Agharia
Encyclopedia
Agharia is a caste
, belonging to the [Sambalpur district], Balangir
and Sundergarh district
s in Orissa
state and Raigarh
district, Saraipali
, Basna
and near places in Raipur and Mahasamund
district in Chhattisgarh
state in India. They claim to be of the Kshatriya varna in Hinduism.
According to their traditions, their forefathers were from Agra
(Uttar Pradesh
, India). In the book, “The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, Volume II by R. V. Russell (1873-1915)”, the author mentions that the Agharias claim to be Somvansi Rajput
s, a claim which Colonel Dalton (of British Empire
) had said their appearance favours- "Tall, well-made, with high Aryan features and tawny complexions, they look like Rajputs, though they are more industrious and intelligent than the generality of the fighting tribe."
Populace belonging to this caste are divided into more than 84 exogamous sections, of which 60 bear the surname of Patel
, 18 that of Naik
, 6 that of Chaudhri and the rest that of Pandey
.These days many surnames have come into existence among Aghrias like Panigrahi,Mohanty,Biswal,Samantaray,Mishra and others.
Traditionally, the occupation of the Agharias has been cultivation
. As cultivators they are considered to be proficient. In the census of 1901, nearly one-fourth of the caste were shown as malguzars or village proprietors and lessees However, after the agricultural land ceiling reforms in India, many were attracted to formal education and employment in services.
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...
, belonging to the [Sambalpur district], Balangir
Balangir
For Balangir District See : Balangir DistrictBalangir', is a city and municipality in Balangir district in the state of Orissa, India. It is also the headquarter of Balangir district.-Overview:...
and Sundergarh district
Sundergarh District
Sundergarh District, also spelled Sundargarh District, is a district in the northwestern part of Orissa state in eastern India. Sundargarh district is bound by Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh in the west, Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh in the North-West, Simdega district of Jharkhand in the...
s in Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
state and Raigarh
Raigarh
Raigarh is a city and a Municipal Corporation in Raigarh district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is the administrative headquarter of Raigarh district.-History:...
district, Saraipali
Saraipali
Saraipali is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mahasamund district in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh.-Geography:Saraipali is located at . It has an average elevation of 248 metres .it is located in chattishgarh and orissa border in Nh-6.saraipali is 156km far from Raipur and 120km from...
, Basna
Basna
Basna is a census town in Mahasamund District in the Chhattisgarh state of India.-Geography:Basna is located at . It has an average elevation of 266 metres ....
and near places in Raipur and Mahasamund
Mahasamund
Mahasamund is a city and a municipality in Mahasamund District in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. It is the administrative headquarters of Mahasamund District.The present Mayor is Dr. Vimal Chopra....
district in Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh is a state in Central India, formed when the 16 Chhattisgarhi-speaking South-Eastern districts of Madhya Pradesh gained separate statehood on 1 November 2000....
state in India. They claim to be of the Kshatriya varna in Hinduism.
According to their traditions, their forefathers were from Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
(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...
, India). In the book, “The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, Volume II by R. V. Russell (1873-1915)”, the author mentions that the Agharias claim to be Somvansi Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s, a claim which Colonel Dalton (of British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
) had said their appearance favours- "Tall, well-made, with high Aryan features and tawny complexions, they look like Rajputs, though they are more industrious and intelligent than the generality of the fighting tribe."
Populace belonging to this caste are divided into more than 84 exogamous sections, of which 60 bear the surname of Patel
Patel
Patel is a surname of Indian origin, originally meaning "headman" or"village chief". Patels are socially, economically and politically the most dominant caste in Gujarat Patels are basically Kurmis or Kunbis and are found in various geographical locations. The Kunbi are an Indian subcaste...
, 18 that of Naik
Naik
Naik is an administrative title and surname derived from the Sanskrit word "vash" means to control. Naik is a surname attributed to the Anavil Brahmin caste.Naik may refer to:...
, 6 that of Chaudhri and the rest that of Pandey
Pandey
Pandey Sanskrit is a surname of the Hindu Brahmins communities of Northern and Central India .-Derivation:Pandey's : Well known for the the Superior Castes in Brahmin's...
.These days many surnames have come into existence among Aghrias like Panigrahi,Mohanty,Biswal,Samantaray,Mishra and others.
Traditionally, the occupation of the Agharias has been cultivation
Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking...
. As cultivators they are considered to be proficient. In the census of 1901, nearly one-fourth of the caste were shown as malguzars or village proprietors and lessees However, after the agricultural land ceiling reforms in India, many were attracted to formal education and employment in services.