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| {{About|the Hindu caste found in North India|the Ramayana character|Kewat (Ramayana)}}
| | #REDIRECT [[Kewat people]] |
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| {{Use Indian English|date=April 2019}} | | {{Redirect category shell| |
| {{infobox ethnic group|
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| |group= Kewat
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| |image=File:Mallah men selling fishes.jpg
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| |caption=Mallah a sub caste of Kewat, a boatmen-fishermen community.
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| |poptime =
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| |popplace = India
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| |langs = • [[Hindi language|Hindi]]
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| |rels= • [[Hinduism]] 100% •
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| |related= [[Mallah]] • [[Jhora]]
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| }} | | }} |
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| The '''Kewat''', also spelled '''Kevat''', is a [[Hindu]] [[caste]], found in the states of [[Rajasthan]], Madhya Pradesh, [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Odisha]], Bihar and [[Uttar Pradesh]] in India. They are the traditional boatmen of northern India, and also in neighbouring country [[Nepal]].
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| Kewat are recognised as [[Other backward class]] in central list but were promised [[Scheduled Caste]] status by [[Samajwadi party]]. <ref name=":0">People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII Part Two edited by A Hasan & J C Das pages 776 to 783</ref><ref>People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Two edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas pages 515 to 519 Popular Prakashan</ref>
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| Kewats are recognised as [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|Scheduled Caste]] in the states of Assam, West Bengal and Tripura as Keot, Keyot or Jalkeot.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Scheduled Caste list of Assam, India |url=https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0002.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Scheduled Caste list of West Bengal, India |url=https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0020636052301055616230.jpg}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Scheduled Caste list of Tripura, India |url=https://socialjustice.gov.in/writereaddata/UploadFile/Scan-0018.jpg}}</ref>
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| == Origin ==
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| The name "Kevata" was first appeared in the [[Delhi-Topra pillar|Pillar Edict V]] of Emperor [[Ashoka]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bhaumik |first=Sudarshana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bKh4EAAAQBAJ&q=sudarshana+bhaumik |title=The Changing World of Caste and Hierarchy in Bengal: Depiction from the Mangalkavyas c. 1700–1931 |date=2022-08-26 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-000-64143-1 |pages=60 |language=en}}</ref> "Kevata-bhoga" referred to places or bhuktis where this community resided. The people whose livelihoods centred around water or aquatic bodies used to be called Kevat.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Amulyacharan Vidyabhushan Rachanavali |year=1990 |edition=Vol 3 |pages=189–191}}</ref>
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| ==Divisions==
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| Their main sub-groups are the Banaphar, Dhivar, Balavarna, [[Chain (caste)|Chay]], Sorahiya, Kairata, and [[Tiar]]. The Banaphar consider themselves to be superior to the other groups.<ref name=":1">People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 777</ref>
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| ==Present circumstances==
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| ===In Uttar Pradesh===
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| The Kewat of Uttar Pradesh mostly live near the river [[Ganges]]. They are the traditional businessman.<ref>People of India Uttar Pradesh Volume XLII edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 778</ref> They are among 17 OBC communities that have been proposed for [[Scheduled Caste]] status by the [[Samajwadi Party]]-controlled [[Government of Uttar Pradesh]]. However, this proposal, which relates to [[votebank politics]] and has been made in the past, has been stayed by the courts; a prior attempt was also rejected by the [[Government of India]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Setback for Akhilesh government as High Court stays their order to include 17 sub-castes in the SC category |date=24 January 2017 |work=Financial Express |url=http://www.financialexpress.com/elections/uttar-pradesh-assembly-elections-2017/setback-for-akhilesh-government-as-high-court-stays-their-order-to-include-17-sub-castes-in-the-sc-category/520325/ |accessdate=2017-02-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=UP govt to include 17 other backward castes in SC list |date=22 December 2016 |agency=PTI |work=Hindustan Times |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/up-govt-to-include-17-other-backward-castes-in-sc-list/story-jQWfybFAcSJTnwj2k4NxqO.html |accessdate=2017-02-04}}</ref>
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| ===In Rajasthan===
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| The Kewat in Rajasthan are found in along the banks of the rivers [[Chambal River|Chambal]], Benas and Kalinath rivers, in the districts of [[Kota District|Kota]] and [[Sawai Madhopur]]. They are divided into eighty four clans, and their origin myth refers to them being created by god [[Vishnu]]. The community speak the Hadoti dialect of [[Rajasthani language|Rajasthani]]. There traditional occupation of being boatmen has declined.<ref>People of India Rajasthan Volume XXXVIII Part Two edited by B.K Lavania, D. K Samanta, S K Mandal & N.N Vyas pages 515 to 519 Popular Prakashan</ref>
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| ===In Bihar===
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| In [[Bihar]], they are both cultivators and businessman. The community are also known as Kewat Kaut. There is considerable difference of opinion as to the origin of the word Kewat. They are found in almost all the districts of Bihar but mostly in Madhubani , Jhanjharpur, Nirmalli, [[Bhagalpur]], [[Purnea]], [[Katihar]], [[Darbhanga]], [[Munger]], [[Muzaffarpur]] and [[Khagaria]], Saharsa, Supaul, Madhepura . Their villages are found mainly along the near of the Ganges river, and many have taken to cultivation. They speak [[Maithili language|Maithili]], [[Magadhi]] and [[Bhojpuri]].{{fact|date=September 2019}}
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| A major population of kewat/keot/kaut live in the district of Madhubani. The farmers of the Jhanjharpur region are more prosperous while those belonging to the kosi (the flood effected) belt not so prosperous with many of them taken to jobs outside the state. Maithili is the major language spoken in the district of Madhubani, Darbhanga, Jhajharpur etc.<ref>People of India Bihar Volume XVI Part One edited by S Gopal & Hetukar Jha pages 507 to 511 Seagull Books</ref>
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| ==The Kewat in Nepal==
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| The [[Central Bureau of Statistics (Nepal)|Central Bureau of Statistics]] of Nepal classifies the Kewat as a subgroup within the broader social group of [[Madheshi people|Madheshi]] Other Caste.<ref> Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf]</ref> At the time of the [[2011 Nepal census]], 153,772 people (0.6% of the population of Nepal) were Kewat. The frequency of Kewat by province was as follows:
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| * [[Madhesh Province]] (1.4%)
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| * [[Lumbini Province]] (1.0%)
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| * [[Koshi Province]] (0.6%)
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| * [[Bagmati Province]] (0.0%)
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| * [[Gandaki Province]] (0.0%)
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| * [[Sudurpashchim Province]] (0.0%)
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| * [[Karnali Province]] (0.0%)
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| The frequency of Kewat was higher than national average (0.6%) in the following districts:<ref>[https://cbs.gov.np/wp-content/upLoads/2018/12/Volume05Part02.pdf 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report]</ref>
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| * [[Dhanusha District|Dhanusha]] (6.1%)
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| * [[Parasi District|Parasi]] (3.5%)
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| * [[Morang District|Morang]] (2.7%)
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| * [[Rupandehi District|Rupandehi]] (2.5%)
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| * [[Siraha District|Siraha]] (2.2%)
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| * [[Kapilvastu District|Kapilvastu]] (2.1%)
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| * [[Mahottari District|Mahottari]] (1.1%)
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| ==References==
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| {{reflist}}
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| {{Tribes of Uttar Pradesh}}
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| [[Category:Social groups of Uttar Pradesh]]
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| [[Category:Indian castes]]
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| [[Category:Hindu communities]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of Rajasthan]]
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| [[Category:Social groups of Bihar]]
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| [[Category:Other Backward Classes]]
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