Koshta
 |
Koshta (also spelt as Koshti) are a Hindu caste found in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.[1][2]
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| India | |
| Languages | |
| Bagheli, Hindi | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Panika, Tanti, Tattama, Devanga |
Origin
Some Koshta believe that they are the descendants of Markandeya Rishi,[3] or Rajhans, the king of Devagiri (Berar), who was given the title koshti ('man of virtues') in the year 1111 A.D. It is believed that after this episode, Koshta took jobs as soldiers in different princely states, such as in the armies of the Peshwas, Bundelkhand, Rani Lakshmibai and Tipu Sultan.[4]
Language
The Koshti language is a distinct Indo-Aryan language with words derived from Sanskrit in either their tatsama or tadbhava form.[5] Koshti also contains words borrowed from languages like Marathi, Khari-boli, Bundeli, Chhattisgarhi and variants of Hindi.[3][6][7]
Occupation
The Koshtas were known as royal weavers, although industrialisation and the introduction of power looms beginning in the late 1800s heavily impacted the traditional handloom community.[8][need quotation to verify] The majority of Koshta today are employed in cotton and silk mills of both the public and private sectors.[4][need quotation to verify] They have also begun to work in bidi making, brass cutlery and utensil manufacturing, tile and brick making and construction work.[9][need quotation to verify][10]
References
- ↑ Mahendra Lal Patel (1997). Awareness in Weaker Section: Perspective Development and Prospects. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 34. ISBN 9788175330290.
- ↑ "National Handloom Day | The handloom communities of India". The Statesman. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Encyclopaedia Indica, Volume 2 by J.S. Sharma, p. 639
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gujarat, Part 1 By Kumar Suresh Singh, Rajendra Behari Lal, Anthropological Survey of India, p. 722
- ↑ Vishveshvaranand Indological journal, Volumes 2-3, pp. 43–48
- ↑ The Indo-Aryan Languages By Colin P. Masica, p. 435
- ↑ Census of India, 1961: Andhra Pradesh, pp. 189–200
- ↑ Late Victorian holocausts: El Niño famines and the making of the third world By Mike Davis, p. 148
- ↑ Handloom industry in Madhya Pradesh by K.R. Nanekar, p. 13
- ↑ Mahendra Lal Patel (1997). Awareness in Weaker Section: Perspective Development and Prospects. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 34–. ISBN 978-81-7533-029-0. Retrieved 17 August 2018.