Parahiya
Encyclopedia
The Parahiya are a Hindu
caste
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
.
the burners of the forest, on account of the fact that they practice slash and burn agriculture. According to other traditions, the name is corruption of the word Paharia, which in Hindi
means a hill dweller. They are one of a number of tribal communities such as the Panika
that occupy the foothills of the Vindhya
mountains.The community speak a dialect of Hindi
. The Parahiya have been granted scheduled caste status.
. The Parahiya are endogamous and divided into a number of exogamous clans known as kuris, of which the main ones are the Bengeha, Bhaloa, Bhania, Bhusan, Gohawa, Gurgur, Monnoor and Sira. Although they are Hindu
, they also have a number of their own tribal deities such as Jawalamukhi Devi and Dharti Mata.
The Parahiya depend on the forest for their subsistence. They are small landholding community living at the foot of the Vindhya
mountains. Hunting and gathering forest produce is an important source of their income. They collect roots, tubers, fruits, lacs and leaves, which they sell at the local market. Hunting is no longer an activity that they were historically engaged in. Settled cultivation is now their present occupation.
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...
.
Origin
The name Parahiya is said to mean in the Gondi languageGondi language
Gondi is spoken by the Gondi people. It is a Central-Dravidian language, spoken by about two million people chiefly in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattishgarh and in various adjoining areas of neighbouring states...
the burners of the forest, on account of the fact that they practice slash and burn agriculture. According to other traditions, the name is corruption of the word Paharia, which in 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...
means a hill dweller. They are one of a number of tribal communities such as the Panika
Panika
The Panika are a Hindu caste found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as Panka. The Kotwar sub-group of the Panika have now separated from the parent community.-Origin:...
that occupy the foothills of the Vindhya
Vindhya Range
The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India.- Introduction :...
mountains.The community speak a dialect of 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...
. The Parahiya have been granted scheduled caste status.
Present circumstances
Their habitat is hilly undulating terrain, and extremely forested. They occupy the southern part of the district of SonbhadraSonbhadra
Sonbhadra or Sonebhadra is the 2nd largest district of Uttar Pradesh, India. The district has an area of 6788 km² and a population of 1,463,468 , with a population density of 216 persons per km²...
. The Parahiya are endogamous and divided into a number of exogamous clans known as kuris, of which the main ones are the Bengeha, Bhaloa, Bhania, Bhusan, Gohawa, Gurgur, Monnoor and Sira. Although they are 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...
, they also have a number of their own tribal deities such as Jawalamukhi Devi and Dharti Mata.
The Parahiya depend on the forest for their subsistence. They are small landholding community living at the foot of the Vindhya
Vindhya Range
The Vindhya Range is a range of older rounded mountains and hills in the west-central Indian subcontinent, which geographically separates the Indian subcontinent into northern India and Southern India.- Introduction :...
mountains. Hunting and gathering forest produce is an important source of their income. They collect roots, tubers, fruits, lacs and leaves, which they sell at the local market. Hunting is no longer an activity that they were historically engaged in. Settled cultivation is now their present occupation.