Kasana clan

Kasana is a Gurjar clan.^[1]

Traditions

Hindu

Like other Hindu Gurjars, Hindu Kasana are mainly vegetarians. In the selection of a spouse, the strict socioeconomic condition of the negotiating families is seen and four gotra, that is, self, mother's, Grandmother's and mother’s mother, are avoided. The women of well-to do households may not like to work in the fields, but during the peak harvesting season their assistance is inevitable. A woman’s role, both in the domestic and the economic sphere, is significant. The women are deft in making embossed floral patterns on the walls of the house. During Navratra festival (9 days devoted to the worship of Durga), they make their own clay model of goddess Durga for worship which is later immersed in the river. Some of them make intricate appliqué on the straw fans and do embroidery as well. These are not for sale but are kept for their use. They share folksongs or dances of the region.

Muslims

A Muslim Gujjars male is recognized his typical beard and dress. They wear a specially embroidered conical headgear called gujjari topi, jawaharcut colored embroidered jacket, a loose long kurta and a tamba, while the women wear chooridar pyjama and loose kurta usually of brown, black or green color. Bio-anthropological information with respect to hemoglobin variants somatometry, serology, genetics and dermatoglphics in the community is available.

They are mostly non-vegetarian, but mutton is consumed occasionally and on important occasions only due to lack of availability. They eat beef and buffalo meat mostly. Their diet also consists of maize chapatti, pulses and leafy vegetables. Their cooking media are mustard oil and desi ghee. Preparation of milk products like lassi and dahi, also form a part of their daily diet, which are their home products. Taking alcoholic beverages is a taboo as per the tenets of their religion but a few do consume it. They also consume non-alcoholic beverages like salted tea and lassi. A distinctive feature of their marriage is that consanguineous marriages take place. A boy can marry his cousin, either on the father’s or mother’s side provided they gave not in their infancy been suckling from the breast of the same mother. The marriages take place by nikah in which both the boy and the girl agree to marry each other in consideration of an agreed amount of mehar which has to be paid in the event of annulment of the marriage. Both junior levirate and junior sororate are permissible. Dowry is not demanded but is given in kind in the form of a buffalo or cow as per one’s economic position.

References