{{pp|small=yes}} {{Short description|Nomadic Indian caste}} {{about|the Indian caste|Beldar Conehead|Coneheads}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=April 2015}} The '''Beldar''' are a historically nomadic caste, originally from Northern India and now inhabiting many other parts of that country.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das, pages 245–248</ref>
==History and origin== The community are the traditionally natives of North India, and are similar to the Odh communities, who are the natives of west India. They also claim common ancestry with the Kewat community, who similarly refer to themselves as Odhs.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das, page 268</ref>
In Maharashtra, the Beldar are found mainly in the districts of Aurangabad, Nasik, Beed, Pune, Amravati, Akola, Yawatmal, Ahmednagar, Sholapur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Ratnagiri and the city of Mumbai. The Beldar claim to have immigrated from Rajasthan some five centuries ago.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} They still speak Beldari language among themselves and Marathi with outsiders. The community is strictly endogamous, and consists of a number of exogamous clans. Their main clans are the Chapula, Narora, Davawar, Jailwar, Faatara, Horwar, Chhapawar, Tuse, Pannewar, Mahore, Basniwar, Bahr, Jajure, Gorala and Udainwar.<ref name="maharashtra">People of India Maharashtra Volume XXX Part One edited by B.V Bhanu, B.R Bhatnagar, D.K Bose, V.S Kulkarni and J Sreenath, pages 192–197</ref>
==Present circumstances== The Beldar of Uttar Pradesh are still mainly involved in their tradition of navvies. They are employed by the state in the constructions of roads.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} Generally, whole families participate in the construction industry.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} Many Beldar are nomadic, shifting from place to place, looking for work at construction sites. A small number of Beldar are also involved in the selling of fruits and vegetables.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} The Beldar are a Hindu community, and are found throughout the state, speaking a number of dialects of Hindi.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das, page 247</ref>
The traditional occupation of the Beldar in Maharashtra was masonry. Many are still employed in the construction industry. The community is not entirely landless, some Beldar from Nagpur and Chandrapur in Maharashtra are land owners. A considerable number of Beldar are also employed by the various brick kilns.<ref name="maharashtra"/>
The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh, where they were classified as a Scheduled Caste, showed the Beldar population as 189,614.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix – Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |accessdate=2017-02-04}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh Category:Social groups of Madhya Pradesh Category:Indian castes Category:Social groups of Bihar Category:Social groups of Maharashtra