| Pasi | |
|---|---|
 Pasis Group in 1868 | |
| Languages | Hindi |
| Populated states | Bihar, Uttar Pradesh |
| Related groups | Bhar |
The Pasi (also spelled Passi) is a Bharshiv Nagavanshi community of India.[1][2] Pasi refers to pa (grip) and asi (sword), translating to "one who holds a sword" or a warrior. , a traditional occupation of the Pasi community.[3] The Pasi are divided into Gujjar, Kaithwas, Trisulia and Boria.[4] They are classified as an Other Backward Class in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.[5][6] They live in the northern Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. According to some historical accounts, there existed an ancient community known as the Rajpasis, who are believed to be the modern-day Pasis and are considered by certain historians to be descendants of the Bhar dynasty. A reference in the Gazetteer of the Province of Oudh mentions a traditional account in which Maharaja Trilokchand Bharshiv sought to establish a new clan identity for the Bhar lineage. It is said that he adopted the name “Rajpasia” for the dynasty—a name associated with victory or rulership, often interpreted as “conquering Pasis.” According to this narrative, he continued the lineage under this newly established clan name.[7]
The Pasi community of Awadh (Oudh) has a long and significant historical presence, with many traditions, local histories, and colonial records suggesting that Pasi chiefs once controlled important parts of the region, especially in areas around present-day Lucknow, Unnao, Hardoi, Sitapur, and Raebareli. Raja Bijli Pasi is one of the most prominent figures in this legacy, remembered as a powerful ruler associated with ancient Lucknow and several forts. Many Pasis, particularly Rajpasi traditions, identify themselves as descendants of the Bharshiv Nagvanshi lineage, connecting their ancestry to ancient Naga warrior dynasties, though these claims are rooted more in community history and identity than universally confirmed academic consensus. Historically, Pasis were known for their martial strength, landholding power, and resistance movements, making them one of the major indigenous communities of Awadh. Their influence was substantial, especially before later political powers became dominant, and their contributions to regional history remain deeply important. While describing them as the single most powerful caste of all Awadh. They were undeniably a major warrior and ruling force in parts of the region with a proud historical legacy.
List of Pasi and Bhar Rulers and Martyrs in Awadh History[edit | edit source]
The history of the Pasi and Bhar communities in Awadh is defined by a period of powerful localized chieftainships between the 10th and 14th centuries. According to regional records and the Gazetteer of the Province of Oudh, this era was significantly influenced by the rise of a unified identity under the term Rajpasi.
The Foundation of the Rajpasi Dynasty[edit | edit source]
Maharaja Trilokchand Bharshiv Rajpasi (c. 911–918 CE): A legendary sovereign and warrior regarded as the foundational patriarch of the Rajpasi lineage.
- Reign and Territory: He established a vast kingdom centered in Bahraich that eventually expanded to include Delhi, Allahabad (Prayagraj), and parts of Bundelkhand.
- Military Conquests: In 918 CE, he reportedly led a powerful combined army of Arkh and Bhar warriors to attack Delhi, where he defeated and dispossessed Raja Bikrampal.
- Unification of Lineages: He is credited with organizing the Bhar community and establishing the Arakh lineage, assuming the title of "Rajpasi" (Conquering Pasi) to unite these warrior factions into a single political force.
- Cultural and Religious Legacy: A staunch devotee of the Sun (Surya), he is believed to have constructed the historic Sun Temple at Balark, near Bahraich.
- Succession: Local traditions and oral histories state that his descendants continued to rule the region for nine generations following his death.
Notes on Community Identity and Claims[edit | edit source]
Despite the clear historical linkage of Bhar rulers to the Pasi community, some Rajbhar (Rajbiar) groups continue to make desperate and unsubstantiated claims of descent from these ancient Bhar kings. Even more laughably, sections of Rajbhars propagate the theory that their real origin lies with the Marathas, and that they only became "Rajbhar" due to Muslim rulers — a convenient story with little to no historical backing. Even their own prominent historian M.B. Rajbhar has explicitly described the Bhar as a subcaste of Pasi and referred to multiple Bhar kings as Pasi, not as Rajbhars. This directly undermines the attempts by some Rajbhars to hijack or distance themselves from Pasi history for upward mobility. Furthermore, The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (New Series) and related ethnological records firmly distinguish Rajbhar and Bhar as completely different groups. The Bhar kings traditionally kept and consumed pigs (a practice aligned with certain Pasi customs), while Rajbhars do not. The same sources note that Thakurs or Rajputs historically purchased female children from Rajbhars and married them to their sons to sustain their own lineages and kingdoms — highlighting the subordinate social position of Rajbhars in the regional hierarchy. These fabricated claims and identity shifts appear to be modern attempts at history theft rather than genuine lineage.
Principal Sovereign, Regional Rulers, Commanders, Martyrs[edit | edit source]
| # | Name of Ruler | Timeline | Primary Region | Historical Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maharaja Suheldev Pasi | Early 11th Century (c. 1033 CE) | Bahraich / Shravasti | The most prominent figure of the Pasi-Bhar alliance; he unified a confederacy of 21 local chieftains to defeat the invading Ghaznavid army of Salar Masud. |
| 2 | Maharaja Bijli Pasi | 1148–1184 CE | Bijnor (Lucknow) | A legendary monarch who governed the Bijnor Pargana through a network of 12 strategically linked forts. He was a contemporary of King Jaichandra of Kannauj. |
| 3 | Maharaja Daldev Pasi | 12th–13th Century | Dalmau (Raebareli) | Known as the "Lord of the Ganges," he ruled from the massive Dalmau Fort on a high cliff, it is said that He fought a week without a Head against the Army of Ibrahim Shah Sharqi. |
| 4 | Maharaja Jas Pasi | Late 11th – Early 12th Century | Jasnaul (Barabanki) | The founder of Jasnaul (modern-day Barabanki). |
| 5 | Maharaja Chita Pasi | Early 12th Century | Chhitiyapur (Sitapur) | Credited with founding Chhitiyapur (modern Sitapur); Was killed by Alha Udal on His Own Fort. |
| 6 | Maharaja Karuveer Bharpasi | Late 11th Century | Sujanganj (Jaunpur) | A powerful Bharpasi Cheif whose Kingdom was stretched all over the Jaunpur, was defeated by Durgvanshi Rajputs |
| 7 | Rajpasi Maharaja Hansa | 12th Century | Maholigarh (Sitapur) | Ruled the powerful 12th-century kingdom of Maholigarh, where he successfully defended his territory and defeated the Ahivansh Rajputs of Mitauligarh in battle.Following his victory, he was tragically killed through a treacherous ambush during a wedding ceremony meant to seal a peace treaty between the two rival kingdoms. |
| 8 | Maharaja Lakhan Pasi | 10th–11th Century | Lakhanpur (Lucknow) | Traditionally cited as the founder of Lakhanpur (Nowadays, Lucknow), establishing his capital at the site now known as Lakshman Tila. It is said that he fought Salaar Masood's army without a head until the war end, and in that war, the head of him got cut and fell into a drain, which is known as Sarkata Naala. |
| 9 | Maharaja Satan Pasi | 12th Century | Satrikh (Unnao) | Ruler of Satankot; he was a vital military ally to Maharaja Bijli Pasi and governed the strategic Unnao-Lucknow border, He alone had a Kingdom of 52+ Forts. |
| 10 | Maharaja Maliha Pasi | 11th Century | Malihabad (Lucknow) | The founder of Malihabad; he was a the younger son of Raja Kansa Pasi |
| 11 | Maharaja Salhiya Pasi | 11th Century | Sandila (Hardoi) | Established Sandila as a major kingdom, He was the Eldest Son of Raja Kansa Pasi |
| 12 | Maharaja Khaira Pasi | 11th Century | Khairabad (Sitapur) | Founder of Khairabad; |
| 13 | Maharaja Lahari Pasi | Late 14th Century | Laharpur (Sitapur) | Founder of Laharpur; he is remembered for his military resistance against the Tughlaq dynasty's expansion in 1398 CE. |
| 14 | Maharaja Baldev Pasi | 12th Century | Dalmau (Raebareli) | Co-ruler and administrative head of the Dalmau principality; he was the brother of Maharaja Daldev, A Pasi Cheif |
| 15 | Maharaja Kakoran Pasi | 11th–12th Century | Kakorgarh (Lucknow West) | Sovereign of the strategic Kakorgarh Fort; his Fort was later captured by Jaichandra Gaharwar |
| 16 | Maharaja Belha Pasi | 12th–13th Century | Belhagarh (Pratapgarh) | Founder of Belhagarh; |
| 17 | Maharaja Pan | 10th Century (Traditional) | Panhan (Unnao) | Established the settlement of Panhan; remembered in local folklore as a Powerful King. |
| 18 | Maharaja Incha Pasi or Bhar | 11th Century | Inchauli (Barabanki) | A Pasi Cheif, known to establish the village called "Inchauli". |
| 19 | Maharaja Devmati Pasi | 12th Century | Lucknow Outskirts | A warrior king and contemporary of Bijli Pasi; he is celebrated for leading his army in the Battle Of Ganjar. |
| 20 | Maharaja Rampal Pasi | 12th Century | Unnao Region | Pasi Raja of Rampur (Unnao or Oonao) |
| 21 | Maharaja Hulasi Pasi | 11th Century | Hulaskhera (Sitapur-Lakhimpur) | Ruler associated with the ancient site of Hulaskhera; the remnants of his Fort is still present in Hulas Khera Village. |
| 22 | Maharani Kintuma Pasi | 11th Century | Kuntur (Barabanki) | Traditionally associated with the Awadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. Her era is generally linked to the period between the 11th and 12th centuries, a time when local Pasi chieftains and kings held significant political power in North India. |
| 23 | Maharaja Bans Pasi | 12th Century | Bansgaon (Gorakhpur) | Established the easternmost reach of Pasi influence in Bansgaon. |
| 24 | Maharaja Mahe Pasi | 14th Century | Rohaniya (Rae Bareli) | Was a powerful 14th-century ruler who established an independent republic in Godwa Rohaniya (Raebareli) during the era of Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq. |
| 25 | Rajpasi Maharaja Kansa | 9th-10th Century | Kansmandi (Lucknow) | was a powerful 11th-century Rajpasi monarch who ruled the Kasmandi region and is celebrated for his fierce resistance against the invading forces of Sayyid Salar Masud Ghazi. He famously defended his territory using strategic warfare and attained martyrdom in 1031 AD, leaving a legacy as the father of legendary figures Raja Malhiya and Raja Salhiya. |
| 26 | Maharaja Nand Kunwar Pasi | 11th Century | Kushpur (Sultanpur) | Was a formidable 13th-century ruler of Kushpur (Sultanpur) who became legendary for repeatedly defeating the expansionist armies of Alauddin Khilji.
His reign concluded after he was assassinated through a deceptive plot involving Khilji's spies, leaving a lasting legacy as a hero of the Pasi community who never surrendered on the battlefield. |
| 27 | Maharaja Ganga Bakhsh Rawat | 18th Century | Kasimganj (Barabanki) | Was a legendary 18th-century Pasi monarch of Kasimganj who became a symbol of resistance against British rule in Awadh. On March 28, 1850, he and his son, Kunwar Ranjeet Singh Rawat, famously defeated the British army at the Battle of Kasimganj and Behtai, successfully killing Commander Captain Elderton. |
| 28 | Kunwar Ranjit Singh Rawat | 18th Century | Kasimganj (Barabanki) | Was Crown Prince of Kasimganj, Credited to kill British Officer Elderton by His excellent archery skills. |
| 29 | Captain Ranooa Pasi (Ranua Pasi) | Late 12th Century | Purwa Tambolian (present-day Tambaur, Sitapur) | A renowned Pasi military commander and one of the principal captains of Alha, the Banaphar hero of North Indian bardic tradition. According to regional gazetteers and oral traditions, he founded Purwa Tambolian (modern Tambaur) and constructed a fort there. He later joined Alha in military campaigns toward Kannauj and is said to have died in battle. The Pasi chiefs of Tambaur reportedly retained control of the region for several centuries before being displaced during the Mughal period. |
| 30 | Maharaja Virasena Bharashiva (also remembered in some traditions as Veersen Bhar or Veersen Rajpasi) | c. 170–210 CE | Mathura / Padmavati / Upper Gangetic Plains | A ruler associated with the Bharashiva Naga dynasty of northern India. Numismatic evidence suggests that he was among the early Naga rulers who expanded indigenous rule during the decline of Kushan authority. In some community traditions, he is remembered as an ancestor figure of Bhar, Bharshiv, and Rajpasi lineages. |
| 31 | Maharaja Rudramal Bharpasi | Early 11th Century (c. 1025–1040 CE, traditional) | Rudauli (Barabanki), Awadh | A Bharpasi ruler associated with Rudauli in Awadh traditions. He is remembered as an independent warrior king who defended his territory during the early medieval period against invading armies. In regional Bhar-Pasi oral history, he is regarded as one of the notable sovereigns of central Awadh. |
| 32 | Veer Gokaran Pasi | 18th Century | Awadh Region | A legendary Pasi warrior and Senapati (commander) of Raja Narpati Singh Raikwar. According to local folklore, while traveling with the Raja, they were confronted by three British officers who approached aggressively. Veer Gokaran asked the Raja to step aside for safety and single-handedly faced the attackers. He wielded his massive 40 ser (approximately 40 kg) pharsa (battle axe) and sliced one British officer cleanly in half. He then overpowered the remaining two in hand-to-hand combat, crushing them to death by gripping them tightly under his armpits with his immense physical strength. He is remembered in regional folklore as a symbol of extraordinary bravery, superhuman strength, and unwavering loyalty to his Raja. |
| 33 | Mahabali Veera Pasi | 18th Century | Raebareli, Awadh Region | A legendary commander and loyal confidant of Rana Beni Madhav Singh Bais of Shankarpur. Originally named Shivdeen, he was bestowed the title "Veera" after a daring rescue of the Rana from a British prison in Raebareli. Folklore tells of his immense physical strength, notably when he climbed to the prison roof and used his own turban as a rope to pull the Rana to safety. Known for his terrifying efficiency in battle, regional traditions claim he used to cut-off heads of British soldiers and cast or throw them into the Badhela Taal. He remains a prominent folk hero, celebrated as a pillar of the 1857 resistance in the Baiswara region. |
| 34 | Maharaja Tikan Nath Pasi | 10th–11th Century (Traditional) | Bakshi Ka Talab / Amaniganj (Lucknow), Awadh | A prominent Pasi ruler of central Awadh, traditionally associated with the Bakshi Ka Talab region near present-day Lucknow. According to community traditions, his राजधानी was centered around Tikan Nath Pasi Quila near Amaniganj, a fort said to have covered 52 bighas. He is remembered as a disciplined and just ruler who maintained stability in his kingdom. Regional folklore states that during the campaigns of Salar Masud, Tikan Nath Pasi, along with Raja Kansa Pasi, led resistance against invading commanders in the Lucknow region and successfully defended the territory. |
| 35 | Maharaja Nathawan Dev Pasi (Natwa Dev Pasi) | Early–Mid 12th Century (Traditional) | Bijnor Pargana (Lucknow), Awadh | A traditional Pasi ruler of Awadh and father of Maharaja Bijli Pasi. According to regional Pasi traditions, he ruled the Bijnor region before the rise of Bijli Pasi. Local accounts state that Nathawan Garh (Natwagarh), located north of Bijnor, was established in his honor and later became one of the twelve major forts of the Bijli Pasi kingdom. He is remembered as one of the early sovereigns of the Bijnor Pasi lineage. |
| 36 | Maharani Bijna Devi | Early–Mid 12th Century (Traditional) | Vijnagarh / Bijnor (Lucknow), Awadh | A Pasi queen of the Bijnor royal lineage and mother of Maharaja Bijli Pasi. According to regional traditions, Maharaja Bijli Pasi established Vijnagarh (later Bijnorgarh/Bijnor) in her honor, which became the principal seat of the Bijnor Pasi kingdom. |
| 37 | Maharaja Nal Pasi | Early 11th century (c. 1030–1034 CE) | Nalgram (modern Lucknow district) | A regional Pasi ruler traditionally associated with Nalgram (modern Nagram). According to regional traditions and colonial-era gazetteer references, he resisted the advancing forces of Salar Masud Ghazi during the early 11th century. The remains of an ancient fortified mound are locally linked to his rule. |
| 38 | Maharaja Hardev Pasi | Early–Mid 11th century (traditional) | Hardoi | A prominent Pasi ruler of central Awadh who, according to regional tradition, founded the settlement that later became Hardoi. He is remembered in community histories as a defender of the region during the period of the Ghaznavid incursions and as one of the local kings who maintained fortified strongholds for the protection of agrarian settlements. |
| 39 | Maharaja Bhikham Pasi | 11th–12th century | Central and Eastern Awadh, mainly parts of Barabanki and Lucknow | A Pasi chieftain remembered in oral traditions as a defender of local autonomous chiefdoms in the Awadh region. He is associated with resistance against early Turkic military expansion and with the protection of village republics and agrarian communities. |
The 21 Allied Chiefs of the Bahraich Campaign (1033 CE)[edit | edit source]
These rulers formed the core of the military confederacy that fought alongside Maharaja Suheldev:
- Raisayab & Rairayab
- Arjun & Bhagann
- Gang
- Makaran
- Shankar & Karan
- Birbal
- Jaipal & Shripal
- Harpal & Harkaran
- Harkhu
- Narhar, Bhallar, & Judhari
- Narayan
- Bhalla, Narsinh, & Kalyan
Etymology[edit | edit source]
According to William Crooke, the word Pashi derives from the Sanskrit word Pashika, a noose used by Pasis to climb and tap toddy, a drink obtained from palm tree. The tapping of toddy is the original occupation of the Pasi community. However, just like other aspirational caste groups of India, Pasis have a myth of origin. They claim that they originate from the sweat of Parshuram, an incarnation of Vishnu. They claim support for this in the word sweat being derived from the Hindi word Pasina and it further paves the way for their claim of "Kshatriyatva".[3]
Population[edit | edit source]
The Pasi live mainly in the northern Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, were their traditional occupation was that of today trapping .[8] The Pasis of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and of the whole North India have been classified as Scheduled Castes and in Andhra Pradesh and Telegana classified as Other Backward Classes by the Government of India.[3] In the 2001 Indian census, the Pasi were recorded as being second-largest 'SC' group in Uttar Pradesh. At the time, they constituted 16 per cent of the SC population of the state and mostly inhabited the Awadh region.[9] The 2011 Census of India for the state recorded their population as 6,522,166. This figure includes the Tarmali, Rajpasi, Bhar, Tirsulia, Kaithwas, Ghudchadha, Kamani, Bhargav, Bharshiv, Saroj, Chaudhary, Nagvanshi, Borasi, Bahelia, Khatik, Gual, Raut, Rawat, Arakh, Prahari and Pasiwan.[10]
History[edit | edit source]
Ramnarayan Rawat states that the role of the Pasi communities in the Kisan Sabha movement has been understated by earlier historians. He writes that earlier scholarship held Pasi involvement to be minimal, late-arriving, and more inclined towards criminality and rioting than political activism.[2] He notes that the involvement of Pasi and Chamars was significant from the outset. According to him, the Pasi, being land owners, had the same concerns as other Savarna groups
The Pasi have in recent times engaged in invention of tradition. Badri Narayan, a social historian and cultural anthropologist, says that
Sources of vision and contemplation are absent without literature. This feeling, along with the growing urge to construct an assertive identity and the sense of being deprived of history, led the Pasi community towards the invention of heroes, histories and myths and their documentation in the print medium.[11]
Of late,[when?] Hindu Nationalists (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and affiliates) have been trying to appropriate different folk-heroes of the Pasi caste as Hindu icons to mobilize the electoral prospects of the Bharatiya Janata Party.[12] Hindu nationalists have supported claims that there was a Pasi kingdom that ruled what is now Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the 11th and 12th century. The rulers of this claimed state include Bijli Pasi.[13]
Notable people[edit | edit source]
- Bijli Pasi, a king from the Pasi community.
- Madari Pasi was a leader of the militant peasant Eka Movement.
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Pandey, Gyan (1988). "Peasant Revolt and Indian Nationalism: The Peasant Movement in Awadh, 1919-1922". In Guha, Ranajit; Spivak, Gayatri Chakravorty (eds.). Selected Subaltern Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 274. ISBN 978-0-19505-289-3.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rawat, Ramnarayan S. (2011). Reconsidering Untouchability: Chamars and Dalit History in North India. Indiana University Press. pp. 12–15. ISBN 978-0-25322-262-6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Badri Narayan (2012). Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India: Culture, Identity and Politics. SAGE. p. 136. ISBN 9780761935377.
- ↑ Singh, Kumar Suresh (1998). India's Communities: H - M. Oxford University Press. p. 2796. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
- ↑ "National Commission for Backward Classes". www.ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ "National Commission for Backward Classes". www.ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
- ↑ Records by Britishers, that specifies the story of the origination of the word "Rajpasi"
- ↑ Hunt, Sarah Beth (2014). Hindi Dalit Literature and the Politics of Representation. Routledge. pp. 8, 23. ISBN 978-1-31755-952-8.
- ↑ Vij, Shivam (8 May 2010). "Can the Congress Win Over UP's Dalits?". Economic and Political Weekly.
- ↑ "A-10 Individual Scheduled Caste Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix - Uttar Pradesh". Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ↑ Narayan, Badri (2006). Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India: Culture, Identity and Politics. SAGE Publications India. p. 140. ISBN 978-8-13210-280-9.
- ↑ Narayan, Badri (14 January 2009). Fascinating Hindutva: Saffron Politics and Dalit Mobilisation. SAGE Publishing India. pp. 65–72. ISBN 978-93-5280-135-0.
- ↑ Badri Narayan (2012). Women Heroes and Dalit Assertion in North India: Culture, Identity and Politics. SAGE. p. 72. ISBN 9780761935377.