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
============+==========
District. | Number.
~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~
Bulandshahr | 1
Benares | 21,272
Mirzapur | 9,385
Jaunpur | 4,292
Ghâzipur | 54,606
Ballia | 25,777
Gorakhpur | 31,202
Basti | 12,744
Azamgarh | 61,425
Lucknow | 86
Faizâbâd | 124
Gonda | 1
Partâbgarh | 112
+~~~~~~~~~~
Total | 221,027
============+==========
Bhuiya.—A Dravidian tribe found in the hill country of South Mirzapur
[77] to the number of 839.
[Legend of origin.] 2. Their legend in Mirzapur runs that two ancient
sages, Moma Rishi and Kumbha Rishi, had each a son known respectively
as Bhad or Bhadra and Mahesh. Bhad practised austerities in the forests
of Magadha or Bihâr, and his cousin Mahesh attended on him. Bhad once
sat between two nîm (melia azadirachta) trees, and when he felt hungry
ate the bark. The Bhuiyas hence know him as the Nîm Rishi. Mahesh went
into the forest every morning to collect roots and fruits. Half he used
to eat himself, and half he kept for his cousin. When Bhad had spent
twelve years in these austerities, the Lord tempted him by sending to
him one of the nymphs of heaven. She used to make some halwa out of
flour, butter and sugar and stick it on the bark of the tree beneath
which Bhad sat. Bhad knowing nothing of this used to eat it with the
bark which formed his daily food. Finally his eyes were opened and he
saw the lady. He fell in love with her and took her to wife, and had
seven sons, from whom are descended the Magahiya, Tirvak, Dandwâr,
Dhelwâr, Musahar, and Bhuînhâr or Bhuiyâr septs. From their descent
from the Rishi the Bhuiyas often call themselves Rishâsan Bhuiyas. The
fruits and roots which Mahesh collected he sowed in the Mirzapur
jungles, and since then they have begun to grow there. This legend is
very different from that recorded by Colonel Tickell, which would make
the Bhuiyas descended from shell fish, and of kindred origin to Kols,
Santâls, and Ghasiyas. [78] The Mirzapur legend asserts their kinship
with the Musahar and Bhuînhâr, who claim to be distinct tribes, and
disclaim any connection with the Bhuiyas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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