Koshta: Difference between revisions

'''Koshta''' (also spelt as Koshti) are a [[Hindu]] [[caste]] found in the [[Indian people|Indian]] [[States and union territories of India|states]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Bihar]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Gujarat]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name="Mahendra Lal Patel">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=58G8PPAN48cC&q=Ahir+sub+caste&pg=PA33 | title=Awareness in Weaker Section: Perspective Development and Prospects | publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. | author=Mahendra Lal Patel | year=1997 | pages=34 | isbn=9788175330290}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/handloom-communities-india-1502670307.html|title=National Handloom Day {{!}} The handloom communities of India|date=2018-08-07|work=The Statesman|access-date=2018-10-28|language=en-US}}</ref>

Koshta claim to be descendants of [[Markandeya]] Rishi.<ref name="jssharma">Encyclopaedia Indica, Volume 2 by J.S. Sharma, p. 639</ref>

Subdivisions - The caste have several subdivisions of different types.  The Halbis appear to be an offshoot of the primitive Halba tribe, who have taken to weaving,  the Lad Koshtis come from Gujarat, the Gadhewal from Garha or Jubbulpore, the Deshkar and Maratha from the Maratha country, while the Dewangan probably take their name from the old town of that name on the Wardha river.  The Patwis are dyers, and colour the silk thread which the weavers use to border theeir cotton cloth.  It is usually dyed red with lac.  They also make braid and sew silk thread on ornaments like the separate Patwa caste.  And the Onkule are the offspring of illegitimate unions.  In Berar there is a separate subcaste named Hatghar, which may be a branch of the Dhangar or shephered caste.  Berar also has a group known as Jain Koshtis, who may formerly have professed the Jain religion,  but are now strict sivites.  The Salewars are said to be divided into the Sutsale or thread-weavers, the Padmasale or those who originally wove the lotus flower and the Sagunsale, a group of illegitimate descent. The above names show that the caste is of mixed origin, containing a large Telugu element, while a body of the primitive Halbas has been incorporated into it.  Many of the Maratha Koshtis are probably Kunbis(Cultivators) who have taken up weaving.  The caste has also a number of exogamous divisions of the usual type which serve to prevent the marriage of near relatives. <ref name="R.V.Russell">The Tribes And Castes Of The Central Provinces Of India Vol. III, 1916, page 582, </ref>

Koshti also contains words borrowed from languages like [[Marathi language|Marathi]], [[Khariboli dialect|Khari-boli]], [[Bundeli language|Bundeli]], [[Chhattisgarhi language|Chhattisgarhi]] and variants of [[Hindi]].<ref name="jssharma"/><ref name="masica">The Indo-Aryan Languages By Colin P. Masica, p. 435</ref><ref name="andhra-census">Census of India, 1961: Andhra Pradesh, pp. 189–200</ref>