Baishya Kapali - Revision history

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← Older revision		Revision as of 17:54, 4 April 2022
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	{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2019}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=September 2019}}
	{{Use Indian English\|date=September 2019}}		{{Use Indian English\|date=September 2019}}
	'''Baishya Kapali'''~~, simply known as '''Kapali''',~~ is a [[~~Bengalis\|~~Bengali~~]] [[~~Hindu]] agricultural caste found in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]] and in [[Bangladesh]]. The Kapalis have excelled in ~~the cultivation of~~ [[jute]] and manufacture of gunny bags. Baishya Kapalis or Kapalis are listed as [[Other Backward ~~Class~~]] in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web\|title=List of Other Backward Classes (O.B.C.) Recognized by Govt. of West Bengal \|url=http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113195035/http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf \|archive-date=13 November 2014 }}</ref>		'''Baishya Kapali''' is a [[Bengali Hindu]] agricultural caste found in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]] and in [[Bangladesh]]. From the 1960s, a section of the Kapali caste embraced 'Baishya Kapali' as their caste name, which remains a matter of dispute to date. The Kapalis have excelled in cultivating [[jute]] and the manufacture of gunny bags. Baishya Kapalis or Kapalis are listed as [[Other Backward Classes]] in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web\|title=List of Other Backward Classes (O.B.C.) Recognized by Govt. of West Bengal \|url=http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113195035/http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf \|archive-date=13 November 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Sarkar\|first=Prasenjit\|date=2017\|title=Multiple Identities of the Kapalis of Bengal: An Ethnohistorical Perspective\|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44789610\|journal=Anthropos\|volume=112\|issue=1\|pages=282–289\|doi=10.5771/0257-9774-2017-1-282\|jstor=44789610\|issn=0257-9774}}</ref>

	== Mythology ==		== Mythology ==
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	== History ==		== History ==
	[[File:Jute fibre extraction.jpg\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Extraction of jute fibre.]]		[[File:Jute fibre extraction.jpg\|thumb\|right\|250px\|Extraction of jute fibre.]]
	Risely mentions Kapalis as "a cultivating and weaving caste of Eastern Bengal, who claim to be the offspring of a [[Karmakar]] father and a [[Teli]] mother".<ref name="globalEncy">{{cite book \|title=Global Encyclopaedia Of Brahamana Ethnography (2 Vols. Set) \|last=Rao \|first=K.S. Krishna \|year=2008 \|publisher=Global Vision Pub House \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M5EWgRdnLxAC&q=kapali+caste+bengal&pg=PA259 \|isbn=978-81-82202-08-5\|page=259}}</ref> James Wise supports the view of a mixed caste born out of a Karmakar father and a Teli mother.<ref name="wise">{{cite book \|title=Notes on the Races, Castes and Trades of Eastern Bengal \|last=Wise \|first=James \|year=1883 \|publisher=Harrison and Sons \|location=London \|pages=305–306}}</ref>		The Dom, Chandal, Savar, and Kapali were the cluster conferred as tribes during the Pala regime. According to Sarma, this caste was higher in status than the Dom and the so-called Chandal.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Sarma \|first=Jyotirmoyee \|year=1980 \|title=Caste Dynamics Among the Bengali Hindus \|publisher=Firma KLM \|page=19 \|ISBN=978-0-8364-0633-7}}</ref> Risely mentions Kapalis as "a cultivating and weaving caste of Eastern Bengal, who claim to be the offspring of a [[Karmakar]] father and a [[Teli]] mother".<ref name="globalEncy">{{cite book \|title=Global Encyclopaedia Of Brahamana Ethnography (2 Vols. Set) \|last=Rao \|first=K.S. Krishna \|year=2008 \|publisher=Global Vision Pub House \|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M5EWgRdnLxAC&q=kapali+caste+bengal&pg=PA259 \|isbn=978-81-82202-08-5\|page=259}}</ref>

	~~According to Wise, "~~		The caste claims to be
	~~Like many Bengal castes, the Kapāli have a vague tradition~~
	~~that their original home was in Upper India; but this tradition~~
	~~has never assumed a legendary form.~~ The caste claims to be
	of higher rank than the Bhtiinmāli, Chandāl, or Sáha, and being		of higher rank than the Bhtiinmāli, Chandāl, or Sáha, and being
	descended from clean Südras the pure Dhobi and Nápit work		descended from clean Südras the pure Dhobi and Nápit work
	for them. The Purohit, who is distinct from that of the Kawāli,		for them. They adopted "Vaishya Kapali" caste name, to put forward the vaishya varna affiliation.The Purohit, who is distinct from that of the Kawāli,
	is a Patit Brähman. Their only gotra is Kasyapa; and the		is a Patit Brähman. Their only gotra is Kasyapa; and the
	caste Panchäft is presided overby a headman, called Mu'tabar.		caste Panchäft is presided overby a headman, called Mu'tabar.
	The titles found among the Kapális are Manjhi, ~~Mundle~~, ~~mandal~~,~~mondal Shiq~~		The titles(surnames) found among the Kapális are Manjhi,Mandal, Shikdar, Mala, and Haldar; the families with the first three patronymics being regarded as higher than the others, while a larger sum is paid for their daughters.According to Sarkar, the Kapalis were arranged horizontally into elucidated and organised classes; the custom of kulinism was also exercised by them.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Sarkar\|first=Prasenjit\|date=2013-01-01\|title=Social Structure of the Kapalis of Bengal An Oral Historical Approach\|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297689073\|journal=Anthropos: International Review of Anthropology and Linguistics\|volume=108\|pages=137–147\|doi=10.5771/0257-9774-2013-1-137}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book\|last=Saha\|first=Sanghamitra\|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=92EwAQAAIAAJ\|title=A Handbook of West Bengal\|date=1998\|publisher=International School of Dravidian Linguistics\|isbn=978-81-85692-24-1\|pages=72–74\|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal\|last1=Sarkar\|first1=Prasenjit\|last2=Mukherjee\|first2=D. P.\|date=2010\|title=Patterns of Marriage among a Hindu Caste Population of the Southern Part of West Bengal, Bordering Bangladesh\|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25734824\|journal=Anthropos\|volume=105\|issue=2\|pages=583–587\|jstor=25734824\|issn=0257-9774}}</ref>
	~~dar, Mála~~, and ~~Hăldăr~~; the families with the first three ~~patro~~
	~~nymics~~ being regarded as higher than the others, while a larger
	sum is paid for their daughters.
	<ref ~~name~~=~~"wise"/>~~

	~~The Brihaddharma Purana has no mention~~ of the Kapalis. ~~The [[Brahma Vaivarta Purana~~\|~~Brahmavaivarta Purana]] categorized the Kapalis with the untouchables~~. ~~According to~~ a ~~tradition, after inviting~~ the ~~five [[Brahmin]]s from [[Kannauj]]~~, ~~Adisur ordered the Kapalis to wash their feet~~. ~~When the Kapalis refused, they were decreed as untouchables~~. ~~Satish Chandra Mitra believed that [[Ballal Sena]] had decreed the Kapalis to be out castes, much like the Subarnabaniks, on the presumption that they were [[Buddhist]]s.{{citation needed~~\|~~date~~=~~October 2014~~}}

	After the demotion in the social strata, the Kapalis took to agriculture, dairy farming and business. The Kapalis excelled in the cultivation of jute and the preparation of gunny bags from jute. Gradually they became prosperous and some of them even became wealthy landowners. During the reign of [[Maharaja Pratapaditya]], many Kapalis were employed in the government as well as in the army.<ref name="kundu">{{cite book \|script-title=bn:বাঙালী হিন্দু জাতি পরিচয় \|trans-title=An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes \|language=bn \|last=Kundu \|first=Santosh Kumar \|year=2008 \|publisher=Presidency Library \|location=Kolkata \|isbn=978-81-89466-13-8 \|page=80}}</ref> The Kapalis do not work as labourers, servants or domestic helps.<ref name="mitra345">{{cite book \|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihas \|trans-title=The History of Jessore and Khulna \|language=bn \|last=Mitra \|first=Satish Chandra \|publisher=Deys Publishing \|location=Kolkata \|page=345}}</ref>		After the demotion in the social strata, the Kapalis took to agriculture, dairy farming and business. The Kapalis excelled in the cultivation of jute and the preparation of gunny bags from jute. Gradually they became prosperous and some of them even became wealthy landowners. During the reign of [[Maharaja Pratapaditya]], many Kapalis were employed in the government as well as in the army.<ref name="kundu">{{cite book \|script-title=bn:বাঙালী হিন্দু জাতি পরিচয় \|trans-title=An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes \|language=bn \|last=Kundu \|first=Santosh Kumar \|year=2008 \|publisher=Presidency Library \|location=Kolkata \|isbn=978-81-89466-13-8 \|page=80}}</ref> The Kapalis do not work as labourers, servants or domestic helps.<ref name="mitra345">{{cite book \|title=Jashor Khulnar Itihas \|trans-title=The History of Jessore and Khulna \|language=bn \|last=Mitra \|first=Satish Chandra \|publisher=Deys Publishing \|location=Kolkata \|page=345}}</ref>
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	[[Category:Bengali Hindu castes]]		[[Category:Bengali Hindu castes]]
	~~[[Category:Hindu communities]]~~
	[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]		[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]

103.139.232.241 at 06:29, 28 June 2021

2021-06-28T06:29:55Z

New page

{{short description|Bengali Hindu agricultural caste}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
'''Baishya Kapali''', simply known as '''Kapali''', is a [[Bengalis|Bengali]] [[Hindu]] agricultural caste found in the Indian state of [[West Bengal]] and in [[Bangladesh]]. The Kapalis have excelled in the cultivation of [[jute]] and manufacture of gunny bags. Baishya Kapalis or Kapalis are listed as [[Other Backward Class]] in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Other Backward Classes (O.B.C.) Recognized by Govt. of West Bengal |url=http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113195035/http://www.anagrasarkalyan.gov.in/pdf/category-wise-obc-list.pdf |archive-date=13 November 2014 }}</ref>

== Mythology ==
The ninth of the eleven [[Rudras]] of the thirty-three crore gods of [[Hindu]] pantheon is known as Kapali. According to [[Vamana Purana]] the Rudras were the sons of [[Kashyap]] and [[Aditi]], while [[Matsya Purana]] mentions them as the offspring of the union between [[Brahma]] and [[Surabhi]]. The [[Harivamsa]], an appendix to the [[Mahabharata]] mentions the Rudras as the children of Kashyap and Surabhi. The Adiparva of Mahabharata states that Kapali married the daughter of a sage and begot a son. According to Shourindra Kumar Ghosh, the progeny of their offspring came to be known as the Kapalis.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bangali Jati Parichay |trans-title=An Introduction of Bengali Castes |language=bn |last=Ghosh |first=Shourindra Kumar |location=Kolkata |page=27}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:Jute fibre extraction.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Extraction of jute fibre.]]
Risely mentions Kapalis as "a cultivating and weaving caste of Eastern Bengal, who claim to be the offspring of a [[Karmakar]] father and a [[Teli]] mother".<ref name="globalEncy">{{cite book |title=Global Encyclopaedia Of Brahamana Ethnography (2 Vols. Set) |last=Rao |first=K.S. Krishna |year=2008 |publisher=Global Vision Pub House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M5EWgRdnLxAC&q=kapali+caste+bengal&pg=PA259 |isbn=978-81-82202-08-5|page=259}}</ref> James Wise supports the view of a mixed caste born out of a Karmakar father and a Teli mother.<ref name="wise">{{cite book |title=Notes on the Races, Castes and Trades of Eastern Bengal |last=Wise |first=James |year=1883 |publisher=Harrison and Sons |location=London |pages=305–306}}</ref>

According to Wise, "
Like many Bengal castes, the Kapāli have a vague tradition
that their original home was in Upper India; but this tradition
has never assumed a legendary form. The caste claims to be
of higher rank than the Bhtiinmāli, Chandāl, or Sáha, and being
descended from clean Südras the pure Dhobi and Nápit work
for them. The Purohit, who is distinct from that of the Kawāli,
is a Patit Brähman. Their only gotra is Kasyapa; and the
caste Panchäft is presided overby a headman, called Mu'tabar.
The titles found among the Kapális are Manjhi, Mundle, mandal,mondal Shiq
dar, Mála, and Hăldăr; the families with the first three patro
nymics being regarded as higher than the others, while a larger
sum is paid for their daughters.
<ref name="wise"/>

The Brihaddharma Purana has no mention of the Kapalis. The [[Brahma Vaivarta Purana|Brahmavaivarta Purana]] categorized the Kapalis with the untouchables. According to a tradition, after inviting the five [[Brahmin]]s from [[Kannauj]], Adisur ordered the Kapalis to wash their feet. When the Kapalis refused, they were decreed as untouchables. Satish Chandra Mitra believed that [[Ballal Sena]] had decreed the Kapalis to be out castes, much like the Subarnabaniks, on the presumption that they were [[Buddhist]]s.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

After the demotion in the social strata, the Kapalis took to agriculture, dairy farming and business. The Kapalis excelled in the cultivation of jute and the preparation of gunny bags from jute. Gradually they became prosperous and some of them even became wealthy landowners. During the reign of [[Maharaja Pratapaditya]], many Kapalis were employed in the government as well as in the army.<ref name="kundu">{{cite book |script-title=bn:বাঙালী হিন্দু জাতি পরিচয় |trans-title=An Introduction of Bengali Hindu Castes |language=bn |last=Kundu |first=Santosh Kumar |year=2008 |publisher=Presidency Library |location=Kolkata |isbn=978-81-89466-13-8 |page=80}}</ref> The Kapalis do not work as labourers, servants or domestic helps.<ref name="mitra345">{{cite book |title=Jashor Khulnar Itihas |trans-title=The History of Jessore and Khulna |language=bn |last=Mitra |first=Satish Chandra |publisher=Deys Publishing |location=Kolkata |page=345}}</ref>

== Ethnology ==
[[File:Kapali Bandhab Library - Weston Street - Kolkata 2013-03-03 5159.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kapali Bandhab Library in Kapalitola, Kolkata]]
The Kapalis usually have two gotras - Kashyap and Shiva. However Santosh Kumar Kundu mentions three gotras namely, Kashyap, Alambayana and Moudgalya.<ref name="kundu"/> Some Kapalis still use Kapali as their surname.

== Religion ==
The Kapalis were originally Shaivites belonging to the school of [[Kashmir Shaivism]], but later they embraced Buddhism. After the Bhakti movement, the Kapalis became [[Vaishnava]]s. In the present day, the majority of the Kapalis are Vaishnavas with a minority being Shaktas. The Kapalis follow the religious rituals with great devotion and piety.<ref name="mitra1035">{{cite book |script-title=bn:যশোর খুলনার ইতিহাস |trans-title=The History of Jessore and Khulna |language=bn |last=Mitra |first=Satish Chandra |publisher=Deys Publishing |location=Kolkata |page=1035}}</ref> The Kapalis have separate
Brahmins known as Goswamis. Satish Chandra Mitra too mentions that the Kapalis have separate Brahmins to serve them.<ref name="mitra1035" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Bengali Hindu people}}

[[Category:Bengali Hindu castes]]
[[Category:Hindu communities]]
[[Category:Social groups of West Bengal]]