The Tiar are found in North India. They are also known as the Parihar.[People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part Two edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 933 to 934 Seagull Books]
History and origin
The word tiar is a corruption of the
Sanskrit word
thivara, which means a hunter. They were traditionally hunters, but with the greater deforestation of their environment, they are now mainly farmers and fishermen. The Tiar in
Bihar are found in the districts of
Purnea,
Bhagalpur, and
Munger, and in some districts of West Bengal and
Jharkhand. A small number are also found in eastern
Uttar Pradesh. According to some traditions, they are a sub-group of the
Kewat community.
Present circumstances
The Tiar have seven sub-divisions, the Rajbansi, Surajbansi, Polwar, Malhasuraiya, Kewat, Muriary and Bin. Among these clans, there is a sharp stratification and the Muriary and Bins are looked down upon. Like other
Hindu communities, they maintain
gotra exogamy. The Tiar are now landless, and most are agricultural labourers. They are
Hindu, but have their own tribal deity Raja Bhim Sen Salis. The Tiar speak Bhojpuri and most now understand
Hindi.
The Tiar in Uttar Pradesh are confined to the Ballia Division, although at one time they extended as far west as Sultanpur District. They were said to the rulers of this region until they were overthrown by the Bachgoti . The Tiar are now mainly small cultivators, and speak the Awadhi language dialect.
See also
