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| {{Short description|Dalit community of West Bengal, India}} | {{Short description|Dalit community of West Bengal, India}} | ||
| ⚫ | '''History:''' | ||
| '''Poundra''', earlier known as '''Pod''', is a Hindu community originating from ].<ref name=":2" /> Traditionally located outside the four-tier ritual '']'' system, the Poundras have been historically subject to acute discrimination — including ] — and continue to remain a marginal group in modern Bengal.<ref name=":2" /> As of 2011, their population was around two and a half million.<ref name="censusindia.gov.in">{{cite web|title=West Bengal : DATA HIGHLIGHTS: THE SCHEDULED CASTES : Census of India 2001|url=http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_westbengal.pdf|accessdate=1 December 2018|website=Censusindia.gov.in}}</ref> | |||
| In the middle of the 4th century AD, Maharaja Mahapadma Nanda of Magadha attacked Pundravadhana and the Maharaja of Pundravadhana was defeated in that battle. We all know that Mahapadma Nanda was a Kshatriya Nidhana Vrathi. That's why Mahapadma Nanda came to be known as '''"Sarva-Kshatrantaka".''' That is why at that time the people of the Kshatriya race went to different places to escape from the hands of Mahapadma Nanda, the king of Magadha. Eg: Ratnapeeth in Kamrup, Nepal, Orissa (Even today Sambalpur area of Orissa has Pundrakshatriya (Rajbanshi Kshatriya) population and the language is also Rajbanshi.) | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| '''Culture:''' According to a 2019 study, the Rajbanshi community has oral traditions of agriculture, dance, music, medical practice, song, house building, culture and language. Rajbanshis are mainly Shivite and Vaishnava devotees, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Mansa Puja, Ganga Puja, Vishwa Puja, Tistaburi Puja, Yatra Puja, etc. Patriarchalfamily. Frog wedding held on the occasion of drought, lack of rain, etc. is one of the main religious ceremonies of Rajbansi. By profession they are mainly farmers and believe in independent work. Independent minded people. | |||
| === Medieval Bengal === | |||
| No mention is found in the ] (c. 13th century{{efn|Ludo Rocher however notes the text to contain multiple layers (like all other Puranas) making any dating impossible. However, he agrees with R. C. Hazra that a significant part was composed as a response to the Islamic conquest of Bengal.}}), which remains the earliest document to chronicle a hierarchy of castes in Bengal.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book|last=Furui|first=Ryosuke|title=Revisiting Early India: Essays in Honour of D. C. Sircar|publisher=R. N. Bhattacharya|year=2013|editor-last=Ghosh|editor-first=Suchandra|location=Kolkata|chapter=Finding Tensions in the Social Order: a Reading of the Varṇasaṃkara Section of the Bṛhaddharmapurāṇa|editor-last2=Bandyopadhyay|editor-first2=Sudipa Ray|editor-last3=Majumdar|editor-first3=Sushmita Basu|editor-last4=Pal|editor-first4=Sayantani}}</ref>{{efn|Older sources on social setup (not caste) include inscriptions of the ] and the ] periods but Pods don't find a mention.}} The ], notable for a very late Bengali recension c. 14/15th century, notes "Paundrakas" to be the son of a Vaisya father and Sundini mother but it is unknown if the groups are connected.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Rocher|first=Ludo|date=1986|title=Mixed Castes in the Brahmavaivartapurāṇa|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/601589|journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society|volume=106|issue=2|pages=254|doi=10.2307/601589|jstor=601589|issn=0003-0279}}</ref> Mentions remain scarce in medieval vernacular literature. | |||
| '''Surname:''' The surnames of Rajvanshis are - Ray, Burma, Das, Burman, Singha, Rajvanshi, Adhikari, etc. | |||
| === Colonial Bengal === | |||
| In his 1891 survey of castes, ] documented the Pods to be a branch of the ]; they faced untouchability from Brahmins as well as Navasakhas.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last=Barman |first=Rup Kumar |date=2014-01-01 |title=From Pods to Poundra: A Study on the Poundra Kshatriya Movement for Social Justice 1891–1956 |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/0974354520140108 |journal=Voice of Dalit |language=en |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=121–138 |doi=10.1177/0974354520140108 |issn=0974-3545 |s2cid=148661602}}</ref> He noted a majority to be peasants though some had become traders, and even zamindars.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
| '''Foods:''' The Rajbanshi community was traditionally a largely agricultural community, mainly cultivating rice, pulses and maize. Rice is the staple food of most of the population. Even in the 21st century, a large part of this community still adheres to a rural lifestyle, although urbanization continues to increase. Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh food and food styles are similar. Rice and pulses are eaten regularly along with vegetables and bhaji (fries – mainly potatoes). Usually vegetable preparations, mostly cooked with very little oil. Cooking is done mainly using mustard oil, although sometimes sunflower oil is used. In terms of non-vegetarian diet, the Rajbanshi population consumes a lot of meat and eggs compared to other neighboring communities of Bengal, who consume a lot of fish. Duck and chicken eggs are consumed. | |||
| In late nineteenth century, two influential members of the Pod community — Benimadhab Halder and Srimanta Naskar — produced numerous tracts of caste-history, in sync with their times. Arguing a descent from the "Poundras" — mentioned across a spectrum of Brahminical literature — they sought to establish the Pods as Kshatriyas, thereby removing the stigma of untouchability.<ref name=":2" /> In what might be construed as a self-respect movement, it was also demanded of all Pods to ].<ref name=":2" /> In 1901, Halder organized a pan-Bengal conference of the Pods, wherein it was resolved to have the government rename the caste as "Poundra".<ref name=":2" />{{Disputed inline|date=October 2021}} Further mobilization happened under the leadership of Raicharan Sardar, a lawyer and first graduate from this community.<ref name=":2" /> | |||
| === Contemporary Bengal === | |||
| '''Home:''' A typical Rajbanshi house design is rectangular in pattern, with an open space (Agina) in the middle. This is mostly done to protect against wild animals and strong winds. Every Rajbanshi house has Mansa or Kali Tagore at the entrance. The north side has betel and fruit plantations, the west has bamboo plantations while the east and south are generally left open to allow sunlight and breeze to enter the house. Although such a pattern is more common among landed gentry. | |||
| The Poundras remain vulnerable to casteist discrimination in 21st century Bengal.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Barman|first=Rup Kumar|date=2020-02-17|title=Casteism and Caste Intolerance in India: A Study on Casteism of Contemporary West Bengal|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2455328x19898451|journal=Contemporary Voice of Dalit|volume=12|issue=2|pages=165–180|doi=10.1177/2455328x19898451|s2cid=214164973|issn=2455-328X}}</ref> | |||
| '''Clothing:''' Among the traditional clothes of Rajbanshis mainly women use sarees, chadars, patanis etc. and men's traditional clothes are dhoti, punjabi, lungi, jama, genji, chadar. Although modern clothes are widely available. | |||
| '''Music:''' Music is an integral part of royal culture. The main styles of music of Rajbanshi culture are Bhavaiya, Chatka, Chorchunni, Palatia, Lahankari, Tukkhaya, Bishahari Pala etc. Various instruments are used for such performances, stringed instruments like dotara, sarindra and bena, two-membrane instruments like tasi, dhak, khol, desi dhol and mridanga, kansi, khartal like ganga and bells and sanai, mouth flute and kupa- Wind instruments like this. | |||
| Rajbansi people have their own language and culture. Their language is Kamtapuri-Rajbanshi language. Although the West Bengal government recognizes this language, it is still not listed in the Eighth Schedule of India. Their Bhavaiya music is one of the most famous music of India. From Cooch Behar, India, a periodical named Dotrar Dang in Rajbanshi language was published from 1417 Bengal. | |||
| Rajbanshi Language Academy has been formed in West Bengal. Poetry, stories, songs written in Kamtapuri-Rajbanshi language are increasing. Rajbanshi songs have gradually become the heartbeat of the people of this area. These beautiful songs are played in all kinds of events of Rajbanshi. But now a day several modern songs have been created which are at the peak of popularity. | |||
| '''Language:''' Now everything is proven through modern research that Kamrupi / Kamtapuri / Rajbanshi / Goalpariya / Rangpuri / Tajpuri / Suryapuri / Barendri / Banga-Kamrupi / Banga-Assamese language, the same language and different names are known in different places. | |||
| That means Rajbanshi / Kamtapuri language is recognized as official language in West Bengal and Nepal. That is, Rajbanshi language now means international language. | |||
| Currently living in the northern part of West Bengal, Bihar state of India, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, Nepal, Bhutan, northern part of Bengal. | |||
| == Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 14:10, 3 February 2024
Dalit community of West Bengal, India
History:
In the middle of the 4th century AD, Maharaja Mahapadma Nanda of Magadha attacked Pundravadhana and the Maharaja of Pundravadhana was defeated in that battle. We all know that Mahapadma Nanda was a Kshatriya Nidhana Vrathi. That's why Mahapadma Nanda came to be known as "Sarva-Kshatrantaka". That is why at that time the people of the Kshatriya race went to different places to escape from the hands of Mahapadma Nanda, the king of Magadha. Eg: Ratnapeeth in Kamrup, Nepal, Orissa (Even today Sambalpur area of Orissa has Pundrakshatriya (Rajbanshi Kshatriya) population and the language is also Rajbanshi.)
Culture: According to a 2019 study, the Rajbanshi community has oral traditions of agriculture, dance, music, medical practice, song, house building, culture and language. Rajbanshis are mainly Shivite and Vaishnava devotees, Durga Puja, Kali Puja, Saraswati Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Mansa Puja, Ganga Puja, Vishwa Puja, Tistaburi Puja, Yatra Puja, etc. Patriarchalfamily. Frog wedding held on the occasion of drought, lack of rain, etc. is one of the main religious ceremonies of Rajbansi. By profession they are mainly farmers and believe in independent work. Independent minded people.
Surname: The surnames of Rajvanshis are - Ray, Burma, Das, Burman, Singha, Rajvanshi, Adhikari, etc.
Foods: The Rajbanshi community was traditionally a largely agricultural community, mainly cultivating rice, pulses and maize. Rice is the staple food of most of the population. Even in the 21st century, a large part of this community still adheres to a rural lifestyle, although urbanization continues to increase. Assam, West Bengal, Nepal, Bangladesh food and food styles are similar. Rice and pulses are eaten regularly along with vegetables and bhaji (fries – mainly potatoes). Usually vegetable preparations, mostly cooked with very little oil. Cooking is done mainly using mustard oil, although sometimes sunflower oil is used. In terms of non-vegetarian diet, the Rajbanshi population consumes a lot of meat and eggs compared to other neighboring communities of Bengal, who consume a lot of fish. Duck and chicken eggs are consumed.
Home: A typical Rajbanshi house design is rectangular in pattern, with an open space (Agina) in the middle. This is mostly done to protect against wild animals and strong winds. Every Rajbanshi house has Mansa or Kali Tagore at the entrance. The north side has betel and fruit plantations, the west has bamboo plantations while the east and south are generally left open to allow sunlight and breeze to enter the house. Although such a pattern is more common among landed gentry.
Clothing: Among the traditional clothes of Rajbanshis mainly women use sarees, chadars, patanis etc. and men's traditional clothes are dhoti, punjabi, lungi, jama, genji, chadar. Although modern clothes are widely available.
Music: Music is an integral part of royal culture. The main styles of music of Rajbanshi culture are Bhavaiya, Chatka, Chorchunni, Palatia, Lahankari, Tukkhaya, Bishahari Pala etc. Various instruments are used for such performances, stringed instruments like dotara, sarindra and bena, two-membrane instruments like tasi, dhak, khol, desi dhol and mridanga, kansi, khartal like ganga and bells and sanai, mouth flute and kupa- Wind instruments like this.
Rajbansi people have their own language and culture. Their language is Kamtapuri-Rajbanshi language. Although the West Bengal government recognizes this language, it is still not listed in the Eighth Schedule of India. Their Bhavaiya music is one of the most famous music of India. From Cooch Behar, India, a periodical named Dotrar Dang in Rajbanshi language was published from 1417 Bengal.
Rajbanshi Language Academy has been formed in West Bengal. Poetry, stories, songs written in Kamtapuri-Rajbanshi language are increasing. Rajbanshi songs have gradually become the heartbeat of the people of this area. These beautiful songs are played in all kinds of events of Rajbanshi. But now a day several modern songs have been created which are at the peak of popularity.
Language: Now everything is proven through modern research that Kamrupi / Kamtapuri / Rajbanshi / Goalpariya / Rangpuri / Tajpuri / Suryapuri / Barendri / Banga-Kamrupi / Banga-Assamese language, the same language and different names are known in different places.
That means Rajbanshi / Kamtapuri language is recognized as official language in West Bengal and Nepal. That is, Rajbanshi language now means international language.
Currently living in the northern part of West Bengal, Bihar state of India, Assam, Meghalaya, Odisha, Nepal, Bhutan, northern part of Bengal.