Sansi Rajput
Sansi(Devnagari: सैंसी)(Gurmukhi: ਸੈਂਸੀ),classified as a nomadic criminal tribe originally located in the Rājputāna area of northwestern India but expelled in the 13th century by Muslim invaders and now living in Rājasthān state as well as scattered throughout all of India.[History of the Jatt Clans - H.S Duleh "(Translation from original Punjabi work "Jattan da Itihas" by Gurjant Singh)".] [1911 census of British Punjab - Major General Arthur Edward Barstow] Sansi (Sandhawalia) is a small royal Jat clan consisting of landowners. [ [1] ] The Sansi claim Rājput descent, but, according to legend, their ancestors are the Beriya, another criminal caste. Relying on cattle thievery and petty crime for survival, the Sansi were named in the Criminal Tribes Acts of 1871, 1911, and 1924, which outlawed their nomadic lifestyle. Reform, initiated by the Indian government, has been difficult because they are an “untouchable” caste and sell or barter any land or cattle given to them.[2]
Numbering some 60,000 in the early 21st century, the Sansi speak Hindi and divide themselves into two classes, the khare (people of pure Sansi ancestry) and the malla (people of mixed ancestry). Some are cultivators and labourers, although many are still nomadic. They trace their descent patrilineally and also serve as the traditional family genealogists of the Jat, a peasant caste. Their religion is simple Hinduism and Sikhism, but a few have converted to Islam.
There were two distinct offshoots of the tribe: the first was a vagrant community connected to the Jat tribes of Central Punjab; the second was an agricultural Jat clan found in Sahiwal, Amritsar and Gujranwala.
GYPSY AND NOMADIC CASTE
Sansi is a gypsy and nomadic caste of Sikhs, although Hindu Sansis also exist within and outside Punjab in sizable numbers.The Sansis community traces its origins to their leader and ancestor, maharaja Sansmal, and their name reflects this heritage. The caste claims origin from Bhati Rajputs from Rajputana who were expelled from Rajasthan by Allaudin Khilji, a Muslim invader who devastated Chittorgarh in the early 13th century A.D who had taken to nomadic life after the Defeat.[3]
Many of these Bhati Rajputs moved north into Punjab and the Sikh ruling houses of Jind, Faridkot and Patiala as well as the clan of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who was a Sansi, traced their origin to these Bhati Rajputs. Bhati Rajputs were originally a Jadubansi Rajput tribe tracing origin to Lord Krishna’s clan.[4]
One of the patriarchs from this group of Bhati Rajputs, who were expelled from Rajputana, was Sansmal or Sansi, son of one Padam Rath. His consanguineous followers came to be known as "Sansis". Their social status , however, vastly deteriorated in a matter of few centuries , owing to nomadic lifestyle. There is also a possibility that this group later assimilated with other gypsy groups of uncertain origin which would have almost certainly brought a loss of Rajput status. Over a period of time the group crystallized to form a new caste group synonymous with gypsies and nomads. Their main profession, it is said, had been reduced to hunting, robbery and petty theft . It is not surprising that Sayed Muhammad Latif, a renowned historian of Punjab, has described Budha Sansi, an immediate ancestor 0f Maharaja Ranjit Singh, as a well-known "Dharwi", meaning a highway robber, and also as a cattle-thief. In the colonial period , the English rulers had enlisted the entire caste as a "Criminal Tribe" under Criminal Tribes Act (Act XXVII of 1871) . After the independence of India in 1947 , however, they were officially denotified from this list and attempts were made by the government to rehabilitate them socially.
CONCLUSION
In the past, Sansi’s also served as the hereditary genealogists of Jats for which every Sansi family would receive a minor share in the harvest from the host families. Sansi’s were also affectionately addressed as “Dada” ( or Big Brother or Grand Father) by the Jats, perhaps because they provided them the information about their forefathers when requested. They started Having Jat-Sansi Inter-Marriages and started being known as Jats Themselves.
Socio-anthropologists, who have studied Sansi gypsies closely, have found them to be remarkably akin to the gypsies found in Europe in terms of linguistics, cultural habits and genetics. Some of the other names Sansis are commonly known with are Saunsis, Sainsi’s, Sahnsis, Sahsis, Sansiyas, Bhatus or Bhantus.
Prominent Sansi-Sandhawalia
- Raja Randhir Singh, royality
- Maharaja Ranjit Singh
- Preminder Singh Sandhawalia, descendent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh [ [5] ]
- Mr Beant Singh Sandhawalia, descendent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh [ [6] ]
- Mr Sukhdev Singh Sandhawalia[ [7] ]
- Chanda Singh
- Jodh Singh
- Sardar Gurdit Singh Sandhawalia, cousin of Princess Sophia "(Grand-daughter of Maharajah Ranjit Singh)". [ [8] ]
- Noblemen and Kinsmen History of a Sikh Family: History of a Sikh Family, By Preminder Singh Sandhawalia "(Author)", "(Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. Date:1999, ISBN 8121509149)".
List of Sansi Subcastes
1 Agarwal
2 Agowal
3 Arar
4 Awan
5 Badwal
6 Bagri
7 Bains
8 Bhanduwal
9 Bharpai
10 Bhatti
11 Bidowal
12 Bola
13 Budhowal
14 Chahal
15 Chandar
16 Chattha
17 Chatwal
18 Chawle
19 Chhina
20 Choghatta
21 Dagarwal
22 Dandewal
23 Datar
24 Dhaliwal
25 Dhanewal
26 Dhawan
27 Dhindse
28 Diwan
29 Gaddi
30 Galdike
31 Gali
32 Galianwala
33 Gall
34 Gandowal
35 Gawala
36 Gele
37 Ghogharwal
38 Ghuman
39 Ghusar
40 Gill
41 Gorewal
42 Gowala
43 Gudunge
44 Gund
45 Halna
46 Harar
47 Hiba
48 Hira
49 Jagait
50 Jaidev
51 Jairam
52 Jaman
53 Jammun
54 Jandwal
55 Jangiwal
56 Jat
57 Jhanchi
58 Jhandi
59 Jhanji
60 Jhojn
61 Jogi
62 Kadduwal/Kadoo
63 Kang
64 Karjol
65 Karsa
66 Karthan
67 Kawar
68 Khakh
69 Khanwal
70 Khara
71 Khokhake
72 Khokhar
73 Khote
74 Kodbaddu
75 Ladhan
76 Lakhanpal
77 Laloowal
78 Langa/Lange
79 Lodiwal
80 Mahesh
81 Mahi
82 Maiya
83 Majera
84 Mala
85 Mala
86 Malang
87 Malia
88 Maluwal
89 Manasan
90 Mata
91 Mathra
92 Mattu
93 Mehra
94 Morad
95 Mors
96 Nanda
97 Narwai
98 Padda/Padarwal/Paddewal
99 Pakhar
100 Parmanandi
101 Patti
102 Phalad
103 Phan
104 Piddi
105 Pohu
106 Puri
107 Rahar
108 Raiwal
109 Ranji
110 Ratanwal/Ratanwalia
111 Ratilal
112 Sadawa
113 Saddo
114 Saggi
115 Sahjewal
116 Sahota
117 Sakruwal
118 Sakwal
119 Salabi
120 Samhandewal
121 Sanarura
122 Sandhu
123 Sandi
124 Sandrani
125 Sansi
126 Sansmal
127 Saradhwal
128 Sarwani
129 Seguwal
130 Seran
131 Shahriana
132 Shamir
133 Sharnapal
134 Sheral
135 Sherewal
136 Shibar
137 Sial
138 Sidhowal/Sidhuhwal /Sidhu
139 Sodhi
140 Sukerchakia
141 Sunder
142 Sunderwal
143 Tanoi
144 Topi
145 Tor
146 Toriwal
147 Uggon/Uggi
148 Waraich
External Links
Refrences
•Griffin, Sir Lepel Punjab Chiefs, Vol. 1, p. 219
•Singh, Sher (1965) The Sansis of Punjab: a Gypsy and denotified tribe of Rajput origin; Maharaja Ranjit Singh: the most glorious Sansi, p. 13. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal [[10]]
•Latif, Sayed Muhammad, History of the Punjab, p.335 Calcutta 1891
•Patiala State - Census of India [[11]]
•Sikhs: comp. under the orders of the government of India. by: India. Army; Bingley, A. H., 1865-1944. Publication date: 1899 [[12]]
•The Punjab chiefs historical and biographical notices of the principal families in the territories under the Punjab government. by Griffin, Lepel H,Publication date-1865 [[13]]
