HISTORY
History of Teli Community
Description
Teli (Marathi: तेली) is a business caste of oil pressers in India and Pakistan. Members may be either Hindu or Muslim; Muslim Teli are called Roshandaar or Teli Malik. (रोशनदार)[clarification needed][1]
The Jewish community of Maharashtra (called Bene Israel) was also known to be a sub-group in the Teli case called Shenwar Teli meaning Saturday oil pressers for their Jewish custom of abstention from work on Shabbat.[citation needed]
Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 Varna status
3 Distribution
4 Sub-divisions
4.1 Teli Savji
4.2 Teli Chauhan
4.3 Don Baili Teli
4.4 Teli Rathore/Rathod
4.5 Other Teli
5 Notable Telis
5.1 Pakistan
6 Swāmi Nārāyan & the Telis
7 References
[edit]Etymology
The word Teli comes from Tel, which means oil in Marathi, Hindi, and Oriya languages. The name Teli is given because of their profession of "making edible oil". In old times, these people had their small oil mills known as kolhu or ghana operated by oxen to make or extract edible oil from oil seeds like mustard and sesame.
[edit]Varna status
The Teli are generally considered to by of the Vaishya (merchant) varna in Hinduism, though possibly of a lower or "less-pure" status.[2] Other sources, however, classify them with the Shudra (cultivators),[3][4][5] while others note that the Teli have attempted to avoid lower-classed activities and associations in an attempt to identify themselves as Vaishya.[6]
A history of the Telis written by the Secretary of the Teli Society[when?] claimed a Vaishya origin.[7]
In Bengal, the Teli would be reckoned as Vaishya, along with other traders and bankers such as the Suvarnabanik, Gandhabanik, Saha, had not the Vaishya varna disappeared there.[8]
In Rajasthan, the Teli claim Kshatriya (warrior) status, though their neighbors recognise them as Vaishya (merchants).[9]
[edit]Distribution
Telis also called themselves Sahu Vaishyas. Telis are found throughout India. Hindu Teli are called Teli Sahu and Muslim Teli are called Teli Malik.
In north Maharashtra, most of them hide their family name and suffix Chaudhari as their surname.
In Haryana some Telis who have different configurations of Rajputs and Jats and others who had adopted this profession upon conversion to Islam during different periods. The Malik Muslim Teli association was established in 1901 to work for their welfare. The blood line of the Teli tribes found in the Sialkot, Lahore and Gujranwala regions of Pakistan shows this fact.[clarification needed] In these areas they are called Jungla and use Malik as a surname. In Haryana some Rajput families also adopted the Teli profession following the War of Indian Independence in 1857 to avoid persecution by the British.[citation needed]
In South India, Telugu-speaking Telis are called as Teli or Gandla. They have considerable population in Andhra Pradesh. They are differentiated as Deva Gandla, Setty Gandla, Sajjana Gandla. There are six gotras amonng them. They do not intermarry among the same gothras. Some Telis claim Kshatriya status and call themselves Reddy Gangla.
In Karnataka, Kannada-speaking Telis are called as Ganiga or Goud; Somakshatriya Ganigas and some Lingayat Ganigas (who worship Shiva) are also found there.
In Tamil Nadu, Telis are called Vaniya Chettiyar, Gandla Chetty, Ganiga Chetty, Chekkalar. Chekku denotes "oil press" in Tamil.
In Kerala Teli's are called as Vaniya Chettiyar, and they denote a huge population in Kerala
Telis are spread all over India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal.
[edit]Sub-divisions
This caste is also subdivided into multiple Teli subcastes such as:
Tilwan Teli
Shenwar Teli
Rathod Teli
Savji teli(i.e.Shirbhate,Gulhane,etc.)
Malik
Tirmal teli
Ek baili/Erandel teli
Don baili teli
Sahu Teli
Vaddhar Teli
Taheeme Teli
Jairat teli
Moodi
kokani teli
Malik shahu teli
[edit]Teli Savji
These mostly found in maharashtra vidarbha. Their surnames are as Shirbhate,Jirapure, Mogarkar, Ajmire, Bijve, Katkar, Take Bhurane,Bhise',choudhari , sakhre, barbinde, choure, kale,shirsagar, deshmane, dube , rajmane, kavale, phutake, - Bhise Shivaji
