Khandayat (caste)

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Khandayat or Khandait is a landed militia caste from Odisha, East india.[1][2][3][4][5] They were feudal chiefs, military generals, zamindars, large land holders and agriculturalists.[6][7][8][9] During British raj, they ruled many tributary states in odisha including Khordha.[10] Numerically they are the largest caste of the state.[11]

However historically they were originated from Oda & Gauda castes.[12]

Khandayat
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesOdia
Populated statesOdisha
Related groupsPaika[13]

Etymology

The name Khandayat is originated from the word "Khanda" which means Sword and khandayat means sword wielding.[14][15]

According to G.Praharaj, in old days who came forward to save the native kingdom with their swords when it was in trouble,were granted the title of "Khandayat". since then people of Oda(Peasants) & Gauda(cowherds) castes enjoyed the title, it can be said khandayat is only a title.[16]

History

Medieval Odisha

Early mention of Khandayats as feudal chief and military personnel is found during the rule of Eastern Ganga Dynasty.[17][18] According to Odia historian K. N. Mohapatra, Khandayat strategies were established in Bhubaneswar and near by areas to protect the Lingaraja Temple.[19] During the mediaeval period the Landed militia Khandayats acquired good amounts of Agricultural land and became local zamindars.[20]

Fakir Mohan Senapati while Quoting Abul Fazal mentioned Khandayats as a landowning caste that dominated the politics and military of Gajapati Empire.[21] Mughal chronicle Ain-i-Akbari gave a clear picture of Odisha after the broke down of Gajapati Empire. It mentioned about different forts ruled by Khandayat Zamindars along with their King Mukund Dev.[22][23]

Modern Odisha

British conquered Odisha in 1803 & started new land reforms to increase tax revenue. Khandayats enjoyed tax free lands in Khurda Kingdom in strictly military tenure. British abolished these tax free jagirs and that led to Paika Rebellion in 1817.[24][25] However according to 1897 land settlement report, Khandayats still owned highest number of zamindaris in odisha. [26]

During British rule, some wealthy people from peasant castes started identifying themselves as Khandayat in order to gain social status and Zamindar land rights in some princely states of west odisha.[27]

Society and culture

Khandayats were the land-owning & Socio-economically dominant caste in most of the villages of Odisha.[28] In coastal Odisha Khandayats treat Brahmins as Priests, Service castes (washermen, barbers, herders etc.) as servants & untouchable castes as agricultural labourers. [29] Such age old customs & dominance often lead to violence against marginalized castes and seen as customary bondage system.[30][31]

They claim themselves to be of Kshatriya status but when they lost their power they fall to the Status of Shudras.[32][self-published source]

References

  1. ^ Behuria, N. C. (1990). Orissa State Gazetteer. Gazetteers Unit, Department of Revenue, Government of Orissa.
  2. ^ Behura, Nab Kishore; Mohanty, Ramesh P. (2005). Family Welfare in India: A Cross-cultural Study. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7141-920-3.
  3. ^ Patnaik, Nihar Ranjan (1997). Economic History of Orissa. Indus Publishing. ISBN 978-81-7387-075-0.
  4. ^ Pati, Rabindra Nath (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8.
  5. ^ Regional Development Dialogue. United Nations Centre for Regional Development. 2009.
  6. ^ Bhola, Sudhira Chandra (1990). British Economic Policy in Orissa. Discovery Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7141-075-0.
  7. ^ Samal, J. K. (1990). Economic History of Orissa, 1866-1912. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-7099-218-9.
  8. ^ Ernst, Waltraud; Pati, Biswamoy (18 October 2007). India's Princely States: People, Princes and Colonialism. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-11988-2.
  9. ^ Bailey, Frederick George (1970). Politics and Social Change. University of California Press. p. 132.
  10. ^ Samal, J. K. (1990). Economic History of Orissa, 1866-1912. Mittal Publications. p. 37. ISBN 978-81-7099-218-9.
  11. ^ Punjab Journal of Politics. Department of Political Science, Guru Nanak Dev University. 1986.
  12. ^ Das, H.C. (1979). Resources and Responses in Two Orissan Villages: The Influence of the New State Capital, 1950-1970. Orissan studies project. Punthi Pustak. p. 45. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  13. ^ Pati, Rabindra Nath (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8.
  14. ^ Ghosh, G. K. (2000). Legends of Origin of the Castes and Tribes of Eastern India. Firma KLM. ISBN 978-81-7102-046-1.
  15. ^ Pati, Biswamoy (2003). Identity, Hegemony, Resistance: Towards a Social History of Conversions in Orissa, 1800-2000. Three Essays Collective. ISBN 978-81-88789-04-7.
  16. ^ Pani, S.; Das, H.C.; Kar, I.B. (1988). Glimpses of History and Culture of Balasore. Orissa State Museum. p. 24. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  17. ^ Miśra, Kr̥shṇacandra (1990). Land system and land reforms. Himalaya Pub. House. p. 103. OCLC 555529354.
  18. ^ Sankar, Das, Binod (1978). Studies in the economic history of Orissa from ancient times to 1833. Firma KLM. p. 56. OCLC 251964827.
  19. ^ The Orissa Historical Research Journal. Superintendent, Research and Museum, Orissa. 1975. p. 23.
  20. ^ Mohanty, Ramesh P.; Biswal, Durgesh Nandini (2007). Culture, Gender and Gender Discrimination: Caste Hindu and Tribal. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-8324-199-1.
  21. ^ Senapati, Fakir Mohan (1 February 2006). Six Acres And A Third: Chaa Mana Atha Guntha. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 978-93-5118-251-1.
  22. ^ Mughal India According to European Travel Accounts: Texts and Studies. Institute for the History of Arabic-Islamic Science at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University. 1997. pp. 111–112.
  23. ^ Mubārak, Abū al-Faz̤l ibn (1997). The Ā-īn-i Akbarī. Low Price Publications. pp. 156–157. ISBN 978-81-86142-26-4.
  24. ^ Hayami, Yōko; Tanabe, Akio; Tokita-Tanabe, Yumiko (2003). Gender and Modernity: Perspectives from Asia and the Pacific. Kyoto University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-4-87698-451-0.
  25. ^ Mansinha, Mayadhar (1976). Fakirmohan Senapati. Sahitya Akademi. p. 61.
  26. ^ Pati, Biswamoy (1993). Resisting Domination: Peasants, Tribals, and the National Movement in Orissa, 1920-50. Manohar Publishers & Distributors. p. 5. ISBN 978-81-7304-027-6.
  27. ^ Ernst, Waltraud; Pati, Biswamoy (18 October 2007). India's Princely States: People, Princes and Colonialism. Routledge. p. 89. ISBN 978-1-134-11988-2.
  28. ^ Behuria, N. C. (1990). Orissa State Gazetteer. Gazetteers Unit, Department of Revenue, Government of Orissa. p. 287.
  29. ^ Berger, Peter (17 February 2015). Feeding, Sharing, and Devouring: Ritual and Society in Highland Odisha, India. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-61451-363-6.
  30. ^ DAS, PRAFULLA. "Casteist terror". Frontline. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  31. ^ "In Puri, 'Lower' Castes Face Ostracism for Defying Customary Bondage System". thewire.in. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  32. ^ Pradhan, Prasant. "The Peasant Militias of Odisha,Khandayats". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

Further reading

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