- Ethnic groups in Delhi
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Delhi’s ethnic groups may be sub-divided into two categories, indigenous and migrant. The indigenous people are those who belong to the Delhi-middle Yamuna basin, a region which spreads radially from the capital up to a distance of approximately 200 kilometres.[1] The migrant population consists largely of Punjabis,[2] Bhojpuris and Biharis, Bengalis and Malayalis.[3]
Contents
Natives and migrants
The union territory of Delhi was not established on vacant, virgin land; it has always had human habitation, with the river Yamuna as its sustainer. Delhi existed even in the epoch of the Mahabharata; its name then was Indraprastha. The population that has traditionally resided in the region of the middle Yamuna qualifies for the appellation ‘indigenous people’; the belief that everybody in the city is an ‘outsider’ is therefore incorrect.[4]
Delhi’s native people share common ties of descent only with the population of Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and the north-eastern sections of Rajasthan.[1]
Recent developments
Nativist sentiments have begun to be heard.[5]
Rural Ethnicity
There are 450 villages in the union territory of delhi according to 1986 and 1961 census.[6][7]
- Jat - 104
- Gurjar - 65
- Ahir/yadav - 40
- Rajput - 26
- Brahmin - 15
- Chamar - 6
- Tyagi - 5
- Muslim - 5
- Others - 54
Jat and Yadav villages are located to the west of Yamuna river, Gurjar villages are generally located to the south and east of the river.[8]
References
- ^ a b Memorandum submitted to the States Re-Organisation Commission Regarding Greater Delhi, 1 May 1954, quoted in Shiv Charan Gupta, Delhi: The City of Future, New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House, 1987, p146-156.
- ^ Delhi Gazetteer, Delhi: Delhi Administration Press, 1976. pp130-136.
- ^ Percival Spear, Delhi: The Stop-Go Capital: A Summation, p32, in RE Frykenberg, (editor), Delhi Through the Ages: Selected Essays in Urban History, Culture and history. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1993.
- ^ A Bopegamage, Delhi: A Study in Urban Sociology, Bombay: University of Bombay, 1957. p93.
- ^ "India's migrant workers face hostility in Mumbai". CSMonitor.com. 2010-04-09. http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0409/India-s-migrant-workers-face-hostility-in-Mumbai. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ "Social work and development: role of ... - Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=Spl3hkRyCZAC&pg=PA34&dq=ahir+villages+delhi&hl=en&ei=nFw9Tc3ND8GqlAeJ7dHoBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAjgU#v=onepage&q=ahir%20villages%20delhi&f=false--1986. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ Gazetteer of rural Delhi-page 41
- ^ "Gazetteer of rural Delhi - Google Books". Books.google.com. 2008-07-31. http://books.google.com/books?id=Jv21AAAAIAAJ&q=ahir+villages+delhi&dq=ahir+villages+delhi&hl=en&ei=SV09TYP-D4L7lweW_62rBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CEwQ6AEwCTge. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
External links
Categories:- Ethnic groups in India by state
- Delhi
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