Kumhar
Encyclopedia
Kumhar or Kumbhar; also known as Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

, is a caste or community of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, mainly belonging to the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 religion. The word "Kumhar" literally means "potter
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

" in Indian languages, pottery being the traditional occupation of the Kumhars.

In Hindu mythology, Kumhars are said to have descended from the Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

, the son of the Hindu god Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

, and hence are referred to as Prajapatis. There are also other stories about them being called Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

. In Shiv Purana while Narad Ji listens Shiv Tatva from God Brahma, he calls God Brahmaji as Prajapati so Brahmaji himself is also a Prajapati.

The Kumhar community is found throughout North India in the states of Punjab
Punjab (India)
Punjab ) is a state in the northwest of the Republic of India, forming part of the larger Punjab region. The state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the east, Haryana to the south and southeast and Rajasthan to the southwest as well as the Pakistani province of Punjab to the...

, Himachal, Western Uttar Pradesh
Western Uttar Pradesh
Western Uttar Pradesh, sometimes simply referred to as West U.P., is a region in India that comprises the western districts of Uttar Pradesh state, including the areas of Rohilkhand and Braj. The region has some demographic, economic and cultural patterns which are distinct from other parts of...

, Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...

, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...

, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

, Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

 and Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

.

Traditionally, the Kumhars have been the followers of the Dharmic religions (especially Hinduism), but many of them adopted Islam after the Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent
Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent
Muslim conquest in South Asia mainly took place from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though earlier Muslim conquests made limited inroads into the region, beginning during the period of the ascendancy of the Rajput Kingdoms in North India, from the 7th century onwards.However, the Himalayan...

.

Mythological origin of kumhars/Prajapatis

The Kumhars or Kumbhars or rehmani derive their name from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 word Kumbhakar meaning earthen pot maker. They are also known as Kumbhar(Marathi)Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

, Prajapat, Kumhar, Ghumiyar, Ghumar, Kumbhkaar . Today, the Kumhar caste is mainly found in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

 and Punjab, Bijnor
Bijnor
Bijnor variously spelt as Bijnaur and Bijnour, is a city and a municipal board in Bijnor district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India...

(U.P.) (India). Some Prajapatis/Kumhars trace the origin of their community to the beginning of civilization when the man started using utensils to prepare and eat food. They Kumhars consider themselves to be the starters of the world's first industry (pottery).

All sons of Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

 were known to be Prajapatis. There are subcasts that are common in Kumhars and Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...

s. Brahmans are claimed to be offspring of Prajapatis. and Four varnas are developed by Brahmans within themselves but since Kumhars/Prajapatis were there from even before word Brahmins came to existence so they consider themselves different from varnas/Caste system.They say themselves to be different from the caste system and clain them to be higher than all varnas and castes.

In Hindu mythology, the Kumhars are the descendants of Lord Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

 Daksha, son of Lord Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

. Therefore, they are also known as Prajapati. Daksha Prajapati was a great scholar of Yajur Veda. After being given a prestigious rank by Brahma, he decided to perform a great yagna. He invited rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...

s, muni
Rishi Muni
Rishi [Hindi/Sanskrit:ऋषि] is an ascetic, who is devoted to religious activities. He is devoted to religious activities.In ancient times Kings were guided by Rishis as Raaj Dharma was also considered a part of Dharma....

s, deva
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...

s and Brahmins to the yagna. On his arrival to the yagna mandap, all of these stood up in respect, except Brahma and Shankar
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. Prajapati became angry at the apparent disrespect and declared that Shankar will not be allowed to take part in the Yagna. Shankar's gate keeper, Nandi cursed all Brahmins that were there that their entire lineage will live in pity of others and will eat what others will give and will also be Demon-Brahins. and hence many infants of Brahmins will become malicious in kaliyuga. But Kumhars were even then called Prajapatis and so there is no such curse given to this holy honest hardworking high system called Kumhar.Daksha also seem to be given same curse but Shiv purana tells that all Sons of Daksha were told Muki Marga and they become Mukta. This story of kumhars to be infants of only Prajapati Daksha seem to be false. But because prajapatis have surnames such as attris/bhardwaj/gautam/dhadhich etc., so they may be infants who did not study Vedas but worked hard so, those who studied Vedas, become Brahmins and who worked hard become Kumhars.

According to a Hindu mythology, the first Kumbh (earthen pot) was a gift from the Gods. When the gods and the demons were churning the ocean
Samudra manthan
In Hinduism, Samudra manthan or Ksheera Sagara Mathanam, Churning of the Ocean of Milk is one of the most famous episodes in the Puranas...

 for nectar, there was no vessel to collect the ambrosia. That is when Vishwakarma, the heavenly builder, picked up some earth and shaped it into a pot. Some other Kumhar myths claim this to be their first creation. Another mythological story says that when Lord Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

 was about to marry Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...

, he realised he had forgotten the water pot integral for the ceremony. Therefore, he gave a part of his skin for clay to Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

, the god of creativity, to make a pot. And Parvati
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...

 gave her blood to decorate the pot. That is when the first kumbh
Kumbh
Kumbh is a type of pot in India, also known as Ghada, Matka or Kalash. Traditionally, it is made by the Kumhars .- Mythological origin :...

(earthen pot) was created and Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

 became the first Kumhar (potter
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

). In some temples in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

, only a Kumhar can do the worship not the Brahmins. The classification of Kumhars in the Hindu varna system differs from region to region.

The Kumhars of Nabha
Nabha
Nabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district to the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. In 1998, the annual income of Nabha state was Rs 1,50,000/-.- Princely State of Nabha :...

 claim descent from Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

 in the following lines:

Punjabi:

ਰਾਮ ਜਾਤ ਕਾ ਰੰਗੜਾ, ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਨ ਜਾਤ ਅਹੀਰ
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਜਾਤ ਘੁਮਾਰ ਹੈ, ਸ਼ਿਵ ਕੀ ਜਾਤ ਫ਼ਕੀਰ


Hindi

राम जाति का रंगड़ा, कृश्न जाति अहीर
ब्रम्हा जाति किम्हार है, शिव जाति फ़कीर


Translation:

Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...

 is a Rajput, Krishna
Krishna
Krishna is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship of the Bhagavad Gita. He is the supreme Being and considered in some monotheistic traditions as an Avatar of Vishnu...

 is Ahir
Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

 is a Kumhar by caste and Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

 is faqir

Kumhars/Prajapatis Bridge between Indian and American civilizations

Indian Potters/Kumhar/Prajapati make a bridge between India and America as it is assumed that Indians entered America around 30,000 BC and the art of pottery gone with them.

Traditional tools of Kumhars

  • CHAKK(ਚੱਕ)(चाक): wheel (Manual/Automatic/Semiautomatic)

{It is thought that Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

ji is himself present on Chakk so it is worshiped on all occasions by all Hindu castes. But nowadays this tradition is lost somewhere}
  • GHIRNIYAN(ਘਿਰਨੀਆਂ)(घिरनीयां): Designing tools
  • SOOT/SOOTRA(ਸੂਤ)(सूत्र): To cut the made pot from the chak
  • THATTHU(ਥੱਥੂ)(थत्थू): External support to the raw material
  • THAPI(ਥਾਪੀ)(थापी): Internal supporting organ
  • MOOLI(ਮੂਲ਼ੀ)(मूल़ी): Refining tool for soil (by beating it into small pieces)
  • CHALLAKAD(ਚਲੱਕੜ)(चलक्कड़): To rotate the wheel using a rod; the rod is called Challakad
  • SANCHA(ਸੱਚਾ)(सांचा): (SACCHA in Punjabi) is a dye to make Handis
  • AAWA (ਆਵਾ)(भट्ठी-आवा): a hearth/kiln for raw material finalizing.

Arts products of Kumhars

  • Chatti
  • Taudi
  • Kujje
  • Gahde/Kumbh
    Kumbh
    Kumbh is a type of pot in India, also known as Ghada, Matka or Kalash. Traditionally, it is made by the Kumhars .- Mythological origin :...

    /Kalash
  • Chilamns
  • Kanalian
  • Gamle
  • AAthrian
  • Karhnian
  • Deeve/Diye
  • Jhanven
  • Chappan
  • Koonde
  • Chhikyale
  • Surahi
  • Kulhar
    Kulhar
    A kulhar or kulhad, sometimes called a shikora, is a traditional handle-less terracotta cup from North India and Pakistan that is typically unpainted and unglazed, and meant to be disposable. Since kulhars are made by firing in a kiln and are almost never reused, they are inherently sterile and...

  • Dila

  • Ranbir Singh Gangwa first Rajysabha MP from Kumhar community
  • Ramniwas Ghodela prajapati Haryana MLA
  • Ramesh Lal
    Ramesh Lal
    Ramesh Lal Motwani: , popularly called Ramesh Lal is a Pakistani politician in the Pakistan Peoples Party. He belongs to Pakistan's Hindu community. He is a Prajapati family member.-Early life:...

     M.P. Pakistan First Hindu M.P.
  • Gurbax Singh Malhi - First Turbaned M.L.A. of Indian origin in Canada
  • Raja Shalivahan (Satvahan) - A Marathi King who conquered ruled for many years. He started the 'Shak
    Shak
    Shak is a 2004 film directed by Shaheer Azizi, depicting events in the life of an Afghan man living in Pakistan....

    ' calendar by his name which is used at present also in Deccan, Karnataka and many regions of India.
  • Wodeyar dynasty - The ruler of mysore.
  • Professor Sut Jhally
    Sut Jhally
    Satvinder "Sut" Jhally , is a professor of Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is one of the world’s leading experts on cultural studies, advertising, media, and consumption. He is the producer of 40+ documentaries on media literacy topics and the founder and executive...

    /Sut Jhalli
    Jhalli
    -Origin:Jhalli originally is developed from word chalhi= chalak of chak . They are Yadavas and Kshatriyas First jhalli in history is Prime minister of King Janaka in Ramayana times who was a Prajapati.-Meanings of Word Jhalli:...

    , Professor of Communication Famous wrotter in University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Sri.Dommata Venkatesh Kummara - A famous humanist,Journalist
  • Saint Gora Kumbhar
    Gora Kumbhar
    Sant Gora Kumbhar was one of the notable Kumhar/prajapati saints in history. He was a Maharashtra based saint.Sant Gora Kumbhar and other saints also wrote and sung hundreds of Abhangs. The central ideology of this sect was chanting of Namas-kirtana daily. This sampardaya attached least importance...

    , one of the very first Saints in Maharastra and India.
  • Saint Raka Kumbhar, Famous saint from pandharpur at the time of Shri Sant Gora Kumbhar
  • Waman Kumbhar
    Waman Kumbhar
    Waman Kumbhar was one of the first devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi. He was a Kumbhar and used to make pots and sell them in locality.-Religional & Regional Notability:...

    , one of Sai Baba's first few devotees.
  • Rajinder Singh Jr.
    Rajinder Singh Jr.
    Sir Rajinder Singh Jr. Best Known as Rajinder Sir by field hockey players, is field hockey Coach and player of Indian field hockey.-Birth and Life:...

     Dronacharya award winner.
  • Mahapajapati Gotami
    Mahapajapati Gotami
    Mahāpajābatī Gotamī was the first woman to request ordination from the Buddha and to join the Saṅgha...

    , one of first buddhishts
  • Saint Kuba Kumbhar, a famous poet from bengal.
  • Kallu Kumhar, maker of sculptors of a famous story(Kallu Kumhar Ki unnakoti)
  • Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar
    Ratnappa Kumbhar
    Dr. Ratnappa Bharamappa Kumbhar , also called Deshbhakt Ratnappa Kumbhar, was an Indian independence activists from Ichalkaranji, who actively participated in the Indian independence movement. He was one of the persons to sign the Final Draft of the Constitution of India along with B. R. Ambedkar...

    , Member of Parliament from kolhapur.
  • Nawab Kumhar
    Nawab Kumhar
    Nawab Kumhar Inayat Kotiis the name of Punjabi Prajapati/Kumhar singer who has written /directed and sung a lot of Punjabi songs. He born in Pakistan Punjab and become favourite singer of many at the age of 20 in Lahore Radio in 1933...

    Punjabi singer of old times
  • Asa Singh Mastana
    Asa Singh Mastana
    Asa Singh Mastana was a Punjabi musician and singer, best known for lending his voice to the hit Bollywood film Heer...

    , Punjabi Folk Singer/Artist
  • Surinder Kaur
    Surinder Kaur
    Surinder Kaur , was an Indian singer and songwriter. She sang mainly Punjabi folk-songs, where she is credited for pioneering and popularising the genre and later was known as the ‘Nightingale of Punjab’; she also sang some Hindi movie songs, between 1948-1952.In an illustrious spanning nearly six...

    , Punjabi Folk Singer/Artist
  • Dolly Guleria
    Dolly Guleria
    Dolly Guleria is a renowned Punjabi folk singer, born in Bombay on Baisakhi day. She's the daughter of the late Surinder Kaur, popularly known as ‘The Nightingale of Punjab’.-Career:...

    , Punjabi Folk Singer/Artist
  • Arjun Prajapati
    Arjun Prajapati
    Arjun Prajapatiis an Indian artisan known for his work on pottery.He is a receiver of Padma ShriAward in 2010He hails from Rajasthan.-References:...

    , the award winning personality of Rajasthan
  • Roshan Prince, singer
  • Deepika Prajapati
    Deepika Prajapati
    Deepika Prajapati is a young Indian athlete who competes in the event of Archery. She was born in the city of Ranchi, in the state of Jharkhand, India. She is a budding archer and a huge prospect for India in the upcoming London Olympics 2012. She won gold medal in the 2010 Commonwealth games in...

    , winner of Gold Medal in International youth Archery
    Archery
    Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...

     in USA.
  • Subhash Ram Prajapati
    Subhash Ram Prajapati
    Subhash Ram Prajapati is an artist, writer, researcher, and scholar in Nepalese Culture. He has authored a number of research articles and books on Nepalese culture.-Family background and childhood:...

    , artist, writer, researcher, and scholar in Nepalese Culture
  • Sunil Prajapati
    Sunil Prajapati
    Sunil Prajapati is a Nepalese politician, belonging to the Nepal Workers Peasants Party.In the 1999 parliamentary election Prajapati contested the Bhaktapur-2 seat. He finished second with 13432 votes....

    , politician
  • Mohanlal Chaturbhuj Kumhar
    Mohanlal Chaturbhuj Kumhar
    Mohanlal Chaturbhuj Kumhar is an artisan of Rajasthan .He won Shilp Guru award in 2003 for his skills in terracotta sculpture .Born in 1939 he is resident of Nathdwara ....

    , awarded Shilpguru award in 2003
  • Shobha Ram Kumawat: alwar union menister played important role in education
  • Shri Kewal Ram Prajapat, an expert in the craft of weaving of Dari (Durries) and Carpets received the State level Master Craftsman Award from Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation Limited for the year 1992-93.
  • Shri Ram Chandar Prajapat Master Craftsman Award from Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation 2006-07
  • Shri Narpat Prajapat Master Craftsman Award from Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation 2006-07
  • Shri Mohan Kumar Prajapati Master Craftsman Award from Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation 1996-97
  • Madan lal prajapat Rajasthan MLA
  • Usha Prajapati: Famous Social activist, environmentalist,Textile Designer National/International personality
  • Shreebai Mataji : Gurumata of Bhakt Prahlad
  • M. R. Prajapati
    M. R. Prajapati
    Mansukhbhai Raghavjibhai Prajapati is a famous rural innovator in India known for his earthen clay based functional products like:# Mitticool# Non Stick Clay Tawa# Low cost water filter...

    : Famous in world for product: mitticool/Nonstick wares and Clay products
  • Mian Munir rahmani ex MNA in Pakistan
  • khurshid mehmood kasuri ex foreign minister of Pakistan

The Sohni in the famous Punjabi legend Sohni Mahiwal
Sohni Mahiwal
Sohni Mahiwal and is included in seven popular tragic romances from Sindh and Baluchistan. The other six are Momal Rano, Umar Marvi, LiLa Chanesar, Noori Jam Tamachi, Sassi Punnun and Dhaj, Ror Kumar commonly known as Seven Queens of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai...

 was a Kumhar. Sohni was killed because the Kumhars don't accept the marriage of their daughters in other castes as Prajapati/Kumhar is supposed to be the highest caste. In Punjab when Shri Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh is the tenth and last Sikh guru in a sacred lineage of ten Sikh gurus. Born in Patna, Bihar in India, he was also a warrior, poet and philosopher. He succeeded his father Guru Tegh Bahadur as the leader of Sikhs at a young age of nine...

 found the Khalsa
Khalsa
+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...

 Panth, one of the first Khalsa Sikhs (the Panj Piare
Panj Piare
The Panj Piare , name given to the five Sikhs, Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, Bhai Mohkam Singh and Bhai Sahib Singh, who were so designated by Guru Gobind Singh at the historic divan at Anandpur Sahib on 30 March 1699 and who formed the nucleus of the Khalsa as the first...

s), Bhai Himmat Singh
Bhai Himmat Singh
Bhai Himmat Singh , one of the Panj Pyare, or the Five Beloved, celebrated in Sikh history, was born in 1661 at JagannathPuri in a Jhinwar/Mehra family . He came to Anandpur at the young age of 17, and attached himself to the service of Guru Gobind Singh...

, was a Ghumiar/Kumhar family in the water-supply business. In the word Harry potter, potter means a Kumhar. The Khokhar Kumhar of Madhya Pradesh, who did the wooden work over ages, fought like wariors in the 1857 uprising against the British.


The first ever rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty
Rhinoplasty , also nose job, is a plastic surgery procedure for correcting and reconstructing the form, restoring the functions, and aesthetically enhancing the nose, by resolving nasal trauma , congenital defect, respiratory impediment, and a failed primary rhinoplasty...

 recorded by the British in India was performed by an unknown Kumhar vaidya in the Maratha territory
Maratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....

. This account was published in the Gentleman's Magazine in 1794.

Kumhar Groups of Rajashthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra

According to some books, the Kumhar community in Gujrat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra; is further divided into six sub-divisions, including:
  1. Mathera
  2. Kumavat
  3. Marwara
  4. Timiria
  5. Mawalia


Each of these groups specialize in a particular form of earthwork.

Kumhars of Punjab and Haryana

The Hindu Kumhars of the south-east Punjab are divided into two main groups: Gola and Mahr; traditionally, the Golas were considered superior in the caste hierarchy. Some Mahrs in Jind claim to be the pure descendants of the sage Kuba (or Kubha) Bhagat.

Apart from Mahrs and Golas, there are also other minor Kumhar groups. For example, Hanslin, Tannr, Mali and Raj Kumhar. The Raj Kumhars traditionally worked as the masons and thus held a superior position in the caste hierarchy.

In Gurdaspur, the Hindu Ghumars are divided into two groups, one claiming descent from Raja Sain Pal, a Rajput, who had seven sons:
  1. Ghuman
    Ghuman
    Ghuman are a Rajput tribe, found in Pakistan and Northern Indian States of Punjab and Haryana. Ghumman is a Chandravanshi Rajput clan of Janjua Rajput lineage in Punjab that claims Lunar origin by direct descent from Raja Sanpal Janjua of Janjua Rajput ancestry...

  2. Ojha
    Ojha
    The term Ojha is a surname for Saraswat Brahmin and Saryu Pareen\Kanyakubj Brahmin castes of India and Nepal. The term is used amongst speakers of Hindi, Oriya and Bengali, as well as amongst the Santhals. This term has been derived from Sanskrit over time. Literal translations vary, but one such...

  3. Tatla/Tatra
  4. Machchana
  5. Kahlon – Who become a cultivator thus a jat by caste
  6. Haljhal - Who become potters
  7. Tak
    Tak
    Tak or TAK may refer to:Places*Places in Thailand:* Tak Province* Tak * Tak district, a.k.a Amphoe Mueang Tak*Other places:* Tak, Azerbaijan, a.k.a. Dağdöşü* Tak, a former kingdom in India, a.k.a...

  8. Kukoo Mahroliya from jamalpur
  9. Musilm Ku

mhar of Haryana
The descendants of Tak and Haljhal don't marry within themselves because they were true brothers.

The Kumhars of Haryana

The Kumhars of Sirsa are divided into the Jodhpuria, from Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...

, who use the furnace or bhathi and are generally mere potters, and the Bikaneri or Desi, from Bikaner who use kilns (pajawas), but are chiefly agricultural and look down upon the potter's occupation as degrading. In Hissar there are four nondescript groups, the Bidawati, Magrochi, Nagori
Nagori
Nagori is an Ox breed from Rajasthan, India and is useful for agricultural purposes....

 and Bhandia and others. All those appear to be really different tribes and not separate clans of one and the same tribe or caste, as, though all smoke and eat together, they will not inter-marry. Of these the first-named smoke with Jaats, and take wives from the Rugrachi, but will not give them wives in return (this is called batta). Other groups mentioned in accounts from this District are the Gola
Gola (tribe)
Gola is a Baloch tribe in Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh provinces of PakistanMost of the Golas speak Balochi while minority speak Sindhi and Saraiki . They live in Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Sibi in Balochistan and Kamber Khan, Jacobabad and Larkana in Sindh...

, Maru and Mula, all three distinct and will not intermarry. But the other accounts make the Gola
Gola
Gola may refer to:Groups and tribes:*Gola , in Balochistan, Pakistan*Gola people, a tribal people and language in Liberia*Gola , native to south-east Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Western Uttar Pradesh regions of IndiaPlace names:...

 the same as Maru and Bidwati identical with the Megrechi. Several of the Knmhar tribes have abandoned pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

 and taken to agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 as an occupation and thus risen in social scale. Other territorial Groups of Hindu Kumhars are:
  1. Bagri or Marwari
    Marwaris
    Marwari or Marwadi or Rajasthani people are Indian ethnic group, that inhabit the Rajasthan region of India. Their language Rajasthani is a part of the western group of Indo-Aryan languages....

  2. Bangar(u) a sub-caste, found in Kapurthala, originally immigrants from Bangar
  3. Desi


Occupationally, the Bagri group is also sub-divided into Khapmarus or agriculturists and Khapbandas or potters, which form sub-castes, as they do not intermarry, or eat or smoke together. They avoid four gots in marriage. The Marwariss of Bagar use camels at a wedding, as they keep camels instead of donkeys. Besides Guga, they also affect Jin Devi, whose surine is on a hill near Jaipur. Fairs are held there on the 8th and 9th sudi of Chait and Asauj. The Marwari-Desi groups appear to he found only in Jind, and in Sialkot.

Kumhars of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab

The Kumhars ol Kangra appear, however, to be also known as Desi, and their women wear gold nose-rings. Their gots are Danial, Gan-gotra and Sonal. In Maler Kotla the Pajawagars are said to be Desi, there being no Marwaris in the State, and this Desi group is further sub-divided into Mahars and Golas. In Jind these two sub-divisions of the Desi group are also found, the Mahar being also called Maru.

Kumhars of Madhya Pradesh

Hathretie and Chakretie (or Challakad) Kumhars are found in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

 and refer to themselves as Prajapati. Hathretie Kumhars are called so because they traditionally moved the "chak" (potter's wheel) by hands ("hath"). Gola is a common surnames among Kumhars in Madhya Pradesh

Kumhars of Pakistan

A huge population of Kumhars settled in Pakistan. They have two kinds 1: Muhajer and 2: Locals.Majority of Kumhars in Pakistan are Muslim. Muhajer Kumhars are migrate from India in 1947 after partition. They have many Gotars/Surnames and they are Hindi speaking like Haeyanvi Bangar(u) a sub-caste, found immigrants from Bangar Haryana, India. Some of the tribes are Punjabi speaking who have migrate from Indian Punjab. They are commonly called Rehmani. The title of Rehmani is adapted after partition by Muhajar Kumhars but Local Kumhars also adopted this title.Local Kumhars are ancient people of Punjab and Sindh and there is no concept of caste system in Blochistan and Kheber Pakhtonkha, where they are in majority (N.W.F.P).

Common Kumhar/Prajapati surnames

The Punjabi
Punjabi people
The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the...

 Kumhars/Prajapati
Prajapati
In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

s have the following common surnames (many of these surnames are also found in Kumhar communities):

Channi,Sokhal,Malhi,Jassal,Jhally,Muduli,kahlon,Dhundi

Present circumstances

The Kumhars have almost shun their business but some kept it alive - there are Kumhars in the Indian continent that export their items around world. It is said that Kumhars have never their agricultural land but nowadays they have a lot of bought by them.

The Kumhar maintain gotra exogamy and community endogamy. Their traditional occupation remains pottery, but many are now Higher Educated and are farmers also. The community are Hindus of the Shaivite
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...

 sect.

See also

  • Prajapati
    Prajapati
    In Hinduism, Prajapati "lord of creatures" is a Hindu deity presiding over procreation, and protector of life. He appears as a creator deity or supreme God Viswakarma Vedic deities in RV 10 and in Brahmana literature...

  • Shorgir
    Shorgir
    - Origin :The Shorgir are a community of Kumhar ancestry, who have taken to salt-making. They get their name from the Hindi word shora, which means salt. The Shorgir are said to have originated in Rajasthan, and over time spread to Haryana and Punjab...

  • Pottery
    Pottery
    Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...

  • Potter
    Potter
    A potter is someone who makes pottery.It can also mean "to move about aimlessly", especially in the phrases "potter around" and "potter about".Potter may also refer to:*Potter , includes a list of people with the surname-Places:...

  • Prajapati Clans
    Prajapati Clans
    Prajapatis/Kumhars are all over the world and are doing businesses and giving art to the world also they are agriculturists. There are certain clans of them:The Punjabi Kumhars have the following surnames :,...

  • Kadia Kumbhar
    Kadia Kumbhar
    Kadia Kumbhar are a minority Hindu community found in Gujarat State of India. They generally speak Gujarati language. They are one the Backward Classes of Gujarat. Their total population is estimated to be only 11,000....

  • Vataliya Prajapati
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK