Mer, Maher or Mehar (Gujarati: ISO 15919: Mēr, Mahēr, Mēhar) is a caste from the Saurashtra region of Gujarat in India.

[1][2][3] They are largely based in the Porbandar district, comprising the Ghēḍ and Barḍā areas, and they speak a dialect of the Gujarati language.

However, possibly the oldest reference to Kēshwaḷās indicates that the founder of this lineage may have lived over a thousand years ago, although, this relies on the genealogies of Barots which are not considered completely accurate as they are projected back in time to pseudo-history.

[25] On 28 April 1895, the Bharwads of Jamkhirasara (near Bhanvad) organised a collective wedding which was attended by 12,000 people, including large numbers of Mers and the Jam Sahib.

Reportedly "places of honour" were reserved for them at the wedding feast and they were "held in most respect"[26] Keshav Bhagat who hailed from Dhandhusar became a radio star in the 1930s, singing traditional Gujarati bhajans, dohas and sorthas.

[27] In the 1970s Sarman Munja Jadeja rose to prominence after killing gangsters Devu and Karsan Vagher who had been hired by Nanji Kalidas Mehta to break the strike at the Maharana Mills.

[28] As the leader of organised crime in Porbandar he ran a parallel system of justice and was hailed by many Mers as a Robin Hood-like figure.

Shantokben died in 2011, following which a rival ganglord, Bhima Dula Odedara became dominant in local crime and politics.

After the Jadejas, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Karsan Dula Odedara held the Kutiyana seat winning in 1999, 2002 and 2007.

Modhwadiya maintained his seat in 2007 and became the Gujarat Congress President, but lost to Babubhai Bokhiria, who currently is the MLA for Porbandar, in 2012 and 2017.

[34] Patel or headmen is a hereditary title held by family elders who take part in all religious and secular functions.

[38] Mers grow pearl millet (Bājarō), sorghum (Jōwār) and fodder as staple crops, along with wheat where possible.

Cotton and peanuts are grown as cash-crops, while vegetables include chillies, clover, aubergines, tomatoes, turnips.

[36] Small scale plant-based industries are run by Mers, including bio-diesel production from the Mōgali āranḍ (Jatropha curcus L), herbal shampoo from Aloe and ground nut, sesame and castor oil extracting mills.

Mers are mostly vegetarian, with pearl millet (Bājarō), sorghum (Jōwār) and wheat rotis being consumed with vegetables, chillis and curds.

[44] Dates would be distributed in a custome called Lāṇ, to fellow villagers to celebrate a wedding or the birth of a son.

[45] Wedding processions are taken out in a gāḍū, a traditional bullock cart which transports women from the bridegrooms's side to the bride's home in the jān.

[1] However, in the local caste system, Vaishyas would not consume food from Mers due to their consumption of meat and alcohol.

[47] Mers are considered part of the Kānṭio Varna or haughty groups that included other tribes such as Rajputs and Ahirs.

[48] The Tēr Tāṁsḷī (13 bell-metal bowls) a group of thirteen communities that dine together but do not intermarry, includes the Mers.

Mer men and women maintain complete freedom in choosing panth or sampradaya and no member of a family forces another to follow their denomination.

[42][63] Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism are found amongst the Mers, with every village containing a temple to Shiva, Rama, and various forms of Devi.

Amidst the worshippers of Devi, the presence of a small minority of secret Vamachara practitioners has also been noted; they are reputed to worship Kali with meat and alcohol.

[68] Around marriage the goddess Randal is worshipped for fertility, while Brahmins are invited to recite the Satyanarayan Katha to pray for relief from difficult times.

perfect brave, referring to warriors); the second for surdhan for ancestors who have died an unnatural death and finally for satis.

[74] Momai Mata is venerated by Mers and Rabaris and the favour of the goddess is sought for the protection of cattle and for a good monsoon.

The Rabaris act as an intermediary to sacred powers by inviting the spirits of Puranic and Vedic figures to their Holi.