadia Koli, Tadapada Koli, Patanvadia Koli, Baria Koli, Thakor Koli and Koli Patel. Occupationally, there are two sections: sea-based Kolis (those settled in the long coastal belt and engaged in fishing activities) and land-based Kolis (small and marginal farmers and landless labourers). According to the state OBC commission, there are 136 castes identified as OBC and the Kolis constitute around 40 per cent of the total OBC population. In Saurashtra, which sends 58 out of 182 members in the assembly, Patidars and Kolis together dominate 45 seats. Politically, the Kolis were traditional voters of the Congress till 1998 (see table). In fact, this group was an important constituent of KHAM, a social alliance the Congress engineered in the state from the mid-70s to mid-80s.
For the Kolis, KHAM brought upward social mobility and they acquired the status of Kshatriya (deemed to be OBCs in Gujarat). For the Congress, it was a powerful strategy to counter the domination of the upper castes. Madhavsinh Solanki, who implemented KHAM, belongs to the OBC Kshatriyas.
However, with the rise of Hindutva forces in the state, the BJP began actively wooing the Kolis in the mid-80s. Two important leaders, Shankersinh Vaghela, an upper caste Rajput but who has always allied with the OBC castes, and Somabhai Patel, presently a dissident MP from Surendranagar, played a vital role in weaning Kolis and other OBC communities from the Congress. Somabhai was the first Koli MLA to be voted on a BJP ticket in the 1985 assembly polls.
A significant section of the Kolis moved to the BJP in the 1990s. In the 1998 assembly polls, the BJP fared very well in Koli dominated seats; and that performance improved in the 2002 assembly polls. But though numerically important, the community has remained under-represented in proportion to its numerical strength in the BJP regime. Under the Hindutva umbrella, they have been dominated by upper castes like the Patidars. Despite being the largest OBC community, the number of Koli MLAs has not crossed 30 while the Patidars have always achieved larger representation in the BJP.
More importantly, unlike the Patidars who have a strong sense of social identity, the Kolis have remained divided along regional lines. For example, the Kolis of Saurashtra went over to the BJP early while the Thakor and Baria Kolis of north and central Gujarat have been loyal to the Congress.
In recent times, the Kolis seem to have realised the importance of political power. Perhaps this explains the growing clout of leaders like Parshottam Solanki.
Solanki, a minister in the Modi government, was a former gangster of the Mumbai underworld and was indicted by the Srikrishna Commission for the Bombay riots. He joined the BJP before the 1998 Assembly polls and during the 2002 assembly election, he was the only leader after Modi to be provided a chopper by the BJP for campaigning in Koli dominated areas of the state.
At present, most of the Koli leaders in the BJP — except Solanki and his brother Hirabhai — are at loggerheads with Modi. Dissident MP Somabhai has organised all the Koli leaders from the BJP and Congress on to a common platform against Modi. Though Modi has tried to divide the community, he has not succeeded so far.
