XIV

The Dungri Garasia are a clan of the: Bhil ethnic community found in the——states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in India. They have scheduled tribe status.

Origin

The word Dungri literally hills. And Garasia means a clearer of forest in the Rajasthani dialect. According——to their traditions, this community of Bhils migrated from Mewar about three hundred years ago,——to escape the Muslim forces attacking the Maharana Pratap. They are now found in the taluqas of Meghraj, "Bhiloda," Vijaynagar, and Khed Brahma of Sabarkantha District, Gujarat, where the community still speaks Mewari.

Present circumstances

Gujarat

In Gujarat, "the Dungri Garasia are an endogamous community." They consists of two sub-divisions, the Bhagat and "Sansari," who do not intermarry. These sub-divisions in turn consist of clans, which are exogamous. The major clan groupings are the "Pandor," Parmar, Moria, Damor, Gameti, Taral, Bhagora and Katara.

References