Goriya
Encyclopedia
The Goriya are a Hindu
scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh
in India
. Those found in the Basti Division
of eastern Uttar Pradesh
have converted to Islam
, and now form a distinct community of Muslim Goriya. A small number of Goriya are also found in the Terai
region of Nepal
.
community, and they are traditional ferrymen of the Ganges. According to their traditions, the community ferried the God Ram
on his way to Chitrakut. Like other Mallaah
s, they trace their ancestry to Nishad Raj, a figure that appears in the Ramayana
. They are found mainly in the districts of Faizabad
, Jaunpur
, Varanasi
and Sultanpur
. The Goriya speak both Hindi
and Awadhi.
and Pankhiya
have had to give up their traditional occupation. Many are now farmers, but as their villages are near the Ganges, they are prone to flooding. With the recent electrification of their villages, they are now able to use tube wells as a means of irrigation. The Goriya are Hindu
, and have no particular deities.
The Goriya of the Basti Division
in eastern Uttar Pradesh
are Muslim
. They claim to have been converted at the time of the rule of Sher Shah Suri
. Like their Hindu
counterparts, the Muslim Goriya are now mainly farmers. They are entirely Sunni, and speak the Awadhi dialect. The Muslim Goriya are strictly endogamous, and marry within close kin. .
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...
scheduled caste found in the states of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
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...
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...
. Those found in the Basti Division
Basti Division
Basti Division is an administrative geographical unit of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Basti is the administrative headquarters of the division. Currently , the division consists following districts:* Basti,* Sidhartha Nagar, and* Sant Kabir Nagar....
of eastern 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...
have converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and now form a distinct community of Muslim Goriya. A small number of Goriya are also found 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...
region of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
Origin
The Goriya are a sub-caste of the MallaahMallaah
The Mallah are the traditional boatmen caste and ethnic group of North India, East India and Pakistan. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal....
community, and they are traditional ferrymen of the Ganges. According to their traditions, the community ferried the God Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
on his way to Chitrakut. Like other Mallaah
Mallaah
The Mallah are the traditional boatmen caste and ethnic group of North India, East India and Pakistan. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal....
s, they trace their ancestry to Nishad Raj, a figure that appears in the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
. They are found mainly in the districts of Faizabad
Faizabad
City of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama...
, Jaunpur
Jaunpur District
Jaunpur is a district in the Varanasi Division of Uttar Pradesh state in India. Jaunpur serves as the district headquarters.-Geography:The district of Jaunpur is situated in the North-West part of Varanasi Division. Its land area extends from 24.240N to 26.120N latitude and between 82.70E and...
, Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...
and Sultanpur
Sultanpur
Sultanpur is a city and a municipal board in Sultanpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located in the geographic center of and is the administrative headquarters of Sultanpur District. It is an ancient town situated on the right bank of Gomati River, to the south east of...
. The Goriya speak both 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...
and Awadhi.
Present Circumstances
Traditionally, the Goriya were fishermen and ferrymen. But like other communities of a similar background such as the KewatKewat
The Kewat are a Hindu caste, found in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are the traditional boatmen of North India.-History and origin:...
and Pankhiya
Pankhiya
The Pankhiya are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are also known as the sunni seikh.-Origin:The Pankhiya claim to have converted to Islam some five centuries ago, and some claiming to have belonged originally to the sunni seikh caste. The Pankhiya are found...
have had to give up their traditional occupation. Many are now farmers, but as their villages are near the Ganges, they are prone to flooding. With the recent electrification of their villages, they are now able to use tube wells as a means of irrigation. The Goriya 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...
, and have no particular deities.
The Goriya of the Basti Division
Basti Division
Basti Division is an administrative geographical unit of Uttar Pradesh state of India. Basti is the administrative headquarters of the division. Currently , the division consists following districts:* Basti,* Sidhartha Nagar, and* Sant Kabir Nagar....
in eastern 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...
are 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...
. They claim to have been converted at the time of the rule of Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri
Sher Shah Suri , birth name Farid Khan, also known as Sher Khan , was the founder of the short-lived Sur Empire in northern India, with its capital at Delhi, before its demise in the hands of the resurgent Mughal Empire...
. Like their 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...
counterparts, the Muslim Goriya are now mainly farmers. They are entirely Sunni, and speak the Awadhi dialect. The Muslim Goriya are strictly endogamous, and marry within close kin. .