# Beldar

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{{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](/source/Caste_system_in_India), originally from [Northern India](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Maharashtra), the Beldar are found mainly in the districts of [Aurangabad](/source/Aurangabad_district%2C_Maharashtra), [Nasik](/source/Nasik), Beed, 
Pune, [Amravati](/source/Amravati), [Akola](/source/Akola), [Yawatmal](/source/Yavatmal_district), [Ahmednagar](/source/Ahmednagar), [Sholapur](/source/Sholapur), [Kolhapur](/source/Kolhapur), [Sangli](/source/Sangli), [Satara](/source/Satara_district), [Ratnagiri](/source/Ratnagiri) and the city of Mumbai. The Beldar claim to have immigrated from [Rajasthan](/source/Rajasthan) some five centuries ago.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} They still speak [Beldari language](/source/Beldari_Language) among themselves and [Marathi](/source/Marathi_language) with outsiders. The community is strictly [endogamous](/source/Endogamy), 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](/source/Uttar_Pradesh) are still mainly involved in their tradition of [navvies](/source/Navvy). 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 [nomad](/source/nomad)ic, 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](/source/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](/source/2011_Census_of_India) for Uttar Pradesh, where they were classified as a [Scheduled Caste](/source/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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Beldar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beldar) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beldar?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.