DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0225
NEW CASTES, AND NEW INFORMATION ABOUT OLD CASTES
castes that have claimed Brahmanical descent are certain
Bhats, the Dhiman Barhais, and the Lohars : the former
call themselves ‘Brahmbhat’, the two latter ‘Visvakarma-
bansi Brahman’. In these cases, the castes have advan-
ced elaborate, but unconvincing, arguments to prove
their claims, though that does not imply that the claims
are necessarily wrong.
Kurmis, Gadariyas, Karnwals, Mair and Tank
Sonars, and Kayasthas all claim Kshatriya descent.
None of these claims have so far been satisfactorily
proved : but there is no prima facie improbability in the
claims of the Kurmis, Sonars and Kayasthas. As is
pointed out elsewhere,1 all ancient authorities are curious-
ly silent about the agricultural castes : it is not possible
to believe that there were no landowners amongst the
old Kshatriya clans, and the Kurmi, which is an agricul-
tural caste of high position and high antiquity, may
very well represent, at all events in respect of some of
his branches, the old Kshatriya landowners, or at least
their vrisala successors in interest.2 The Sonar is an
occupational caste also of high antiquity, and some of its
subcastes may very well be of Kshatriya descent; for
since the guild of goldsmiths must have been of high
position and repute, it would be one of those that Kshat-
riyas would be most likely to join. The arguments by
which the Kayasthas support their claim are remarkably
ingenious. The ancient Kshatriyas, they say, were not
merely the rulers and soldiers of the community : their
traditional occupation was ‘public service’ generally.
There were secretariats and public ofhces in old days,
which must have been staffed by Kshatriya secretaries
and clerks. It is from this ancient bureaucracy that the
Kayasthas claim descent. Unfortunately, what independ-
ent evidence there is suggests that the ‘civil service’ of
ancient India—in its upper grades at all events—was
recruited rather from Brahmans than Kshatriyas.
Kalwars claim to be Batham Vaisyas, Kandus and
1 Chapter XII, par. 5.
2 Chapter II, par. 10.
21 I
castes that have claimed Brahmanical descent are certain
Bhats, the Dhiman Barhais, and the Lohars : the former
call themselves ‘Brahmbhat’, the two latter ‘Visvakarma-
bansi Brahman’. In these cases, the castes have advan-
ced elaborate, but unconvincing, arguments to prove
their claims, though that does not imply that the claims
are necessarily wrong.
Kurmis, Gadariyas, Karnwals, Mair and Tank
Sonars, and Kayasthas all claim Kshatriya descent.
None of these claims have so far been satisfactorily
proved : but there is no prima facie improbability in the
claims of the Kurmis, Sonars and Kayasthas. As is
pointed out elsewhere,1 all ancient authorities are curious-
ly silent about the agricultural castes : it is not possible
to believe that there were no landowners amongst the
old Kshatriya clans, and the Kurmi, which is an agricul-
tural caste of high position and high antiquity, may
very well represent, at all events in respect of some of
his branches, the old Kshatriya landowners, or at least
their vrisala successors in interest.2 The Sonar is an
occupational caste also of high antiquity, and some of its
subcastes may very well be of Kshatriya descent; for
since the guild of goldsmiths must have been of high
position and repute, it would be one of those that Kshat-
riyas would be most likely to join. The arguments by
which the Kayasthas support their claim are remarkably
ingenious. The ancient Kshatriyas, they say, were not
merely the rulers and soldiers of the community : their
traditional occupation was ‘public service’ generally.
There were secretariats and public ofhces in old days,
which must have been staffed by Kshatriya secretaries
and clerks. It is from this ancient bureaucracy that the
Kayasthas claim descent. Unfortunately, what independ-
ent evidence there is suggests that the ‘civil service’ of
ancient India—in its upper grades at all events—was
recruited rather from Brahmans than Kshatriyas.
Kalwars claim to be Batham Vaisyas, Kandus and
1 Chapter XII, par. 5.
2 Chapter II, par. 10.
21 I