Dhodia

Brief Details of Dhodia

Dhodia

The term Dhodia has been derived from 'Dhulia', a place in Maharashtra from where two Rajput princes namely Dhan Singh and Roop Singh came to this area. They met two beautiful Naika women and got married to them. And thus, a new community was formed and the progeny of these are called 'Dhodia'. Another legend traces their origin from the word Dholaka Dhandhuka, a place near the south bank of Narmada River where Dhana and Roopa married the Naika women named Sani and Jheeni. It is also said that they belonged to Jadav Rajputs, the descendants of Lord Krishna. Due to disturbance at Dwarka, they came to south Gujarat and settled. They had come with cattle (dhor) so they were being called Dhorwala in the beginning. Later on, the term 'Dhodia' was derived from it. This legend narrates that Dhana and Roopa migrated to their present habitat with thousands of community people. The Dhodia are mainly distributed in Surat and Valsad district of Gujarat. The Dhodia are also distributed in Bharuch, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Dangs districts. They are a scheduled tribe. The population of this community was 3,58,773 according to 1971 census and 5,89,108 according to census 2001 out which 2,96,115 male and 2,92,993 female. They speak in Dhodia dialect, among themselves. They know Gujarati and use the Gujarati script for writing. The main distinguishing feature to differentiate Dhodia woman from others is the style of their draping the charaka.

The Dhodia are non-vegetarians. Staple food for them is rice, wheat and jawar. Rice makes main part of their diet. Pulses of tur, urad, moong, wal and gram make the part of their diet. Intake of vegetables has increased in their dietary habits and they eat the available seasonal fruits. They take milk and milk products tea daily. Oil of ground nut is used for preparation of food items. Their male members take alcoholic drinks. They smoke bidi and loose tobacco. Cigarette is smoked by educated and well to do persons. Lapsi is a sweet preparation which is cooked occasionally on festive occasions.

The Dhoida community has a number of exogamous clans which are equal in status. This also shows their descent and most of the clans are named after some communities with whom the Jadav Rajputs believed to have made contact after settling down in their present habitat. Some of the common clans (jut) are Desari, Naika, Garasia, Mehta, Joshi, Rawat, Ahir, Vajaria, Rupasari, Gaikwad, Sadu Bamaniya, Pradhaniya, Kedariya, etc. These clans are also locally known as kud. Each clan has its headman who propitiates the clan deity. The Dhodia enjoy good social status in the local social hierarchy. They are placed after Brahman, Vania, Rajput, Kanbi, Ahir, etc. They are placed above the tribes like Gamit, Dubla, Naika, Kokna, Chodhury, Kotwalia, Warli and Kolcha.

The Dhodia are monogamous. Polygene is practiced in case of barrenness or insanity of the woman. The rich Dhodia men also go for more than one wife. Age at marriage for the girls is from 16-20 years and for boys, it is from 18-25 years. Negotiated form of marriage is the common norm. Marriage by service is also practiced. The symbols of marriage are vermilion (kanku) in the middle of the forehead. Bride price is given in cash and kind. Rule of residence after marriage is patrilocal. Divorce and remarriages are permitted in the community. The person who desires to seek divorce, pays cash compensation to the other but requires social approval before the divorce is granted. In divorce cases, the children become the liability of the father, Widow-remarriage is allowed in the community. If the younger brother of the deceased is suitable to the widow, she remains in the family as his wife.

Extended and nuclear families are common among the Dhodia community. Avoidance and joking relationships exist in the community. Daughter-in-law keeps veil in front of her father-in-law and husband's elder brother. Joking relationship is maintained between husband's younger brother and elder brother's wife, elder sister's husband and wife's younger sisters. Property is inherited in the male line only and it is equally divided among the sons. If there are no sons, property is given to the daughters. The eldest son succeeds the father. Inter family linkages are found. They co-operate with each other, on socio-economic and politico-religious matters.

The women work in the family farm. They bring potable water. They are in services too. There are teachers, nurses, doctors and clerks. Thus, they contribute to family income and actively take part in the family management. They do the household work and look after the children. They are not allowed to participate in the panchayat meetings. Women take part in social and religious activities. They have no right to inherit property.

Pre-delivery ritual khola Bharana is celebrated in the seventh month of the first pregnancy and she is presented with clothes stitch torn cloth. First delivery takes place in her parent's house. During child birth, they take the help of dayan (local midwife). The midwives are from their own community or from Gamit or Duble. Chhatti is celebrated on the fourth day and fifth day for the female and male child respectively. The mother takes bath and the house is cleaned on this day. Naming of the child is done by the fui (child's father's sister). After this, well worship (kuwa-poojan) is done on the following day. Pollution is observed for thirty-five to forty days after child birth and the mother abstains from hard labour work during this period. Mundan (tonsure) ceremony is performed for both the boys and the girls. This is done by a widower or a Valand (barber).

In marriage the boy's party goes to see the girl after getting proper information. The girl comes with a glass of water and the boy drops a coin in it. The boy and the girl are allowed to go to movies and are provided chances to meet. If they agree, the girl's party goes to the boy's house with a set of clothes and garland. The boys party reciprocates. It is known as chhota chandla. Date for marriage is fixed. Marriage rituals are performed at bride's residence. A Brahman priest is called to officiate at marriage. The bride and the bride groom exchange garlands. They make mangalphera (circumambulation) of the sacred fire for four times. Kanyadan is performed and the bride goes with the bride groom. Consummation of marriage takes place in the house of the groom’s parents.

They cremate their dead and the children who die below one year of age are buried. Pollution is observed for a day. Pollution is observed for twelve days. The bones are disposed off in Tapi (at Surat) or Gadavari (at Nasik) rivers. They take is pacification bath on eleventh day. Barwa is performed on the twelfth day. House if cleaned and a feast is arranged for the assembled relatives and kin. Parjan is the ancestor worship done collectively by the lineage members in an interval of three to four years. A widow does not wear blouse during the pollution period. After the celebration of barwa. She is given new clothes to wear and she can then be remarried.

The Dhodia are traditionally and primarily agriculturists. Land is the major economic resources for them. They also do fishing in the rainy season. They are also employed as laborers in the farms roads, and forests. The Dhodia have also gone to Gulf countries to earn money. Both men and women are also in white collar jobs. The Dhodia cultivate their land by their own. Sometimes they engage laborers to complete various agricultural operations in time. They have irrigation wells. They take double crops also. Some are in petty trade also.

Every jut (clan) has a leader who is known as Agewan. This is a functional unit for social control and enforcement of rules and regulations in the community. He is supported and helped by other senior members at the community is settle the disputes. The bigger organization than jut is chaura. Each cahura consists of villages numbering from five to twenty. They also have Samasta Dhodia Samaj, a registered body at the community level; it looks after the welfare of the groups and initiate reforms. The statutory village panchayat plans and executes the programmes for the welfare work.

The Dhodia are Hindu by religion. They worship Mahadeo. Hanuma, Amba Mata, Kalka, Balia, Bagh Devi, Goal Devi etc. Kameshari Devi is their home deity and it is the deity of grains. Kak Balia protects them from small-pox. They worship Goal Devi for the welfare of the cattle and propitiate Nagdev for saving them from snake bite. The Dhodias approach the Bhagats and Bhuwas and take treatment from them to get rid off the effects of violent spirits. The Bhagats also give herbal medicine. The Dhodias are the devotees of Jalaram Bapa. They worship him on the seventh day of the dark half of the month of Kartik (November). The Dhoida go to Nasik, Shirdi Ke Sai Baba, Dwarka, Dakot, Unai, Veerpur, etc. for pilgrimage. The Dhoida celebrate festivals like Holi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Rakhi, Dashahara, Diwali, Diwaso, etc.

They have oral traditions. They sing folk songs. They play with tur (precision instrument) and drum during Holi festival.

The Dhodia have got inter-community linkages with the neighboring tribe's businessmen barber and the Brahman priest. They accept food and water from higher castes and other groups who abstain from eating carcasses of dead animal's They share the wells for drinking water, but have separate crematorium. There are contractors and businessmen among them. Political awareness and leadership is found in the Dhodia community. There are M.L.A. and M.P.S. from Dhodia community. Cultivator-labor and employer- worker relationship exist among them.

The Dhodia send their children to schools and provide them education. The girls generally discontinue after higher secondary level for marriage. They go to the hospitals and dispensaries for health and medical care. They also take the help of local medicine men. Family welfare programme is effective among them. They also adopt other measures of birth control. They get drinking water from wells and hand pumps. They get loans from the banks for digging of wells, to purchase pumps. Bullock-cart and chemical fertilizers etc. They avail of the facilities of media and communication. Their houses are electrified. The Dhodia use fire wood, cow dung cakes, kerosene, coal etc. as fuels. They make use of chemical fertilizers. They get the facilities of public distribution system (ration). The children are provided mid-day meals in the schools.