Chero

The community claims to have originally been tribal people. The Chero are essentially one of many tribal communities, such as the Bhar, Pasi and Kol, that inhabit the southeastern corner of Uttar Pradesh. Chero dynasty was ruling parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand until they were deposed by Rajputs and the East India Company.{{Sfn|Lahiry|2014|p=30}} They are now found in a territory extending from Allahabad in the west to Muzaffarpur in the east. The Chero have two sub-divisions, the Mahto and Chaudhary.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 374

In Bihar, the Chero are known as Charwa or Cheru and in Palamu, they are known as the Barahazari, Terahazari and Pachchasi. The community is mainly found in Jharkhand, especially in Ranchi, Gumla,Simdega, khunti and west singhbhhum. Those of Palamau were substantial landowners.

The Chero are classified as a Scheduled Tribe in Sonbhadra and Varanasi districts, but a Scheduled Caste in most parts of Uttar Pradesh.{{cite web |url=http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf |title=State wise Scheduled Tribes – Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India |access-date=4 February 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123041643/http://tribal.nic.in/WriteReadData/CMS/Documents/201212010356439267578File1068.pdf |archive-date=23 November 2016 }} They are also classified as a Scheduled Tribe in Bihar and Jharkhand.{{cite web|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/ST%20Lists.pdf |page=12 |title=List of notified Scheduled Tribes |publisher=Census India |access-date=15 December 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107225208/http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/ST%20Lists.pdf |archive-date=7 November 2013 }} They have OBC status in Odisha.{{cite web |title=Central List of OBCs for the State of Orissa |url=http://www.ncbc.nic.in/Writereaddata/cl/orissa.pdf |website=ncbc.nic.in |access-date=20 December 2020}}

The community has a traditional caste council that maintains a strong social control on the community. With Sanskritization they are Hindu, but also worship several their own indigenous tribal deities, such as Sairi-ma, Ganwar Bhabhani and Dulha Deo.People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 375

The Chero of Jharkhand have two sub-divisions, the Barahazari and the Terahazari. These two groups are endogamous, and do not intermarry. They practice clan exogamy, and their main clans are the Mawar, Kuanr, Mahato, Rajkumar, Manjhia, Wamwat, and Hantiyas. These clans are of unequal status, and the Chero practice clan hypergamy. The Chero of Jharkhand are mainly farmers, with many were substantial landowners.People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part One edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 229 to 231 Seagull Books

The 2011 Census of India for Uttar Pradesh showed the Chero Scheduled Caste population as 596.{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/PCA/SC_ST/PCA-A10/SC-0900-PCA-A-10-ddw.xlsx |title= A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh |publisher=Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India |access-date=4 February 2017}}

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• {{cite book |last=Lahiry |first=Sangam |title=Pugmarks In Palamau |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ckYlBgAAQBAJ&pg=PT7 |year=2014 |publisher=Leadstart Publishing Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-81115-64-0}}

{{Tribes of Uttar Pradesh}}

Category:Scheduled Castes of Uttar Pradesh

Category:Indian castes

Category:Scheduled Castes of Bihar

Category:Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh