Talpada Kolis

The Talapada Koli, or Talpada Koli, is a subcaste of the Koli caste of Gujarat state in India. Talapada Kolis are agriculturists by profession. they were members of the Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha, an organisation launched by Natwarsinh Solanki who was a Koli elite. In 1907, they were classified by the British as a Criminal Tribe, ascribing to them a range of anti-social activities such as highway robbery, murder, and theft of animals, cattle and standing crops. They were also alleged to be blackmailers and hired assassins.

The Talpada Kolis used the title of Kotwal because of their high position villages and served to rulers as Kotwal and they were granted the villages or large field and title of Pagi because they were good detective for rulers or any chief. Another title of Talapada Kolis is Patel because they are agriculturists and respected cultivators from old days.

Origin
The Talapada Kolis got their name from Talpad region in Junagadh State of Gujarat which they ruled. Talapada Kolis means indigenous Koli used in 19th century. They speak Gujarati language of Gujarat. The Talapada Kolis found in South, Central as well as Peninsular Gujarat.

Tax collecting system
Talpada Kolis of Gujarat often collected the tax which was called as Koli Vero. The Koli Vero was a type of tax collected by Koli chiefs of villages from other caste people for living in Koli village.

System
Here are some important points of Koli vero:,
 * It was collected by Koli chiefs such as Koli Thakors, Koli Patels, Koli Girasias, Koli Pagis and Koli Kotwals of their villages.
 * Koli Vero was collected as monthly tax from other caste people.
 * If anyone resisted or refused to pay Koli Vero, Koli chief often plundered the person's relatives.
 * Koli vero system was disbanded during the British rule in Gujarat.

History
In an unpublished paper on Talpada Kolis in south Gujarat, Arjun Patel mentions that a number of Talpada Kolis had participated in the 1926 non-cooperation movement, in the 1930 Dandi Satyagraha, and the Quit-India movement of 1942. From the Olpad and Choryasi talukas alone 91 Kolis became freedom fighters. Koli leaders here have been active in bringing about social reforms among their folk. Twenty-three caste associations (gnati sangathano) have been recorded in south Gujarat by Patel. The main objectives of these associations are social reform, promotion of education, and furtherance of the economic interests of Kolis. These associations, like the north Gujarat Koli associations, do not avowedly profess any political objective. Patel (1992) notes that many associations in south Gujarat held joint activities. However, the efforts of the south Gujarat Kolis to unite with Kolis of other regions were unsuccessful.

Kambad, a Talpada Koli from Bhavnagar, Saurashtra, in his book (1981:453, in Gujarati), Samast Koli Samaj (All Koli Association), writes that since 1951 meetings were held nearly every year at different places in Saurashtra to bring about a fellow feeling among Kolis and to promote all-round development among them. According to Roy (1983), this association took formal shape on 20 November 1973, under the title Samast Talpada Koli Samaj (All Talpada Koli Society). Its first convention was held at Chotila (Surendranagar district) where about 7000 Kolis from Saurashtra assembled. During this convention the bandharan (constitution) of the association was framed and approved.

Koli and Patidar conflicts under Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha
The Patidars of Central and North Gujarat were agricultural labour on the lands of Koli landlords or Koli chieftains but after Independence of India, Patidars enchraoched the lands of Kolis through land ceiling act of Independent India and reduced the Kolis in social status. after that, Kolis thought that they ruled the area but have no rights, so Kolis often plunders the Patidar villages in midnight in gangs. The Rajputs of Gujarat strongly allied with Kolis because Rajputs also were against Patidars because of their land rights. In central and north Gujarat, the Kolis had several battles with the Patidars on the issue of land tenancy, land rights and use of common village resources. It may be mentioned here that in order to win the elections in 1962 and 1967 the Gujarat Swatantra Party, dominated by the Patidars, won over some of the Koli leaders of the Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha and Sabha was dominated by Kolis of North Gujarat. The Party evolved a strategy referred to by the acronym PKASH; that is the 'party of Patidars and Koli Kshatriyas.' Party nominated a large number of the Kolis as party candidates and also gave them positions within the party organization. But that alliance did not last. The party and the Kshatriya Sabha's Koli leaders could not resolve ground-level conflicts between the Koli peasants and well Patidar peasants. The grievances of Patidar were resolved by Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha by several time meetings but it was not enough because Kolis were double in number of population if Gujarat and Patidars often targeted by influenced Kolis. most of the Patidar's children were engaged in collage study but Kolis not and it was a big beneficial point of Patidars.

Clans
Here are main clans found in Talapada Kolis:
 * Dhapa
 * Rathod
 * Chavda
 * Solanki
 * Parmar
 * Baria
 * Mer
 * Chauhan
 * Makwana
 * Bhaliya
 * Sankhat

Titles
Talapada Kolis have two titles:
 * Patel
 * Darbar
 * Pagi
 * Kotwal
 * Dharala

Organisations

 * 1974, Shri Talapada Koli Patel Samaj, Surat
 * 1961, Shri Talapada Koli Gyati, Bhavnagar
 * Dakshin Gujarat Koli Patel Samaj Sangh, Surat
 * Bardoli Pradesh Taluka Koli Samaj
 * Shri Chikhli Taluka Koli Samaj

Classification
The Talapada Kolis are classified as a Other Backward Class, or OBC caste by Government of Gujarat.