Mahishya
Encyclopedia
Mahishya also spelled as Mahisya, is a Bengali Hindu
caste
. Members of this caste are traditionally found in the India
n states of West Bengal
and Orissa
. Mahishyas are one of the predominant castes in West Bengal especially in the southern districts of Howrah, Paschim Medinipur
, Purba Medinipur
, Hooghly
, and South 24 Parganas. Many members are employed in the business and services sectors. Their food habits and living conditions have also changed over time.
father and Vaishya
mother is called a Kaivartta or Mahisya. If one takes the two terms to be synonymous then as Kaivarttas. Mahisya is having a status in between both Kshatriya
and Vaishya
, the people are spread through a geographic location extending from modern-day Maharashtra
, Chattisgarh, and few in other states. The Bengali
peoples historian Sevananda Bharati is of the opinion that the ancient home of the Mahishya race is near the present day Ratnavati on the bank of the Narmada River
, which was then known as Mahishamati. For whatever reason, the Mahishyas migrated from Ayodhya and entered what is now Midnapore
through the Chota Nagpur Plateau
. Biharilal Kalye believes that the founder of the Ganga Dynasty
of Orissa
, Anantavarman belonged to the Mahishya race. Other such as Jagabandhu Singh diagree and opine that he belonged to Kshatriya caste of Paralakhemundi
. Sir Harbert Risley agree with Kalye and says, in The Tribes and Castes of Bengal states that five leaders established five kingdoms in Midnapore namely, Tamralipta or Tamluk
, Balista or Moynagarh, Turkee, Sujamatha, and Kutabpur.The inhabitants of Tamralipta
were a seafaring race and inhabited modern Bengal and the southern coast of India.Mahishya community is often closely related with Matsya
but with no certainty.
pandits, since the number of Kayasthas in Midnapore district
were relatively small compared to the rest of Bengal
. The Mahishyas were form a tight-knit social group. The movement to gain recognition as a caste separate from the Kaibarttas gained moment from 1897 when the Mahishyas formed the Jati Nirdharani Samiti (Caste Assignment Forum). At the time the Kaibarttas were divided into the Jele Kaibarttas (fishermen), and "Hele Kaibarttas" (farmers). Not only were the Mahishyas the leading group in Midnapore, but the 1931 census found that 2.71 percent were proficient in English
, the language of the upwardly mobile during the British Raj
. In 1921, the demand for a caste separate from the Kaibarttas was conceded based on the data which suggested that they were a socially distinct group and that they were the predominant caste in the entire province of Bengal. Data from the 1921 census indicated that they were the largest Hindu caste in Bengal. In the subdivisions Contai
and Tamluk, now comprising Purba Medinipur district, they formed 44.2% and 54.9% of the population respectively. The Mahishyas through the mouthpiece the Mahishya Samaj endeavored to enstill pride in their agricultural roots, since they were the actual cultivators of the soil. This peasant pride, along with a politically vocal leadership helmed by the likes of British-educated barrister Birendranath Sasmal
forged a Mahishya identity.
. In Howrah, the Mahishyas are the most numerous and successful businesspersons. At the turn of the century, much of the land and factories were owned by Kayastha
s. By 1967, Mahishyas owned 67% of the engineering establishments in the district.
on the grounds that his appointment would offend the Kayasthas of the city. The job ultimately went to Subhas Chandra Bose. Because they belong to Sudra(or non-Brahmin) low caste according to high court. In Bengal there are only two varnas, Brahmin and Sudra. Among the Sudras there are low caste and high castes.
Bengali Hindu
Bengali Hindus are an ethno-linguistic group, belonging to the Indo-Aryan family and are native to the Bengal region of the Indian Subcontinent. The Bengali Hindus along with other related ethno-linguistic groups constitute the vast majority of Hindus...
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...
. Members of this caste are traditionally found in the 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...
n states of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and 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...
. Mahishyas are one of the predominant castes in West Bengal especially in the southern districts of Howrah, Paschim Medinipur
Paschim Medinipur
Paschim Medinipur district or West Midnapore district is the districts of the state of West Bengal, India. It was formed on January 1, 2002 after the Partition of Midnapore into Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur. The district has 4 sub-divisions: Kharagpur, Medinipur Sadar, Ghatal and Jhargram...
, Purba Medinipur
Purba Medinipur
Purba Medinipur district , or East Midnapore district is an administrative unit in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the southernmost district of Burdwan division – one of the three administrative divisions of West Bengal. The headquarter is located at Tamluk...
, Hooghly
Hooghly District
Hooghly district is one of the districts of the state of West Bengal in India. It can alternatively be spelt Hoogli or Hugli. The district is named after the Hooghly River.The headquarters of the district are at Chinsura...
, and South 24 Parganas. Many members are employed in the business and services sectors. Their food habits and living conditions have also changed over time.
Origins
Good friend's and Historians such as Sir Jagabandhu Singh have referenced the Padma Purana and the Brahmavaibarta Purana and have come to the conclusion that Mahishyas and Kaivarttas (Kaibarttas) are the same caste. In general terms, "the child born of a KshatriyaKshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
father and Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
mother is called a Kaivartta or Mahisya. If one takes the two terms to be synonymous then as Kaivarttas. Mahisya is having a status in between both Kshatriya
Kshatriya
*For the Bollywood film of the same name see Kshatriya Kshatriya or Kashtriya, meaning warrior, is one of the four varnas in Hinduism...
and Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
, the people are spread through a geographic location extending from modern-day Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, Chattisgarh, and few in other states. The Bengali
Bengali people
The Bengali people are an ethnic community native to the historic region of Bengal in South Asia. They speak Bengali , which is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit and Sanskrit languages. In their native language, they are referred to as বাঙালী...
peoples historian Sevananda Bharati is of the opinion that the ancient home of the Mahishya race is near the present day Ratnavati on the bank of the Narmada River
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
, which was then known as Mahishamati. For whatever reason, the Mahishyas migrated from Ayodhya and entered what is now Midnapore
Midnapore District
Midnapore district is a former district of the state of West Bengal, India. This district was bifurcated on January 1, 2002 into the Purba Medinipur district and the Paschim Medinipur district.-References:...
through the Chota Nagpur Plateau
Chota Nagpur Plateau
The Chota Nagpur Plateau is a plateau in eastern India, which covers much of Jharkhand state as well as adjacent parts of Orissa, West Bengal, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. The Indo-Gangetic plain lies to the north and east of the plateau, and the basin of the Mahanadi River lies to the south...
. Biharilal Kalye believes that the founder of the Ganga Dynasty
Ganga Dynasty
Ganga Dynasty is a name used for two unrelated dynasties who ruled parts of India:* The Western Ganga Dynasty, a kingdom in southern India, based in southern Karnataka, from the 3rd to the 10th centuries...
of 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...
, Anantavarman belonged to the Mahishya race. Other such as Jagabandhu Singh diagree and opine that he belonged to Kshatriya caste of Paralakhemundi
Paralakhemundi
Parlakhemundi is a small town and a municipality in Gajapati district in the Indian state of Orissa. The major languages spoken in this region are Oriya and Telugu.- Demographics :...
. Sir Harbert Risley agree with Kalye and says, in The Tribes and Castes of Bengal states that five leaders established five kingdoms in Midnapore namely, Tamralipta or Tamluk
Tamluk
Tamluk is the district headquarters of Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. Though there is some controversy, scholars have generally agreed that present day Tamluk is the site of the ancient city variously known as Tamralipta or Tamralipti...
, Balista or Moynagarh, Turkee, Sujamatha, and Kutabpur.The inhabitants of Tamralipta
Tamralipta
Tamralipta or Tamralipti was the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal believed by scholars to be on the site of Tamluk in modern-day India.-References:...
were a seafaring race and inhabited modern Bengal and the southern coast of India.Mahishya community is often closely related with Matsya
Matsya
Matsya was the first Avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism. The great flood finds mention in Hindu mythology texts like the Satapatha Brahmana, where in the Matsya Avatar takes place to save the pious and the first man, Manu and advices him to build a giant boat.-The Legend:According to the Matsya...
but with no certainty.
Social ascendency
The Mahishyas were numerically preponderant in Midnapore at the turn of the twentieth century. They are mainly a minor landholding community. In 1896, they were identified as local aristocrats by the President of the college of NadiaNadia District
Nadia district is a district of the state of West Bengal, in the north east of India. It borders with Bangladesh to the east, North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts to the south, Bardhaman district to the west, and Murshidabad district to the north....
pandits, since the number of Kayasthas in Midnapore district
Midnapore District
Midnapore district is a former district of the state of West Bengal, India. This district was bifurcated on January 1, 2002 into the Purba Medinipur district and the Paschim Medinipur district.-References:...
were relatively small compared to the rest of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. The Mahishyas were form a tight-knit social group. The movement to gain recognition as a caste separate from the Kaibarttas gained moment from 1897 when the Mahishyas formed the Jati Nirdharani Samiti (Caste Assignment Forum). At the time the Kaibarttas were divided into the Jele Kaibarttas (fishermen), and "Hele Kaibarttas" (farmers). Not only were the Mahishyas the leading group in Midnapore, but the 1931 census found that 2.71 percent were proficient in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, the language of the upwardly mobile during the British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
. In 1921, the demand for a caste separate from the Kaibarttas was conceded based on the data which suggested that they were a socially distinct group and that they were the predominant caste in the entire province of Bengal. Data from the 1921 census indicated that they were the largest Hindu caste in Bengal. In the subdivisions Contai
Contai
Contai is head quarters of Contai subdivision in Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. There are three community development blocks in Contai.- History :...
and Tamluk, now comprising Purba Medinipur district, they formed 44.2% and 54.9% of the population respectively. The Mahishyas through the mouthpiece the Mahishya Samaj endeavored to enstill pride in their agricultural roots, since they were the actual cultivators of the soil. This peasant pride, along with a politically vocal leadership helmed by the likes of British-educated barrister Birendranath Sasmal
Birendranath Sasmal
Birendranath Sasmal was a lawyer and political leader. He was known as Deshparan because of his work for the country and for his efforts in the Swadeshi movement.-Early life:...
forged a Mahishya identity.
Success in industry and technology
Although the Mahishyas were traditionally laborers and tenant farmers they have excelled in industry. Although many are involved in traditional practices in rural areas, within a generation, Mahishyas gave up agriculture in large numbers in favor of engineering and skilled labor in the urbanized areas of Howrah and KolkataKolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. In Howrah, the Mahishyas are the most numerous and successful businesspersons. At the turn of the century, much of the land and factories were owned by Kayastha
Kayastha
Kayastha or Kayasth or Kayeth is a caste or community of Hindus originating in India. Kayastha means "scribe" in Sanskrit, and has traditionally denoted members of the writer caste....
s. By 1967, Mahishyas owned 67% of the engineering establishments in the district.
Social stigma
Although the financial, social, and political success of Mahishyas is notable, they have often been stigmatized on account of their agrarian roots. Mahishyas have not been adverse to doing manual labor, often considered demeaning by high castes. For example, Birendranath Sasmal was refused the post of Chief Executive of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation by Chittaranjan DasChittaranjan Das
Chittaranjan Das was an eminent Bengali lawyer and a major figure in the Indian independence movement.-Personal life:...
on the grounds that his appointment would offend the Kayasthas of the city. The job ultimately went to Subhas Chandra Bose. Because they belong to Sudra(or non-Brahmin) low caste according to high court. In Bengal there are only two varnas, Brahmin and Sudra. Among the Sudras there are low caste and high castes.