Boksa (tribe)
Encyclopedia
Bhoksa or sometimes pronounced Buksa are indigenous people living mainly in the India
n states
of Uttarakhand
and Uttar Pradesh
. They are most concentrated in the Dehradun
and Nainital in the Kumaon
foothills
of the outer Himalayas
. They are also found in Bijnor District
of Uttar Pradesh
, where they are known as Mehra, and have been granted scheduled tribe status.
, and was the staple diet of the Bhoksa. Other traditions state that they acquired the name on account of the fact that their appearance was unkempt, and their neighbours gave the name boksa, which means a mountain goat in the local Pahari language. In Dehradun District
and Bijnor District
, they are known as Mehra, which is said to be a corruption of the Hindi word mehram, which means a knowledgeable person. They are said to have acquired this name on the account of the fact that they were the only community that was employed as guides by travelers in the Terai
. According to the community's own traditions, they are Rajput
s from the Deccan that fled to the hills to escape the Muslim
conquerors of India
. This is said to be reflected in their sub-division, the Rajvanshi, Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi and Dujvanshi, all well known Rajput
sub-groups. The Bhoksa are found along the slopes of the lower Himalayas
, in a forested region known as the Terai
. In Uttar Pradesh
, they are found in Pilibhit
and Bijnor
districts, while in Uttarakhand
, they are found in Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun
districts.
s, having abandoned their earlier animist traditions, and this is seen by their use of Brahmin
priests. However, they maintain a tribal deity, Shakumbari Devi, to which they place a special relevance. The Bhoksa now speak Hindi, and have customs similar to other neighbouring Hindu
communities. The Bhoksa still occupy distinct settlements, which they do not share with any tribal or caste
grouping. A few of their villages do contain settlements of Chamar
s. They are now cultivators, with many maintaining their secondary occupation as mountain guides.
The Bhoksa are strictly endogamous
, and practice clan
exogamy
. Their main clans are the Chauhan, Pundir, Tonwar, Chambaval, Kutiyala, Panwar, Phalsane, Katheriya, Tumbewar, Banwarbatti, Lakkiwal, Malanhas, Khasam, Kotwal and Chad. All these clans are of equal status, and intermarry.
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...
n states
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
and 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...
. They are most concentrated in the Dehradun
Dehradun district
There are five railway stations in Dehradun:* Raiwala* Rishikesh* Doiwala* Harrawala* DehradunAirport...
and Nainital in the Kumaon
Kumaon Division
For Kumaoni/Kumauni People see Kumauni PeopleKumaon or Kumaun is one of the two regions and administrative divisions of Uttarakhand, a mountainous state of northern India, the other being Garhwal. It includes the districts of Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar...
foothills
Foothills
Foothills are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills to the adjacent topographically high mountains.-Examples:...
of the outer Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
. They are also found in Bijnor District
Bijnor District
Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
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...
, where they are known as Mehra, and have been granted scheduled tribe status.
Origin
There are various traditions as to why the community acquired the name Bhoksa. According to some experts, the name is a corruptionof the word buqra, which is root found in the TeraiTerai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
, and was the staple diet of the Bhoksa. Other traditions state that they acquired the name on account of the fact that their appearance was unkempt, and their neighbours gave the name boksa, which means a mountain goat in the local Pahari language. In Dehradun District
Dehradun district
There are five railway stations in Dehradun:* Raiwala* Rishikesh* Doiwala* Harrawala* DehradunAirport...
and Bijnor District
Bijnor District
Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
, they are known as Mehra, which is said to be a corruption of the Hindi word mehram, which means a knowledgeable person. They are said to have acquired this name on the account of the fact that they were the only community that was employed as guides by travelers in the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
. According to the community's own traditions, they are 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 from the Deccan that fled to the hills to escape the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
conquerors of 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...
. This is said to be reflected in their sub-division, the Rajvanshi, Suryavanshi, Chandravanshi and Dujvanshi, all well known 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...
sub-groups. The Bhoksa are found along the slopes of the lower Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, in a forested region known as the Terai
Terai
The Terai is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests located south of the outer foothills of the Himalaya, the Siwalik Hills, and north of the Indo-Gangetic Plain of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and their tributaries. The Terai belongs to the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion...
. 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...
, they are found in Pilibhit
Pilibhit District
Pilibhit district is one of the districts in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India, and Pilibhit city is the district headquarters. Pilibhit district is a part of Bareilly Division.The city is famous for its contribution to Bollywood, Urdu literature and its involvement in Politics of India...
and Bijnor
Bijnor District
Bijnor is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Bijnor city is the district headquarters.-Geography :...
districts, while in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, they are found in Udham Singh Nagar and Dehradun
Dehradun district
There are five railway stations in Dehradun:* Raiwala* Rishikesh* Doiwala* Harrawala* DehradunAirport...
districts.
Present Circumstances
The Bhoksa are now ordinary HinduHindu
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...
s, having abandoned their earlier animist traditions, and this is seen by their use of Brahmin
Brahmin
Brahmin Brahman, Brahma and Brahmin.Brahman, Brahmin and Brahma have different meanings. Brahman refers to the Supreme Self...
priests. However, they maintain a tribal deity, Shakumbari Devi, to which they place a special relevance. The Bhoksa now speak Hindi, and have customs similar to other neighbouring 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...
communities. The Bhoksa still occupy distinct settlements, which they do not share with any tribal or 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...
grouping. A few of their villages do contain settlements of Chamar
Chamar
Chamar |tanner]]"; from the Sanskrit Charmakara) is a prominent occupational caste in India, Pakistan and Nepal. Chamar is a Dalit sub-caste mainly found in the northern states, such as Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi and in Nepal at least north to the Himalayas...
s. They are now cultivators, with many maintaining their secondary occupation as mountain guides.
The Bhoksa are strictly endogamous
Endogamy
Endogamy is the practice of marrying within a specific ethnic group, class, or social group, rejecting others on such basis as being unsuitable for marriage or other close personal relationships. A Greek Orthodox Christian endogamist, for example, would require that a marriage be only with another...
, and practice clan
Clan
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clan members may be organized around a founding member or apical ancestor. The kinship-based bonds may be symbolical, whereby the clan shares a "stipulated" common ancestor that is a...
exogamy
Exogamy
Exogamy is a social arrangement where marriage is allowed only outside of a social group. The social groups define the scope and extent of exogamy, and the rules and enforcement mechanisms that ensure its continuity. In social studies, exogamy is viewed as a combination of two related aspects:...
. Their main clans are the Chauhan, Pundir, Tonwar, Chambaval, Kutiyala, Panwar, Phalsane, Katheriya, Tumbewar, Banwarbatti, Lakkiwal, Malanhas, Khasam, Kotwal and Chad. All these clans are of equal status, and intermarry.