Majority of Mahars converted to Buddhism in response to the injustices of the caste system practiced within Brahmanism.

It was the primary reason for most of the Mahar community to follow Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in embracing Buddhism and re-establishing it in the middle of the 20th century.

Traditionally they have the role of defending village boundaries from outsiders, invading tribes, criminals, and thieves.

In return for these services, the village granted them a watan, or rights to a small piece of land to do their own cultivation.

[17][18] However, the Mahar were socio-economically above most other untouchable groups because their traditional role had been important in the village administrative system.

[17] In 14th century, Mahar Bhakti saint Chokhamela, and many of his family members such as Karmamela, Banka, Nirmala, and Soyarabai became popular for their religious poetry called abhang.

The Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj recruited a number of them into his army in the 17th century due to their loyalty and bravery.

[19] During the colonial period, large numbers of Mahars and dhors were recruited for military duties by the East India Company and the British Raj.

[27] After the 1857 mutiny, the British decided to change their military recruitment policy One report "emphasized that we cannot practically ignore it [the caste system], so long as the natives socially maintain it".

[32] A Mahar regiment was created during World War I but only for a few years and because of British desperation for additional troops.

[citation needed] At that time, Mahars were not allowed to enter Hindu temples and were considered unclean.

[38][39] In the 20th century, top leader Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar organized the Mahars and created radical political awakening among them and inspired them to pay attention towards education.

Before his death in 1956, Ambedkar, along with millions of his Mahar followers, converted to Buddhism as a protest against the caste discrimination of Hindus.

The major subcastes include Ladvanshi (derived from "Lata Pradesh" current Gujarat), Somvanshi, Andhavanshi, Tilvanshi, Bawane (Bhavani Mahar), Gondvanshi, Kadvanshi and Kosare.

The Somavanshi Mahar claim to have taken part in the Mahabharata war and subsequently settled in Maharashtra.

There is evidence that each of the exogamous group historically owned and worshipped Devak or Totem, which is important at the time of a marriage ceremony.

[citation needed] Eleanor Zelliot asserts that Dalit literature originated in Marathi-speaking areas of Maharashtra.

Baburao Bagul (1930–2008), Shankarrao Kharat, and Bandhu Madhav were early Marathi writers from the Mahar community.

[citation needed] Ambedkar died about two months after this mass conversion,[52] and after his cremation more Mahars converted to Buddhism.

[56] In a 1996 book, authors De and Shastree claimed that it has been difficult for the Neo-buddhists to totally abandon the rituals, practices, and festivals of their old Hindu religion.

[43][49] In the late 19th century, Otto Weishaupt's attempts to evangelise in the Sangamner area of Ahmadnagar district met with resistance, but his efforts to promote Christianity did appeal to few Mahars.