Pakistan, two distinct communities go by the name Kanjari. Over the centuries they became associated with the profession of peripatetic craftsmen and entertainers, best known for the terracotta toys they produce. In Karachi, the Urdu-speaking community has large numbers of descendants of Kanjaris from Northern India. Most of them moved from Delhi and Lucknow to Karachi. The term 'Kanjar' is more generally used to refer to a person of low moral character than as a reference to the tribe.
The Kanjaris are sometimes associated with the Lahore neighborhood.They are originally a hindu tribe later some converted to sikh and muslim and his famous bazaar was inhabited and later flourished under influence of Kanjaris of Lucknow and Kanjaris of other parts of northern India. For centuries Lucknow was a hub for affluent families would send their children to be educated in Lucknow. It was believed those women carried the roots of Urdu speaking cultures and pride. From there many moved after partition established in Karachi. In Karachi, such Urdu-speaking families are well educated but their lineage is easily traceable to Kanjaris. This has been home to a large community of Kanjari for centurie. A recent study found that: "A Kanjari hears the music of tabla and ghungroo from the day of her birth and must begin her formal education before her non-Kanjari friends start going to school."
Although nomadic, the Kanjari follow a set route and often maintain a relationship with the villages they visit. Many of the men work as agricultural labourers. Their tents are made from split bamboo or munji grass, and their encampments can be found at the edges of villages, as well as in urban areas such as Faisalabad and Lahore.
Kanjarpuna has spread in Pakistan like wildfire.You can now find Kanjars in regular family who have been developing their skill sets by watching Kanjars and Kanjaris on the TV screen.
The Kanjaris are sometimes associated with the Lahore neighborhood.They are originally a hindu tribe later some converted to sikh and muslim and his famous bazaar was inhabited and later flourished under influence of Kanjaris of Lucknow and Kanjaris of other parts of northern India. For centuries Lucknow was a hub for affluent families would send their children to be educated in Lucknow. It was believed those women carried the roots of Urdu speaking cultures and pride. From there many moved after partition established in Karachi. In Karachi, such Urdu-speaking families are well educated but their lineage is easily traceable to Kanjaris. This has been home to a large community of Kanjari for centurie. A recent study found that: "A Kanjari hears the music of tabla and ghungroo from the day of her birth and must begin her formal education before her non-Kanjari friends start going to school."
Although nomadic, the Kanjari follow a set route and often maintain a relationship with the villages they visit. Many of the men work as agricultural labourers. Their tents are made from split bamboo or munji grass, and their encampments can be found at the edges of villages, as well as in urban areas such as Faisalabad and Lahore.
Kanjarpuna has spread in Pakistan like wildfire.You can now find Kanjars in regular family who have been developing their skill sets by watching Kanjars and Kanjaris on the TV screen.
