Chunvalia Koli

The Chunvalia,^[1] or Chuvalia,^[2] Chunwalia^[3] is a subcaste of the Koli caste, found in the Indian state of Gujarat.^[4][5] The Chunvalia Kolis were the first Indian caste to adopt the game of cricket in India.^[6] Chunvalia Kolis were classified as a Criminal Tribe under Criminal Tribes Act by government of the British Raj because of their purported anti-social behaviour and activities, such as alleged dacoity in Gujarat.^[7] During the First World War, Chunwalia Kolis were enlisted as soldiers in British Indian Army by the Bombay government of British India.^[8]

Chunvalia Koli ચુંવાલિયા કોલી
Subcaste of Koli caste
Koli population in 1931 including Chunvalia Kolis of Bombay Presidency
Location	Gujarat Daman and Diu
Varna	Kshatriya (warrior)^[citation needed]
Parent caste	Koli people
Population	8,185 In Baroda State^[relevant?] in the census of 1931^[needs update]
Demonym	Chunvalia Koli (also rendered: Chunvaliya Chunwalia Chunwaliya Chuvalia Chuvaliya Chuwalia Chuwaliya)
Language	Wadiyara Koli language, other Koli languages Gujarati Hindi English
Religion	Hinduism (majority) Islam (minority)
Surnames	(or titles): Thakor Pagi Kotwal Darbar

Origin

Traditionally, Chunvalia Kolis are said to be from the forty-four villages (Chunvalis) of Chunval Pradesh of Gujarat,^[9] which was ruled by Makwana Koli landlords. Their name is believed to have arisen from this possible origin.^[10] Chunvalia Kolis are mostly found in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat.^[11]

History

Raiding

During the reign of Gujarat Sultanate, the Chunvalia Kolis, under their chief or petty ruler, were viewed as "the most turbulent caste" and plundered the villages inhabited by Muslims. They killed the Viceroy of the Sultanate, so Sahib Khan was appointed as Viceroy. Azam Khan displaced him because the depredations of Kolis had become frequent during the weak rule of the viceroy Sahib Khan.^[12] At this time Shaista Khan marched against and defeated the Chunwalia Kolis, who, since Azam Khan's time, had been ravaging the villages round Ahmadabad as well as those of Dholka, Kadi and Viramgam.^[13]

Unrest under the Raj

The Chunvalia Kolis were agriculturists. In the 19th century, as their land holdings and access to livelihoods decreased, they troubled the British Raj; it viewed their activities as antisocial. The Chunvalia Kolis were labeled an outlaw caste of Gujarat.^[14] The government of the Bombay Presidency sent British Indian Army troops suppress the Chunvalia Kolis; the Chunvalia Kolis resisited these troops.^[15]

In 1814, there was general unrest in Gogha between the superior and inferior landowners owing to an unequal value of land revenue assessment and the arrogant attitude of land proprietors. As a result, an unceasing struggle was going on between them. So Chuvalia Koli chiefs attacked and plundered the villages and created a disturbance in territories under the control of the British Raj.^[16] They again revolted in the northeast of Ahmedabad district in 1819, 1824 and 1825. The British colonial authorities sent troops to suppress the Koli revolt, and the Koli jagirdars were forced to give securities to villagers.^[17] Chuvalia Kolis also made disorder in the Daskroi Taluka, Viramgam and Prantij before they were once again suppressed.^[18]

In the early 20th century, in Baroda State, Chunvalia Kolis were primarily found in the Kadi district. Fifty years earlier, they were looked upon as "the terror of North Gujarat", according to colonial-era ethnographers. These accounts relate how, led by their chiefs, Thakardas or Girasias, they lived in villages protected by impassable thorn fences from where they levied contributions from the surrounding districts.^[19]

Occupations and classification

The Chunvalia Kolis, in common with the Koli people as a whole, were once considered a "criminal caste" prone to dacoity, as designated by Raj authorities, for purportedly engaging in such crimes as highway and gang robberies, theft of livestock and crops, murder and blackmail. Such designations, categorising entire social groups as they did, resulted from the scientific racism of the day, with its related erroneous theories of biological determinism, along with political considerations of colonial rule.^[20] Since the turn of the twentieth century, Chunvalia Kolis have mainly been engaged in cultivation^[21] and other agrarian activities. They were traditionally considered skilled salt makers, a craft in which the whole family would be employed.^[22]

The Government of Gujarat classified the caste of the Chunvalia Kolis as Other Backward Class (OBC). They are traditionally non-vegetarian.^[23]

Clans

Prominent clans of Chunvalia Kolis include:^{[24][failed verification]}

• Barania
• Baria Koli
• Chauhan
• Chavda or Chawda
• Dabhi
• Dabsara (Dabasara)
• Dadhrecha
• Degama
• Derwaria
• Detroja
• Dudakiya
• Dudhrejia
• Indria
• Jarvariya
• Jhala
• Jhinjhuwadia (Zinzuwada)
• Kagadia
• Kanjariya
• Kansagra
• Kararia
• Karelia
• Kathechia
• Katosna
• Khawadia
• Khokhalia
• Kobia
• Koladra
• Kordia
• Kukadia
• Kuretia
• Makwana
• Masen
• Nandesalia
• Padalia
• Panchsara
• Panaria
• Parmar
• Ranwadia
• Rodatla
• Rojasra
• Santola
• Sarla
• Sarwala
• Savadia
• Shihora
• Sitapra
• Solanki (clan)
• Solgama
• Suryavanshi
• Surela
• Talsania
• Thakor
• Unatia
• Ughrejia
• Udesa
• Vadhlegia
• Vastapra
• Varshdiya
• Wadesa
• Zinzuwada (Jhinjhuwadia)

Titles

A number of titles are used by Chunvalia Kolis of Gujarat. These include:

• Thakor,^[25] used by Chunvalia Kolis who ruled over any principalities or was chief of villages or rich and high koli families.
• Pagi,^[26] used by Chunvalia Kolis who served as a detective for rulers or any chief.
• Girasia,^[27] used by Chunvalia Kolis, amongst others, who ruled or controlled a giras (a land grant or jagir), granted to them by a ruler or chief.

References

1. Desai, Ishwarlal Pragji (1965). Some Aspects of Family in Mahuva: A Sociological Study of Jointness in a Small Town. New Delhi: Asia Publishing House. p. 233. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022. Thus, the Kolis of the coastal areas in Gujarat have mainly come to be known as Agaria. Today the Agarias have become a separate caste. They marry their daughters with other Kolis except the Chunvalia Koli
2. "An assembly seat in Gujarat where the Koli society decides to win, not the political party". All Gujarat News. 21 July 2020. from the original on 21 June 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
3. Shah, Ghanshyam (1975). Caste Association and Political Process in Gujarat: A Study of Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha. New Delhi: Popular Prakashan. p. 13. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
4. Gaurang Jani (7 September 2007). "A community called Koli -". Indian Express. from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
5. Dave, Hiral (6 November 2012). "Numbers on their side, Kolis call for a better deal". The Indian Express. Rajkot. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
6. Drew, John (6 December 2021). "The Christmas the Kolis took to cricket". The Daily Star. from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
7. Shah, Popatlal Govindlal (1967). Vimukta Jatis: Denotified Communities in Western India. New Delhi: Gujarat Research Society. p. 20. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
8. A Short Record of Bombay Recruiting During the Great War. New Delhi: Printed at the Government Central Press. 1919. p. 17. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
9. Chahel, Paramjot Singh (30 October 2015). Undisclosed Facts of Tribal Life. New Delhi: Partridge Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4828-3834-3. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
10. Williams, Raymond Brady; Trivedi, Yogi (12 May 2016). Swaminarayan Hinduism: Tradition, Adaptation, and Identity. New Delhi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-908959-8. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
11. Jain, Jyotindra (1980). Folk Art and Culture of Gujarat: Guide to the Collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat. New Delhi: Shreyas Prakashan; Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat. p. 133. from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022. [I]n Saurashtra, there are five branches of Koli caste: Khant, Talpada, Valakia, Chunvalia and Gedia
12. Rajyagor, S. B. (1982). History of Gujarat. New Delhi: S. Chand. p. 20. from the original on 13 February 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
13. Watson, John Whaley (1876). History of Gujarat, Musalman Period, A.D. 1297-1760. Gujarat, British India: Government Central Press. p. 75. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
14. Beck, Brenda E. F.; Claus, Peter J.; Goswami, Praphulladatta; Handoo, Jawaharlal (15 April 1999). Folktales of India. New Delhi: University of Chicago Press. p. 315. ISBN 978-0-226-04083-7. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
15. Ghurye, Govind Sadashiv (1957). The Mahadev Kolis. New Delhi: Popular Book Depot. p. 1. from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
16. Nand, Brahma (2003). Fields and Farmers in Western India, 1850-1950. New Delhi: Bibliomatrix. p. 748. ISBN 978-81-901964-0-6. from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
17. Mishra, Jai Prakash; Sinha, Ram Mohan (1991). Aspects of Indian History: Professor Ram Mohan Sinha Commemoration Volume. New Delhi: Agam Kala Prakashan. p. 93. from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
18. Patel, Govindlal Dalsukhbhai (1969). The Land Revenue Settlements and the British Rule in India. New Delhi: Gujarat University. p. 29. from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
19. A Glossary of Castes, Tribes, and Races in the Baroda State. Baroda State: Baroda State library. 1912. p. 17. from the original on 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
20. • Nigam, Sanjay (June 1990). "Disciplining and policing the 'criminals by birth', Part 1: The making of a colonial stereotype— The criminal tribes and castes of North India". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 27 (2): 131–164. doi:10.1177/001946469002700201. S2CID 144018398.
    • Nigam, Sanjay (September 1990). "Disciplining and policing the 'criminals by birth', Part 2: The development of a disciplinary system, 1871-1900". The Indian Economic & Social History Review. 27 (3): 257–287. doi:10.1177/001946469002700302. S2CID 145441031.
    • Cole, Simon A. (2009). "Native Prints". Suspect Identities: A History of Fingerprinting and Criminal Identification. Harvard University Press. pp. 60–96. ISBN 978-0-674-02968-2.^{: p. 67}
21. Gall, Timothy L.; Hobby, Jeneen (2009). Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. New Delhi: Gale Publications. p. 505. ISBN 978-1-4144-4891-6. from the original on 21 August 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
22. Bharwada, Charul; Mahajan, Vinay (April 2008). Yet To Be Freed: Agariyas' Lives and Struggle for Survival in the Little Rann of Kutch. National Consultation on Salt Workers, India. Ahmedabad: Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute, SANDARBH Studies. p. 6. (Link to Yet to be Free report PDF file, via Mongabay.)
23. Shah, Amrita (17 November 2021). "Big picture: Who's eating meat in Gujarat, and why ban non-veg food stalls from public roads in Ahmedabad, Vadodara". Moneycontrol. from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
24. Roy, Shibani (1983). Koli Culture: A Profile of the Culture of Talpad Vistar. New Delhi: Cosmo Publications. p. 98. from the original on 17 April 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
25. Tambs-Lyche, Harald (31 December 1996). Power, Profit, and Poetry: Traditional Society in Kathiawar, Western India. New Delhi: Manohar Publishers & Distributors. p. 130. ISBN 978-81-7304-176-1. from the original on 11 May 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022. Thakarda or Thakor is the title assumed by the higher families, rich or royal families among the Chunvalia Kolis of Viramgam, who are said to be the common Kolis of Cutch and to be found in Palanpur and in the Mahi Kantha
26. Silverberg, James (1962). Peasant Behavior and Its Caste-relevancy: The Kolis of Kasandra. New Delhi: University of Wisconsin–Madison. pp. 31–32. from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
27. Enthoven, Reginald Edward (1924). The Folklore of Bombay. Oxford; New Delhi; Madras: Clarendon Press. p. 175. [1990 reprint by Asian Educational Service]. Retrieved 5 February 2024. Shakta (or Shakti). This is a Girasia goddess attended upon by a Chunvalia Koli. On the Navaratra days, as well as on the following day, Girasias worship this goddess, and if necessary observe vows in her name.