Meena

Meena (pronounced [miːɳa]) is a tribe from northern and western India which is sometimes considered a sub-group of the Bhil community.^[5][6] It used to be claimed they speak Mina language, a

The Meenas were originally a

The Meenas claim a mythological descent from the Matsya avatar, or fish incarnation, of Vishnu.^[13] They also claim to be descendants of the people of the Matsya Kingdom, which flourished in the 6th century B.C.^[14] The historian Pramod Kumar notes that it is likely that the tribes living in the ancient Matsya kingdom were called Meena but it cannot be said with certainty that there is anything common between them and the modern Meenas. They are considered to be adivasi (aboriginal people).^[15]

Nandini Sinha Kapur, a historian who has studied early India, notes that the oral traditions of the Meenas were developed from the early 19th century AD in an attempt to reconstruct their identity. She says of this process, which continued throughout the 20th century, that "The Minas try to furnish themselves a respectable present by giving themselves a glorious past". In common with the people of countries such as

The Raj colonial administration came into existence in 1858, following the

In the 1840s, Meenas organized a huge movement in Jaipur under the leadership of Lakshminarayan Jharwal against the British rule, which was a Meena rebellion against the British government.[26]

Recent history

Kumar Suresh Singh notes that the Meenas have not abandoned their customary laws^[27] Meenas have better rights for women in many respects compared to many other Hindu castes.^[28]

Caste reservation

The Meena fall into the

In Rajasthan, the Meena caste members oppose the entry of Gurjars into Scheduled Tribe fold, fearing that their own share of Scheduled Tribe reservation benefits will be eroded.^[31]

It is believed by media that the well-off Meena community enjoy a major share of ST reservation at the cost of other tribals.^[32][33]

Subdivisions

The Meenas themselves are also a sub-group of Bhils.^[34]

The Meena tribe is divided into several clans and sub-clans (adakhs), which are named after their ancestors. Some of the adakhs include Ariat, Ahari, Katara, Kalsua, Kharadi, Damore, Ghoghra, Dali, Doma, Nanama, Dadore, Manaut, Charpota, Mahinda, Rana, Damia, Dadia, Parmar, Phargi, Bamna, Khat, Hurat, Hela, Bhagora, and Wagat.^[15]

Bhil Meena is another sub-division among the Meenas. As part of a sanskritisation process, some Bhils present themselves as Meenas, who hold a higher socio-economic status compared to the Bhil tribal people.^[35]

A sub-group known as "Ujwal Meena" (also "Ujala Meena" or "Parihar Meena") seek higher status, and claim to be Rajputs, thus distinguishing themselves from the Bhil Meenas. They follow vegetarianism, unlike other Meenas whom they designated as "Mailay Meena".^[36]

Other prevalent social groupings are Zamindar Meena and the Chaukidar Meena. The Zamindar Meena, comparatively well-off, are those who surrendered to powerful Rajput invaders and settled on the lands believe to be granted by the Rajputs. Those who did not surrender to Rajput rule and kept on waging guerrilla warfare are called the Chaukidar Meena.^[37]

Culture

There is a custom in the Meenas to perform Pitra Tarpan after taking a collective bath on the day of

According to the

• Rajasthani people
• Susawat

References