Ravana Rajput is an Indian upper caste[1].Ravana Rajputs,a sub-set of Rajput clan[2] and they are culturally similar to Rajput but have historically faced caste descrimination.[3] They are among the castes known as Darogas.[4][5]

Origins

The Ravana Rajputs are descendants of Rajput men and non-Rajput women, and were not originally accepted by the Rajput community as Rajputs.[6] They were regarded as the children of the Rajputana princes' from concubines[7][8][9] and were household slaves.[7][10] They served the royal Rajputana families as guards, soldiers and household servants.[11]

Jai Singh Baghel states that during princely period,the Rav(Rao) was also official Royal title like Raja,Rana etc. Many caste like Rawal, Rawat, Ravana were formed from the title Rav. By adding suffix 'Na' to the word Rao, the word Ravana (Raona) was formed. The meaning of the word 'Ravana' is used to denote the caste of Rao Rajput (Kshatriya) group and if 'Naa' is considered to be a sentimental word then it means Rajputi person, if it is a verb then it means Raavokt verb and if it is considered a caste word then it means Rajput caste. Therefore, if we pay attention to the above structures, the word Ravana proves to be a synonym of the word Rajput[12]

In order to raise their status, these people organized themselves into a caste[13] They claim Kshatriya status.

Present status

Historically, the Ravana Rajputs have led the armies.[14][9] The Ravana Rajputs are the highest in the rural caste hierarchy.[8]

According to a 2013 Business Standard report, the Ravana Rajputs form around 7% of the Rajasthan state's population.[15] They have been granted the Other Backward Class status for affirmative action.[16]

In July 2017, the Ravana Rajput community were among those who protested against the alleged fake encounter killing of Anandpal Singh, who belonged to their community and was considered a hero by many in his village.[17] Aside from being a gangster, Singh was known for having escalated the rivalry between Rajputs and Jat people.[18] and the agitation following his death united the local Rajput community.[19]

References

  1. ↑ Sinha, Archana (8 December 2010), "Gender Dynamics in water security", A study in Rajastgan, Indian social Institute, vol. 1, p. 172, ISBN 9788187218937, retrieved 17 November 2023
  2. ↑ BHARTIA, AASHTI (18 October 2012), "Vote of Confidence", Profiles of young polticians, Roli Books, ISBN 9789351940418,93519040411, retrieved 17 November 2023, as aslo the Ravana Rajputs,a sub-set of Rajput Clan {{citation}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)
  3. ↑ "Two Insults, Two Encounters: Why Rajputs are Angry with Vasundhara Raje and the BJP". The Wire. Retrieved 19 November 2023. Gangester Anand Pal Singh,who was killed in an encounter with the police in June 2017 was Ravana Rajput. The Ravana Rajputs,singh's communtiy,are culturally similar to the Rajputs but have historically faced caste discrimination
  4. ↑ Varsha Joshi (1995). Polygamy and Purdah: Women and Society Among Rajputs. Rawat. p. 199. ISBN 978-8-170-33275-6.
  5. ↑ Srivasta, Vinay Kumar (July 1994). "The Rathore Rajput Hero of Rajasthan". Modern Asian Studies. 28 (3): 589–614.
  6. ↑ Lindsey Harlan (1992). Religion and Rajput Women: The Ethic of Protection in Contemporary Narratives. University of California Press. pp. 145, 167. ISBN 978-0-520-07339-5.
  7. 1 2 D. D. Gaur (1978). Constitutional Development of Eastern Rajputana States. Usha. p. 49. OCLC 641457000. These slave communities were known by various names, such as Darogas, Chakars, Hazuris, Ravana- Rajputs, Chelas, Golas and Khawas.
  8. 1 2 Vinay Kumar Srivastava (1997). Religious renunciation of a pastoral people. Oxford University Press. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-19-564121-9.
  9. 1 2 Salik Ahmed (13 July 2017). "Why Rajputs in Rajasthan have erupted in anger over gangster Anandpal's encounter killing". Hindustan Times.
  10. ↑ P. S. Choudhry (1968). Rajasthan between the two world wars, 1919-1939. Sri Ram Mehra. p. 97. According to the census report of 1921, there were 1,60,755 slaves in Rajputana, including 10,844 born domestic slaves in Bikaner and 43,100 in Jodhpur. They mostly belonged to the Chakars and Daroga classes, and were divided into many groups such as Hazurias, Ravana Rajputs, Chellas and Gollas.
  11. ↑ Bindu Manchanda (2001). Jaisalmer: The City of Golden Sands and Strange Spirits. HarperCollins Publishers India. p. 92. ISBN 978-81-7223-434-8.
  12. ↑ Baghel, Jai Singh (2015). रावणा राजपूत मीमांसा- Ravana Rajput Mimamsa (in Hindi). Rājasthānī Granthāgāra. p. 2. ISBN 9789384168810. Retrieved 19 November 2023. रियासतकाल में राजा, राणा आदि शासकीय उपाधियों की तरह राव भी राजवर्गीय उपाधि थी। राव उपाधि से रावत, रावल, रावणा आदि कई जातियाँ बनीं राव शब्द के साथ 'णा' प्रत्यय जुड़ने से रावणा ( रावणा ) शब्द बना। 'रावणा' शब्द का अर्थ राव राजपूत (क्षत्रियत्व बोधक) समूह के वर्ण बोधकार्थ लगाया जाता है और 'णा' का अर्थ भाववाचक मानें तो राजपूती भाव वाला, क्रियावाचक मानें तो रावोक्त क्रिया वाला और जातिवाचक मानें तो राजपूत जाति वाला होता है। अतः उपरोक्त बनावटों पर ध्यान दें तो रावणा शब्द राजपूत शब्द का पर्यायवाची ही सिद्ध होता है । {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  13. ↑ Narendra Kumar Singhi; Rajendra Joshi (1995). Folk, Faith & Feudalism: Rajasthan Studies. Rawat Publications. p. 119. ISBN 978-81-7033-273-2.
  14. ↑ Mahim Pratap Singh (30 June 2017). "Anand Pal Singh, gangster Rajasthan can't forget". The Indian Express. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  15. ↑ "Ravana Rajput Samaj warns BJP, Cong of using NOTA in Raj polls". Business Standard. 10 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "The Man without a smile". Tehelka Magazine, Vol 9, Issue 13. 31 March 2012.
  17. ↑ "Anandpal's family seeks CBI probe; native village protests killing". Hindustan Times. 25 June 2017.
  18. ↑ "Gangster Anand Pal Singh: A man who is making news even after his death". Financial Express. 30 June 2017.
  19. ↑ Prakash Bhandari (19 July 2017). "DNA ANALYSIS: Raje again demonstrates political acumen in politically sorting out Anandpal case". DNA.
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