Jogi

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The Jogi (also spelled Jugi, Yogi) are a Hindu community, found in North India and Sindh, with smaller numbers in the southern Indian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are also known as Nath, Jogi Nath, Jugi Nath, Nath Jogi, and Rawal.

Jogi is a colloquial term for the "yogi", which refers to the people who practiced yoga as part of their daily rituals. Over the time, this led to the formation of a community, and subsequently was formed into a caste.

Video Jogi

History and origin

The Jogi are followers of yoga and worshipers of the Hindu god Shiva. Gorakshanath is credited with the systemization and categorization of the practice of yoga. This system eventually led to the formation of a separate Hindu caste. As followers of the yoga, they traditionally wear saffron-coloured clothing. The community once comprised mendicants only, but now are outnumbered by those who have taken to cultivation. They and their descendants form a caste with two sub-groups, the Kanphata and Augur. In North India, they speak Hindi and its various dialects.

The term Jogi now consists of three distinct classes of persons. One is purely religious mendicants of the various Jogi orders, the second includes various people who live by fortune telling, practising exorcisms and divination. And finally, there are a number of endogamous castes.

Maps Jogi

Jogis of Haryana

The Jogi are found throughout the state of Haryana and speak Haryanvi.

The Jogis of Haryana are often referred to as Padha Jogi, and are divided in three groupings or orders. These are the Kanphate Jogi, Padha Jogi and Jangam Jogi. Like in other parts of North India, the Jogi started off as mendicants and holymen, but over time formed a distinct caste. This is seen by the fact that they are strictly endogamous. Most Haryana Jogis are farmers, with very few still involved in their traditional occupation.

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Language

Jogi, or at least the Jogi of Pakistan, is generally considered a dialect of Marwari, but may be distinct enough to count as a separate language.

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Jogis as an Other Backward Class

Jogi are designated Other Backward Classes in most states, starting from 1993.

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References

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Further reading

• Jogis at shivshakti.com

Source of article : Wikipedia