Kudmi Mahato Explained

Caste Name:Kudmi Mahato
Languages:Native language – Kurmali
Secondary language – Hindi, Odia, Bengali
Country:India, Nepal and Bangladesh
Populated States:Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Nepal and Bangladesh
Caste Name In Local:Mahato, Kudmi
Status:OBC (in India)[1]

The Kudmi Mahato are a tribal community in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha of India. They are primarily agriculturalist.[2] [3]

Population

Census data for Kudmi in 1931
Bengal Province[4]
Area Population
Burdwan4161
Birbhum499
Bankura20564
Midnapore85711
Hooghly2835
Howrah4348
24 Parganas15444
Calcutta9628
Nadia3955
Murshidabad1693
Jessore546
Khulna527
Rajshahi6805
Dinajpur7712
Jalpaiguri1693
Darjiling632
Rangpur3692
Bogra2894
Pabna4228
Malda6777
Dacca1491
Mymensingh4289
Faridpur1941
Bakarganj87
Tippera483
Noakhali78
Chittagong463
Cooch Behar1138
Tripura338
Sikkim20
Assam22,304[5]
Bihar and Orissa Province[6]
Area Population
Patna173,146
Gaya42,459
Shahabad59,040
Saran108,512
Muzaffarpur130,683
Darbhanga67,295
Monghyr58,891
Bhagalpur35,645
Purnea12,774
Santal Parganas22,630
Hazaribagh105,725
Ranchi62,198
Palaman5,985
Manbhum323,068
Singbhum22,463
Orissa States95,422
Chota Nagpur States25,807

Classification

Kudmi were classified as a Notified Tribe by the British Raj under the terms of the Indian Succession Act introduced in 1865 as they have customary rules of succession.[7] [8] [9] Kudmi of Chotanagpur are different from Kurmi of Gangetic plain.[10] According to Mahanta (2003) kudmi follow totemism which stamps them as Dravidian descent and resembles to Dravidian tribe around them according to book The Tribes and Castes of Bengal (1891) written by Herbert Hope Risley.[11] [12] [13] [14] Subsequently, in 1913, they were classified as a Primitive tribe. Then they were omitted from the list of communities listed as tribes in the 1931 census.[15]

They were not in the list of Scheduled Tribes drawn up in 1950. They are included in the list of Other Backward Classes in the States of Jharkhand,[16] West Bengal[17] and Odisha.[18] [19] In 2004, the Government of Jharkhand recommended that they should be listed as a Scheduled Tribe rather than Other Backward Class.[20] The Tribal Research Institute of Government of India recommended against this proposal, claiming they are a sub-caste of the Kunbi and thus different to tribal people.[21] [22] Therefore, In 2015, the Government of India refused to approve the recommendation of Jharkhand government to list the Kudmi Mahato as Schedule Tribe.[23]

The language of Kudmi is Kudmali/Kurmali. But according to study, Kurmali language have vocabulary which is neither Dravidian nor Austro-asiatic. The Kudmi people once spoke a distinct language, neither Munda nor Dravidian but also not Indo-Aryan, and at some point switched to the regional Indo-Aryan lingua franca of that time, leaving a distinct substrate in their new language.[24] [25]

In April 2023, a Kudmi organization of West Bengal and Jharkhand engaged in rail blockages and demanded Scheduled Tribe status,[26] a demand which was opposed by some scheduled tribes.[27] [28]

Religion and culture

Social organisations of this tribal community have agitated for scheduled tribe status and recognition of their traditional Sarna religion.[29] During the 20th century, some Kudmis of Chhotanagpur underwent a social change of Kshatriyaization along with the other Kurmi of North India[30] and elevated their status as Kshatriya.[31] [32]

Historically, the Kudmi Mahatos have been a noble class[33] who were landowning zamindars.[34] [35] [36] They exhibit upper-caste status[37] [38] and performed priestly functions in the temples situated in western Rarh region.[39]

The traditional occupation of Kudmi is agriculture. Kudmi are divided into 81 clans or gushti including Keshriar, Hindoiar, Bagh Banuar, Naguar, Punoriar, Bangsoar, Sankhuar, Kanbindha, Katiar, Dumriar, Karuar etc.[40] [41]

They are nature worshippers.[42] [43] [44] [45] Bari Puja, Karam, Chait Parab, Jitiya, Bandna, Tusu Parab are some of the major festivals of Kudmis. They worship Budha Baba in Madapthan and Garam at garamthan. Jhumair and Chhau are their folk dance.[46] [47]

Genetics

According to National Institute of Biomedical Genomics(NIBMG), the Kudmi Mahatos genetically cluster together with other Indo-European speaking populations of Bengal & Orissa region[48] indicating less genetic distance between both the populations. The study also identifies the Kudmi population as Indo-European speaking who have a geographic proximity with the Mundari speaking populations, also mentioned by Genome India Project(GIP).[49]

Although clustered together with other Indo-European populations such as Rahri Brahmins, Kayastha, Mahishya and Oriya Brahmin, they show a considerable affinity with the Austro-Asiatic populations.

Roles in Indian's freedom struggle

The Kudmi Mahato community played a role in various rebellions in India's freedom struggle. From the Chuar Rebellion to the Quit India Movement, many Kudmi Mahatos were martyred. Raghunath Mahato was a notable leader of the Chuar Rebellion in India's freedom struggle against the British. The rebellion he waged against the British is known as the Chuar Rebellion. His Slogan "Apna Gaon, Apna Raaj; Dur Bhagao Bideshi Raaj".[50] [51] [52] [53] [54]

Buli Mahato was the hero martyr of Kol Rebellion and Bhumij Rebellion.[55] [56] [57] [58] Then came the Neel Rebellion 1843-1848 led by Gopal Mahato. Chanku Mahato then led the Santhal Rebellion in Godda district.[59] Also in the Sepoy Mutiny eleven were hanged together with Sukdev Mahato. In addition, Kanka Mahato, Rajani Mahato, Suchand Mahato, Kalicharan Mahato, Gopinath Mahato, Kalia Mahato etc. led the Medi Movement of Orissa. After that, the Kudmis also actively participated in the non-cooperation movement. Five Kudmi Mahato youths were martyred in this movement. These are Gokul Mahato, Mohan Mahato, Sheetal Mahato, Sahadeva Mahato, Ganesh Mahato.[60] [61] Many were also jailed. Girish Mahato, Nanku Chandra Mahato, Govinda Mahato, Dasharath Mahato, Chunaram Mahato, Mathan Mahato and others were imprisoned in Hazaribagh Jail during Mahatma Gandhi's civil disobedience movement. Padak Mahato was also imprisoned in Bhagalpur Jail. Sagar Mahato, Bhajahari Mahato, Bhim Mahato, Satyakinkar Mahato, Mohini Mahato were imprisoned for doing satyagraha in 1941. Then in 1942, Satyakinkar Mahato was imprisoned from Manbazar during the Quit India movement. Chunaram Mahato and Govinda Mahato were martyred during the siege of Manbazar police station in 1942. Among the women Bhavini Mahato played a prominent role. Jagadish Mahato of (Dhanbad-Parabasnia) also took an active part in the Quit India movement. Many others are also involved.[62] [63] [64] [65] [66]

Notable people

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Book: Taradatt . Dr . Basa . Kishor K . Odisha District Gazetteer (Mayurbhanj) . live . Gopabandhu Academy of Administration [Gazetters Unit], General Administration Department Government Of Odisha . 86–87 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210507215956/http://gopabandhuacademy.gov.in/sites/default/files/gazetter/Mayurbhanj_Gazetteer.pdf . 2021-05-07 .
  2. Book: O'Malley, Lewis Sydney Steward . Bengal District Gazetteers: Sinhbhum, Saraikela and Kharsawan . 2011 . Concept Publishing Company . 978-81-7268-215-6 . en.
  3. Web site: Bandh in Jharkhand as Kurmi outfits seek inclusion in ST list. Indian express. 24 April 2018 . 29 August 2023.
  4. Book: Porter, A. E. . Bengal And Sikkim – Census Of India 1931 . V . Part II, Tables . 1932 . 234.
  5. Web site: Estimated Population by Castes, 5. Assam – Census 1951 . 1954 . Office of the Registrar General, India . 14.
  6. Book: Lacey, W. G. . Bihar and Orissa – Census Of India 1931 . VII . Part II, Tables . 1932 . 138.
  7. News: Inheritance Law of Kurmi Mahto of Chotanagpur and Orissa. The Tribes and castes of Bengal by Risley Herbert Hope.
  8. Book: All India Reporter . 1925 . D.V. Chitaley . en.
  9. Book: Bera, Gautam Kumar . The Unrest Axle: Ethno-social Movements in Eastern India . 2008 . Mittal Publications . 978-81-8324-145-8 . en.
  10. Book: Bera, Gautam Kumar . The Unrest Axle: Ethno-social Movements in Eastern India . 2008 . Mittal Publications . 978-81-8324-145-8 . en.
  11. Book: Aiyar, R. Swaminatha . Dravidian Theories . 1987 . Motilal Banarsidass Publishers . 978-81-208-0331-2 . en.
  12. Book: Bera, Gautam Kumar . The Unrest Axle: Ethno-social Movements in Eastern India . 2008 . Mittal Publications . 978-81-8324-145-8 . en.
  13. Book: Māhāta, Paśupati Prasāda . Sanskritization Vs Nirbakization . 2000 . Sujan Publications . 978-81-85549-29-3 . en.
  14. Book: O'Malley, Lewis Sydney Steward . Bengal District Gazetteers: Sinhbhum, Saraikela and Kharsawan . 2011 . Concept Publishing Company . 978-81-7268-215-6 . en.
  15. Book: Issues in Indian Politics . Lalan Tiwari . Mittal . 1995 . 9788170996187 . 340 .
  16. Web site: Central List of Castes under Category OBC for Jharkhand . 10 April 2024 . jharkhand.gov.in.
  17. Web site: List of Other Backward Classes in West Bengal . 10 April 2024 . wbcbc.gov.in.
  18. Web site: OBC List (Central) . 10 April 2024 . stsc.odisha.gov.in.
  19. News: Kurmis in tribal status cry. telegraphindia.
  20. News: Cabinet recommends inclusion of Kudmis in ST list . The Times of India . Jaideep . Deogharia . 25 November 2004 . 14 December 2014.
  21. Book: Singh, K. S. . Tribal Movements in India . 2006 . Ajay Kumar Jain . 978-81-7304-704-6 . 116 . en . Another remarkable thing is that the Kurmis of Chota nagpur have no sub-division, no sub-caste or even no sub groups. This singleness of the unity of the community totally differentiates it from the Kurmis of Bihar who are divided into sub-castes, e.g., the Awadhia, Ghamaila, Kochaisa, Dhanuk, Joshwar, Sindriya, etc. This lack of division singularly confirms that the Kurmis of Chotanagpur have migrated somewhere from central part of India, where they have their original kinsmen, Kunbis. .. The totemistic organization of the Kurmis further indicate that Kurmis of Chotanagpur are distinct and different from the Kurmis of North Bihar who have titular gotras..
  22. Web site: Singh . Ronit Kumar . 2022-09-22 . Kurmi Community Continues 'Rail Roko' Protest Over Demand For ST Status, Train Services Affected . 2022-09-24 . thelogicalindian.com . en.
  23. News: कुरमी को ST का दर्जा तभी, जब TRI अनुशंसा करे, लेकिन रिसर्च वाला ही कोई नहीं है. www.bhaskar.com.
  24. Paudyal . Netra P. . Peterson . John . 2020-09-01 . How one language became four: the impact of different contact-scenarios between "Sadani" and the tribal languages of Jharkhand . Journal of South Asian Languages and Linguistics . 7 . 2 . 327–358 . 10.1515/jsall-2021-2028 . 233732014 . 2196-0771. free .
  25. Book: KIRITI MAHATO . Sindhu Sabhyatar Bhasha O Kudmali . 2022-07-22.
  26. News: Demand for ST status: State puts ball in the Centre's court, Kudmis plan bigger stir. Indian express. 12 April 2023. 13 April 2023.
  27. News: Tribals oppose parties supporting Kurmi's demand for ST status in Jharkhand. TimesofIndia. 7 March 2023. 13 April 2023.
  28. News: Kudmi stir for ST status angers tribals in Jharkhand . Lagatar24. 26 September 2022. 13 April 2023.
  29. Web site: 2023-04-13 . Behind the Kudmis' agitation in Bengal and Jharkhand for Scheduled Tribe status . 2024-04-11 . The Indian Express . en.
  30. Book: Pinch . Peasants and monks in British India . R. . Wiliiam . 1996 . Berkeley : University of California Press . 89 . A striking feature of these peasant based social movements in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is the quality of their leadership. A new educated elite, which had begun to penetrate the lower and middle rungs of government service, provided the organizational frame for the status claims among communities formerly identified as servile. This is most evident among Kurmis, the first peasant community to organize a campaign for Kshatriya identity. By the 1890s the Kurmi-Kshatriya movement was being coordinated on a broad, transregional level..
  31. Web site: W.G. . Lacey . 1933 . Some Aspects Of The Census Operations Of 1931 . 10 April 2024 . archive.org . 126 . And there was much wonder in the mind of the non-Kurmis of Manbhum that Panchet raja, having come up from the ancient Kshatriya royal family of the district, accepts the Kurmis as Kurmi Kshatriyas..
  32. Web site: W.G. . Lacey . 1933 . Some Aspects Of The Census Operations Of 1931 . 10 April 2024 . archive.org . 124 . There can be no question but that the Kurmi Mahtos are completely Hinduized and have been for many years. They are in general much better educated, much more prosperous and enterprising, than the other aboriginal tribes or the low-caste Hindus, and they have succeeded in retaining their self-respect in a degree which is uncommon among primitive tribes converted to Hinduism. It is doubtless this circumstance which is now leading them not only to identify themselves with a Hindu caste which happens to bear the same name but also to join with that caste in affirming their Kshatriya origin..
  33. Book: Dalton . Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal . 1872 . India . 1872 . 318 . en-US . Though the Kurmis include so many noble families, their social position in Bengal Proper is not high..
  34. Book: Mondal, Bikram . Broken Palace: The Lost Majesty of Bengal . 2021-09-07 . Notion Press . 978-1-68554-408-9 . 100 . en-US . Panchkote Raj, also known as Panchkot Zamindari or Kashipur Raj, was a family of Kudmi (Kurmi) community Zamindars who ruled in the western fringe areas of present-day West Bengal, India and some of the adjacent areas in present-day Jharkhand..
  35. Mahato . Lakshmi Kanta . December 2022 . Socio-Political Mobilization of Kudmis in Junglemahal Region of West Bengal . International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research . 4 . 6 . 3 . The major community of this region is Kudmi community and it is historically proven that they are rebellious in nature and are reluctant to be a slave, in other words they like to be independent and non-interference of outsiders, preferring the profession of cultivation. As they are one of the major community and are cultivators, owned a vast track of land. It is widely believed that if the said community was being included in the Schedule Tribe list, it was impossible to acquire their land to establish major industrial city like Bokaro, Dhanbad, and Jamshedpur..
  36. Book: Coupland, H. . Manbhum - Bengal District Gazetteers . 1911 . Bengal Secretariat Book Depot . 94–95 . en-US . Both the Ind and the Chhata festivals are closely connected with what may be called the semi-feudal zamindari system of the district, and the celebrations take place only at present or past headquarters of one or other of the local Rajas, and by way of imitation, of one or two wealthy Kurmi landholders..
  37. Book: Sarkar, Soma . Indigenous People and Nature . Bhumij in a heterogeneous society: Negotiating hierarchies and access to water in the Jungle Mahals of West Bengal . 2022 . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323916035000191 . 10.1016/B978-0-323-91603-5.00019-1 . 241–256 . 978-0-323-91603-5 . The Kurmi Mahato people exhibit an upper-caste status in the Pargela village and in lieu of that treat the Bhumij and scheduled castes in an inferior way..
  38. Book: Sarkar, Soma . Indigenous People and Nature . Bhumij in a heterogeneous society: Negotiating hierarchies and access to water in the Jungle Mahals of West Bengal . 2022 . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323916035000191 . 10.1016/B978-0-323-91603-5.00019-1 . 241–256 . 978-0-323-91603-5 . In the villages in the Jungle Mahal area of Purulia district, most of the villages do not have Brahmins. The Mahatos and Kshatriyas are the upper castes there..
  39. Sarkar . Prabhat Ranjan . 1981 . Ráŕh -The Cradle of Civilization, Part 1 . Academia.edu . 13 . The Kurmi Mahatos of western Ráŕh also performed priestly functions in many such temples..
  40. Book: Man in Biosphere: A Case Study of Similipal Biosphere Reserve . 2013 . Anthropological Survey of India . 9788121211635 .
  41. Book: Paty, Chittaranjan Kumar . Forest, Government, and Tribe . 2007 . Concept Publishing Company . 978-81-8069-406-6 . en.
  42. Book: Bera, Gautam Kumar . The Unrest Axle: Ethno-social Movements in Eastern India . 2008 . Mittal Publications . 978-81-8324-145-8 . en.
  43. Book: Commissioner, India Census . Census of India, 1901: Bengal (4 v.) . 1902 . Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India . en.
  44. Book: Bihar and Orissa District Gazetteers: Statistics, 1900-1901 to 1910-11 . 1915 . Printed at the Darbar Press for the Bihar and Orissa Government Press . en.
  45. Book: Commissioner, India Census . Census of India, 1911 . 1902 . Superintendent Government Prtg. . en.
  46. Book: Forest, Government, and Tribe. 9788180694066. Paty. Chittaranjan Kumar. 2007. Concept Publishing Company .
  47. Web site: Bandana Festival Of Kudmis Of Eastern India. etribaltribune.
  48. Web site: Basu . Analabha . National Institute of Biomedical Genomics . 19 April 2024 . 12–15.
  49. Web site: Initial English Annual Report 2022-23 . 19 April 2024 . Department of Biotechnology . 67–68.
  50. Book: IPS, Sanjay Singh. JPSC GENERAL STUDIES PRELIMS EXAM GUIDE – SANJAY SINGH,IPS (HINDI). 2021-11-29. Prabhat Prakashan. 978-93-5488-002-5. hi.
  51. Book: Singh, Kumar Suresh. People of India: (pts. 1-2) Bihar, including Jharkhand. 2008. Anthropological Survey of India. 978-81-7046-303-0. en.
  52. Book: Pandey, Binay Kumar. Jharkhand Ke Veer Shaheed. 2022-03-19. Prabhat Prakashan. 978-93-5562-010-1. hi.
  53. झारखंड। लेखकः डाॅ अनुज कुमार धान एवं मंजू ज्योत्स्ना। प्रकाशकः प्रकाशन विभाग सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय। भारत सरकार। प्रकाश कालः 2008। पृष्ठाः 113।
  54. रघुनाथ महतोः विद्रोही "दी ग्रेट"। (चुहाड़ विद्रोह का संक्षिप्त वृत्तांत)। लेखकः डाॅ शशी भूषण महतो एवं रतन कुमार महतो। प्रकाशकः आदिवासी कुड़मी समाज, राँची। प्रकाश कालः 2010। पृष्ठाः 1-12।
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  62. Book: Singha, Radhika. The Coolie's Great War: Indian Labour in a Global Conflict, 1914-1921. 2020-12-15. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-756690-9. en.
  63. Book: Singh, K. S.. People of India: Bihar (2 pts.). 2008. Anthropological Survey of India. 978-81-85579-09-2. en.
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  65. Book: Māhāta, Paśupati Prasāda. Sanskritization Vs Nirbakization. 2000. Sujan Publications. 978-81-85549-29-3. en.
  66. Book: Tribal Movements in Jharkhand, 1857-2007. Mishra. Asha. Paty. Chittaranjan Kumar. 2010. Concept Publishing Company. 978-81-8069-686-2. en.

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