Watal
TheWatalare a community found inJammu and Kashmir,India. The term 'Watal' also means cobbler in Kashmiri language. The community is known by many names such as Batal, Battal, and Batul, and have been grantedScheduled Castestatus.
The Watal are aKashmiri-speaking community, confined entirely to theKashmir Valley.They are broadly divided into three sub-groups, the Seraj who are cobblers by profession, the Schupriya Watal who are manufacturers of the schup or winnowing fans and the Khumb Watal, who occupy the lowest status as they work as scavengers as well as tanners, occupations that are traditionally seen as polluting by otherKashmiri Muslimtribes.[citation needed]
TheShupir Watals,who claim to have been also known asHarmādānī Sheikh,are of uncertain origin. They are found mainly in the areas ofSrinagar,Tangmarg,BaramullaandSopore.They speak anIndo-Aryanlanguage known asSheikha galorWatali.[1]
Present circumstances
[edit]According to 2001Census of India,the Watal numbered 169, although their total numbers are probably underreported, as the name Watal carries a stigma.[2]This is seen by the fact that their entrance to temples and shrines was restricted, although this is no longer practiced, there are still occasionally prevented from entering places of worship. They are strictlyendogamous,and prefer marrying close relatives. In general, their customs are similar to otherKashmiri Muslims,and the Watal areSunni.[citation needed]
Watals in Hindu Community
[edit] | This sectionpossibly containsoriginal research.The source only mentions a person with the surname "Wattal" - it does not state that Watal is same as Wattal and the name of a social group found among Kashmiri Brahmins(March 2023) |
Watal (or Wattal) is a surname in the Kashmiri Brahmin community as well. It is not clear whether this surname is associated with the profession of scavenging or not. Some people claim that the ancestor of these people was a saint called Wattalnath. However, there is no documented proof for that. Jawahar Wattala music composer of our times, is one of the prominent Kashmiri Hindu Watals.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Safdar, Rahila (2014). "Sheikha Gal". In Devy, G. N.; Koul, Omkar N. (eds.).The languages of Jammu & Kashmir.People's Linguistic Survey of India. New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. pp. 279–83.ISBN978-81-250-5516-7.
- ^"A-10 STATE PRIMARY CENSUS ABSTRACT FOR INDIVIDUAL SCHEDULED CASTE - 2001"(PDF).Retrieved7 November2023.
- ^"SHEHJAR - Web Magazine for Kashmir:: Jawahar Wattal".