The Rathwas

Caste
Like other communities, in Rathwas also the position of caste is important. Rathwas are quite proud
of being Rathwa. They treat the people of upper or lower caste also with respect only. In social
activities, people of the community only take responsibility. They treat all the Rathwas as their own
and hence, there is a lot of brotherhood seen between these people. If there is any stranger from
any other caste or community then they treat him/ her also with respect.

There are many sub castes of Rathwas in which Nani Naat Rathwa, Rathwa, Kolcha, Bariya, Hoya,
Kori etc are included. To be identified as upper class in society, people whose economical condition
was somewhat good, started identifying themselves as Bariya but with passing of time, they
understood that it was not coorect and hence, they again started identifying themselves as Rathwa.
Their rituals, traditions, customs etc is just like Rathwas. In this way, above mentioned sub castes are
originally Rathwa only. It has been noted in Mumbai Gazeteer 1825 that Rathwas have come from
Rath region which is situated near Alirajpur near Madva, Madhya Pradesh. Hence, we can say that
Rathwas’s root place is Rath.

Geographical Location
The whole region of Rathwas was called Revakantha earlier. This whole region is covered by Satpuda
and Vindhyachal forest and hills. Satpuda’s mountain ranges are spread from north coast of
Narmada till Chhota Udepur. Vinddhyachal’s mountain ranges run from Madhya Pradesh in west
direction towards north of Chhota Udepur where it is called Ratanmahal, it goes towards Devgadh
Bariya and reaches till Pavagadh. Maen and Heran river comes out from the hills of Satpuda and
Vindhyachal from the north of Narmada. This again meets Narmada in the west. Orsang river comes
out from the hills of Vindhyachal and Ratanmahal in Madhya Pradesh. Orsang river passes through
Chhota udepur, Pavi Jetpur and Bodeli and meets Narmada in Chanod. This whole hilly region of
Chhota Udepur was known as Pal. Pal in present Sankheda and Pavi Jetpur taluka region is called
Nanipal, and from Pavi Jetpur to Chhota Udepur it is known as Motipal. Rath region is the region in
North-East part of Chhota Udepur which is also the region where Rathwas stay. In earlier times, this
region came under Rath Parish of Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh. Most of the Rathwas besides staying
on the flat land, stay in hills of Pavagadh, Vindhyachal and Satpuda. It is situated on the border of
Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

History
Rathwas are seen in Jambughoda, Halol-Kalol and Ghoghamba of Panchmahal district as well as in
Devgadh Bariya region of Dahod district. In the times of British Pal region came under Revakantha
agency. Jambughoda and Chhota were big colonies in Pal. Chhota Udepur was 2 nd class colony. In
those times Chhota Udepur, Jabugaam, Kawaant and Karaali were talukas. Jabugaam is now known
as Pavi Jetpur taluka. Jambughoda then came under Panchmahal district and became a taluka.
In the book “Rathwa ek Aetihasik Pashvabhumika ”, according to Arvind Bhatt, Mumbai Gazeteer
notes that Rathwas came from Rath region near Alirajpur which is near Malva, Madhya Pradesh.
Hence, we can say that Rathwas root region is Rath region. As per Alirajpur gazetteer the region of
Alirajpur was of around 836-63 square meter in which there were around 325 villages. This region
was distributed in to 5 different parishes and they are Rath, Bhabra, Nanpur, Chhaktla and
Chandpur. In this the region of parish of Rath was of around 239 square meters with around 134
villages. The court of Alirajpur was known as Rath-court in those times. According to Talati Indragiri,
who used to work for revenue department and whose family was given the seat of Rajguru,
Alirajpur’s capital was 10 miles away to the South from present Alirajpur in Ali region. The original
founder of this region was from the dynasty of Raja Ananddev Rathod. He established this region in
the year 1437. In accordance with the name of his dynasty, the names Rathwa or Rath have come
out is the probability. He notes that North-East region of Chhota Udepur, Gujarat was known as
Soorsi or Dor parish before independence which is also a part of original Alirajpur. This whole parish
was of around 33 villages. This part then became a part of Chhota Udepur.

Language
Rathwa or Rath is the language spoken by Rathwas. It’s inscript is in Gujarati and it sounds also
similar to Gujarati.

Names for week days.

Monday: Kanwatiyo (On the basis of a bazaar called Kawant which comes up on Monday.)

Tuesday: Panduriyo (On the basis of a bazaar called Panvad which comes up on Tuesday.)

Wednesday: Gujari

Thursday: Haat

Friday: Zoziyo (On the basis of a bazaar called Zoz which comes up on Friday.)

Saturday: Udopariyo (On the basis of Chhota Udepur Bazaar which comes up on Saturday.)

Sunday: Ditwar (From the name Aditya which means the sun.)

Names for directions

North: Paavethu (From Pavagadh)

South: Revakanchhyu (From River Narmada which is also called Reva)

East: Ugamno (Ugamno means to rise which means the direction from where the Sun rises)

West: Boodamno (From the direction that sun sets in.)

Names for relatives
Baah: Father

Yaali, Eyaali, Ees: Mother

Bhai, Bhaas: Brother

Bones, Jiji: Sister

Daus Bhaas: Elder Brother

Vodi: Elder Sister

Bo, Bon: Mother’s Sister

Kaku: Mother’s Brother

Jamaish, Jamash: Son in law

Kakihi: Father’s Brother’s wife

Kakaha: Father’s Brother

Pooiae, Fos: Father’s sister

Mano, Fuvo: Father’s sister’s husband

Paabi, Bhabi: Brother’s wife

Paahno: Sister’s Husband

Mamuhu, Monmoh: Mother’s Brother

Bhabha, Babaho: Grandfather

Yayuhi, Babi: Grandmother

Mamihi, Monmi: Mother’s Brother’s wife

Khandhod: Son in law staying at wife’s place

Laadi: Wife

Laado, Var: Husband

Shoro, Poyro: Boy

Shori, Poyri: Girl

Dikra: Grandson

Dikri: Granddaughter
Daayo: Old man

Randaayli: Widow woman

Land
Mostly all Rathwas have at least small amount of land. In that, especially, ploughing land, other than
ploughing land like heath land which can be ploughed, land which cannot be ploughed, land for
grazing of cow and other animals, pasture land etc are seen. The land of this region is moderately
black in which there is mixture of ruined lands, colourless land, gravelly land etc. In Sankheda taluka
black and colourless land is seen while in Naswadi taluka black and mixed land is seen. In Tilakwada
Taluka in someplace the soil is sticky black while in some places it is colourless. In Chhota Udepur
and Kawant region, black soil and mixed gravelly soil is seen.

Village
Villages in which there are kachcha roads, the houses in those villages are scattered while the houses
having pakka roads have small small groups of houses. These groups of houses are also not together.
Every house is in the corner of their farm. In this way there is a group of approximately 4 to 5
houses. Many big families form a housing cluster in this way where in one group all the houses are
situated. Every village is made up of five to six to seven housing clusters. As the number or trees is
more, by seeing from far away one can tell that it is a village. And if the number of palm trees are
more then it can be definitely be said that it is a village. Mostly a village is formed of 4 to 5 clans of
people. Looking upon the region, it can be said that between one village and another, there is a
distance of 1-2 kms.

House
Most of the houses are made from mud and wood. In the main house there is an open platform
where people sit together in the evening and interact with one another. It is also used by them in
summer to sleep when it is too hot to sleep in the house. In the back part of the house there is again
an open platform or a small room is made where grains and other miscellaneous things of kitchen
are kept. If number of members in a family is more, then it is also used as bedroom. There is attic in
the house which is used to put fodder during monsoon. In the front or the side corridor animals are
tied. If there is a back corridor then it is used as kitchen or to put kitchen related stuff. Generally, the
walls of the house are made by arranging the sticks of plants of cottons, tuvar or bamboo together
and then coating it with mud. The roof is made by arranging wood and tubes together. These days,
houses made from bricks and cements with roof made of iron sheets are also seen. There is a pot of
water at the entrance of the house so that a person enters the house, after he washes his hands and
face and drinks some water.

Clothing and Ornaments

Children:- Children are dressed up in very less clothes. Till the age of 3-4 years a child is just wrapped
in small pieces of clothes. By the time a child is of about 4-5 years, a saree or dhoti is knotted around
his/her body. Fully dressed children are a rare right. But with modernisation, these days fully and
properly clothed kids are seen.

Men: - Men tie a piece of cloth around their waist and a small piece of cloth around their forehead
with bandi and dhoti. In the times of festival and occasion, they wear same coloured half sleeved
shirt, short dhoti and red or yellow coloured turban. Turban is like an identity for Rathwas. Many
men keep moustache. Men in Kawant, Chhota Udepur tie red and yellow coloured turban while men
in Pavijaatpur wear white turban. In the regions other than this the proportion of men wearing
turban is very less. They wear a silver silver bracelet on their wrist with silver hoop earrings on their
ear. They wear small bell buttons on their shirt. Not all men wear these ornaments, few of them
wear it according to their wish.

Women: - Women mostly wear a skirt and petticoat with patchwork done on it. They wear a
duppatta on it. In festivals, celebrations and fairs, the women from same neighbourhood wear same
kind of clothes. A good example of this can be seen in Kawant Gher’s fair. Rathwa women are fond
of ornaments. They wear choker and necklace, earrings, armlet, waistband, anklet made of silver.
Their ornaments also differ from region to region. In Kawant region they wear coined choker while in
other regions they wear plain choker. It can be identified from the ornaments that from which
region a men or women are.

Physical Attributes
The physical attributes of men and women are almost the same. Both have normal built body with
wheatish skin tone. Most man have moustache. Women have small dots tattooed on their face,
hands and legs. Both men and women are quite good looking. Some changes in the looks are seen
according to the different regions. The proportion of small dots tattoo on women is more in the
women from Chhota Udepur to Kawant and Rangpur while it is comparatively less in the women
from Chhota Udepur too Bodeli , Sankheda etc. Although the men and women of Rathwa community
are of normal built, they are quite healthy by body. The ones, who have gone to cities like Vadodara
for business, can be identified as Rathwas from their tattoos and other physical attributes.

Agricultural tools
In agriculture, mostly the tools made of wood are used in large proportion. Out of these tools,
plough is the main tool. After ploughing the field with the help of plough, the ploughed field is made
proper with the help of a plank. After the crops of paddy, maize, cotton etc are ready, harrow tool is
used to separate unnecessary grass from the crop and to make the soil softer. With both of these
tools, two oxen are tied. Other than this, tools like sickle, shovel, spade, axe, pickaxe, hoe etc are
also used. To make tools like plough, harrow etc the trees from the farm are used. Such tools are
made by some farmers on their own while many of them ask carpenters to make it for them.

Agriculture and food habits

Agriculture is largely done in monsoon and winter. The proportion of agriculture dependent on
monsoon is more. In monsoon, maize, paddy, tuvar and udad are the main crops, while peanuts and
cotton is seen up to some extent as per the area. In winter, the places where water facility is
available, maize is grown while the places where water facility is not available, a cereal named
mathiya is grown. In summer, agriculture is done where the water facility is available. In their meal,
Rathwas mainly use maize breads and udad dal or vegetables. They use very less amont of oil in their
daily meal. They have meals 3 times a day.

Breakfast:- The proportion of people drinking tea is quite less. Moreover, Rathwas drink a liquid
made from maize flour named “Makkai ni raabdi” in the morning. Their breakfast time is from 7 to 8
in the morning.

Lunch:- Rathwas have bread made from black paddy or maize with udad or tuwar dal or vegetable
for their lunch. Many of them have rice and dal too. They generally have their lunch in their farms.
Their lunch time is from 12 to 1 in the afternoon.

Dinner:- Rathwas have bread made from black paddy or maize with udad or tuwar dal or vegetable
or leafy vegetables or root vegetables collected from forest or farms for their dinner. They use chilli
to add spice to their meals. Their dinner time is from 8 to 9 at night.

Udad vada is the main dish for any festival or celebration. Many of them have chicken and mutton
but they don’t have it on daily basis. No one is specifically a vegetarian or non vegetarian. They can
eat whatever they wish. They drink toddy drink (tadi- alcoholic beverage collected from the sap of
palm trees) on festivals and special occasions. Their food habits are quite simple due to which their
bodies are quite healthy.

Talent and skills

Skills are associated with their daily lives. Rathwas make many of their own basic utility goods.
Bamboo work, wood work, pithora painting, stone work, all of these artworks are used by them in
their daily lives or occasionally for their hobbies or religious occasion. Hence, we can say that their
art is associated with their society. By identifying their need, they develop goods according to their
need.

The adivasis have this unique art of making handmade objects from natural substances. During an
exhibition in Vadodara, such articles worth of Rs 4 lakh were sold. There was also a mat made
entirely from grass, priced at Rs 16 thousand which was also sold out at the end.

Musical Instruments
Musical instruments are used to relieve a person of his/her stress and in the times of festivals and
special occasion. Rathwas use below mentioned musical instruments generally.

Big drum: - Big drum is used in the festival of holi and at the occasion of fair, ind, kunwariya, etc for
dancing to its beats.

Flute: - Flute is played on the ocasson of fair, ind, kunwariya, etc. It is also played just for fun.
Besides this, it is especially used from Dussherra to Akhatrij.
Peho, pehi: - This musical instrument is like a guitar. It is played on the festival of Divaso with dance
and songs. Women sing the song while men play the musical instrument peho pehi. Besides it is also
played for fun by herdsman and farmer while going to or coming from their field. Some of them even
play it to impress girls. It is played only from Dusherra to Akhatrij. Everyone from youngster to oldies
play peho pehi.

Ghanghri: - It is a musical instrument made from thin bamboo flat sticks. It is used just like peho
pehi, the only difference is that ghanghri can be played at any time.

Kartal: - in marriages, fair or any other occasion, women dance with kartal in their hands. It is played
with songs and alongside other instruments.

Marriage in Rathwa
Marriage is a social occasion. For two persons to live as husband and wife and get the rights of being
husband and wife, different marriage rituals have been kept in place. Like any other communities in
Rathwas too marriage with consent of the parents, runaway marriage, widow remarriage, inter-
caste marriage etc are prevalent. Rathwa community believes that if one marries in same blood,
then it’s considered as if a brother is marrying his sister or a sister is marrying her brother hence, it is
necessary that two persons of different blood or DNA marry. If one marries in the same blood then
he/she is socially boycotted and ritual to throw them out of the community is done on them. The
whole community breaks their connection with the whole family.

Even after this, everyone looks towards marriage ritual respectfully. After running away or bringing
the women of their choice in their home or after living in the house of the man of their choice, they
live together. They live their marriage life and then marry when they have arrangements (mostly
economical) to have a marriage; they invite their guests and marry. Many of them when they are
already parents of 2-3 children or at some pre-wedding function of marriage of their own children.

The age of marriage in Rathwas is 18-25 years. Every Rathwa marries after looking upon his/her own
economic/ social condition which is why a definite age limit for marriage increases. Generally,
marriages take place in the age of 18-20 years. But sometimes, boy’s marriage takes place in small
age. In such cases, girl is of adult age which means in such cases, husband and wife’s age is
incongruous.

Rathwas see marriage ritual as a ritual joining two persons’ lives. After this ritual, both men and
women can live in a socially accepted symbiosis. For this, the society has not formed any particular
rules and regulations but as a part of social system, there are some oral criterions. According to
these criterions, any man or woman forming symbiosis has to go through socially accepted customs.
In their community, there are different rituals for choosing of life partner and starting their marriage
life.

The marriage which happens with happiness of both the girl and the boy with all the traditions and
customs aptly done is called as social marriage. The man and wife joined in the institution of
marriage in this way are also largely respected in society. But in such cases when one is given into
the family of low income, at that time, there are chances of marriage drowning away. Marriage is
such a social sacrament here that to complete it, many small and big customs and traditions have to
be fulfilled and during these customs and traditions many songs are sung.

Marriage takes place in the presence of the relatives. They stay in the middle of both the sides and
do the task of joining the marriage. After the relation is confirmed from the girl and girl’s family’s
side, the decision of marriage goes to boy’s place.

If there is no boy in someone’s house and if there are only girls, in such cases the parents, in order to
protect their property, bring son-in-law to their own house instead of girl going to boy’s house.

In some cases when a boy is in love with the girl and they wish to marry one another but the family
does not want the same then, in that condition, the girl forcefully comes and starts staying in the
boy’s house.

In the case of love marriage if the marriage is not permitted from both the sides then the girl and the
boy run away and live their marriage life.

If any young boy finds himself liking a girl while at a fair or any festival and if he wishes to make that
girl his life partner then that young boy, along with his friends, kidnaps that girl, this ritual is called
Gihi Rituals. Such cases sometimes turn into huge quarrels. But in most of the cases, a social
settlement is brought and the girl and boy are given freedom to live with each other. In these kinds
of marriages the family does not have to bear a huge amount on marriage expenses.

Widow Remarriage generally occurs in the time after afternoon as it is believed that the previous
husband or wife comes to attend this marriage.

Women’s role
The Rathwa women just like women of other communities do all the household work and chores like
cooking, cleaning, taking care of her children, giving valuable advice and lessons to her children and
husband, taking care of her in-laws etc. But in addition to this, Rathwa women help their husband in
his farming and grazing work. But still the position of women is lower than that of men in Rathwas.
But in the decisions regarding caste system, women are not involved. If there is any need then an old
woman is called to give advice but the final say stays with the man.

Traditions and beliefs

Talking about some traditions of tribal people, there is a tradition called Kunwariya (also name of
tree) in a tribe. If this tradition is done then illness can be cured. Suppose your Kunwariya is of 8
goats then 8 goats are killed and in front of each of these 8 goats, a Kunwariya tree is kept. All night
long they dance and celebrate with food, folk songs and mahua (alcoholic drink made out of flowers
of mahua tree prepared by adivasis). In the morning, these Kunwariya trees are flown away in the
river. There is also another tradition called Baba Pithora. If someone is going through any problem
and he takes mannat (vow) of Baba Pithora and completes it successfully, then it is believed that
their problems are surely solved. Here, they have to get a painting done on the wall of their house
and celebrate it with their relatives with food, drinks and folk songs. In Turkhera village, there is no
illness at all. They survive on mahua, Narmada River’s fish and fruits and vegetables from the trees in
their village. It is believed that because they are so connected with the nature around them that
there is no illness in their area.

Politics
Chhota Udepur has elected only Rathwas since 1977 in their constituency. Seven assembly segments
comprise the Chhota Udaipur Lok Sabha constituency. These assembly segments are, Chhota
Udaipur, Halol, Dabhoi, Nandod, Sankheda, Jetpur and Padra. Four of these assembly seats are
reserved for ST candidates.

The constituency is Chhota Udepur and the candidates for 2019 Lok Sabha election are
Rathva Gitaben Vajesingbhai (BJP), Rathva Furkanbhai Balajibhai (BSP) and Rathava
Ranjitsinh Mohansinh (Congress). The present MP is Ramsinh Rathwa from BJP who won
with margin of 1,79,729 in 2014. The runner-up candidate was Naranbhai Jemalalbhai
Rathwa from Indian National Congress in 2014. Total number of voters in 2014 was
1,101,623 with 68% votes polled. There were 1979 polling booths in this constituency in
2014 with 5,07,350 women voters.

Sources: - https://www.hindustantimes.com/lok-sabha-elections/lok-sabha-election-2019-
gujarat-s-chhota-udaipur-has-elected-only-rathwas/story-LD2B9XvBed8z5kMgPqRiDI.html

Current Scenario
In Gujarat, there are two districts with large population of Rathwas which are Chhota Udepur and
Panchmahal. According to 2011 population census, the population of these districts was 6,42,348.
Talking about the current scenario, almost all the tribal people want government jobs. The girl
education is quite forward now. In 2004, the literacy rate among males was 11% and among females
it was 7% but now it is 47% among males and 41% among females. Till 2008, there were no tribal
MBBS doctor but now there are at least 50 tribal MBBS doctor. But the major problem is that of
migration. This area sees seasonal migration. 45% people migrate from Diwali to Holi while from Holi
to Diwali they do farming there, in their hometown. The reason behind this migration is water
problems and lack of employment opportunities in their area off season.