Bind (caste)

Bind
Bind
Classification	EBC
Religions	Hinduism
Languages	Hindi, Bhojpuri, Angika, Magahi
Populated states	Majority:; Bihar ; Uttar Pradesh ; West Bengal ; Minority:; Maharashtra,; Madhya Pradesh ; Gujarat/Assam
Region	Eastern India ; Central India ; North India
Related groups	Noniya, Beldar

Last updated September 11, 2024

The Bind are a caste found in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Tripura. Bind are under the obc[Other backward caste] category of the central list. Bin/Bind is one of the Noniya communities. In Uttar Pradesh, they are known by the Noniya sub-caste. In Bihar Bind/Bin comes under EBC.^[1]

As per the caste based census data release by Bihar government, there are 12,85,358 Binds (0.9833% of population of Bihar)^[2] S.R. Naik's report on Backward classes commission puts Bind as a depressed schedule caste in Bihar. A depressed schedule cast class is similar in spirit to the Extremely Schedule caste.

History and origin

According to Herbert Hope Risley, the early settlement of Bind community was on the foothill of Vindhya Range of central India ^[3]^[4]

On the origins of Bind Risley said:
Bind is a large non-Aryan caste of Bihar in upper India, employed in agriculture, earthwork, fishing, hunting, making saltpetre, and collecting indigenous drugs. Traditions current among the caste profess to trace their origin to the Vindhya Hills of Central India ; and one of these legends tells how a traveller passing by the foot of the hills heard a strange flute-like sound coming out of a clump of bamboos. He cut a shoot and took from it a fleshy substance, which afterwards grew into a man, the supposed ancestor of the Binds. The myth seems to be of a totemistic character, but other traces of totemism are not forthcoming. Another story says that the Binds and Nunias were formerly all Binds, and that the present Nunias are the descendants of a Bind who consented to dig a grave for a Mohammedan king and was outcasted for doing so.
... It seems not improbable that the Binds may be a true aboriginal tribe, and the Nunias a functional group differentiated by taking to the manufacture of earth-salt. But this is mainly a conjecture.

Another story mentioned in the book Karatoya^[5]
There is a popular belief among the people of Bind community t hat in the ancient past a Kshatriya king called Kartavirya Arjuna or Sahasrabahu Arjun of Haihay dynasty ruled the earth. The subject became helpless of his anarchy. He was a powerful king and great warrior. One day, the king went out for hunting with his army. In spite of spending three days in the forest, he hardly got any animal to hunt. The tired, hungry, and thirsty king took shelter to a sage's Ashrama when he was returning to his capital. The sage pleased the king with his hospitality within very short time. When the curious king asked the sage how he managed everything so early, the sage told the story of the mysterious cow named Suravi. The king then tried to forcefully take the mysterious cow. A clash broke out between the king and the sage. The king destroyed all the trees of the ashrama and dishonoured the sage. Then Parashurama, the son of the sage, Jamadeagni and Renuka became angry and killed the king. Later, the sons of the king found the sage along at his ashrama and killed him. Parashuram was shocked and angry, and he committed to free the earth from Kshatriyas. He eliminated Kshatriyas for 21 times. According to the traditional myth, some Kshatriyas took shelter of a den in the Vindhya(also pronounced as Bindya) hill to avoid their elimination. In course of time, these people came out and began to settle in Deccan, Chotanagpur plateau, and Bengal. The term Bind came from mountain Vindhya.

Surnames

People of this cast have various surnames usually depending on which part of country they are from. They use 'Maḏar'(मड़र), 'Mandal', 'Mondol', 'Prasad', 'Prasad Singh', 'Singh', 'Chauhan', 'Bind'. Women usually have 'Devi' in their surname if they don't use their husbands surname.

Marriage

The marriage ceremony of the Binds is very close to orthodox Hindu ritual. After the first negotiations have passed between the parents of the bride and bridegroom, the headman (manjan) and the caste council (panchayat) are consulted on the important question of prohibited degrees. This being settled, the next step is ghardekhai, an exchange of visits, at which the bridegroom's people see the bride, and vice versa. In the course of the ghardekhai a date is fixed for tilak when the bride's relatives come to the bridegroom's house and present to him a rupee, a new cloth, some cooking utensils, some betel leaves and areca-nut, and fix in the presence of the headman and some representatives of the caste council an auspicious date for the celebration of the marriage. The ceremony is described in detail in Chapter III. SPECIAL WEDDING CEREMONIES AMONGST THE HINDUS.^[6]

Present circumstances

The Bind are among 17 Other Backwards Class communities that have been proposed for Scheduled Caste status by the Samajwadi Party-controlled Government of Uttar Pradesh. However, this proposal, which relates to votebank politics and has been made in the past, has been stayed by the courts; a prior attempt was also rejected by the centre.^[7]^[8]

The Bind have a traditional caste council and, like other occupational castes, maintain strict social control over members. They are Hindu, and customs similar to other similar groupings such as the Kewat. They are concentrated in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and speak Bhojpuri and Maithili..^[9]

In Bihar, the Jethaut are mainly engaged in fishing, well sinking and basket making, while the Kharaut are mainly farmers. They speak the Maithili.^[10]

Controversies

BJP leader and Bihar's Mines and Geology Minister Brij Kishor Bind stirred a controversy by claiming that Lord Shiva is from the Bind caste and that it is mentioned in Shiva Puran .^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15] The function was organized by Noniya, Bind, Beldar Mahasangh.

Notable People

Brij Kishor Bind was the former cabinet minister of Mines, Geology, Backward and EBC Welfare department in the Government of Bihar.
Smt. Bina Devi famously known as Mushroom Mahila was awarded with Nari Shakti Puraskar by President Ram Nath Kovind.

Related Research Articles

The Other Backward Class (OBC) is a collective term used by the Government of India to classify communities that are "educationally or socially backward". It is one of several official classifications of the population of India, along with general castes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The OBCs were found to comprise 52% of the country's population by the Mandal Commission report of 1980 and were determined to be 41% in 2006 when the National Sample Survey Organisation took place. There is substantial debate over the exact number of OBCs in India; it is generally estimated to be sizable, but many believe that it is higher than the figures quoted by either the Mandal Commission or the National Sample Survey.

Lohar is considered to be a caste among. They form traditionally artisanal castes. Writers of the Raj period often used the term Lohar as a synonym for blacksmith, although there are other traditional smiting communities, such as the Ramgarhia and Sikligar, and numerous non-traditional communities, including the Kayastha, Rajput and Brahmin.

The Mallaah are the traditional boatmen and fishermen tribes or communities found in North India, East India, Northeastern India and Pakistan. A significant number of Mallaah are also found in Nepal and Bangladesh. In the Indian state of Bihar, the term Nishad includes the Mallaah and refers to communities whose traditional occupation centred on rivers. It is also spelled Mallah.

The Chik are a Muslim community, found in the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Bakar Qasab, Buz Qassab and Chikwa. The Chik have been granted Other Backward Class status in both Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Kushwaha is a community of the Indo-Gangetic Plain that has traditionally been involved in agriculture, including beekeeping. The term has been used to represent different sub-castes of the Kachhis, Kachhvahas, Koeris and Muraos. Under the Indian government's system of positive discrimination, the Kushwahas are classified as a "Backward" or Other backward class. The Kushwaha had worshipped Shiva and Shakta, but beginning in the 20th century, they claim descent from the Suryavansh (Solar) dynasty via Kusha, one of the twin sons of Rama and Sita. At present, it is a broad community formed by coming together of several caste groups with similar occupational backgrounds and socio-economic status, who, over the time, started inter-marrying among themselves and created all India caste network for caste solidarity. The communities which merged into this caste cluster includes Kachhi, Kachhwaha, Kushwaha, Mali, Marrar, Saini, Sonkar, Murai, Shakya, Maurya, Koeri and Panara.

The demographics of Uttar Pradesh is a complex topic, which is undergoing dynamic change. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state, and the largest subdivision in the world. It has a population of about 199,812,341 as per the 2011 census. If it were a separate country, Uttar Pradesh would be the world's fifth most populous nation, next only to China, the rest of India, the United States of America and Indonesia. Uttar Pradesh has a population more than that of Pakistan. There is an average population density of 828 persons per km² i.e. 2,146 per sq mi. The capital of Uttar Pradesh is Lucknow, and Prayagraj serves as the state’s judicial capital. Hindus and Muslims both consider the state as a holy place.

Yadavs, also called Jadams, or Jadavs, are a grouping of traditionally peasant-pastoral communities or castes in India that since the 19th and 20th centuries have claimed descent from the legendary king Yadu as a part of a movement of social and political resurgence. The term Yadav now covers many traditional peasant-pastoral castes such as Ahirs of the Hindi belt and the Gavli of Maharashtra.

The Pasi is a Dalit (untouchable) community of India. Pasi refers to tapping toddy, a traditional occupation of the Pasi community. The Pasi are divided into Gujjar, Kaithwas, and Boria. They are classified as an Other Backward Class in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They live in the northern Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The Gadaria or Gadariya is a herding caste that was traditionally involved professionally in livestock breeding, especially sheep. They are primarily found in Uttar Pradesh and in some parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. In Gujarat, they are called Bharwad.

The Kahars are a community of palanquin bearers originating from the Gangatic region.

The Kewat, also spelled Kevat, is a Hindu caste, found in the states of Assam, Bihar, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal in India. They are the traditional boatmen of northern India, and also in neighbouring country Nepal.

The Lonia are a Hindu other backward caste, found in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar adjoining areas, who were traditionally involved in salt-digging and salt-making activities. The Lonia are listed as extremely backward caste, along with the Mallaah, Bind and Beldar communities, by state governments. The community leaders have been seeking Scheduled Tribe status for the socially deprived community. It is also spelled as Lunia, or Nonia.

Kutch Gurjarah Kshatriya are a minority Hindu community of Gujarat in India, who claim to be Kshatriyas. They are an artisan community related with masonry, artistic carvings, sculpting and building and construction works. They are also known as the Mistri or Mistris of Kutch.

The Lodhi is a community of agriculturalists, found in India. There are many in Madhya Pradesh, to where they had emigrated from Uttar Pradesh. The Lodhi are categorised as an Other Backward Class, but claim Rajput ties and prefer to be known as "Lodhi-Rajput", although they have no account of their Rajput origin or prevailing Rajput traditions.

The Koeri, also referred to as Kushwaha and more recently self-described as Maurya in several parts of northern India are an Indian non-elite caste, found largely in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, whose traditional occupation was agriculture. According to Arvind Narayan Das they were horticulturists rather than agriculturists. They are also recorded as performing the work of Mahajan in credit market of rural parts of Bihar and Bengal in 1880s. Koeris have attempted Sanskritisation— as part of social resurgence. During the British rule in India, Koeris were described as "agriculturalists" along with Kurmis and other cultivating castes. They are described as a dominant caste in various opinions.

The Paswan, also known as Dusadh, are a Dalit community from eastern India. They are found mainly in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. The Urdu word Paswan means bodyguard or "one who defends". The origin of the word, per the belief of the community, lies in their participation in the battle against Siraj-ud-daulah, the Nawab of Bengal at the behest of British East India Company, after which they were rewarded with the post of Chowkidars and lathi wielding tax collector for the Zamindars. They follow certain rituals such as walking on fire to assert their valour.

Mahto or Mahato is a surname used by several castes and communities in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha in India. Mahato is also a popular surname in Nepal. In the zamindari villages, "Mahto" was a title given to the headman of a village ward. The mahto's duties were to maintain peace in his area, and collect revenue for the zamindar. In Chotanagpur plateau region of Jharkhand, including in the Oraon tribal society, Mahato was historically a title of the village chief. In Bihar, the surname Mahto is primarily used by people belonging to Kushwaha caste. While in Jharkhand, it is a term most often associated with Koeri and Kurmi caste.

Brij Kishor Bind is an Indian politician from Bharatiya Janata Party and was the former cabinet minister of Mines, Geology, Backward and EBC Welfare department in the Government of Bihar. He has been elected on three occasions as a MLA for the Chainpur constituency in Kaimur district, Bihar. He belongs to Bind caste. According to former Bihar minister Brij Kishor Bind, Lord Shiva has been described as Bind caste in Shiva Purana.

Vikassheel Insaan Party is an Indian political party, formally launched on 4 November 2018, by a Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahani, who campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party during the 2015 Bihar Legislative Assembly election. They contested in three Lok Sabha constituencies in 2019 from Madhubani, Muzaffarpur and Khagaria but failed to win any seats. The support base for the party consists mainly of the Nishad, Nonia, Bind, Beldar community, which comprises 20 sub-castes of fisherman and boatmen.

Kushwaha is a surname used by people of Koeri caste in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The Kushwahas are also known as Maurya, Shakya, Saini in various parts of north India. As per one opinion, the Kushwaha surname is also common among members of Kachhi caste, who later merged with the Koeris to become a single homogeneous community. They are a dominant OBC community in the state of Bihar.

References

↑ Noniya, Noniya, Bind, Beldar Community. "Noniya, Bind, Beldar Community".{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ "List of caste wise population of Bihar". live Hindustan. Retrieved 7 October 2023.
↑ "Historical Genesis of Bind Community in West Bengal" (PDF). Retrieved 29 December 2023.
↑ "The Tribes and Castes of Bengal (Vol. I), 1891, reprint ed". Calcutta, Firma KLM Pvt. Ltd. 1981. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
↑ NORTH BENGAL UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF HISTORY, Vol 7 (PDF). DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY University of North Bengal. 2014. p. 114.
↑ George A. Grierson. "Bihar Peasant Life" . Retrieved 29 December 2023.
↑ "Setback for Akhilesh government as High Court stays their order to include 17 sub-castes in the SC category". Financial Express. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
↑ "UP govt to include 17 other backward castes in SC list". Hindustan Times. PTI. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
↑ People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part One edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 333
↑ People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part One edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 184 to 186 Seagull Books
↑ "Bihar: Lord Shiva is from Bind caste, claims BJP minister". 27 August 2019.
↑ "Bihar Minister Brij Kishor says Lord Shiva was from Bind caste". news.abplive.com. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
↑ "Shiva, Hanuman of Bind caste, says Bihar minister". Hindustan Times. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
↑ "Lord Shiva Belonged To A Backward Caste, Bihar Minister Says". NDTV.com. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
↑ "Lord Shiva was from Bind caste, claims Bihar's Mines and Geology Minister Brij Kishor Bind". www.timesnownews.com. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2023.