WHO ARE THE KANJARBHATS
The Kanjarbhat tribe is a nomadic denotified tribe centred in the Dharwad and Gadag districts of Karnataka, found in Maharashtra and upwards towards Rajasthan and the Amritsar district of Punjab, UP, Haryana, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The name itself is derived from ‘kanjar’ which means ‘knife or sword’ and ‘bhat’ meaning ‘lessees’, making them ‘lessees of the iron’ or those who traditionally manufactured the metal swords for various military forces. Their association was especially strong with the Rajasthani fighting forces, an influence still seen in their attire and language. Unfettered access to weaponry lent them a reputation of having a penchant for a life of crime.