Sainthwar Explained

The Sainthwar, or Mall,^[1] is an Indian caste of peasants^[2] native to the Uttar Pradesh state.^[3] Under the Indian governments system of positive discrimination, the Sainthwars are classified as a "Backward" or Other backward class.^[4] The Sainthwars are closely related to the Kurmis,^[2] and are sometimes described as a division of the Kurmi caste.^[5] Though Sainthwars deny the claim but in Census of 1881 Sainthwars were mentioned along with Kurmi in Oudh and Benaras.^{[6] [7]} Sainthwar was earlier a Kurmi sub-caste. But due to the rise of the leading family (princely family of Padruna) it was classified as a separate caste in 1911.^[8] The Sainthwars are known as "Mall" ("prosperous") as opposed to the Kurmis.^[3] They are the dominant landholding caste in some districts of Uttar Pradesh.^[5]

The oral tradition of the Sainthwars traces their ancestry to Chandraketu, a son of the legendary hero Lakshmana.^[3]

Bharatiya Janata Party politician RPN Singh belongs to the Saithwar community and is a prominent leader from Eastern Uttar Pradesh.^{[9] [10]}

Notes and References

1. Book: Subodh Kapoor . Encyclopaedia of Ancient Indian Geography . 2002 . Cosmo . 978-81-7755-299-7 . 413 .
2. Book: Shahid Amin . Event, Metaphor, Memory: Chauri Chaura, 1922-1992 . 1995 . University of California Press . 978-0-520-08780-4 . 33 . Sainthwar: a middle-ranking caste of 'industrious' peasants, closely related to the Kurmi.
3. Book: Kumar Suresh Singh . India's Communities . A-G . 1998 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-563354-2 . 2163 .
4. Web site: National Commission for Backward Classes . 2023-08-27 . www.ncbc.nic.in.
5. Book: Paul R. Brass . Francis Robinson . The Indian National Congress and Indian society, 1885-1985: ideology, social structure, and political dominance . 1987 . Chanakya . 9788170010265 .
6. Book: Blunt, Sir Edward . The Caste System of Northern India . 2010 . Gyan Publishing House . 978-81-8205-495-0 . en.
7. Book: Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath . Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems . 1896 . Thacker, Spink . en.
8. Book: Blunt, Sir Edward . The Caste System of Northern India . 2010 . Gyan Publishing House . 978-81-8205-495-0 . en.
9. Web site: How RPN Singh fits into BJP's OBC plan in UP - Times of India. 2022-01-28. The Times of India.
10. News: Who is RPN Singh? Know all about Congress heavyweight who joined BJP ahead of UP polls . The Fress Press Journal . 2022-01-25 . 2022-08-10 .