Mang (caste)

The Mang, or Matang, community is an Indian caste mainly residing in the state of Maharashtra. The Mang typically live in the northern reaches of villages. The community was historically believed to be associated with village security and professions such as rope making, broom making, musicians, cattle castration, leather curing, midwifery, executioners, and funeral directors.[1] In modern day India, they are listed as a Scheduled Caste, Their origins lie in the Narmada Valley of India, and they were formerly classified as a criminal tribe under the Criminal Tribes Acts of the British Raj.[2] Like Mahar, Mang also served as soldier in king Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's Army and British Army.

Matang musicians with drums (Russell, 1916)
Matang in western India (c. 1855-1862).

Subcastes

The Mang are territorially divided into the Madiga in the south, the Mangala in Gujarat, and the Maratha Mang, and are further subdivided into 25 endogamous subcastes such as Maratha Mang, Bale, Bumd, Chapalsande, Holar, Dhor, and Chamar. The Mang are also divided into exogamous clans.

Religion

The Mang practice Hinduism, and worship the deities Rama, Krishna Bhagavan, and Hanuman. Bhavani Janakamma is the caste deity of the Mang. Mang also worship spirits and village deities like Pochamma and Maisamma, who according to them are responsible for all the good and bad that befalls the village community. The Mang celebrate all major Hindu festivals, as well as the annual Jatara festival for the deity Maisamma, which entails the sacrifice of sheep and goats and a feast of lamb and goat meat.[3]

Distribution

Per the 1981 census, the majority of Mang lived in Maharashtra (1,211,335), with much smaller numbers in Gujarat (2,765); Goa, Daman, and Diu (702) and Rajasthan (241).

Society and culture

Before the British era, Mang were one of the twelve hereditary village servants called Bara Balutedar. The Mang were the hereditary rope makers and village entertainers. For their services they received a share of the village produce. The caste was hindu and observed the Hindu rituals of Jawal (first hair cut), shendi, lagna, and funerary rites.[4] In the early 20th century, the Mang began to form caste associations to advocate their cause, such as the Mang Samaj (1932) and Mang Society (1923).[5][6]

Notables

References
  1. Robert Vane Russell (1916). pt. II. Descriptive articles on the principal castes and tribes of the Central Provinces. Macmillan and Co., limited. pp. 188–. Retrieved 14 August 2012.
  2. Bates, Crispin (1995). "Race, Caste and Tribe in Central India: the early origins of Indian anthropometry". In Robb, Peter (ed.). The Concept of Race in South Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-19-563767-0. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  3. http://lsi.gov.in:8081/jspui/bitstream/123456789/2806/1/41944_1961_ETH.pdf
  4. Krishnaji Nageshrao Chitnis (1994). Glimpses of Maratha Socio-economic History. Atlantic Publishers & Dist. pp. 125, 135. ISBN 978-81-7156-347-0.
  5. Surajit Sinha (1 January 1993). Anthropology of Weaker Sections. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 330–. ISBN 978-81-7022-491-4. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  6. Prahlad Gangaram Jogdand (1991). Dalit movement in Maharashtra. Kanak Publications. Retrieved 24 August 2013.

Further reading
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