The Regar (also spelled as Raigar, Rehgar, Raigarh, Ranigar and Rehgarh)[citation needed] are a caste group of India. They are sometimes associated with the Chamar caste[1] but, for example, the sociologist Bela Bhatia considers them to be distinct.[2] The Regar are found in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.[citation needed] They are known as Regar in the Mewar region of Rajasthan.[3]
Once leatherworkers,[4] at the beginning of the 20th century, the British Raj administration imposed restrictions on the indigenous manufacturing of saltpetre which destroyed their livelihood.[5] At least some community members served as bonded labour (begari) during the British Raj era.[1] Many today work in agriculture.[4]
They have been described as an untouchable caste by anthropologist Maya Unnithan-Kumar[6] and as Dalits by another anthropologist, Mary Grey,[1] and by Bhatia.[2][a]
References
Notes
^Dalit is essentially a more recent term for Untouchable.
^ abBhatia, Bela (2006). "Dalit rebellion against untouchability in Chakwada, Rajasthan". Contributions to Indian Sociology. 40 (1): 29–61. doi:10.1177/006996670504000102. In Rajasthan, for example, the Regars, Kolis, Khatiks, Valmikis and similar Dalit castes, which are comparatively "weaker" than the Chamars, do not cooperate with them. According to Mimroth, this is because - in their perception - the Chamars pick fights with the upper castes without adequate cause.
^Debnath, Debashis (June 1995). "Hierarchies Within Hierarchy: Some Observations on Caste System in Rajasthan". Indian Anthropologist. 25 (1): 23–30. JSTOR41919761.
^Unnithan-Kumar, Maya (2003). "Reproduction, Health, Rights". In Mitchell, Jon P.; Wilson, Richard A. (eds.). Human Rights in Global Perspective: Anthropological Studies of Rights, Claims and Entitlements. Taylor & Francis. p. 194.
