Kanet
Kanetis acastefound inIndianatively residing in the state ofHimachal Pradesh.Historically, Kanets have been engaged inagricultureand allied activities.[1] They also generally use as aThakur title.There is a major subcaste of kanets which is known as "Mukhiya".
They are native to Eastern parts of Himachal. They claim themselves to be the descendants of Hill Rajas of an Ancient Kingdom. Ethnically and linguistically, Kanets residing in middle and lower hills of Himachal are of an Indo-Aryan stock such as other Rajput clans, but there are also mixed Mongoloid-Tibetian stock of Kanets in Kinnaur and Lahul. Kanet are known by the titleThakur,Although during British times they were considered one of the agriculturalist castes of Himachal likeGhirth.[2]The term agricultural tribe, according to thePunjab Land Alienation Act, 1900,was at that time synonymous withmartial race.[3]
Etymology
[edit]The modern Name "Kanet/kunet/Kunait" is anApabhramshaofKunindaorKunid [कुणिन्द/कुणीद/कुनिद ~ कुनेत/कुनैत/कनेत]
- Ku/कु changed to ka/क Or ku/कु
- ñi/णि changed to nē/णे/ने/नै
- Da/द changed to ta/त
Origin
[edit]According to a theory of their origin Kanets are descendants ofKuninda(कुणिन्द/कुणीद) Dynasty which once ruled the Parts of East Himachal and to Kumaon region ofUttarakhandfor a very long time till the rise of Gupta Empire and before the arrival of Medieval Era(6thCE-12thCE) Rajput ClansChauhan,Parmar,Chandelfrom Central And North India. The Kingdom of Kunindas is also mentioned inMahabharataas Kulinda. They were Defeated by the Arjuna. Kunindas are also mentioned byPaniniin hisAshtadhyayi.A Kulinda/Kuninda chief named Subahu/सुबाहु' is mentioned in Mahabharata who joined thePandavaswith his army and fought againstKauravasin the battle.
One of the great kings of the Kuninda wasRajnah/RanaAmoghabhuti{राणा अमोघभूति}, who ruled in the mountainous valley of the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers (in today's southern Himachal and far western Uttarakhand in northern India around 200B.C.)
The Greek historian Ptolemy linked the origin of the Kuninda to the country where the rivers Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna and Ganges originate.[4]
One of the Edicts of Ashoka on a pillar is also present at Kalsi, in the region of Garhwal, indicating the spread of Buddhism to the region from the 4th century BCE.
The Kuninda kingdom disappeared around the 3rd century, and from the 4th century, it seems the region shifted to Shaivite beliefs.
Kanet Thakurs/Rajputs could be the descendants of Ruling Ranas(Chieftains) of the AncientKunindaTribe.
Distribution
[edit]Kanet/Kunaitare mostly found in central, eastern and southernHimachal Pradesh,i.e in districts like Mandi, Kullu, Sirmour, Shimla, Solan and Bilaspur with very few representation in Kangra and Hamirpur.
Location of ancient Kunindas
[edit]Kuninda Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| Before 2nd century BCE–3rd century | |
 Location of Kuninda relative to other groups: theAudumbaras,theVemakas,theVrishnis,theYaudheyas,thePauravasand theArjunayanas. | |
| Government | monarchy |
| History | |
• Established | Before 2nd century BCE |
• Disestablished | 3rd century |
| Today part of | India |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab.Low Price Publications. pp. 457–471
- ^A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab.Low Price Publications. pp. 457–471
- ^Mazumder (2003), p. 105
- ^Ptolemy,Geography7.1.42: ὑπὸ δὲ τὰς Βιβάσιος καὶ τοῦ Ζαράδρου καὶ τοῦ Διαμούνα καὶ τοῦ Γάγγου ἡ Κυλινδρινή, "and enclosed by theBibasis,theZaradros,theDiamuna,and theGangesis Kylindrinē. "