Koiry or Koiri is an agricultural 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...

 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...

 name and a Kshatriya sub-varna. People from the Koiry community are found in 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...

 and Nepal

Nepal

Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...

.

History and Present Circumstances

Koiry caste is one of the farming castes of Northern India. Koiry is another name for Maurya caste in Bihar

Bihar

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....

. Various subgroups of this caste include Maurya, Murao

Murao

The Murao or Maurya are a Hindu Kshatriya caste, who are agriculturists, found in the state of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya State in India.- History and origin :The Murao claim descent from the ancient Maurya dynasty...

, Kushwaha

Kushwaha

Kushwaha is a community of the Indian subcontinent, which has traditionally been involved in agriculture and farming.- Demographics :The Kushwahas are found in large numbers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh as well as in Nepal and Mauritius....

, Kashi, Shakya

Shakya

Shakya was an ancient janapada of India in the 1st millennium BCE. In Buddhist texts the Shakyas, the inhabitants of Shakya janapada, are mentioned as a clan of Gotama gotra....

 found in 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...

.

They are divided into two sub-groups, the Bhaktiwa and Saktiwa. These groups are further divided into smaller groups, such as the Kanaujiya, Goita and Banaphor. Maurya

Maurya caste

Maurya , Kanojiya or Kushwaha is an agricultural/farming Hindu community. Koiry, Kushwaha, Shakya and Kashi or Kachi belong to Maurya caste. "Mauryas" are traditionally involved in agricultural activities, farming and allied activities such as horticulture. They reside mostly in UP, MP, Bihar and...

 or Koiry are traditionally involved in the agricultural

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 activities. They reside mostly in 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...

, Bihar

Bihar

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....

 and 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...

. They are vegetarian in lifestyle. They use other titles like Kushwaha, Maury, Shakya, Verma, Bhagat, Mahto, and Mehta.

In Bihar

Bihar

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....

, the Koiry are found throughout the state. They are divided into the following sub-groups, the Maghaiya or Banaphar Koiry, Murari Koiry, Kanaujiya Koiry, Bham Koiry, Goita, Kumarah, and Guaiya Koiry. The Koiry of Bihar

Bihar

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....

 are traditionally cultivators, and also take a keen interest in horticulture, and have orchards of mangoes, litchis, guavas, plums, lemons and bananas. In 1927, they set up the Koiry Panchayat Hitakarni Samiti, a 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...

association formed to look after the socio-economic conditio interests of the community.