[28] The suffix vanshi is derived from the Sanskrit word vansh (वंश) which translates to belonging to a particular family dynasty. Except these three castes, education for all other castes and communities was very limited and consisted of listening to stories from religious texts like the Puranas or to Kirtans and thus the common masses remained illiterate and backward. [1][e][61] Many CKP clans have Ekvira temple at Karle as their family deity whereas others worship Vinzai, Kadapkarin, Janani as their family deity[62], The CKPs share many common rituals with the upper-caste communities and the study of Vedas and Sanskrit. Some CKPs may also be devotees of the religious swamis from their own caste – .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:linear-gradient(transparent,transparent),url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}"Ram Maruti Maharaj(Deshpande)". In the pre-colonial era of Bengal, Baidyas were regarded as the highest Hindu castes, along with Bengali Brahmins and Kayasthas.. History. Click to enlarge! The Kayastha Brahmins are mentioned at sl.no. [29] According to Brahmanical literature, Chitragupta had two wives- Shobhavati, who was daughter of a Brahmin Susharma, and Nandini, who was daughter of a Kshatriya Shradhadev Manu, respectively and the descendants of their 12 sons form the 12 sub-groups of this community. The Illustrated Weekly of India (1970), volume 91, part 3, page 15. [14], Traditionally, in Maharashtra, the caste structure was headed by the Brahmins castes – the deshasthas, chitpawans, karhade, saraswats and the CKPs. The analysis of gramanyas against the CKP was done in depth by historians from the University of Toronto. That’s approximately 4.3 percent of the total Indian population. For the South Korean political party, see. The Sanskrit dictionary at Hindunet.org defines Kayastha as follows: ka_yastha, ka_yata a man belonging to the writer-caste; a tribe of bra_hman.as whose employment is writing (Ka.)(Ka.lex.). As indicated by various epigraphic evidences, they acted in the capacity of a medieval office combining duties of both a secretary of war and a secretary of state (Mahāsandhivigrahin). quote on page 8: They have the "upanayana" ceremony, and so, they have the Vedadhikar – the right to read the Vedas. I had dismissed them, but am thinking now they need a second look. [14], The CKP claim descent from Chandrasen, an ancient kshatriya king of Ayodhya and of the Haihaya family of the lunar Kshatriya Dynasty. [29] Educationally and professionally, 20th century research showed that the Saraswat, CKP, Deshastha and Chitpawan were quite similar. nowadays, there are a number of brahmins who even haven't heard or known about even adi sankara and about upanishads. Thakur-Brahmin tussle is old Political analysts remind that UP is known for the Thakur-Brahmin war for ages. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, always headed by Brahmins, admires Patel because he … [25][26][27], According to Merriam-Webster, the word Kāyastha is probably formed from the Sanskrit kāya (body), and the suffix -stha (standing, being in). Similarly, the famous jurist Ramshastri Prabhune also supported the CKPs Vedokta. [24], The CKPs have traditionally been placed in the Kshatriya varna[25][26][27][28] and also followed Brahmin rituals, like the sacred thread (Janeu) ceremony[1][29][a] As another example of similarity with the Brahmin rituals, the observation of the period of mourning and seclusion by person of a deceased's lineage by the CKPs has traditionally been for 10 days although Kshatriyas generally observe it for 12 days. [26][full citation needed]. First introduced at the time of the Licchavis (A.D. 300 – c. 879), the Newar caste system assumed its present shape during the medieval Malla period (A.D. … DNA Mapping of CKPs Origin of kayastha community cannot be pinpointed at any particular location but as per the DNA mapping as well of the physiological appearance & cooking habbits eg.liberal use of poppyseeds for CKP food preparations (Dietary can be influenced by the topography & climate where they are residing) indicates Kayasthas were mainly inhabiting … Aba Parasnis the CKP[ in the early 1800s] could easily hold his own and argue intricate points from the vedas,puranas and the dharmasastras in a debate which resulted in his composition of the siddhantavijaya in sanskrit.He prepared the samskara manual(karmakalpadruma), which was published by Pratapsimha. Survey of Material in Marathi on the Economic and Social History of India—3. More than 1 lakhs NRI Hindu Brides and NRI Hindu Grooms are registered on India’s most trusted matchmaking site MatrimonialsIndia.Com. Dec 1930) gives a list of north Indian princely families that belonged to the CKP caste. The Gaekwads of Baroda and the Bhosale of Nagpur gave preference to CKPs in their administration. The evidence so far shows that it has not been possible to forge a durable consensus on a caste other than the Brahmin for the job of Prime Minister of India. and "Gajanan Maharaj (Gupte)", who took samadhis at Kalyan(in 1919) and Nasik(in 1946) respectively. [12][13] They held the posts such as Deshpandes and Gadkaris and according to the historian, B.R. Kayastha Brahmins are mentioned (in alphabetic order). [17], More formally, in Maharashtra, they are one of the Prabhu Communities and a sister caste of the Pathare Prabhu. The Bengali Kayasthas are subdivided into numerous clans in that region, of which the Kulin is a high-ranking example. the new generation brahmins espectially … [2], When the prominent Marathi historian Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade contested their claimed Kshatriya status in a 1916 essay, the CKP writer Prabodhankar Thackeray wrote a text outlining the identity of the caste, and its contributions to the Maratha empire. In fact the first attack on "sista kayastha/kuleen kayastha/ brahma kayastha" is by none other than kalhan rajatarangini compiled in kashmir probably in 1100 AD in which it omitted/ disagreed kayasta as part of brahmins then onwards this debate initiated. [23] The earliest epigraphic mention of Chitragupta having any connection with the Kayasthas also appears around the same period from a royal charter (dated 1115 AD) of Govindachandra of Kannauj written by a Vāstavya-Kayastha Thakkura (i.e. The Brahmin families that migrated made an impact peacefully by example rather than converting people by any means. Historian Bijay Chandra Mazumdar suggests that the Baidyas owe … [49], At times, there were Gramanyas, also known as "Vedokta disputes", initiated by certain individuals who tried to stop CKP rights to Upanayana. [60], They worship Ganesh, Vishnu and other Hindu gods. They even demanded privileges of the Brahmin order – the rights to conduct the vedic rituals(all by themselves) and satkarma(all six karmas of the Brahmin order) for which they were opposed especially by the Chitpawans. The book 'Prabhu Kul Deepika' gives the gotras (rishi name) and pravaras etc. [15] Kshemendra argues in his work that Kayasthas' invention of a separate script was a method to defraud people so that good kings even though knowing their kayasthas to be "eager to kill, robbers of others' property, rogues and demons" had to befriend them in order to balance the treasury. [30][31], "SELF LEGITIMATION AND SOCIAL PRIMACY: A Case Study of Some Kayastha Inscriptions From Central India", "The Formation of the Colonial State in India", "Social History of an Indian Caste: The Kayasths of Hyderabad. Hence Shivaji was compelled to use people from these three educated communities - Marathi Brahmins, CKPs and Saraswat Brahmins - for civilian posts as they required education and intellectual maturity. [18][19], The CKP followed the Advaita Vedanta tradition propounded by Adi Shankara, the first Shankaracharya whereas the Pathare Prabhu followed the Smartha tradition. The conversion happened after being taken as prisoners in war campaigns. Ritually ranked very high, they may be considered socially proximate to the Maharashtrian Brahmin community. Brahman, highest ranking of the four varnas, or social classes, in Hindu India. In 1925, the only communities that were not considered backward by the British Government in the Bombay Presidency were Brahmins, CKP, Pathare Prabhus, Marwaris, Parsis, Banias and Christians. The Kayastha Brahmins are mentioned at sl.no. The Saraswats are a sub-group of Hindu Brahmins of India who trace their ancestry to the banks of the Rigvedic Sarasvati River.The Saraswat Brahmins are mentioned as one of the five Pancha Gauda Brahmin communities. [29][30], According to a letter written by the Shankaracharya, who confirmed the 'Vedadhikar' of the CKPs, the title Prabhu, which means high official, must have been given to the CKPs by the Shilahar kings of Konkan. The Illustrated Weekly of India (1970), volume 91, part 3, page 14, आधुनिक महाराष्ट्राची जडणघडण : शिल्पकार चरित्रकोश, खंड ३, भाग १, विज्ञान व तंत्रज्ञान, (in Marathi). [52][53][54], According to the studies by D.L.Sheth, the former director of the Center for the Study of Developing Societies in India (CSDS), educated upper castes and communities - Punjabi Khatris, Kashmiri Pandits, CKPs, the Chitpawans, Nagar Brahmins, South Indian Brahmins, Bhadralok Bengalis, etc., along with the Parsis and upper crusts of the Muslim and Christian society were among the Indian communities in 1947, at the time of Indian independence, that constituted the middle class and were traditionally "urban and professional" (following professions like doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, etc.). Thus they are an intermediate caste between brahmins and Kshatriyas.[31]. Kulin Kayasthas are a sub-caste of the Kayastha caste in Bengal, India. Lakshmana Prabhu is mentioned as a MahaDandanayaka (head of military) and MahaPradhana (prime minister); Ananta-Prabhu is mentioned as a MahaPradhana (prime minister), Kosadhikari (Head of treasury) and Mahasandhivigrahika (charge of foreign department). The Brahmin migration to the South features in the legends of sage Agastya. The Brahmins : A List of Brahmin Communities is an extensive list prepared by Kamat.com of all Brahmin communities in India. Divekar, V.D., 1978. Initially, the term Kayastha seems to have referred to an occupational class[4] and not a distinct social group. [18][19] The epigraphic sources reveal that some of these kayastha families even had the status of being feudatories (thakkura); some had earned the title of pandita for their extensive learning while others being financially sound commissioned construction of Hindu temples. of the CKP caste. The UP Kayastha indicates that there's a fair amount of variation here which is not being sampled. [14] Many are devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi. [16], They are mainly concentrated in Maharashtra. [15] Other than the Brahmins, the Prabhus (CKPs and Pathare Prabhus) were the communities advanced in education. Nonetheless, the overall trend is clear. [33] Several of the Maratha Chhatrapati Shivaji's generals and ministers, such as Murarbaji Deshpande and Baji Prabhu Deshpande, were CKPs. [17] By the early-medieval era, various branches of Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas had become highly influential in the administration of contemporary kingdoms and started asserting their identities. [1][c]Historically, they made equally good warriors, statesmen as well as writers. On the other hand, their influence in the court meant that they could wield enough political clout to effect settlements in favor of their caste.". 15 (in alphabetic order). [23] The basis of the age-old veneration of Brahmans is the belief that they are inherently of greater ritual purity than members of other castes and that they alone are capable of … But there is a subtle skew toward the distant Bangladesh cluster. [2], According to the American Indologist and scholar of Religious Studies and South Asian Studies who is the Professor of International Studies and Comparative Religion at the University of Washington, Christian Lee Novetzke .mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}, In the thirteenth century they might have been considered as equal to brahmin or simply within the Brahminic ecumene, this despite the fact that modern day CKPs of Maharashtra understand themselves to have arisen from the Kshatriya varna. Kayastha (also referred to as Kayasth or Kayeth) is a caste or community of Hindus originating in India. Unlike most upper-caste Marathi communities however, the CKPs, through their interaction with Muslims and residence in the coastal Konkan region, have adopted a diet which includes meat, fish, poultry and eggs. For example, a Shilahara inscription around A.D. 1088 mentions the names of a certain Velgi Prabhu. 15 (due to alphabetic order). its time for us to regain the lost teachings of vedas to our society.we have to set up small religious institudes or channel so that the new generation brahmins can also learn the gitas, upanishads, vedas, etc. [10][32]University of Toronto historians and Professors Emeriti, Milton Israel and N.K Wagle opine about this as follows in their analysis: The CKP could undertake the six functions (satkarma) because they had the expertise to do so. This resulted in distress in the lives of widows from these castes as opposed to widows from other Marathi Hindu castes. In fact, epigraphical evidences i.e. [43], In 1801-1802 CE (1858 Samvat), a Pune-based council of 626 Brahmins from Maharashtra, Karnataka and other areas made a formal declaration that the CKPs are twice-born (upper caste) people who are expected to follow the thread ceremony(munja). According to Historian and researcher S.Muley, these epigraphs might be the first available evidences of the existence of the CKP in Maharashtra. The Sanskrit dictionary at Hindunet.org defines ‘Kayastha’ as follows: They claim to be Kayastha Brahmins. The large majority of the Kayastha practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of the Indian subcontinent. Sunthankar, produced some of the best warriors in Maharashtrian History. After their escape, conversions back to Hinduism were done using Brahminical rituals performed after authorization by the Brahmins, under the minister "Panditrao". According to K. Leonard, "Kayasthas are an example of the social mobility of a caste through association with a ruler, rather than through Sanskrtization (emulation of Brahmin culture) or through military conquest (like Rajputs)". [6], Over the centuries, the occupational histories of Kayasthas largely revolved around scribal services. His letter is addressed to all Brahmins. greater scrutiny and competition for state largesse, not least from within the Chitnis household ... ‘The Maratha Brahmin Model in South India’; Kruijtzer, ‘Madanna, Akanna, and the ... of Kayastha service within the Maratha bureaucratic apparatus. The Kayastha Brahmins are mentioned at sl.no. The Brahmin wrath that Gandhi perhaps feared has been tempered over the decades; from 25 per cent of MPs in 1952, Brahmins make up less than 10 per cent of Parliament now. [34], In 17th century Maharashtra, during Shivaji's time, the so-called higher classes i.e. Kayasthas are considered to be members of the … in fact i would like to share … As indicated by the Puranas, the Kayasthas release managerial capacities. South Asian intellectuals and social change: a study of the role of vernacular-speaking intelligentsia by Yogendra K. Malik, page 63. Modern scholars conclude that the fact that the CKPs held high ranking positions in administration and the military and as statesmen was a "double edged sword". 15 (in alphabetic order). ), and Brahmin groups (e.g., Pandits) in their area who are theoretically higher in caste status. Kayastha Shiromani 18:57, 28 August 2011 (UTC) None of which are reliable sources. A number of CKP families also served the semi-independent princely states in Maharashtra and other regions of India, such as Baroda. [64], "CKP" redirects here. Ritually ranked very high, they may be considered socially proximate to the Maharashtrian Brahmin community. [1][c] Saptahik Vivek, 2009. p. 271, आधुनिक महाराष्ट्राची जडणघडण : शिल्पकार चरित्रकोश, खंड ३, भाग १, विज्ञान व तंत्रज्ञान, (in Marathi). [24] Similar epigraphic records mention Māthuranvaya-Kayastha (Mathur) and Naigama-Kayastha (Nigam) holding important administrative positions under the Chahamana and Paramara dynasties. They have … The word Brahmin translates to “Supreme Self” or the first of the gods. According to P. K. Varma, "education was a common thread that bound together this pan Indian elite" and almost all the members of these communities could read and write English and were educated "beyond school"[55], The mother tongue of most of the community is now Marathi, though in Gujarat they also communicate with their neighbours in Gujarati, and use the Gujarati script,[56] while those in Maharashtra speak English and Hindi with outsiders, and use the Devanagari script. quote from page 14: Rubbing shoulders with the portraits of the Gods and Goddesses would be pictures of Ram Maruti Maharaj or Gajanan Maharaj(both CKP Swamis, whose samadhis are at Kalyan and Nasik respectively)....Almost every C K.P home will have either a coloured or a black-and-white portrait of Sai Baba of Shirdi... CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (. [12] She also notes that "as recipients of office and holders of grants of land, brahmanas, kayasthas, and sreshtins (wealthy merchants) were moving into a cultural circle which attempted to diffuse a Sanskritic culture but not invariably with impressive results." For example, Dr.Christine Dobbin's research concludes that the educationally advanced communities in the 1850s – the CKPS, Pathare Prabhus, Saraswats, Daivadnya Brahmin and the Parsis were the first communities in the Bombay Presidency that allowed female education. The hegemony of Bania and Brahmin forces is visible everywhere in India even now. one scripture that explicitly called them Chandraseniya Kshatriyas. "dispute involving the supposed violation of the Brahmanical ritual code of behavior" were very common in that era and some Chitpawans, at times, initiated Gramanyas against other communities – Prabhu communities(CKP, Pathare Prabhu), Saraswats and Shukla Yajurvedis. Every Brahmin Prime Minister completed his term. [8][9][10][11][2][b], 'Prabhu' means a person who holds a high position in the government. They are also known as the Kulina Kayasthas. The gramanyas during the Peshwa eras finally culminated in the favor of the CKPs as the Vedokta had support from the Shastras and this was affirmed by two letters from Brahmins from Varanasi as well as one from Pune Brahmins ratified by Bajirao II himself. [2][3] As evidenced by literary and epigraphical texts, they emerged in the period between late ancient and early medieval India. Srivastava branch of Kayastha) named Jalhaṇa. Abashastri Takle had used the scriptures to establish their "Vedokta". [16], According to K. Leonard, "Kayasthas are an example of the social mobility of a caste through association with a ruler, rather than through Sanskrtization (emulation of Brahmin culture) or through military conquest (like Rajputs)". However, she also criticizes these communities by concluding that until the 20th century, the Marathi Brahmin, CKP and Saraswat Brahmin communities, due to their upper-caste ritualistic norms, traditionally discouraged widow remarriage. [48], Rango Bapuji Gupte, the CKP representative of the deposed Raja Pratapsinh Bhosale of Satara spent 13 years in London in the 1840s and 50s to plead for restoration of the ruler without success. [1][a][2] We are obviously rich in samples from South India. The CKP as an educated elite therefore, were a serious challenge to the Brahman monopoly of Vedokta. For many Kayastha their Hindu faith has become more cultural than religious. Several religious councils and institutions have subsequently stated the varna status of Chitraguptvanshi Kayasthas to … [20][21][22] The author of the 11th century Sanskrit work Udayasundarī Kathā, Soḍḍhala describes himself as a Kayastha and at the same time claims to be Kshatriya. Baidya or Vaidya is a Hindu community of Bengal.The Baidyas have generally claimed Brahmin status but some have been associated with the Ambashtha caste or sub-caste. A Kayastha, two Rajputs, a Jat, a Vokaligga and a Khatri became Prime Ministers but did not last beyond a year or two. Gradually, the North Indian branch of Kayasthas consolidated into a distinct caste-like community somewhere around the 11th- 12th centuries CE[5] maintaining Chitragupta - the divine scribe as their grand ancestor. Given their training CKP served both as civilian and military officers. Chitraguptavanshi Kayastha, also referred as North Indian Kayastha, denotes a subgroup of Hindus of the Kayastha community that are mainly concentrated in the Hindi Belt of North India. Their emergence is explained by modern scholars as a consequence of "growth of state machinery, complication of taxation system and fast-spreading land-grant practice that required professional documenting fixation". The population of India that is considered a member of the Brahmin caste according to the article “The Joshua project” is about 60,481,000 people. The Shankaracharya's letter is addressed to all Brahmins and he refers to various Shastras, earlier verdicts in the favour of the CKPS as well as letters about the lineage of the CKP to make his decision and void the dispute started by Natu. [51][d], In 1902, all communities other than Marathi Brahmins, Saraswat Brahmins, Prabhus (Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus, Pathare Prabhus) and Parsi were considered backward and 50% reservation was provided for them in by the princely state of Kolhapur. quote on page 168:The CKP could undertake the six functions (satkarma) because they had the expertise to do so. [1], The Kayasthas are mentioned as an office (not a caste) as early as the first century C.E. engravings from the Shilahara times have been found in Deccan to prove that many CKPs held high posts and controlled the civilian and military administration. This was noted by Gangadharshastri Dikshit who gave his verdict in favor of the CKPs. Jangra/Jangid are associated with technical & engineering work. [22], During the times of the Shilahara dynasty of Konkan (around the 10th century), the Silhara kings were known to invite for settlement into their lands, Brahmins and Kshatriyas of the northern Indo-Gangetic valley. Saptahik Vivek, 2009. p. 276, आधुनिक महाराष्ट्राची जडणघडण : शिल्पकार चरित्रकोश, खंड ३, भाग १, विज्ञान व तंत्रज्ञान, (in Marathi). The CKPs, described as a traditionally well-educated and intellectual group, came into conflict with Marathi Brahmins at least 350 years ago over their rights to be teachers and scholars. Modern scholars quote statements that show that they were due to political malice – especially given that the Gramanya was started by a certain Yamaji Pant who had sent an assassin to murder a rival CKP.