Chasa (caste)

Last updated

Chasa
Religions Hinduism
Languages Odia
Populated states Odisha
SubdivisionsOdachasa, Odapadhan
Related groups Gopal

Chasa is a community from the Indian state of Odisha. Chasas were traditionally cultivators but are now engaged in several professions. The Odia word chasa means farmer. [1] They are third largest caste by population in Odisha. [2]

Contents

History

The Orh/Oda Chasas claim that they were the first tribe to settle in Odisha, and that they began to cultivate the land. They claim that Odisha is named after them. [3]

They are classified as Shudra in the Hindu caste system. [4] [5] [6] [7] The association between Chasas and their occupation of manual labour (ploughing) was used to stigmatize the Chasas and distinguish them from the upper castes as late as the early 19th century. [8] "Chasa" was considered to be a "generic derogatory term for cultivators", in contrast to the sabhya bhabya Gan "sophisticated people". [9]

Around the turn of the 20th century, Chasas were small farmers and marginal raiyats. [10]

In modern-day Odisha, the Chasas are among the dominant castes in most villages, and are landowners and economically powerful. [11]

Classification

Chasas are classified under OBC category in Odisha, where Odapadhan a subdivision of Chasa caste are belongs to SEBC category. Risley notes that, since the caste system is not practiced as per the Varna model he was idolizing, it was possible for outsiders to become Chasas, and wealthy Chasas who took up the title Mohanty could marry into Karana families. [12] Some wealthy Chasas began identifying as Khandayats. [13] The Chasas are ranked into four subcastes: Benatya, oda/odra, Chukuliya, and Sukuliya. The Benatyas are the highest in rank, and the Chukuliya is the lowest in rank. [3]

According to Risley's 1901 study, the Chasa's were a low caste and did not eat beef, pork, or fowl. They were usually served by degraded Brahmins, Dhobas, and rarely a Napit. [14]

People

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odia language</span> Indic language

Odia is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the official language in Odisha, where native speakers make up 82% of the population, and it is also spoken in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Odia is one of the many official languages of India; it is the official language of Odisha and the second official language of Jharkhand.

The Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ), formerly spelled Oriya, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the Indian state of Odisha who speak the Odia language. They constitute a majority in the eastern coastal state, with significant minority populations existing in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.

The Karan or Karana is a community of scribes found in the state of Odisha in India. The post of Karana used to be a professional designation that was occupied by literate members of the lower as well as the higher castes. They also held Karanam post in some parts of Andhra Pradesh, where they speak Odia and played the similar role in Odisha as that of the Kayasthas of West Bengal and Bihar. Traditionally they were the official record-keepers in the royal courts of the Odia princely states historically. Today they are a politically dominant community and have reigned over the politics of Odisha for 40 years.

Khandayat, also spelled Khandait, is a cultivating caste, as well as a peasant militia or landed militia caste from Odisha, East India. Some of them had earlier served as feudal chiefs as well as zamindars apart from being land holders and agriculturalists. Numerically they are the largest caste of the state. During British raj, they ruled many tributary states in odisha including Khordha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee</span> Indian political party

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee is the unit of the Indian National Congress for the state of Odisha. It is responsible for organizing and coordinating the party's activities and campaigns within the state, as well as selecting candidates for local, state, and national elections in Odisha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tigiria State</span> State in India

Tigiria State was one of the princely states of India during the period of the British Raj. It was located in present-day Tigiria block of Cuttack district, Odisha. Although it was the smallest of the states of the Orissa States Agency it was the most densely populated. The last ruler of Tigiria joined the state to the Indian Union in 1948.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rairakhol State</span> Princely state in the British Raj

Rairakhol State was a princely state during the British Raj in what is today India. It was one of the Chota Nagpur States and had its capital at Rairakhol (Redhakhol), located in the present-day Sambalpur district of Odisha. It had an area of 2,157 square kilometres (833 sq mi) and a population of 26,888 in 1901, the average revenue was Rs.55,000 in 1904.

Kanhu Charan Mohanty was an Indian Odia language novelist who wrote fifty-six novels in a career spanning over six decades from 1930 to 1985. He is considered "one of the most popular and celebrated novelists of Odisa". Mohanty was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1958 for his novel, Kaa, published in 1956, and was one of the fellows of the Sahitya Akademi. Mohanty died on 6 April 1994 at the age of 87.

The Pano are a Scheduled caste community of Odisha, as well as in Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand officially. They speak Odia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kuntala Kumari Sabat</span> Indian Odia poet

Kuntala Kumari Sabat (1901–1938) was an Odia poet during colonial India. She was one of the women poets who came into prominence from Odisha during India's freedom struggle. She was multifaceted personality. She was a physician, writer, poet, editor, leader of nationalist movement and social worker. She was honored with Utkala Bharati in 1925.

Gopal or Gauda is an Indian caste, from Odisha State in East India. Their traditional occupations include dairy farming, cattle herding, cultivation and carrying palanquins of deities. They also worked as Paikas (soldiers) under the kings. Gopal is the name of the milkmen or herdsmen caste in Odisha, which is known by other names in various parts of India.

The Paik or Paika (Odia:ପାଇକ) is a Militia community, found in Odisha state of India.

The behera is a popular Odia title, Anciently, Dala-Behera was an honorific title reserved for the leader of a group of soldiers.

Gudia or Guria or Gudiya is a caste found in the Indian state of Odisha and Chhatishgarh, also a small population in Andhra Pradesh. Traditionally their occupation is making of various type of sweets for village ceremonies and festive occasion and subsist on this business. They are also supplier of offerings for village deity. Nowadays they have opened their modern sweet stalls in markets for better business.

The Kamar or Kamara is an Indian caste found in the Odisha states of India. They are similar to Karmakar caste of Bengal. Historically, they were blacksmiths by profession, commonly forging agricultural equipments like: sickles, axes, spades, crowbars etc. As per Mayurbhanj state 1931 census and Mayurbhanj district Gazetteers 1961, the Kamar are recorded as;

The Kamar caste is of heterogenous nature. Their occupation is iron-smelting and blacksmith. Chapua, Bindhani and Nahar Kamars are perhaps classed as Kol Kamars who are said to be accretions from the rank of the Kols. Chapuas derive their name from the practice of their women treading the bellows with foot while at work. The name Bindhani is perhaps derived from 'Bindha' meaning to bore. They call their chisel as beghuni, or that which pierces. Nahar is a corruption of Lohar or Lauhakar. The Astalohis 'workers on eight metals' work on different metals. Bathuri Kamars are accretions from the rank of the Bathuris and the Hatua Kamars are the indigenous Kamars of Orissa while Bangala Kamars are immigrants from Bengal.

Patra or Patara is a caste found in the Odisha State of India. They are a synonym of Kapudia community, both are same by culture and profession. Traditionally they are petty traders inside and outside of the village. They trade in cotton and silk yarn, vermilion, and sacred threads meant for various rites and rituals. They are also required to supply these materials to the village deity and also to the Hindu caste people of the village on various ceremonial such as religious occasions.

Panikhia Jati also known as Panichhuan Jati of Odisha. Which is a group of dominant and high rank castes. Which water and foods are acceptable for deities and also for Brahmins, includes: Karan, Khandayat, Gopal, Chasa and Gudia caste. There is good social relation and communication among them. They are very strict for their social status or prestige, they do not take water and foods from lower communities. But occasionally they are allowing Barika and Mali peoples to participate in their festivals and other ritual works.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhoi dynasty</span> Medieval Odia Hindu dynasty

The Bhoi dynasty or the Yaduvamsa dynasty were a medieval Hindu dynasty from the Indian subcontinent, which originated in the region of Odisha that reigned from 1541 to 1560 CE. Govinda Vidyadhara had usurped the throne from the later weaker Suryavamsa Gajapati Empire rulers as the kingdom started weakening but had a short-lived reign as ruling chiefs of Odisha as the ensuing internal rivalries and constant threats of invasions rendered them weak and were eventually overthrown by Mukunda Deva of Chalukya dynasty in 1560.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bagal (caste)</span> Cattle herding caste of East India

Bagal is a cattle herding caste of East India. Bagal people are living in the state of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. They use Kudmali/ Manbhumi dialect of Bengali as mother tongue and use Bengali, Hindi and Odia language to communicate with the society.

Rajwar or Rajuar is a shifting cultivation community. The people of this community mainly live in Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. In Odisha, they are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe, while in Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, they are classified as Scheduled Caste. In other states, the community is considered part of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) or general population.

References

  1. ↑ Nab Kishore Behura; Ramesh P. Mohanty (1 January 2005). Family Welfare in India: A Cross-cultural Study. Discovery Publishing House. p. 43. ISBN   978-81-7141-920-3.
  2. ↑ "casi.sas.upenn.edu" (PDF).
  3. 1 2 Rabindra Nath Pati (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. pp. 114–115. ISBN   978-81-313-0352-8.
  4. ↑ Sable, Alan (1977). Education in Orissa: A Study in Selection and Allocation Process. S. Chand Group. p. 33.
  5. ↑ The Eastern Anthropologist. Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society. 2006. pp. 214–215.
  6. ↑ Rösel, Jakob (1980). Der Palast des Herrn der Welt: Entstehungsgeschichte und Organisation der indischen Tempel-und Pilgerstadt Puri. Weltforum Verlag. pp. 46, 66, 70.
  7. ↑ Behera, Deepak Kumar; Pfeffer, Georg (1997). Contemporary Society: Tribal situation in India. Concept Publishing Company. p. 191.
  8. ↑ Pinch, William R. (1996). "Being Vaishnava, Becoming Kshatriya". Peasants and Monks in British India. University of California Press. p. 112. ISBN   0-520-20060-8.
  9. ↑ Ray, Subhajyoti (2002). Transformations on the Bengal Frontier: Jalpaiguri 1765-1948. Routledge. p. 136. ISBN   978-0-700-71408-7.
  10. ↑ Mohanty, Bidyut (2022). A Haunting Tragedy: Gender, Caste and Class in the 1866 Famine of Orissa. Routledge. ISBN   9781000506839.
  11. ↑ Mahapatra, L. K. (1976). "Gods, Kings, and the Caste System in India". In Bharati, Agehananda (ed.). The Realm of the Extra-Human: Agents and Audiences. Mouton Publishers. p. 65.
  12. ↑ Hewitt, J. F. (April 1893). "Art. VII.–The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, by H. H. Risley. Vols. I. and II. Ethnographic Glossary, Vols. I. and II. Anthropometric Data". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 25 (2): 237–300. doi:10.1017/s0035869x00022395. ISSN   0035-869X. S2CID   163011123.
  13. ↑ Pati, Biswamoy (2007). "The order of legitimacy: princely Orissa". In Ernst, Waltraud (ed.). India's Princely States: People, Princes and Colonialism. Routledge. p. 89. ISBN   978-0-203-93380-0.
  14. ↑ Bhowmick, P. K. (1969). Occupational mobility and caste structure in Bengal; study of rural market. Indian Publications. p. 28.
  15. ↑ Sujit Mukherjee (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850. Orient Blackswan. pp. 351–. ISBN   978-81-250-1453-9.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.