Kapariya
Encyclopedia
The Kapariya are a Hindu
caste
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are also known as Khunkhuniya Bhatt and have scheduled caste status.
community, that took to begging. A change of occupation led to an evolution of a distinct community. They have two sub-divisions, the Brahma Bhatta and Rao Bhatta. The Kapariya are found mainly in Fatehpur District
, where they are considered the original settlers. They speak Awadhi
among themselves, and Hindi with outsiders.
and their two sub-divisions, the Brahma Bhatta and Rao Bhatta are also endogamous. They are further divided into a number of exogamous sub-divisions, known as gotra
s. The main function of the gotra is to trace descent and to regulate their marriage alliances. The Brahma Bhatta claim a higher status from the Rao Bhatta, a system of hypergamy
exists among these two groups.
The Kapariya are a landless community, and are still involved in their traditional occupation is begging. Many have seen a decline in their traditional occupation, and are employed as day labourers. A small number have been granted land, but their land holdings are extremely small. Like other Hindu
castes, each Kapariya settlement contains a biradari panchayat, an informal caste association, which acts as an instrument of social control.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They are also known as Khunkhuniya Bhatt and have scheduled caste status.
Origin
The word kapariya is derived from the Hindi word kapra, which means a cloth. They claim to be a branch of the BhattRai Bhat
The Rai Bhat are a Hindu caste found in North India. They are also known as Dasaundhi, Bandiji, Barna, Barwa, Bhargava, Bhatela, Maharaj, Raja and Raoji. The community have been the heredity bards and genealogists of many castes in India...
community, that took to begging. A change of occupation led to an evolution of a distinct community. They have two sub-divisions, the Brahma Bhatta and Rao Bhatta. The Kapariya are found mainly in Fatehpur District
Fatehpur district
Fatehpur district is one of the 71 districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The district covers an area of 4,152 km². The district has a population of 2,308,384 . Fatehpur city is the administrative headquarters of the district. Located on the banks of the sacred rivers Ganges and...
, where they are considered the original settlers. They speak Awadhi
Awadhi language
Awadhi is an Indo-Aryan language, part of the Hindi-Urdu continuum. It is spoken chiefly in the Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, although its speakers are also found in Madhya Pradesh, Delhi and Nepal. Furthermore, the Fiji Hindi dialect spoken by Indo-Fijians is considered a variant of Awadhi,...
among themselves, and Hindi with outsiders.
Present Circumstances
The Kapariya are strictly endogamousEndogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
and their two sub-divisions, the Brahma Bhatta and Rao Bhatta are also endogamous. They are further divided into a number of exogamous sub-divisions, known as gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
s. The main function of the gotra is to trace descent and to regulate their marriage alliances. The Brahma Bhatta claim a higher status from the Rao Bhatta, a system of hypergamy
Hypergamy
Hypergamy is the act or practice of seeking a spouse of higher socioeconomic status, or caste status than oneself....
exists among these two groups.
The Kapariya are a landless community, and are still involved in their traditional occupation is begging. Many have seen a decline in their traditional occupation, and are employed as day labourers. A small number have been granted land, but their land holdings are extremely small. Like other Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
castes, each Kapariya settlement contains a biradari panchayat, an informal caste association, which acts as an instrument of social control.