Hindu caste of hereditary genealogists, bards, and storytellers located in Gujarāt state in western India. They claim origin from the Rājput caste of Rājasthān and may be of mixed Brahman (priestly) and Rājput extraction. Many of their customs are similar to those of their northern Indian counterparts, the Bhāṭs; both groups had a reputation of preferring death to breaking a promise. The Cāraṇ compose their ballad poetry, which treats of warriors and kings, in a special western Rājasthān dialect, called Dingal, that is not used for any other purpose.