Chasa (caste)

Chasa is a community from the Indian state of Odisha. Chasas were traditionally cultivators but are now engaged in several professions. The Odia word chasa means farmer.[1] They are third largest caste by population in Odisha.[2]

Chasa
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesOdia
Populated statesOdisha
SubdivisionsOdachasa, Odapadhan
Related groupsGopal, Khandayat

History

The Orh/Oda Chasas claim that they were the first tribe to settle in Odisha, and that they began to cultivate the land. They claim that Odisha is named after them.[3] R.D Banerjee sees no difference between Chasa and Khandayat.[4][5] Pradhan says Chasas and Khandayats are being regarded as of same origin and identity.[4]

A proverb from coastal Orissa succinctly depicts caste mobility:

“Khaṇḍāyata baḍhile karaṇa, chindile chasa”,[6]

Meaning “If a khandayata (peasant-militia) moves up, he becomes a karana, but if he goes down, he becomes an ordinary cultivator called chasa"[6]

They are classified as Shudras in the Hindu caste system.[7][8][9][10] The association between Chasas and their occupation of manual labour (ploughing) was used to stigmatize the Chasas and distinguish them from the upper castes as late as the early 19th century.[11] "Chasa" was considered to be a "generic derogatory term for cultivators", in contrast to the sabhya bhabya Gan "sophisticated people".[12]

Classification

Chasas are classified under OBC category in Odisha, where Odapadhan a subdivision of Chasa caste are belongs to SEBC category. Risley notes that, since the caste system is not practiced as per the Varna model he was idolizing, it was possible for outsiders to become Chasas, and wealthy Chasas who took up the title Mohanty could marry into Karana families.[13] Some wealthy Chasas began identifying as Khandayats.[14] The Chasas are ranked into four subcastes: Benatya, Orh, Chukuliya, and Sukuliya. The Benatyas are the highest in rank, and the Chukuliya is the lowest in rank.[3]

According to Risley's 1901 study, the Chasa's were a low caste and did not eat beef, pork, or fowl. They were usually served by degraded Brahmins, Dhobas, and rarely a Napit.[15]

People

References
  1. Nab Kishore Behura; Ramesh P. Mohanty (1 January 2005). Family Welfare in India: A Cross-cultural Study. Discovery Publishing House. p. 43. ISBN 978-81-7141-920-3.
  2. "casi.sas.upenn.edu" (PDF).
  3. Rabindra Nath Pati (2008). Family Planning. APH Publishing. pp. 114–115. ISBN 978-81-313-0352-8.
  4. Pradhan, Prasant. "The Peasant Militias of Odisha,Khandayats". Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Banerji, R. d. History Of Orissa Vol. 1.
  6. Tanabe, Akio (January 2020). "Genealogies of the "Paika Rebellion": Heterogeneities and Linkages". International Journal of Asian Studies. 17 (1): 10. doi:10.1017/S1479591420000157. ISSN 1479-5914.
  7. Sable, Alan (1977). Education in Orissa: A Study in Selection and Allocation Process. S. Chand Group. p. 33.
  8. The Eastern Anthropologist. Ethnographic and Folk Culture Society. 2006. pp. 214–215.
  9. Rösel, Jakob (1980). Der Palast des Herrn der Welt: Entstehungsgeschichte und Organisation der indischen Tempel-und Pilgerstadt Puri. Weltforum Verlag. pp. 46, 66, 70.
  10. Behera, Deepak Kumar; Pfeffer, Georg (1997). Contemporary Society: Tribal situation in India. Concept Publishing Company. p. 191.
  11. Pinch, William R. (1996). "Being Vaishnava, Becoming Kshatriya". Peasants and Monks in British India. University of California Press. p. 112. ISBN 0-520-20060-8.
  12. Ray, Subhajyoti (2002). Transformations on the Bengal Frontier: Jalpaiguri 1765-1948. Routledge. p. 136. ISBN 978-0-700-71408-7.
  13. Hewitt, J. F. (April 1893). "Art. VII.–The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, by H. H. Risley. Vols. I. and II. Ethnographic Glossary, Vols. I. and II. Anthropometric Data". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland. 25 (2): 237–300. doi:10.1017/s0035869x00022395. ISSN 0035-869X.
  14. Pati, Biswamoy (2007). "The order of legitimacy: princely Orissa". In Ernst, Waltraud (ed.). India's Princely States: People, Princes and Colonialism. Routledge. p. 89. ISBN 0-203-93380-X.
  15. Bhowmick, P. K. (1969). Occupational mobility and caste structure in Bengal; study of rural market. Indian Publications. p. 28.
  16. Sujit Mukherjee (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850. Orient Blackswan. pp. 351–. ISBN 978-81-250-1453-9.
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