Kanjarbhat
{{Short description|Tribe based in Maharashtra, India}}
The Kanjarbhat are a nomadic community primarily residing in the state of Maharashtra, India.{{Cite news |last=Doshi |first=Vidhi |date=2018-04-07 |title=One community's battle over virginity tests in western India |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/one-communitys-battle-over-virginity-tests-in-western-india/2018/04/07/a8b84346-32a3-11e8-b6bd-0084a1666987_story.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}{{Cite news |date=2018-02-01 |title=The fight to ban a 'humiliating' virginity test for newlyweds |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42814681 |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}} They are part of the Kanjar ethnic group, which is also found in parts of North India and Pakistan. One of the most controversial practices associated with this community is the virginity test conducted on brides during wedding ceremonies. They have faced social stigma and marginalisation due to their classification as a “criminal tribe” under British colonial rule, a label that persisted until its repeal in 1952.{{Cite news |date=2013-09-19 |title=British notified Kanjars as 'criminal' tribe |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/british-notified-kanjars-as-criminal-tribe/articleshow/22737921.cms |access-date=2025-03-16 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}{{Cite web |date=2019-01-04 |title=Practice of virginity test still rampant in Maharashtra's Kanjarbhat community; rights' groups urge govt to take action |url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/practice-of-virginity-test-still-rampant-in-maharashtras-kanjarbhat-community-rights-groups-urge-govt-to-take-action-5833271.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}
Controversial custom
One of the most controversial customs associated with the Kanjarbhat is the “virginity test,” a ritual practiced during weddings where a bride’s purity is assessed based on physical evidence of virginity, typically involving a white bed-sheet inspected after the wedding night. The practice, defended by some elders as a 400-year-old tradition preserving family honor, has drawn criticism for its misogynistic and unscientific nature. Failure to “pass” the test can result in public humiliation, fines, or punishment, though specifics vary by family and region.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-04 |title=Virginity test of brides in Kanjarbhat community: Social groups seek end of humiliating practice |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/virginity-test-of-brides-in-kanjarbhat-community-social-groups-seek-end-of-humiliating-practice-maharashtra-government-1423160-2019-01-04 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=India Today |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-02-07 |title=The humiliating 'virginity tests' for brides, a reality in India's Kanjarbhat community |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/gender/the-humiliating-virginity-tests-for-brides-a-reality-in-indias-kanjarbhat-community-5051712/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Press Trust of India |title=Virginity tests of brides in Kanjarbhat community matter of serious concern: NCW |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/virginity-tests-of-brides-in-kanjarbhat-community-matter-of-serious-concern-ncw-119020300350_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224013615/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/virginity-tests-of-brides-in-kanjarbhat-community-matter-of-serious-concern-ncw-119020300350_1.html |archive-date=2019-02-24 |access-date=2025-03-16 |language=en |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Maharashtra To Outlaw Virginity Tests Of Brides After Campaign |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/maharashtra-to-outlaw-virginity-tests-of-brides-after-campaign-1989703 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.ndtv.com |language=en}}