The Mali are an occupational caste found among the Hindus who traditionally worked as gardeners and florists. They also call themselves Phul Mali due to their occupation of growing flowers. The Mali are found throughout North India, East India as well as the Terai region of Nepal and Maharashtra.
Malis in western India (c. 1855-1862).
Iravati Karve, an anthropologist, showed how the Maratha caste was generated from Kunbis who simply started calling themselves "Maratha". She states that Maratha, Kunbi and Mali are the three main farming communities of Maharashtra – the difference being that the Marathas and Kunbis were "dry farmers" whereas the Mali farmed throughout the year.[3]
There are many endogamous groups within Malis. Not all Mali groups have the same origin, culture, history or social standing and there is at least one group - the Rajput Mali, from Rajasthan - that overlaps with Rajputs and was included under the Rajput sub-category in the 1891 State Census Report for Marwar.[1][a]
Adoption of the surname Saini
The Mali community of Rajasthan state adopted the surname Saini during the 1930s when India was under British colonial rule.[2][3]
Mali caste of Maharashtra
Jyotirao Phule,19th century social reformer
The Mali of Maharashtra are a caste of cultivators specializing in horticulture.[4] The caste is concentrated in five districts of Western Maharashtra and a district in the Vidarbha region.[5] They traditionally made their living by cultivating fruit, flowers and vegetables.[6][7] There are many different sub-castes depending on what the sub-group cultivated, for example, the Phul mali were florists, the Jire mali grew jire or cumin, and halde mali cultivated Halad(turmeric) etc.[8][9] In the 20th century, the mali have been the pioneers in using irrigation to grow cash crops such as sugar cane and in establishing farmer owned sugar mills.[10] This led later in the century of wide spread cultivation of sugarcane in Western Maharashtra by other communities as well as the establishment hundreds of sugar mills in Maharashtra and other regions of India.[11][12]
Social activism & politics
The 19th century social reformer, Jyotirao Phule belonged to the Mali community.His work extended to many fields including eradication of untouchability and the caste system, and women's emancipation. He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of education for women and Dalits in India. The couple was among the first native Indians to open a school for girls of India. He also founded a home for pregnant Hindu brahmin widows who were cast out by their families.[13] In 1873, Phule, along with his followers, formed the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Seekers of Truth) to attain equal rights for people from lower castes. Other Mali such as Gyanoba Sasane and Narayan lokhande were leading members and financial supporters of the Samaj in its early years.[14] Lokhande has been called the father of trade Unionism in India.[15]
The Mali in Nepal
The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Mali as a subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste.[16] At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 14,995 people (0.1% of the population of Nepal) were Mali. The frequency of Malis by province was as follows:
^Aggarwal, Partap C (1966). "Problems of Cultural Integration A Muslim Sub-Caste of North India". Economic and Political Weekly. 1 (4): 159–161. JSTOR 4356925. ...the Malis (ie gardners who call themselves Saini now)..
^"At the time of 1941 Census most of them got registered themselves as Saini (Sainik Kshatriya) Malis." pp 7, Census of India, 1961, Volume 14, Issue 5 , Office of the Registrar General, India.
^Gail Omvedt (18 June 1993). Reinventing Revolution: New Social Movements and the Socialist Tradition in India. M.E. Sharpe. p. 336. ISBN978-0-7656-3176-3.
^Christophe Jaffrelot; Sanjay Kumar; Rajendra Vora (4 May 2012). Rise of the Plebeians? The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. p. 217. ISBN978-1-136-51662-7.
^Dr. S. L. PATIL. EXPORT OF IMPORTANT FRUIT CROPS OF MAHARASHTRA Volume-I. Lulu.com. p. 5. ISBN978-1-365-92369-2.
^Rosalind O'Hanlon (22 August 2002). Caste, Conflict and Ideology: Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Low Caste Protest in Nineteenth-Century Western India. Cambridge University Press. p. 105. ISBN978-0-521-52308-0.
^Govind Sadashiv Ghurye (1969). Caste and Race in India. Popular Prakashan. p. 38. ISBN978-81-7154-205-5.
^Maxine Berntsen (1 January 1988). The Experience of Hinduism: Essays on Religion in Maharashtra. SUNY Press. p. 343. ISBN978-0-88706-662-7.
^Lalwani, Mala (2008). (PDF). The Journal of Development Studies. 44 (10): 1474–1505. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 January 2014.
^Attwood, D.W., 2010. How I Learned To Do Incorrect Research. Economic and Political Weekly, pp.37-44.[1]
^Donald W. Attwood; D W Attwood (16 September 2019). "The Bombay Deccan: Cane & Gul production". Raising Cane: The Political Economy Of Sugar In Western India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN978-1-00-030891-4.
^O'Hanlon2002, p. 135. sfn error: no target: CITEREFO'Hanlon2002 (help)
^Bhadru, G. (2002). "Contribution of Satyashodhak Samaj to the Low Caste Protest Movement in 19th Century". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 63: 845–854. JSTOR 44158153.
^Pandit, Nalini (1997). "Narayan Meghaji Lokhande: The Father of Trade Union Movement in India". Economic and Political Weekly. 32 (7): 327–329. JSTOR 4405089.
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April 19, 2023
mali, caste, mali, occupational, caste, found, among, hindus, traditionally, worked, gardeners, florists, they, also, call, themselves, phul, mali, their, occupation, growing, flowers, mali, found, throughout, north, india, east, india, well, terai, region, ne. The Mali are an occupational caste found among the Hindus who traditionally worked as gardeners and florists They also call themselves Phul Mali due to their occupation of growing flowers The Mali are found throughout North India East India as well as the Terai region of Nepal and Maharashtra Malis in western India c 1855 1862 Iravati Karve an anthropologist showed how the Maratha caste was generated from Kunbis who simply started calling themselves Maratha She states that Maratha Kunbi and Mali are the three main farming communities of Maharashtra the difference being that the Marathas and Kunbis were dry farmers whereas the Mali farmed throughout the year 3 Contents 1 Mali of Northern india 2 Adoption of the surname Saini 3 Mali caste of Maharashtra 3 1 Social activism amp politics 4 The Mali in Nepal 5 ReferencesMali of Northern indiaThere are many endogamous groups within Malis Not all Mali groups have the same origin culture history or social standing and there is at least one group the Rajput Mali from Rajasthan that overlaps with Rajputs and was included under the Rajput sub category in the 1891 State Census Report for Marwar 1 a Adoption of the surname SainiThe Mali community of Rajasthan state adopted the surname Saini during the 1930s when India was under British colonial rule 2 3 Mali caste of Maharashtra Jyotirao Phule 19th century social reformer The Mali of Maharashtra are a caste of cultivators specializing in horticulture 4 The caste is concentrated in five districts of Western Maharashtra and a district in the Vidarbha region 5 They traditionally made their living by cultivating fruit flowers and vegetables 6 7 There are many different sub castes depending on what the sub group cultivated for example the Phul mali were florists the Jire mali grew jire or cumin and halde mali cultivated Halad turmeric etc 8 9 In the 20th century the mali have been the pioneers in using irrigation to grow cash crops such as sugar cane and in establishing farmer owned sugar mills 10 This led later in the century of wide spread cultivation of sugarcane in Western Maharashtra by other communities as well as the establishment hundreds of sugar mills in Maharashtra and other regions of India 11 12 Social activism amp politics The 19th century social reformer Jyotirao Phule belonged to the Mali community His work extended to many fields including eradication of untouchability and the caste system and women s emancipation He and his wife Savitribai Phule were pioneers of education for women and Dalits in India The couple was among the first native Indians to open a school for girls of India He also founded a home for pregnant Hindu brahmin widows who were cast out by their families 13 In 1873 Phule along with his followers formed the Satyashodhak Samaj Society of Seekers of Truth to attain equal rights for people from lower castes Other Mali such as Gyanoba Sasane and Narayan lokhande were leading members and financial supporters of the Samaj in its early years 14 Lokhande has been called the father of trade Unionism in India 15 The Mali in NepalThe Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Mali as a subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste 16 At the time of the 2011 Nepal census 14 995 people 0 1 of the population of Nepal were Mali The frequency of Malis by province was as follows Madhesh Province 0 2 Bagmati Province 0 0 Gandaki Province 0 0 Koshi Province 0 0 Lumbini Province 0 0 Karnali Province 0 0 Sudurpashchim Province 0 0 The frequency of Malis was higher than national average 0 1 in the following districts 17 Mahottari 0 3 Rautahat 0 3 Bara 0 2 Dhanusha 0 2 Parsa 0 2 Saptari 0 2 Sarlahi 0 2 ReferencesNotes The census operations of the British Raj were however unreliable Citations Action sociology and development pp 198 Bindeshwar Pathak Concept Publishing Company 1992 Aggarwal Partap C 1966 Problems of Cultural Integration A Muslim Sub Caste of North India Economic and Political Weekly 1 4 159 161 JSTOR 4356925 the Malis ie gardners who call themselves Saini now At the time of 1941 Census most of them got registered themselves as Saini Sainik Kshatriya Malis pp 7 Census of India 1961 Volume 14 Issue 5 Office of the Registrar General India Gail Omvedt 18 June 1993 Reinventing Revolution New Social Movements and the Socialist Tradition in India M E Sharpe p 336 ISBN 978 0 7656 3176 3 Christophe Jaffrelot Sanjay Kumar Rajendra Vora 4 May 2012 Rise of the Plebeians The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies Routledge p 217 ISBN 978 1 136 51662 7 Dr S L PATIL EXPORT OF IMPORTANT FRUIT CROPS OF MAHARASHTRA Volume I Lulu com p 5 ISBN 978 1 365 92369 2 Rosalind O Hanlon 22 August 2002 Caste Conflict and Ideology Mahatma Jotirao Phule and Low Caste Protest in Nineteenth Century Western India Cambridge University Press p 105 ISBN 978 0 521 52308 0 Govind Sadashiv Ghurye 1969 Caste and Race in India Popular Prakashan p 38 ISBN 978 81 7154 205 5 Maxine Berntsen 1 January 1988 The Experience of Hinduism Essays on Religion in Maharashtra SUNY Press p 343 ISBN 978 0 88706 662 7 Lalwani Mala 2008 Sugar Co operatives in Maharashtra A Political Economy Perspective PDF The Journal of Development Studies 44 10 1474 1505 Archived from the original PDF on 17 January 2014 Attwood D W 2010 How I Learned To Do Incorrect Research Economic and Political Weekly pp 37 44 1 Donald W Attwood D W Attwood 16 September 2019 The Bombay Deccan Cane amp Gul production Raising Cane The Political Economy Of Sugar In Western India Taylor amp Francis ISBN 978 1 00 030891 4 O Hanlon2002 p 135 sfn error no target CITEREFO Hanlon2002 help Bhadru G 2002 Contribution of Satyashodhak Samaj to the Low Caste Protest Movement in 19th Century Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 63 845 854 JSTOR 44158153 Pandit Nalini 1997 Narayan Meghaji Lokhande The Father of Trade Union Movement in India Economic and Political Weekly 32 7 327 329 JSTOR 4405089 Population Monograph of Nepal Volume II 2 2011 Nepal Census District Level Detail Report Bibliography Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mali caste Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mali caste amp oldid 1149352078, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
