Sansi is anomadic tribe, originally located in theRajasthan area of northwesternIndia, but expelled in the 13th century byMuslim invaders and now spread to states ofRajasthan,Haryana,Punjab as well as scattered throughout India. They are often confused with other ethnic groups called Sansi, as Sansi is a widespread name inSouth Asia.[1][full citation needed][2][full citation needed][3][4]
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The Sansis were considered the most prominent criminal tribe in Punjab, with an estimated population of 25,800 in 1912. The British believed other tribes, such as the Baurias and Harnis, were offshoots of the Sansis, who claimed to have originated from Rajput ancestry. Despite acknowledging their ancestry, theBritish constantly emphasised the Sansis' "degraded" status through stereotypical descriptions. . Their religion, primarily a form of Hinduism, was considered primitive, mixed, and debased. After thecriminal tribes act was imposed, the Sansi were labelled down to a very pitiful position.
Their language isSansiboli, or Bhilki too that is a highlyendangeredIndo-Aryan language of theCentral group, total speakers in India 60,000 (2002) andPakistan 20,000.[5][6][7] Their traditional occupations vary, from trading to farming.[citation needed]
DuringBritish rule in India they were placed under theCriminal Tribes Act 1871, hence stigmatized for a long time,[4] after independence, however, they weredenotified in 1952.[8]As the Sansiya, they were recorded inUttar Pradesh in the2011 Census of India. There they were aScheduled Caste, with a population of 5689.[9]
| Districts | 2011 India census | |
|---|---|---|
| Sansi Caste Population | % | |
| Amritsar | 19,237 | 0.77% |
| Barnala | 2,159 | 0.36% |
| Bathinda | 2,232 | 0.16% |
| Faridkot | 1,647 | 0.27% |
| Fatehgarh Sahib | 2,015 | 0.34% |
| Firozpur | 10,376 | 0.51% |
| Gurdaspur | 18,248 | 0.79% |
| Hoshiarpur | 2,731 | 0.17% |
| Jalandhar | 9,904 | 0.45% |
| Kapurthala | 2,056 | 0.25% |
| Ludhiana | 11,180 | 0.32% |
| Mansa | 1,131 | 0.15% |
| Moga | 1,382 | 0.14% |
| Sri Muktsar Sahib | 2,982 | 0.33% |
| Patiala | 5,743 | 0.3% |
| Rupnagar | 391 | 0.06% |
| Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar | 1600 | 0.16% |
| Sangrur | 7,701 | 0.64% |
| Nawanshahr | 1,952 | 0.32% |
| Tarn Taran | 17,534 | 1.57% |
