View source for Dhobi

{{Short description|Washerman caste in India}}
{{For|the caste that practices Islam|Muslim Dhobi}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group            = Dhobi
| image            = A dhobie (washerman) ironing in the early 1870s.jpg
| image_caption    = [[Carte-de-visite]] of a Dhobi ironing.
| religions        = [[Hinduism]], [[Islam]] and [[Buddhism]]
| related_groups   = [[Muslim Dhobi]]
}}

'''Dhobi,''' known in some places as '''Dhoba''',<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Amritha Mondal|title=Owning Land, Being Women Inheritance and Subjecthood in India|date=6 April 2021|publisher=Bibiliographic publication|isbn=9783110690361|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kdwhEAAAQBAJ&dq=Dhoba+agriculture&pg=PT41}}</ref> '''Rajaka''', is a [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|scheduled caste]] in India and the greater [[Indian subcontinent]] whose traditional occupations are [[Clothes washing|washing]], [[ironing]], and [[Farmworker|agricultural labour]].<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=R N Hadimani|title=The politics of poverty|year=1984|publisher=Ashish Publication|page=184|isbn=9780391032644|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_d4fc2ashDUC&dq=agriculture+labours+dhobis&pg=PA184}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Ranabir samaddar|title=State of Justice in India|year=2009|publisher=Sage publication|page=55|isbn=9788132104193|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNCGAwAAQBAJ&dq=agriculture+labours+dhobis&pg=RA2-PA55}}</ref><ref>Channa, Subhadra Mitra. 1991. "Caste, 'Jati' and {{Sic|Enthnicity}}—Some Reflections Based on a Case Study of the Dhobis." ''Indian Anthropologist'' 21(2):39-55. {{JSTOR|41919653}}.</ref>

In 2017, [[Supreme Court of India]] noted calling people ''dhobi'' was offensive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Calling People 'Harijan' or 'Dhobi' Is Offensive: Supreme Court |url=https://thewire.in/law/calling-people-harijan-or-dhobi-is-offensive-supreme-court |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=thewire.in |language=en}}</ref>

== Synonyms ==
=== Maharastra ===
In [[Maharashtra]], the Dhobi are found throughout the state, and are also known as Parit. They speak [[Marathi language|Marathi]] among themselves, and [[Hindi]] with outsiders.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Suresh Kokate|title=The Social and the Symbolic|date=7 March 2007|publisher=SAGE Publication|pages=295–310|isbn=9788132101178|quote = Sathiriya Maratiya Parit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a7yGAwAAQBAJ&q=the+social+and+the+symbolic}}</ref>{{request quotation|date=August 2023}}

=== Tamil Nadu ===
[[Vannar]] belongs to the Valangai ("Right-hand caste faction"). Some of The Valangai comprised castes with an agricultural basis while the Idangai consisted of castes involved in manufacturing, Valangai, which was better organised politically
<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmlQAQAAMAAJ&q=%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%A3%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%A3%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D+|title=Ān̲antaraṅkar nāṭkur̲ippu: āyvu|date=4 October 1991|publisher=Tamil̲iyal Tur̲ai, Putuvaip Palkalaik Kal̲akam|via=Google Books}}</ref>{{request quotation|date=August 2023}}
{{cquote|"Kayvanaval Allitharum and the tiger flag were hoisted
<br/>were Identified"|400px||-Right hand history}}
<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Soundarapandian|title=Right hand history|publisher=Department of Archeology|year=1995|page=108|url=https://www.tamildigitallibrary.in/book-detail?id=jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZt1kxyy&tag=%E0%AE%87%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%20%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%88%E0%AE%AF%E0%AE%B0%E0%AF%8D%20%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%B2%E0%AE%BE%E0%AE%B1%E0%AF%81#book1/}}</ref>

In the Tirunelveli region, Thai deities (female deities) are worshipped in large numbers and are worshiped with a pedestal or trident. in states like [[Karnataka]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]], Vannars are still the priests of the [[Mariamman|Mariamman temple]]<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Sivamathi|title=Spiritual repository|publisher=Sura Publication|year=2006|page=244|isbn=9788174789440|quote=The fiery goddess became known as Draupadi Amman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pl_V-zPgyf4C}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Ganapathy Raman |title=Worship of idols in Tirunelveli|publisher=Thirumagal Publication|year=1986|page=113|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jvwXAAAAIAAJ}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{| class="wikitable"
![[States and union territories of India|State]]/[[Union territory|Territory]]
!Known as
!Description
!Status<ref name=":2">[http://socialjustice.nic.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Compendium-2016.pdf Compendium 2016] socialjustice.nic.in</ref>
|-
|[[Andhra Pradesh]]
|Rajaka
|In Andhra Pradesh, the Rajakas do farming and agriculture, as well as washing, and ironing. However, there are many Rajakas in all sectors, such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, journalists, social services, IT, and politicians.<ref name="andhrapradesh">{{Cite web|title=National Commission for Backward Classes|url=http://ncbc.nic.in/Home.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fPdf%2fandhrapradesh.pdf|website=ncbc.nic.in}}</ref>
|[[Other Backward Class|OBC]]
|-
|[[Assam]]
|Dhupi
|In 2001, Assam's Dhupi population was at 49,929, accounting for 2.7% of the total Scheduled Class (SC) population.<ref>"[https://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_assam.pdf Assam – Data Highlights: The Scheduled Castes]." ''2001 Census of India''. 2001.</ref> A high of 27.9% of this population was [[Urban area|urban]]. The [[literacy rate]] among this group was 76%, above both the state figure (66.8%) and the aggregated national figure (54.7%) for SCs.
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Bihar]]
|Dhobi, Rajak
|According to jangana 2023 Dhobi community in Bihar makes up around 0.84% (11 lakh) [[Hindu Dhobi]], 0.31% (4 lakh) [[muslim Dhobi|Muslim Dhobi (Qassar)]] of the state's total population, with maximum concentration in [[Muzaffarpur district|Muzaffarpur]], [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]], [[Siwan District|Siwan]], [[Purnia district|Purnia]] and [[East Champaran district|East Champaran]] districts, respectively. Bihar's Dhobi community is included in [[Scheduled Caste]] from OBC Status due to socioeconomically low. Now, they are in all sectors, but mainly as government employers, doctors, IT engineers, social service, agriculture, farming and politicians. Among the numerically larger castes of SC, Dhobi have registered the highest overall literacy rate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_bihar.pdf|title=Census data|accessdate=15 April 2023}}</ref>
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Jharkhand]]
|
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Madhya Pradesh]]
|
|In Madhya Pradesh, Dhobi are a Scheduled Class in the districts of [[Bhopal district|Bhopal]], [[Raisen district|Raisen]], and [[Sehore district|Sehore]].<ref name=":2" />
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]] and OBC elsewhere
|-
|[[Manipur]]
|Dhupi
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Meghalaya]]
|Dhupi
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Mizoram]]
|Dhupi
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Odisha]]
|Dhoba, Dhobi, Rajak, Rajaka
|Odisha has a significant population of Dhobi people in its coastal belt, i.e. eastern Odisha ([[Cuttack]], [[Puri district|Puri]], [[Balasore district|Balasore]], [[Ganjam district|Ganjam]]) and a smaller population in its central and western areas. They are included in [[Scheduled Caste]] list of Odisha.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1766850/|title=Indian Kanoon|accessdate=15 April 2023}}</ref>
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Rajasthan]]
|
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Tripura]]
|Dhoba
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Uttar Pradesh]]<ref>{{cite web|title=central list of OBCs Uttar Pradesh|url=http://www.ncbc.nic.in/user_panel/GazetteResolution.aspx?Value=mPICjsL1aLvxbegUDuc3MN4eB5E3Ecc1drRPAf1qXQ%2bl0IqIfhjN1xHrf4i2h5g0|publisher=National Commission for Backward Classes, India}}</ref>
|Diwakar, Rajak
|The Dhobi population in the state has been classified as SC.
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Uttarakhand]]
|
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|-
|[[Delhi Union Territory|Delhi]]
|
|
|[[Scheduled Caste|SC]]
|}

==Dhobis in Nepal==
The [[Central Bureau of Statistics (Nepal)|Central Bureau of Statistics]] of Nepal classifies the Dhobi as a subgroup within the broader social group of [[Madheshi people|Madheshi]] [[Dalit]]s.<ref>[https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II]</ref> At the time of the [[2011 Nepal census]], 109,079 people (0.4% of the population of Nepal) were Dhobi. The frequency of Dhobis by province was as follows:
* [[Madhesh Province]] (1.2%)
* [[Lumbini Province]] (0.9%)
* [[Bagmati Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Gandaki Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Koshi Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Karnali Province]] (0.0%)
* [[Sudurpashchim Province]] (0.0%)

The frequency of Dhobis was higher than national average (0.4%) in the following districts:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |title=2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report |access-date=10 April 2023 |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314170005/https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Kapilvastu District|Kapilvastu]] (2.1%)
* [[Rautahat District|Rautahat]] (2.0%)
* [[Rupandehi District|Rupandehi]] (2.0%)
* [[Parasi District|Parasi]] (1.7%)
* [[Parsa District|Parsa]] (1.4%)
* [[Sarlahi District|Sarlahi]] (1.3%)
* [[Bara District|Bara]] (1.2%)
* [[Banke District|Banke]] (1.1%)
* [[Mahottari District|Mahottari]] (1.0%)
* [[Saptari District|Saptari]] (0.9%)
* [[Siraha District|Siraha]] (0.9%)
* [[Dhanusha District|Dhanusha]] (0.8%)

== Notable people ==
{{Main|List of Dhobis}}
* [[Ram Chander (MVC)|Ram Chander]], recipient of [[Mahavir Chakra]] during the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]]
* [[Chintamoni Dhoba]], ruler of [[Dhalbhum]] region and established capital at Ambikanagar
* [[Gadge Maharaj]], Marathi Hindu saint 
* [[Suryabanshi Suraj]], Indian politician

== See also ==
* [[Dhobi Ghat]], Mumbai
* ''[[Dhobi Ghat (film)|Dhobi Ghat]]'', 2010 movie
* [[Hēna]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Caste, Dhobi}}
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Laundry]]
[[Category:Dalit communities]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Bihar]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Jharkhand]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Odisha]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Assam]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Delhi]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttarakhand]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Mizoram]]
[[Category:Scheduled Castes of Meghalaya]]
[[Category:Other Backward Classes of Karnataka]]