Kanjar.--A name applied somewhat loosely to various small communities
of a gipsy character who wander about the country. In 1911 about
1000 Kuchbandhia Kanjars were returned in the Province. In Berar
the Kanjars seem to be practically identical with the Sansias;
Major Gunthorpe [301] gives Kanjar and Sansia as alternative names
of the same caste of criminals, and this is also done by Mr. Kennedy
in Bombay. [302] Mr. Kitts writes of them: [303] "The Deccani and
Marwari Kanjars were originally Bhats (bards) of the Jat tribe;
and as they generally give themselves out to be Bhats are probably
not included at all among the Kanjars returned at the census. They
are a vagrant people, living in tents and addicted to crime. The
women are good-looking; some are noted for their obscene songs,
filthy alike in word and gesture; while others, whose husbands play
on the sarangi, lead a life of immorality. The men are often skilful
acrobats." And in another passage: [304] "The Sansia family or the
'Long Firm' of India includes two principal divisions represented in
Berar by the Kanjars and Kolhatis respectively. They will eat, drink
and smoke together, and occasionally join in committing dacoity. They
eat all kinds of meat and drink all liquors; they are lax of morals
and loose of life." Now in northern India the business of acting as
bards to the Jats and begging from them is the traditional function
of the Sansias; and we may therefore conclude that so far as Berar
and the Maratha Districts are concerned the Kanjars are identical
with the Sansias, while the Kolhatis mentioned by Mr. Kitts are the
same people as the Berias, as shown in the article on Kolhati, and
the Berias themselves are another branch of the Sansias. [305] There
seems some reason to suppose that these four closely allied groups,
the Kanjar or Sansia, and the Kolhati or Beria, may have their origin
from the great Dom caste of menials and scavengers in Hindustan and
Bengal. In the Punjab the Doms are the regular bards and genealogists
of the lower castes, being known also as Mirasi: "The two words are
used throughout the Province as absolutely synonymous. The word Mirasi
is derived from the Arabic miras or inheritance; and the Mirasi is
to the inferior agricultural castes and the outcaste tribes what
the Bhat is to the Rajputs." [306] In the article on Sansia it is
shown that the primary calling of the Sansias was to act as bards and
genealogists of the Jats; and this common occupation is to some extent
in favour of the original identity of the two castes Dom and Sansia,
though Sir D. Ibbetson was not of this opinion. [307] In the United
Provinces Mr. Crooke gives the Jallad or executioners as one of the
main divisions of the Kanjars; [308] and the Jallads of Umballa are
said to be the descendants of a Kanjar family who were attached to
the Delhi Court as executioners. [309] But the Jallad or supwala is
also a name of the Doms. "The term Jallad, which is an Arabic name
for 'A public flogger,' is more especially applied to those Doms who
are employed in cities to kill ownerless dogs and to act as public
executioners." [310] Mr. Gayer states that as the result of special
inquiries made by an experienced police-officer it would appear that
these Jallad Kanjars are really Doms. [311] In Gujarat the Mirs or
Mirasis are also known as Dom after the tribe of that name; they
were originally of two classes, one the descendants of Gujarat Bhats
or bards, the other from northern India, partly of Bhat descent and
partly connected with the Doms. [312] And the Sansias and Berias in
Bombay when accompanied by their families usually pass themselves
off as Gujarati Bhats, that is, bards of the Jat caste from Marwar
or of the Kolis from Gujarat. [313] Major Gunthorpe states that the
Kolhatis or Berias of Berar appear to be the same as the Domras of
Bengal; [314] and Mr. Kitts that the Kham Kolhatis are the Domarus of
Telingana. [315] In writing of the Kanjar bards Sherring also says:
"These are the Kanjars of Gondwana, the Sansis of northern India; they
are the most desperate of all dacoits and wander about the country
as though belonging to the Gujarati Domtaris or showmen." The above
evidence seems sufficient to establish a prima facie case in favour
of the Dom origin of these gipsy castes. It may be noticed further
that the Jallad Kanjars of the United Provinces are also known as
Supwala or makers of sieves and winnowing-fans, a calling which belongs
specially to the Doms, Bhangis, and other sweeper castes. Both Doms
and Bhangis have divisions known as Bansphor or 'breaker of bamboos,'
a name which has the same signification as Supwala. Again, the deity
of the criminal Doms of Bengal is known as Sansari Mai. [316]