Kewat
Encyclopedia
The Kewat are a Hindu
caste
, found in the states of Rajasthan
and Uttar Pradesh
in India. They are the traditional boatmen of North India
.
word kaivarta, which means the dweller of water. According to their tradition, they are descended from Nisad, son of the mythological king Venu. They claim to be Suryavanshi Kshatriya
. Their main sub-groups are the Banaphar, Dhivar, Balavarna, Chay
, Sorahiya, Kairata, and Tiar
. The Banaphar consider themselves to be superior to the other groups.
The Kewat have a four tiered caste council, the charghat panchayat covers the Awadh
region, the baraghat panchayat covers Allahabad
. These caste councils deals with resolving disputes with in the community.
, Benas and Kalinath rivers, in the districts of Kota
and Sawai Madhopur
. They are divided into eighty four clans, and their origin myth refers to them being created by god Vishnu
. The community speak the Hadoti dialect of Rajasthani
. There traditional occupation of being boatmen has declined, and the community are now mainly daily wage labourers.
, they are both cultivators and boatmen. The community are also known as Keot or Kaut. There is considerable difference of opinion as to the origin of the word Kewat. According to some, it is derived from the Hindi
words Ka for water and varta for livelihood. They are found in the districts of Bhagalpur
, Purnea, Katihar
, Darbhanga
, Munger
, Muzaffarpur
and Khagaria
. There main gotra
s in the state are the Ayudhia, Bahiawork, Ghibihar, Garbhait and Machua. Their villages are found mainly along the banks of the Ganges river, and many have taken to cultivation. They speak Magadhi and Bhojpuri.
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 states of Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
and 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. They are the traditional boatmen of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
.
History and origin
The Kewat are a community of boatmen, who live along the banks of the Ganges river. Their name comes from the SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
word kaivarta, which means the dweller of water. According to their tradition, they are descended from Nisad, son of the mythological king Venu. They claim to be Suryavanshi Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
. Their main sub-groups are the Banaphar, Dhivar, Balavarna, Chay
Chain (caste)
The Chain, sometimes also pronounced as Chai, are cultivating and fishing caste found in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India. They are a sub-group within the larger Kewat communinity of North India.- Origin :...
, Sorahiya, Kairata, and Tiar
Tiar
The Tiar are scheduled caste, found in North India. They are also known as the Parihar.-History and origin:The word tiar is a corruption of the Sanskrit word thivara, which means a hunter. They were traditionally hunters, but with the greater deforestation of their environment, they are now mainly...
. The Banaphar consider themselves to be superior to the other groups.
In Uttar Pradesh
The Kewat live by the banks of the Ganges, and make their livelihood on the river. They are the traditional ferrymen on the Ganges. The community are involved in fishing, rope making and thatching.The Kewat have a four tiered caste council, the charghat panchayat covers the Awadh
Awadh
Awadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
region, the baraghat panchayat covers Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
. These caste councils deals with resolving disputes with in the community.
In Rajasthan
The Kewat in Rajasthan are found in along the banks of the rivers ChambalChambal
Chambal may refer to:* Chambal Jatt* Chambal Division* Chambal River...
, Benas and Kalinath rivers, in the districts of Kota
Kota district
Kota District is a district of the state of Rajasthan in western India. The city of Kota is the administrative headquarters of the district.During the period around 12th century AD, Rao Deva,a Hada Chieftain conquered the territory and founded Bundi and Hadoti...
and Sawai Madhopur
Sawai Madhopur
Sawai Madhopur is a city and a municipality in Sawai Madhopur District in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the administrative headquarters of Sawai Madhopur District....
. They are divided into eighty four clans, and their origin myth refers to them being created by god Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
. The community speak the Hadoti dialect of Rajasthani
Rajasthani language
Rajasthani Rajasthani Rajasthani (Devanagari: , Perso-Arabic: is a language of the Indo-Aryan languages family. It is spoken by 50 million people in Rajasthan and other states of India and in some areas of Pakistan. The number of speakers may be up to 80 million worldwide...
. There traditional occupation of being boatmen has declined, and the community are now mainly daily wage labourers.
In Bihar
In BiharBihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
, they are both cultivators and boatmen. The community are also known as Keot or Kaut. There is considerable difference of opinion as to the origin of the word Kewat. According to some, it is derived from the Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
words Ka for water and varta for livelihood. They are found in the districts of Bhagalpur
Bhagalpur
Bhagdattpuram was one of the most influential towns in "Aryavarta" . It is supposed to have been concurrent to Patliputra or Patna. Bhagdattpuram finds its mention in the Vedas and Ramayana as well. It is supposed to be the kingdom of Daanvir Karna, the son of Kunti and the Sun God...
, Purnea, Katihar
Katihar
Katihar is a town situated in the north eastern part of Bihar state in India. It is headquarters of Katihar district.- Geography :Katihar is located at...
, Darbhanga
Darbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...
, Munger
Munger
Munger town is the headquarters of Munger district, in the Indian state of Bihar. Historically, Munger is known for its manufacturing of iron articles such as firearms and swords. One of the major institutions in Munger is Bihar School of Yoga. It is one of the foremost learning center in the...
, Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur
Muzaffarpur Town is a town in Muzaffarpur district in the Indian state of Bihar. It serves as the headquarters of Muzaffarpur district and Tirhut division....
and Khagaria
Khagaria
Khagaria is a city in India, and the administrative headquarter of Khagaria district. Khagaria is a part of Munger division. The town has a major railway junction on the Barauni Guwahati section of the Indian Railways. National Highway 31 which connects rest of the India to North Eastern region...
. There main 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 in the state are the Ayudhia, Bahiawork, Ghibihar, Garbhait and Machua. Their villages are found mainly along the banks of the Ganges river, and many have taken to cultivation. They speak Magadhi and Bhojpuri.