Decode Politics: What are Haryana’s ‘36 biradaris’ that every party talks about

What does biradari mean?

Professor S K Chahal of Kurukshetra University says the word comes from baradar, the Persian word for the brotherhood of a clan or a tribe with a common ancestry. The English word brother is derived from this.

“The term biradari is also referred to as kaum (nation) or jaat (caste). Though the last two words have different meanings, in north India all three words are used as synonyms for caste,” says Prof Chahal, who is the chairperson of the university’s Department of History and the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Prof M Rajivlochan, who teaches history at Panjab University in Chandigarh, says biradaris are like extended families. “Haryana is the region of Mahabharat. It’s imagined that the structures like biradaris have lasted since the time of Mahabharat,” he says.

What are the 36 biradaris and their social significance?

In election season, whenever any candidate approaches a village, he or she is welcomed by the prominent villagers on behalf of the “36 biradari”. Among the castes and communities in this category are Brahmins, Baniyas (Agarwals), Jats, Gurjars, Rajputs, Punjabis (Hindu), Sunars, Sainis, Ahirs, Sainis, Rors, and Kumhars. Almost half the Scheduled Castes (SCs) are from the leather-working castes.

However, six-time former MLA and former state finance minister Sampat Singh of the Congress says “36 biradaris” is just a turn of phrase and in reality there are more than 36 castes. “In 2016, I called an event at my home in Hisar to strengthen the brotherhood among all castes and it was attended by the members of nearly 85 castes. The brotherhood of ‘36 baradari’ is a very common word in Haryana that is used to promote harmony in society,” says Singh.

According to Prof Chahal, the concept of 36 biradari is widely used in the cultures of Punjab — both in India and Pakistan — Haryana, and Rajasthan. “Socially, the biradari plays an important role in making marital relationships, settling inter or intra-caste disputes, and resolving other social issues. It also provides its people with social security and a feeling of identity and honour. Hence, people have an intense feeling of bond with and belongingness to their biradaris.”

How did the number 36 come to be associated with the phrase?

According to Prof Chahal, the Ajmer-Merwar Gazetteer (1951) mentions the existence of 37 castes, but not 36. “Early medieval Persian writings and travel accounts refer to the existence of 36 biradaris (clans or kingdoms) in north India. Similarly, a renowned historian of Rajputana, Lt Col James Todd, an officer of the British East India Company, refers to 36 dynasties or kingdoms,” he says.

Prof Chahal says in Haryana, another word with a number suffixed at the end is “Khap 84”. “It refers to a khap panchayat of 84 villages, but all khaps do not add up to 84 villages,” he adds. According to him, “36 biradaris” is more of an idiom used to refer to the major communities and does not mean there are exactly 36 communities in reality.

The historian says there is a similar example from Maharashtra where a system of twelve trades is referred to as “Bara (12) Balutedars”. These include priests, astrologers, barbers, carpenters, and potters. In the state Budget this February, the Maharashtra government announced the creation of over a dozen memorials, developing monuments and pilgrimage places as well as a provision of over Rs 500 crore to develop and set up an economic development corporation for the Balutedars.

What is the political significance of 36 biradaris?

Politicians use the phrase to signal their secular image but many prefer to look after the interests of their caste groups to reach out to a specific vote bank. Similarly, a large number of voters too prefer a candidate for their caste only.

Mainstream parties field candidates keeping caste calculations in mind. For the October 5 polls, the BJP has fielded, among others, 21 OBCs, 17 Jats, 11 Brahmins, 11 Punjabi Hindus, five Baniyas, and two Muslims. In the Congress line-up, there are 26 Jat candidates, 20 OBCs, 17 SCs, 11 Sikhs or Punjabi Hindus, six Brahmins, five Muslims, two Vaishyas, and one Rajput, Bishnoi, and Ror candidate.