_Banjara, Wanjari, Lahana, Mukeri_. [173]--The caste of carriers and
drivers of pack-bullocks. In 1911 the Banjaras numbered about 56,000
persons in the Central Provinces and 80,000 in Berar, the caste being
in greater strength here than in any part of India except Hyderabad,
where their total is 174,000. Bombay comes next with a figure
approaching that of the Central Provinces and Berar, and the caste
belongs therefore rather to the Deccan than to northern India. The
name has been variously explained, but the most probable derivation
is from the Sanskrit _banijya kara_, a merchant. Sir H. M. Elliot
held that the name Banjara was of great antiquity, quoting a passage
from the Dasa Kumara Charita of the eleventh or twelfth century. But
it was subsequently shown by Professor Cowell that the name Banjara
did not occur in the original text of this work. [174] Banjaras are
supposed to be the people mentioned by Arrian in the fourth century
B.C., as leading a wandering life, dwelling in tents and letting out
for hire their beasts of burden. [175] But this passage merely proves
the existence of carriers and not of the Banjara caste. Mr. Crooke
states [176] that the first mention of Banjaras in Muhammadan history
is in Sikandar's attack on Dholpur in A.D. 1504. [177] It seems
improbable, therefore, that the Banjaras accompanied the different
Muhammadan invaders of India, as might have been inferred from the
fact that they came into the Deccan in the train of the forces of
Aurangzeb. The caste has indeed two Muhammadan sections, the Turkia
and Mukeri. [178] But both of these have the same Rajput clan names
as the Hindu branch of the caste, and it seems possible that they may
have embraced Islam under the proselytising influence of Aurangzeb,
or simply owing to their having been employed with the Muhammadan
troops. The great bulk of the caste in southern India are Hindus,
and there seems no reason for assuming that its origin was Muhammadan.