Kanjar

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The Kanjari language is spoken mostly by the Kanjari people. Kanjari is a lesser-known Indo Aryan language, but almost all also speak Punjabi and Urdu.^[1]

History[]

In the Colonial period, Kanjaris were listed under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, as a tribe "addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offenses."^[2]

Present circumstances[]

India[]

The Kanjari were denotified in 1952, when the Criminal Tribes Act was replaced by the Habitual Offenders Act, but the community carries considerable social stigma, mainly due to the association of their subculture with sex work (dhandha) and traditions distinct from mainstream Indian culture.^[3] Kanjaris are also known as Gihar which is not notified.^{[citation needed]}

The Kanjari speak 4-5 languages along with their native language, called Narsi-Parsi. It consists of different sounds of animals and birds, coded words, and signs.^[4]

The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Kanjari with a population of 115,968.^[5]

Pakistan[]

In Pakistan, two distinct communities go by the name Kanjari. Over the centuries they became associated with the profession of prostitution and a peripatetic community of craftsmen and entertainers, best known for the terracotta toys they manufacture and peddle. In Karachi, the Urdu-speaking community has large numbers of descendants of Kanjaris from Northern India. Most of them moved from Delhi and Lucknow to Karachi. The term 'Kanjar' is more generally used to refer to a pimp or a person of low moral character than as a reference to the tribe.^{[6][7][page needed]}

Urban areas[]

The Kanjaris are sometimes associated with the Lahore neighborhood of Shahi Mohalla. This famous bazaar was inhabited and later flourished under influence of Kanjaris of Lucknow and Kanjaris of other parts of northern India. For centuries Lucknow was a hub for prostitution and affluent families would send their children to be educated in Lucknow. It was believed those women carried the roots of Urdu speaking cultures and pride. From there many moved to Heera Mandi (Shahi Mohalla) and after partition established in Karachi. In Karachi, such Urdu-speaking families are well educated but their lineage is easily traceable to Kanjaris. This has been home to a large community of Kanjari for centuries. Many musicians in Pakistan have their roots in the Kanjari community. A recent study found that: "A Kanjari hears the music of tabla and ghungroo from the day of her birth and must begin her formal education before her non-Kanjari friends start going to school."^[8]

Nomads[]

Although nomadic, the Kanjari follow a set route and often maintain a relationship with the villages they visit. Many of the men work as agricultural labourers. Their tents are made from split bamboo or munji grass, and their encampments can be found at the edges of villages, as well as in urban areas such as Faisalabad and Lahore.^[1]

Popular culture[]

They are the subject of the Hindi story Indrajal (Magic in English), by Jaishankar Prasad.

In the Lollywood film Bol, prominent character Saqa Kanjari, financially helps a fanatic hakim after the latter bribes the police to bury the case of honour killing of his own son. The hakim in return had to bear a daughter for Saqa Kanjar's daughter Meena.

See also[]

• Gihara

References[]