Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia

Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia, also known as Gurjar Kadia[1]/ Gujjar Kadia,[2] and Kadia Kshatriya are a Hindu stone-cutter community mostly in Gujarat and Maharashtra.[1][2][3] [4]They are artisan community, occupation is masonry work and are related to larger artisan group of Kadias.

Distribution

They are found in Saurashtra region of Gujarat specifically in the districts of Junagadh, Vadodara, Surat, Amreli and Jamnagar. They are said to have founded thirty six villages in the Halar Region of Jamnagar district.

Outside, Gujarat, community members live mainly in Maharashtra[1] in cities of Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur.[5] The community members also live in Dhanbad, Jharia and Kolkata.

Further, the migrant population is found in East Africa[6]

Work

Traditionally, the community is involved in masonry works i.e. Kadia works and are expert architects and builders. They are generally involved in construction works, brick making and stone shaping and masonry works. However, with increase of literacy, the young generations are now also involved in services and other jobs.

Religion and customs

The community follows Hindu rituals and Hindu gods and goddess. They worship Lord Swaminarayan, Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Vishwakarma, the Hindu presiding deity of all craftsmen and architects[7] and their Kuladevata and Shurapuras. The community members attend the Shivaratri festival held at Junagadh - Girnar in large numbers, where the community also owns a large dharamshala.[8]

The Hindu rites of marriage are followed and they are an endogamous community who practice the principle of clan exogamy. Mass community marriages are held during Vasant Panchami since more than last two decades beginning in year 1986.[9]

Recent news

The community was in news when in 2008, the two boys of their community studying in Ashram run by Asaram Bapu at Ahmedabad were found dead in mysterious circumstances alleged to be victim of some tantric practices, which created a huge uproar not only in Gujarat but whole of India and they demanded CBI probe in death of the boys of their community.[10][11][12]

In 2013, the community meeting took place at Chikhli[13] and in 2014, the whole community voted to elect new leader at a gathering at Fatsar near Una.[14]

See also

References
  1. "List of Other Backward Class Castes (OBCs) - Maharashtra". Archived from the original on 2015-04-25. Retrieved 2015-03-01.
  2. List of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes declared by Gujarat State
  3. Kadia, Gurjar Ksahtriya Kadia, Gurjar Kadia Encyclopaedia of Backward Castes By Neelam Yadav Page 264, 316
  4. Saraswati, Baidyanath. Pottery-making Cultures and Indian Civilization. Abhinav Publications. p. 56.
  5. "કડિયા પ્રીમિયર લીગનું ચૅમ્પિયનપદ પુણેની બૅચલર બૉય્સ ટીમે જીતી લીધું". Jagran. Midday.com. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  6. Kenya Gazette 3 May 1966. 1966. p. 461.
  7. "ગોંડલમાં વિશ્વકમૉ જયંતી નિમિત્તે શોભાયાત્રા Procession being taken out on Vishwakarma Jayanti". Divya Bhaskar. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  8. "જૂનાગઢની આર્થિક કરોડરજજુ શિવરાત્રિનો મેળો : પાંચ દિવસમાં રૂ.રપ કરોડનો લાભ Junagadh's economic backbone - Girnar Shivaratri fair - generates income of 25 crores in five days". Sandesh. 18 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  9. "ગુર્જર ક્ષત્રિય સમાજનો સમૂહલગ્નોત્સવ યોજાશે 25th Mass marriage function to be held by Gurjar Kshatriya community". Divya Bhaskar. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  10. Divya Bhaskar (2009-09-08). "ગુર્જર ક્ષત્રિય કડિયા સમાજ આસારામ બાપુનો વિરોધ કરશે". wn.com. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  11. "Gurjjar Kshatriya Samaj demands CBI probe into Asaram Ashram whodunit". Express India. 18 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 January 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  12. "ગુર્જર ક્ષત્રિય કડિયા સમાજમાં આક્રોશ Gurjar Kshatriya Kadia community shows their anguish". Sandesh. 15 July 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
  13. "ગુર્જર ક્ષત્રિય કડિયા સમાજ દ્વારા પ્રતિભા સન્માન સમારોહ યોજાયો". Sandesh. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  14. "ગુર્જર ક્ષત્રિય કડિયા સમાજ સમસ્‍ત હાલાર વિભાગ મોટીનાતના પ્રમુખપદે નરેન્‍દ્રભાઇ સોલંકી". Akila news.com. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
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