Patidar

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The Patidar are a Hindu ethnic group found primarily in the state of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh in India.

Patidars are also known as Patel, a common surname within the community.[1]

D. F. Pocock, an anthropologist who lived among the community, noted that those in Gujarat practiced a form of hypergamy.[2]

Origin

There are two main groups of Patidars in Gujarat that make up the community:

In the Hindu ritual ranking system (varna) they were considered to be Shudra, but they improved their status in some Indian communities. Through ownership of land, and later through their role as tax agents under British administration, the Patidars rose to a position of respectability.[4]

References

  1. ^ People of India Gujarat Volume XXI Part Three edited by R.B Lal, P.B.S.V Padmanabham, G Krishnan & M Azeez Mohideen pages 1094-1098
  2. ^ Ghurye, G. S. (2008) [1932]. Caste and race in India (Fifth ed.). Popular Prakashan. pp. 226, 451. ISBN 978-81-7154-205-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=nWkjsvf6_vsC. Retrieved 2011-08-27. 
  3. ^ Bhakta, Govind (2002). The Patels: A Gujarati Community History in the US. ISBN 0-934052-39-5. 
  4. ^ Isabelle Clark-deces (8 March 2011). A Companion to the Anthropology of India. John Wiley and Sons. pp. 290–. ISBN 978-1-4051-9892-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=98uLj5FpTHQC&pg=PT290. Retrieved 18 April 2011. 

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