Sainthwar

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The Sainthwar, or Mall, [1] is an Indian caste of peasants [2] native to the Uttar Pradesh state. [3] Under the Indian governments system of positive discrimination, the Sainthwars are classified as a "Backward" or Other backward class. [4]

The Sainthwars are closely related to the Kurmis, [2] and are sometimes described as a division of the Kurmi caste. [5] Though Sainthwars deny the claim but in Census of 1881 Sainthwars were mentioned along with Kurmi in Oudh and Benaras. [6] [7] Sainthwar was earlier a Kurmi sub-caste. But due to the rise of the leading family (princely family of Padruna) it was classified as a separate caste in 1911. [8] The Sainthwars are known as "Mall" ("prosperous") as opposed to the Kurmis. [3] They are the dominant landholding caste in some districts of Uttar Pradesh. [5]

The oral tradition of the Sainthwars traces their ancestry to Chandraketu, a son of the legendary hero Lakshmana. [3]

Bharatiya Janata Party politician RPN Singh belongs to the Saithwar community and is a prominent leader from Eastern Uttar Pradesh. [9] [10]

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References

  1. ↑ Subodh Kapoor (2002). Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography. Cosmo. p. 413. ISBN   978-81-7755-299-7.
  2. 1 2 Shahid Amin (1995). Event, Metaphor, Memory: Chauri Chaura, 1922-1992. University of California Press. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-520-08780-4. Sainthwar: a middle-ranking caste of 'industrious' peasants, closely related to the Kurmi
  3. 1 2 3 Kumar Suresh Singh, ed. (1998). India's Communities. Vol. A–G. Oxford University Press. p. 2163. ISBN   978-0-19-563354-2.
  4. ↑ "National Commission for Backward Classes". www.ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 Paul R. Brass; Francis Robinson, eds. (1987). The Indian National Congress and Indian society, 1885-1985: ideology, social structure, and political dominance. Chanakya. ISBN   9788170010265.
  6. ↑ Blunt, Sir Edward (2010). The Caste System of Northern India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-8205-495-0.
  7. ↑ Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink.
  8. ↑ Blunt, Sir Edward (2010). The Caste System of Northern India. Gyan Publishing House. ISBN   978-81-8205-495-0.
  9. ↑ "How RPN Singh fits into BJP's OBC plan in UP - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "Who is RPN Singh? Know all about Congress heavyweight who joined BJP ahead of UP polls". The Fress Press Journal. 25 January 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
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