Jatav Mahasabha

Caste of India

Akhil Bharatiya Jatav MahasabhaAbbreviation| ABJM

|

Formation| 19 October 1917 (106 years ago) (1917-10-19)
Founder| Manik Chand Jatav-vir
Type| Advocacy group
Headquarters| Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Region

| India

Key people

| Khemchand Bohare (President)
Affiliations| Chamar, Ravidassia, Jatav

Akhil Bharatiya Jatav Mahasabha was founded in 1917 under the leadership of Manik Chand Jatav and Swami Achootanand. It was formed to promote the interests of Chamars for seeking social upliftment into Kshatriya varna.

## Foundation

[edit]

Manik Chand Jatav, Ramnarayan Yadavendu and others came in contact with each other in 1910s. They worked for the upliftment of Chamars & freeing caste from this disgraceful name. They campaigned for the adopting 'Jatav' surname replacing with names who denotes lower hierarchy.[1]

The name 'Jatav' came from Pandit Sunderlal Sagar's book Jatav Jivan and Ramnarayan Yadavendu's Yaduvansh Ka Itihas, who were based on their similar heritage and clans of Yadavs and Jats of Braj region.[clarification needed] They demanded the status of Kshatriyas and economic prosperity made many Jatavs equal to these middle castes.[2][3] British government established cantonments in Agra, Delhi, Meerut, Kanpur and other prominent cities which gave Jatavs opportunity to prove themselves they got tenders for making leather products for British Indian Army, and many Jatavs got included into army also. This change created an impact on local Jatavs and they starter organising under one umbrella.[4]

In 1931 census, they played an aggressive role for their demand as inclusion of Jatavs into Kshatriya fold and renaming them as 'Jatav' from Charmkar. They succeeded and Chamar were called 'Jatav' in new census of India.[5]

## Activities

[edit]

Jatavs encouraged to leave non-veg and lifestyle as upper castes and even few of them adopted 'sacred thread' who were earlier under the influence of Arya Samaj.[6]

They established many schools, promoted sanskrit, investment in business and women empowerment.

## Key people

[edit]

* Manik Chand Jatav-vir
* Khemchand Bohare[7]
* Ramnarayan Yadavendu
* Swami Prabhutanand Vyas[8]
* Pandit Sundarlal Sagar[9]
* R.P. Deshmukh[10]
* Gopichandra Pipal[11]

## References

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1. ^ Pai, Sudha (30 August 2002). Dalit Assertion and the Unfinished Democratic Revolution: The Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-1991-3.
2. ^ Singer, Milton B.; Cohn, Bernard S. (1970). Structure and Change in Indian Society. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-202-36933-4.
3. ^ Jaffrelot, Christophe (2003). India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Hurst. ISBN 978-1-85065-670-8.
4. ^ Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering untouchability : Chamars and Dalit history in North India. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-35558-4. OCLC 526083948.
5. ^ Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-22262-6.
6. ^ Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-22262-6.
7. ^ Paswan, Sanjay; Jaideva, Pramanshi (2002). Encyclopaedia of Dalits in India: Leaders. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-033-2.
8. ^ Kshīrasāgara, Rāmacandra (1994). Dalit Movement in India and Its Leaders, 1857-1956. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-81-85880-43-3.
9. ^ Ahuja, Amit (26 July 2019). Mobilizing the Marginalized: Ethnic Parties Without Ethnic Movements. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-091642-8.
10. ^ "Members Bioprofile". loksabhaph.nic.in. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
11. ^ Kshīrasāgara, Rāmacandra (1994). Dalit Movement in India and Its Leaders, 1857-1956. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. ISBN 978-81-85880-43-3.