Darbar (title) explained

Darbar or Durbar or Darbar Sahib (Gujarati: ISO 15919: Darbār) is a title of honor or respect used mainly in the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Chieftain or Lord of small petty princely states, which existed in the pre-independence era, who used title as together with honorific Saheb, to be referred as Darbar Saheb.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Traditionally, it was used to refer to persons belonging to the landed-nobility, who may also be from the communities of Kathis, Mers, Charans or Rajputs.^{[4] [5] [6] [7]}

As such, many dominant caste or hereditary chieftain of an erstwhile princely states may be referred to as Darbar in the general use of the word. The title was mostly in use in areas now covered by Gujarat and Rajasthan.^[8] However, there is no separate notified caste called Darbar. It was a title of honor more in use during princely India, which was used to refer to chieftains and is prevalent in use even today mainly in rural Gujarat.^[9]

See also

• Jagirdar
• Thakur
• Feudalism in India

Notes and References

1. Book: Basu, Pratyusha . Villages, Women, and the Success of Dairy Cooperatives in India: Making Place for Rural Development . 2009 . Cambria Press . 978-1-60497-625-0 . en.
2. Book: Williams . Raymond Brady . Swaminarayan Hinduism: Tradition, Adaptation, and Identity . Trivedi . Yogi . 2016-05-12 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-908959-8 . en.
3. Book: Lobo, Lancy . The Thakors of north Gujarat: a caste in the village and the region . 1995 . Hindustan Pub. Corp. . 978-81-7075-035-2 . en.
4. Book: Tambs-Lyche, Harald . Power, Profit and Poetry Traditional Society in Kathiawar, Western India . Manohar . 1997 . 81-7304-176-8 . New Delhi . 97.
5. Book: Lobo, Lancy . The Thakors of north Gujarat: a caste in the village and the region . 1995 . Hindustan Pub. Corp. . 978-81-7075-035-2 . en.
6. Book: Williams . Raymond Brady . Swaminarayan Hinduism: Tradition, Adaptation, and Identity . Trivedi . Yogi . 2016-05-12 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-908959-8 . en.
7. Book: Tambs-Lyche, Harald . Transaction and Hierarchy: Elements for a Theory of Caste . 2017-08-09 . Routledge . 978-1-351-39396-6 . en . Charans received lands in jagir for their services, and in parts of Marwar, certain Charan families were effectively Darbars..
8. Book: Roy Burman . J. J. . Gujarat Unknown: Hindu-Muslim Syncretism and Humanistic Forays By J. J. Roy Burma . 2005 . 9788183240529 . 140.
9. Book: Allen . Charles . Dwivedi . Sharada . Lives of the Indian Princes . June 1998 . BPI Publishing . 978-81-86982-05-1 . 170–171 . 8 July 2022 . en.