The Charans are a caste living in the Rajasthan and Gujarat states of India, as well as the Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan. They are well known for their contribution to the literature of Rajasthan, Sindh, and Gujarat as well as the earliest literature of Hindi. As Akbar's historian Abul Fazl pointed out Charans are good poets and better soldiers. They were a part of the landed aristocracy in Rajasthan and Gujarat, receiving jagirs and shashans for their literary and military services. They were considered a divine community among Hindus, tracing their origins to ancient India, mentioned numerous times in Puranas, Mahabharata and Ramayan, and other sacred texts. They were pastoral in ancient times, before becoming feudal coming in contact with Rajputs in the medieval era.

Hindu Charans mainly reside in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra (Gujarat border). A small number of Hindu Charans still live in rural eastern Sindh (Pakistan), in the Thar Parkar district. There are few villages of Hindu Charans in Haryana (Rajasthan border) also.

Charans historically received shashans and jagirs, which made them part of the feudal system in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and Amarkot (Sindh). Charans were poets, soldiers, merchants, horse traders, caravan protectors, and cattle breeders. At present, Charans are mainly engaged in government services at administrative positions. Many farm their lands and work in agriculture.

Charans believe in the Hinglaj, whose main temples are located in Balochistan and in Nagar-Thatta(Sindh) in Pakistan. Goddess Hinglaj is considered the first avatar of Shakti in Charans, laters ones being Awar Maa, Karni Ji, Tanot Rai, Khodiyar, Mogal, and many others.

* Scripture Prayers for the Charan (Hindu traditions) in India.

Kamphorst, Janet (2008). In Praise of Death: History and Poetry in Medieval Marwar. Leiden University Press. ISBN 978-90-8728-044-4.