Mahawar Koli

The Mahawar Koli (also rendered Mahor, Mahaur, Mahour and Mahavar ) is a subcaste of the Koli people. They are present in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and the capital territory of Delhi. Mahawar Kolis inter-marry with Shakya Kolis but not with any other Koli subcastes. Together with other Koli subcastes, the Shakyawar, Jaiswar, Kabirpanthi (who followed the Kabir Panth), and Shankhwar Kolis of Uttar Pradesh, the Mahawar Kolis worked to uplift Koli social status in Hindu society by supporting the "All India Kshatriya Koli Mahasabha" leaders of Ajmer.

Origin
The origin of the Mahawar subgroup of Kolis is unclear, but there are two myths about it. The first is that Mahawars got their name from Marwad of Rajasthan and after the defeat of the Marwad Kingdom by the Muslim invaders, Kolis adopted the Mahawar name as a sign that they retained their heritage of originating in the Marwar land. There is another legend that they got their name from their legendary king Maharaja Mawar Dev who ruled over some parts of Rajputana (now Rajasthan) and Madhya Pradesh.

Caste association
The All India Kshatriya Koli Mahasabha (or Akhil Bhartiya Kshatriya Koli Mahasabha), was a social organisation initiated in Ajmer by Mahawar Kolis of Rajasthan in 1927; it spread throughout Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The organisation was created to raise awareness of the social and economic problems faced by Kolis and improve their social status as a Kshatriya caste. Koli leaders of Mahasabha claimed Kshatriya status because of the Koli Princely states and the Koli jagirs in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh. At that time, there were 52 princely states of Kolis in Gujarat, but all were minor or petty states. There were several Koli principalities in Maharashtra, as well as Kullu State in Himachal.

In 1952, the leaders of the Mahasabha, in the aftermath of the 1947 independence of India from British rule, invited the maharajas of: Jawhar State, the Koli Yashwantrao Martandrao Mukne; and of Surgana State, Deshmukh Dhairyashilrao Pawar; and the Koli Thakurs holding jagirs in Gujarat, to take part in a meeting in Ajmer to discuss the upliftment of Koli society. Maharaja Yashwantrao Martandrao Mukne sent his prime minister to the meeting with grateful thanks.

Classification
Mahawar Kolis are classified as a Scheduled Caste (SC) by the Government of Rajasthan. Mahawar Kolis were placed in SC category during the rule of Indian National Congress party in 1976. Before 1976, they were classified as Other Backward Class.

Clans
Mahawar Kolis have a number of clans in several states, some of them mentioned here:


 * Attri
 * Attrish
 * Bais
 * Bargujar or Badgurjar
 * Bhukkal
 * Bhumaria
 * Chauhan
 * Dagar
 * Gehlot
 * Gulia
 * Hada
 * Kachhwaha, Kachhawa or Kachhwai
 * Kashyap
 * Parihar
 * Rathore or Rathod
 * Rawat
 * Suryavanshi or Suryawanshi
 * Yadavanshi

Organisations

 * Mahawar Koli Utpadak Sahkari Samiti, Jaipur
 * Aadarsh Mahawar Koli Vikash Samiti, Rajasthan