The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
[Traditions of origin.] 3. Some of them claim to be Panwâr Râjputs, and
“assert that their chief Udayjît was driven from house and home in a
quarrel that he had with his brother Jagatdeo, the Râja of Dhâranagar,
and came to dwell with a few followers at Banbasa on the Sârda. Udayjît
had not been there long when his aid was solicited by the Râja of
Kumâun, whose territories required defence against some of the
neighbouring powers. Success attended the efforts of the Panwâr, and
the gratitude of the Râja induced him to offer his defenders an asylum
in his territories. Upon this they are represented to have left Banbasa
and to have taken up their residence in their present abodes.” [60] But
their traditions are very vague; some say that they came from the
Dakkhin; others, from Delhi; others, that they were expelled from the
Dakkhin by the Marhattas. The Mahra or Dehra Dûn branch say that they
came into the District from beyond the Ganges at the invitation of Râja
Sukh Dâs Sâh of Tehri, who used them as guides through the jungles on
his shooting expeditions. They fix their emigration into the Dûn at
some five generations from the present day.
[Tribal organisation.] 4. The last Census returns give the septs of the
Bhoksas, as Jâdubansi, Panwâr, Partuja, Râjbansi, and Tunwar. Sir H. M.
Elliot describes them as having fifteen septs (gotra), of which twelve
are of superior and three of inferior rank. The superior, according to
his list, are Bargûjar, Tabâri, Barhaniya, Jalwar, Adhoi, Dugugiya,
Râthaur, Negauriya, Jalâl, Upâdhya, Chauhân, Dunwariya. The three
inferior are the Dîmar-Râthaur (descended from a Teli woman), Dhangra
(from a hill woman), and Goli from a woman of the barber caste. “The
names of these tribes indicate considerable mixture with other classes,
both Râjput and Brâhman. Bhoksas are prohibited marrying in their own
gotra; but may select any other gotra they choose. Those who reside in
Kilpuri and Sabna are said occasionally to intermarry with the Thârus.
The Bhâts of the Bhoksas, who are descended from a follower of Udayjît,
reside still at Banbasa, and pay occasional visits to their
constituents. The priests (purohit) of the Bhoksas are Kanaujiya
Brâhmans, who are also descended from one of the followers of Udayjît.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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