Mer (community)
Ethnic group of Gujarat, India / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Mer people" redirects here. For the legendary water-dwelling beings, see Merfolk.
Mer, Maher or Mehar (Gujarati: ISO 15919: Mēr, Mahēr, Mēhar) is a caste from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat in India.[1][2][3] They are largely based in the Porbandar district, comprising the low-lying, wetland Ghēḍ and highland Barḍā areas, and they speak a dialect of the Gujarati language.[4][5][6] The Mers of the Ghēḍ and Barḍā form two groups of the jāti and together they are the main cultivators in the Porbandar District.[7] Historically, the men served the Porbandar State as a feudal militia, led by Mer leaders.[8][9] In the 1881 Gazette of the Bombay Presidency, the Mers were recorded numbering at 23,850.[10] The 1951 Indian Census recorded 50,000 Mers.[11] As of 1980 there were estimated to be around 250,000 Mers.[12]
Quick Facts Total population, Regions with significant populations ...
Total population | |
---|---|
250,000 (1980) | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Gujarat, India: Porbandar, Junagadh, Dwarka, Jamnagar | |
Languages | |
Gujarati | |
Religion | |
Hinduism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Gujarati people |
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