Khatik

The Khatik are widely distributed community in North India, and each Khatik group, has its own origin believe. What they have in common is that they were historically a kshatriya tribe who were assigned to kill animals in yajnas performed by kings. Also today, only khatiks has right to kill animals during bali offerings at Hindu temples. According to Crooke, Khatik is cultivating, labouring and vegetable selling caste found all over the province.[3] Russel (Vol. III, 1916, p. 453)[4] and Risley (Vol. I, 1891, pt. 47) [5] both agree in calling them a cultivating and vegetable selling caste.

According to their traditions, the god Brahma assigned to them a goats skin, the bark of trees and lac- so they could graze cattle, dye skins of goat, and deer; and tan hides with bark and lac. Another tradition, claims that the origin of the word Khatik has been derived from the Hindi word khat, which, means an immediate killing. They relate this to early days when they used to supply mutton to the kings of Rajasthan. While other sources claim that the word khatik is said to have originated from the Sanskrit word kathika, which means to butcher or hunter. The Khatik of Punjab used salt and juice of the maddar tree (Calotropis procera) to tan and dye goat and sheep skin.

In the 17th Century, several Khatik clans in Punjab were converted to Islam. The Muslim Khatiks of Punjab have two clans, the Rajputs and Ghori Pathan. Since the independence in 1947, the Muslim Khatiks moved to Pakistan have established tanneries, and are now referred to as Shaikhs. The Khatik in Pakistan have assimilated with the Punjabis in Punjab province. Many Khatik families have migrated to the Persian Gulf, United Kingdom and North America.

According to the Khatiks of Chandawak village in Jaunpur district, they were originally Hindu agriculturists but some of them were also enrolled as soldiers in the army during the reign of Mughal emperors. They mentioned that during Aurangzeb's rule many girls from Kshatriya's families were captured and married by Mughals. According to a legend once Aurangzeb proceeded to marry a daughter of a Kshatriya Raja. The Raja was unhappy but could not do anything' in the matter. However, in order to embarrass or annoy the King he asked his soldiers to bring pigs on the marriage day. When the marriage procession reached his palace Aurangzeb saw the pigs and he felt betrayed and since then the families of the Kshtriya Raja were referred to as 'Khatik'.

According to other caste Hindus, the Khatiks were not untouchables and did not suffer from any significant social disabilities.[6] In the past, they were allowed to draw water from the wells of upper.caste Hindus or one common village well. For instance, in village Kazidewar they drew water from a well owned by the Pradhan of the village who belong to Kayastha community.[6] They used metal vessels as well as earthen pitchers for drawing water from the well.

The Khatiks had access to the houses of upper caste Hindus, but upto the inner courtyard only; in no case they are permitted to enter the kitchen. It was observed during the field investigation that the Khatik agricultural employees could enter the homes of their caste Hindu employers. It was also noted that a Khatiks can milk the cow or buffalo for an upper caste Hindu. The chilam prepared by them was also accepted by upper caste Hindus.

The Khatiks were traditionally engaged in a variety of occupations, such as those of mason, goat and poultry rearer, vegetable and fruit seller, groom and tonga driver, tanner and dyer of skins and hides, as well as cultivator. In many cases these traditional occupations are associated: with different sub. castes, which mayor may not be occupying the same territory. Some of the Khatiks combine two or three of the above traditional occupations at the same time. As for example, in Kanjahit village in 'eastern U.P., the same Khatik families were engaged as vegetable and fruit sellers as well as cultivators. Though there has been some occupational mobility among the Khatiks of U.P., a fairly significant number of them followed their traditional occupations, especially the occupation of cultivation and selling fruits and vegetables.