Rawal (caste)

Rawal is an Indian community from Rajasthan and Gujarat. They are known as priests of devi temples and perform a form of dance known as Rammat during the worship. They were well respected and patronised by the Charans.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ Kothiyal, Tanuja (2016-03-14). Nomadic Narratives: A History of Mobility and Identity in the Great Indian Desert. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-67389-8. Another client caste of the Charans were the Bhands, who sang and danced for the Charans on festive occasions. Their particular form of dance is still popular and called rammat.
  2. ^ Mathur, Madan Mohan (2006). Kuchamaṇi Khyal: An Endangered Folk Theatre Style of Rajasthan. Madan Mohan Mathur. Rawals are the caste genealogists of the Charans . They claim to have been converted from the Brahmins in about 1195 A.D.
  3. ^ Qanungo, Kalika Ranjan; Kānūnago, Kālikā Rañjana (1960). Studies in Rajput History. S. Chand. There are seven categories of persons and communities, who in their turn have a hereditary claim on the Charan's bounty, and are not allowed to beg of any other community. Besides their kula-guru family of Brahmans living in Ujjain till today, and the purohit (family priest), these are: the Rao Bhat of Chandisa sept of Marwar (who are the Bhats of the Charans as of the Rathors of Marwar); the Rawal Brahmans, the Goind-pota and the Viram-pota (Bhats singing with dhol?) and the Motisar community