Shorgir

The Shorgir are a Hindu caste found in North India.

Origin

The Shorgir are a community of Kumhar ancestry, who have taken to salt-making. They get their name from the Hindi word shora, which means salt. The Shorgir are said to have originated in Rajasthan, and over time spread to Haryana and Punjab. They now speak Haryanvi, and are found in the districts of Rohtak, Hissar, Karnal, Jind and Sirsa.

Present Circumstances

The Shorgir community consists of a number of exogamous clans. Their main clans are the Kumati, Saria, Chabria, Sungatia, Puchmare, Eaxsele, Salote, Sarde and Naile. They are strictly endogamous. The Shorgir are a landless community, whose traditional occupation was salt making. Like other artisan groups in India, the Shorgir have seen a decline in their traditional occupation. The community are now mainly wage labourers.A Small number rent out of land from the Bania community for extracting shora or rock salt.

See also

• Noongar