Dharala Koli

The Dharala, or Dhurala is a title used by Koli caste of Gujarat, Dadar and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu who were professional soldiers and were experts in sword fighting. during the British Raj in India, the 80% of the total population of Kolis in Kheda district were Dharala. the Koli Dharalas plundered the British trading ships because they were turbulent and considered as bad tribe. the Koli Dharalas also served in British Indian Army as trackers and village guard and were occasionally used as soldiers in wartime by British government in return of sum.

Koli Dharala
Origin
Word/NameGujarat
DerivationSword
MeaningSwordman
Place of originSaurashtra
Other names
Alternative spellingKoli Dhurala
Variant form(s)Koli Dharalo
Related namesKoli Sibandi

The most of the Koli Dharalas were from Patanvadia, Talapada subcaste of Kolis who were prosperous and respected in society and ruled over petty Princely States during British regime.

Dharala Vero

The Dharala Vero was a type of tax collected by Kolis of Gujarat to allowed the other caste people to live in their villages. in 1920, the Mahatma Gandhi tried to reform the Koli Dharalas to get ride of Anti social activities such as gang Robberies and tax collection from other caste people.

Origin or meaning

The title of Dharala is taken from the Dhar (Sharpness) of a sword's edge. Dharala means experts of sword fighting.

Clans

The most of the Koli Dharalas were belong to the Baria clan of Kolis.

References

  1. ↑ Yājñika, Acyuta; Sheth, Suchitra (2005). The Shaping of Modern Gujarat: Plurality, Hindutva, and Beyond. New Delhi, India: Penguin Books India. p. 304. ISBN 978-0-14-400038-8.
  2. 1 2 Chaturvedi, Vinayak (2007). Peasant Pasts: History and Memory in Western India. New Delhi, India: University of California Press. pp. 30–35. ISBN 978-0-520-25076-5.
  3. ↑ Drew, John (2021-12-06). "The Christmas the Kolis took to cricket". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2022-04-03.
  4. ↑ Jain, Jyotindra; Gujarat, Shreyas Folk Museum of (1980). Folk Art and Culture of Gujarat: Guide to the Collection of the Shreyas Folk Museum of Gujarat. New Delhi, India: Shreyas Prakashan. p. 133.
  5. ↑ Tambs-Lyche, Harald (1996-12-31). Power, Profit, and Poetry: Traditional Society in Kathiawar, Western India. New Delhi, India: Manohar Publishers & Distributors. pp. 130: a significant number of Patanvadia Kolis were Dharala in kaira district. ISBN 978-81-7304-176-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  6. ↑ Saṅghavī, Nagīnadāsa Purushottamadāsa (1995). Gujarat: A Political Analysis. New Delhi, India: Centre for Social Studies. pp. 71:Dharala Koli who were of Talapada subcaste of Koli caste - s are the most prosperous group amongst the community and enjoy the highest status within the community because a few of them were petty princes during the British regime . A group of castes ( 25 % ) of Hindus.
  7. ↑ Clark, Alice Whitcomb (1979). Central Gujarat in the Nineteenth Century: The Integration of an Agrarian System. New Delhi, India: University of Wisconsin--Madison. p. 72.
  8. ↑ Hardiman, David (1981). Peasant Nationalists of Gujarat: Kheda District, 1917-1934. New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-19-561255-4.
  9. ↑ Chaturvedi 2007, p. 30.
  10. ↑ Clark 1979, p. 138.

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