Ajay Kumar at 14:50, 23 July 2023

2023-07-23T14:50:59Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2017}}

The '''Kanet''' is a [[caste]] found in the state of [[Himachal Pradesh]] in [[North India]].<ref>''A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab''. Low Price Publications. pp. 457–471</ref>
They are generally regarded as a [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]] (noble) caste, even though they have sometimes been classified otherwise.There is the subcaste of kanets which is known as "Mukhiya".

'''Kanet''' is one of the Clans Native to Eastern parts of Himachal. Kanets Claim themselves to be the Descendants of Hill Rajas of an Ancient Kingdom.
Ethnically and linguistically, Kanets residing in middle and lower hills of Himachal are of an Indo-Aryan stock such as other Rajput clans, but there are also mixed Mongoloid-Tibetian stock of Kanets in Kinnaur and Lahul.
Kanet are known by the title [[Thakur (title)|Thakur]], Although during British times they were considered one of the agriculturalist castes of Himachal like [[Ghirth]].<ref>''A Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of Punjab''. Low Price Publications. pp. 457–471</ref> The term agricultural tribe, according to the [[Punjab Land Alienation Act, 1900]], was at that time synonymous with [[martial race]].<ref>Mazumder (2003), p. 105</ref>

==Etymology==
The modern Name "Kanet/kunet/Kunait" is an [[Apabhramsha]] of '''Kuninda''' or '''Kunid'''
[कुणिन्द/कुणीद/कुनिद ~ कुनेत/कुनैत/कनेत]

*Ku/कु changed to ka/क Or ku/कु
*ñi/णि changed to nē/णे/ने/नै
*Da/द changed to ta/त

==Origin==
According to a theory of their origin Kanets are descendants of [[Kuninda]] ('''कुणिन्द/कुणीद''') Dynasty which once ruled the Parts of East Himachal and to Kumaun region of Uttrakhand for a very long time till the rise of Gupta Empire and before the arrival of Medieval Era(6thCE-12thCE) Rajput Clans [[Chauhan]], [[Parmar]], [[Chandel (Rajput clan)|Chandel]] from Central And North India.
The Kingdom of [[Kuninda]]s is also mentioned in [[Mahabharata]] as [[Kulinda]].They were Defeated by the Arjuna. Kunindas are also mentioned by [[Pāṇini|Panini]] in his [[Ashtadhyayi]]. A [[Kulinda]]/[[Kuninda]] chief named Subahu/सुबाहु' is mentioned in Mahabharata who joined the [[Pandavas]] with his army and fought against [[Kauravas]] in the battle.

One of the great kings of the Kuninda was [[Rajnah]]/[[Rana (title)|Rana]] [[Amoghabhuti]] {राणा अमोघभूति}, who ruled in the mountainous valley of the Sutlej and Yamuna rivers (in today's southern Himachal and far western Uttarakhand in northern India around 200B.C.)

The Greek historian Ptolemy linked the origin of the Kuninda to the country where the rivers Beas, Sutlej, Yamuna and Ganges originate.<ref>Ptolemy, ''Geography'' 7.1.42: ὑπὸ δὲ τὰς Βιβάσιος καὶ τοῦ Ζαράδρου καὶ τοῦ Διαμούνα καὶ τοῦ Γάγγου ἡ Κυλινδρινή, "and enclosed by the [[Beas River|Bibasis]], the [[Sutlej|Zaradros]], the [[Yamuna|Diamuna]], and the [[Ganges]] is Kylindrinē."</ref>

One of the Edicts of Ashoka on a pillar is also present at Kalsi, in the region of Garhwal, indicating the spread of Buddhism to the region from the 4th century BCE.

The Kuninda kingdom disappeared around the 3rd century, and from the 4th century, it seems the region shifted to Shaivite beliefs.

Kanet Thakurs/Rajputs could be the descendants of Ruling Ranas(Chieftains) of the Ancient [[Kuninda]] Tribe.

==Distribution==
'''Kanet/Kunait''' are Mostly found in eastern [[Himachal Pradesh]] i.e in Districts like Solan, Mandi, Kullu, Sirmour and Shimla with very few representation in Kangra and Hamirpur.

==Location of ancient Kunindas==

{{Infobox former country
| common_name = Kuninda Kingdom
| conventional_long_name = Kuninda Kingdom
| image_map=Indian tribes between the Indus and the Ganges.jpg
|image_map_caption=Location of Kuninda relative to other groups: the [[Audumbaras]], the [[Vemaka]]s, the [[Vrishni]]s, the [[Yaudheya]]s, the [[Paurava]]s and the [[Arjunayana]]s.
| year_start = Before 2nd century BCE
| year_end = 3rd century
| government_type = monarchy
| capital =
| p1 =
| s1 =
| today = [[India]]
}}

==See also==

* [[Rajputs]]
* [[Gaddis]]
* [[Ghirth]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Social groups of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Punjabi tribes]]

Kanet - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 14:50, 23 July 2023