A DOONGA IN RIVER JHELUM

A DOONGA IN RIVER JHELUM To this photo I am adding a story on Haanjis ( boatmen ) of Kashmir . HAANJIS OF KASHMIR BELONG TO THE ANCIENT NISHADA TRIBE. NISHAD is a Sanskrit word meaning the seventh and the last note in the musical scale ( Indian Classical ) . The seven original notes are Shadja, Rishabha, Gandhara, Mahdhyama, Panchama, Dhaivata and Nishada. During my visit to Prayaag in Allahabad , I found that the boatmen ferrying people to Sangam from Ganga Ghaat were also known as Nishadas . The boatmen over there had a union which formed a component of the Akhil Bharitiya Nishad Sabha (the All India Nishad Association). In other areas all along River Ganga and other navigable rivers in the country , Nishadas are also known as Mallahs . In UP one comes across Hindu and Muslim Mallahs. Everywhere in the subcontinent , Mallah as caste owes its origin to Nishadas ; be it Bengal , Odisha , Sindh ,Khyber Pakhtoonwala or Punjab . Haanjis of Kashmir also belong to the ancient Nishada tribe of the country . Nishadas find mention in Vedas , Manusmriti , Mahabharata , Kalhana’s Rajatarangini and scores of articles and books that I came across . From all records , this tribe was distinct from other tribes of Kashmir in terms of appearance and social customs. This tribe maintained a separate identity and were not absorbed in to the mainstream Kashmirian society till the entry of Islam . Their origin and entry period to Kashmir is disputed . Many theories have been put forth . Some anthropologists identify the Nishadas with the "Australoid" (Adivasi) people who inhabited India before the arrival of the proto-Indo-Aryans and the proto-Dravidians . Some historians inform us that this tribe actually lived on the banks of river Sarswati and were engaged in ferrying people across rivers apart from collecting timber and fuels from the forest . When the river dried , they too moved to different parts of the country for livelihood. Another group of historians traces their origin to Sri Lanka ( Sangal Dweep ) where from they moved and settled at various places in India. Some trace them to gypsies. And the Hanjis claim themselves to be the descendents of Prophet Noah. Whatever be their origin or entry period in Kashmir , Hanjis of Kashmir also belong to the ancient Nishada tribe. MENTION OF NISHADAS IN MANUSMRITI . Chapter X (34. )A Nishada begets on the same a Margava or Dasa, who subsists by working as a boatman, and whom the inhabitants of Aryavarta( India ) call a Kaivarta. NISHADA IN MAHABHARATA MAHABHARATA informs us that Nishadas ( an outcast tribe ) lived near river Banks or in hills and forests close by. They were hardworking , muscular and warrior like . Ekalavya belonged to Nishada tribe . Ekalavya was the son of Hiranyadhanus, the King of the Nishadas . He came to Hastinapura to join the military school or Gurukula of Dronacharya . He was a young prince of the Nishadha tribe who achieved a skill at par with Arjuna, despite Guru Dronacharya ‘s rejection of him on account of his caste . He attacked Dwaraka once, and was killed by Vasudeva Krishna in the battle .Nishadas were also fighting for Kauravas as well as for Pandavas in the Mahabharata war. Mahabharata also informs us that Arjuna had come to Nishada kingdom of Ekalavya, after the Kurukshetra War, to collect tribute for Yudhisthira's Ashwamedha sacrifice. Again King Nala and his wife Damayanti belonged to the Nishada tribe. NISHADAS IN RAMAYANA Valmiki’s Ramayana also makes mention of Nishadas . Shabri , an elderly woman who meets Sri Rama in a forest belonged to Nishada tribe .Shabri offered fruits to Sri Rama after first tasting each fruit herself . She only wanted to offer sweet fruits to Sri Rama who gladly ate them . Shabri tells Sri Rama to take the help from Sugriva apart from informing his whereabouts . Ramayana treats Shabri as pious saint. Again it was Nishada King Guhak who helped Sri Rama to cross River Ganga during his exile . MENTION OF NISHADA IN RAJATARANGINI OF KALHANA Kalhana makes mention of Nishadas in Kashmira at many places . His verses easily identify them with boatmen or Hanjis of Kashmir . I quote “ To this day are to be seen ancient trees , growing on the edges of old canals of the rivers , with marks of the boat ropes fastened by the Nishadas .” (Verse 101 Taranga V Rajatarangini of Kalhana translated by R S Pandit. ) NISHADAS IN OTHER KINGDOMS OF INDIA Nishadas have been mentioned as ancient tribes in the Kingdom of Dandakas (Aurangabad, Maharashtra ). Manimat Kingdom of Nishadas was visited by Bhima during his military campaigns to the East, to collect tribute for Yudhisthira . This kingdom is possibly the present day Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. A prince named Ketumet is mentioned as battling along with the Kalingas ( present day Odisha ) against Bhima, in the Kurukshetra War. He was mentioned as the son of the Nishada King. Nishadas living in Kashmir converted to Islam in early fourteenth centaury and most of them started adopting Kashmirian nicknames as their Surnames. As class or community , they came to be known as Haanji or Haaenz . The Haanjis are mostly found in and around areas of Dal Lake, Wular Lake and the Jhelum River right from Khannabal (Ananatnag District) to Chhattabal in Srinagar ,Kashmir . Walter Lawrence in his book The ,'Valley of Kashmir ' writes about them as under :- ´It is impossible to obtain any information as to their origin , but the profession is very ancient and history affirms that Raja Parbat Sen introduced boatmen from *Sangaldeep. ”. (*Present day Sri Lanka ) In Kashmir Haanjis further segregated themselves into various sub-sects depending upon the professions these sub-sects adopted. These sub-sects were primarily called :- DEMB HAAENZ This sect lived in or close to lakes and canals and engaged itself in growing vegetables. Haak grown by them was called Haaenz Haak as distinguished from Haak grown by other vegetable growers in mainland Kashmir. GAAER HAAENZ This sect lived in lakes in boats and was engaged in collection of water chestnuts from lakes essentially Dal Lake, and Wular Lake and Anchaar Lake GAADA HAAENZ This is the fishermen sect . The men simply collect the fish from lakes , rivers and canals while entire marketing is done by women who labour hard in carrying these fish to the city markets for ultimate sale . MATTA HAAENZ This sect would sell timber and firewood. They would live near riverbanks to sell firewood and timber to people. Quite often People would complain about their dishonesty in weighing timber. HAKH HAAENZ This sect would bring wooden scraps or drifted wood pieces from rivers in boats and sell them to people as winter fuel. DOONGA HAAENZ They owned Doongas which they rented out to people for picnics and other social get together . The family of the Haanji also lived in the Doonga which had a sitting space in its middle for the guests . These Doongas would move from place to place with groups of people enjoying food and Kashmir music . BAHAETCH HAAENZ This sect would own flat bottomed large boats used for carrying heavy loads .These boats were also used by the Food And Supplies Department to store and carry grains for public distribution in the Srinagar city. Presently this sect is also engaged in digging sand from river beds in Kashmir . SHIKAARI HAAENZ This sect owned Shikaras or the comfortable boats with roofs used for going across the river or making a round of the lakes. Presently a Shikara is quite popular mode of transport used by tourists for moving inside the Dal Lake , Manasbal Lake, and Nigeen Lake in the Kashmir valley . HOUSEBOAT HAAENZ This sect is economically better than all other sects as they own very expensive houseboats that are parked in the Dal Lake or Nigeen Lake . A houseboat is a tourist attraction. Most of the houseboats have three to four bed rooms with attached toilets . In-house pantry service is also available in these houseboats which are tastefully carved .The ‘Khatamband’ roof, walnut furniture, papier mache goods etc. make them a royal retreat. ( Avtar Mota )