A Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Description of the District, Or Zila, of Dinajpur/Book 2/Chapter 4/Section 2/Part 1

Part 1.—Of the Brahmins.

There is no trace remaining to show, that before the time of Adisur, any Brahmin had obtained a permanent settlement in this district. It contains no Brahmin families of the five southern nations, nor any of Saroswot, or Utkul. A very few from the neighbouring nation Maithilo are to be found, but tradition relates their settlement to have been very recent. About 50 years ago, the proprietor of Rajshahi introduced about 200 families of Gaur Brahmins from the west of India; and three of these, who have relinquished the world, and who have become Sonyasis, according to the rules of Songkor Acharjyo, have settled in a convent of Hawora division. These are the only persons of that nation which are to be found in the district. Almost the only families therefore of proper Brahmins to be found in this district are the Kanyokubjos, of whom, according to tradition, two colonies have been brought to Bengal.

Adisur Raja, a physician, who founded a dynasty that governed Bengal for some time before the Muhammedan conquest, is said to have introduced five Brahmins with their families from Kanyokubjo or Kanoj, a city in the west of India. These five men were of five different tribes (Gotros), viz. Bhorodwaj, Kasyop, Sandilyo, Batsyo, and Savornyo, and on that account all their descendants, who now form by far the greatest portion of the sacred order in Bengal, are called Ponchogotros, or the five tribes. The wife of Adisur had a son named Bollalsen, whose father was supposed to be the Brohmaputra river, who, for the purpose of impregnating the queen, assumed the convenient form of a Brahmin. Whether or not Adisur knew of this circumstance, and was of so easy a temper as to overlook the liberty of the Brohmaputra, or whether it was not divulged until the favourable time when Bollalsen became a lawgiver, even in the nice affairs of caste, and might wish for the authority of divine origin, I cannot take upon myself to say, both being probable; but it is generally allowed by the Brahmins here that Adisur left the quiet possession of his kingdom to Bollalsen. In his reign the five families of Brahmins had multiplied so fast, that they not only had become numerous, but had obtained settlements in two of the provinces, Rarhi and Barondro, which as usual among Hindús, who delight in subdivisions, had produced a complete separation of caste. It even became advisable to separate each division into different ranks, and to assign different customs for each. This I confess appears to me inexplicable. Were I allowed to suppose, that the original colony was more numerous, or that Bollalsen was not the immediate successor of Adisur, but followed after an interval of some hundred years, as Abul Faz’l imagines, the difficulty would be removed; but the tradition is positive against both these suppositions.

However this may have been, the Rarhi Brahmins are divided into Kulin, Bongsoj, and Srotriyo; and the Barondros are divided into Kulin, Kap and Srotriyo. These divisions took place according to the merits of the persons, at the time when they were formed. The most virtuous Brahmins of each province were made Kulins, those next in merit were made Bongsoj or Kap, and the remainder were classed in the lowest rank called Srotriyo. The pre-eminence however is now hereditary, so far at least as the Brahmins of the same province are concerned; that is to say, a Barondro Brahmin must respect a Barondro Kulin, however ignorant or knavish, more than the most learned and virtuous Srotriyo of Barondro. This however by no means extends to the other province. A Barondro Brahmin estimates all the three kinds of Rarhis according to the respective personal merit that each individual possesses. The Rarhi in the same manner respect his own provincials by their birth, but he values Barondros and all other Brahmins according to their virtues. Although Dinajpúr be in Barondro land, yet Brahmins of Rarhi are also numerous in this district, probably in the proportion of 6 to 10 Barondros. I must therefore give some account of each.

A Kulin Brahmin of Barondro cannot marry above three or four wives, the fathers of Barondro not choosing to pay for unreasonable undertakings; for the husband always gets money with each wife, more and more in proportion to the lowness of her birth; and he seldom gives himself any trouble about maintaining his wives or children, but leaves these duties to the care of his father-in-law. If the family happens to consist of sons chiefly, the maternal grand-father has great profit, because he receives money for each at his marriage; but, if there are many daughters, he has made a bad speculation: and unless very rich, is ruined, as he must not only sell every thing, but even borrow and beg to the utmost of his power, in order to procure them husbands. They have, however, a greater indulgence than the lower orders, for a Kulin girl continues marriageable at all ages, although it is considered as very disgraceful for the father to keep her long waiting; and he is even very apt to incur still greater disgrace, by her forgetting the laws of chastity, which these girls, brought up in the full expectation of early marriage, are very apt to do. Husbands are however often difficult to procure, as a woman cannot marry a man younger than herself, and as a large proportion of the men are bought by the parents of low women. If a Barondro Kulin marries the daughter of a Kap, he is degraded to that rank; but his sons and grand-sons are more respected than usual, and are more marriageable. A Barondro Kulin may, however, marry the daughter of a Srotriyo, without any degradation, and all the children of this marriage are Kulins. A Kap also receives money, when his son marries the daughter of a Srotriyo; the children are elevated to the rank of Kap; but the husband must keep his wives and children at home, and provide for them. The Srotriyo men were thus very ill provided with women; and so long as the rales of caste were strictly regarded, a great many of them could not procure wives. But since the deaths of Rani Bhowani of Rajshahi, and of Raja Krishna Chandra of Nodiya, two very pious and powerful landholders, who supported the laws of caste, these men have been let loose, and are not ashamed to give money to procure wives, so that the higher ranks of Kulin and Kap are defrauded both of their due profit and pleasure, for the Srotriyo fathers are not able to resist the temptation of the money, especially as they also save what they must have given to their betters.

A Rarhi Kulin Brahmin may marry as many wives as he pleases, and some have 60, but in general they cannot procure above 8 or 10. They visit them alternately, and give themselves no sort of trouble about the maintenance of either the mothers or children. In other respects, there is little difference between their customs, and those of the Barondros. By a marriage with the daughter of the next rank they are reduced to that order, or at least they are considered as a lower order of Kulin, but their children by women of the lowest order are elevated to their full dignity.

The Brahmins of the five tribes are subject to many other divisions, but I shall at present confine myself to notice a few. Whatever his birth may be, a Brahmin may either become a Pandit, who adheres to the proper duties of his profession, or he may engage in worldly affairs, and take service, in which case he is called Vishoyi. These two terms are analogous to the words Baidek and Laukik of the south; but the distinction is not so widely drawn in the north; and changes from the one kind of life to the other are there less uncommon, which is probably owing to the high pre-eminence given to family rank. It must also be observed, that among the Kulins there are very few Pandits, and most of these learned persons belong to the 3rd rank, or Srotriyos, who having little rank by birth must study, if they are desirous of obtaining respect.

The difference of sect or religious tenet produces much less separation among the Brahmins of Bengal than it does among those of the south, owing probably to the doctrine of the Bedantos having little attracted the notice of the former; so that the greater part of the Brahmins of Bengal, although divided into five sects, have not placed themselves under the banners of any great doctor, such as Songkor, Ramany, or Madhov; not but that the writings of several such personages are known, but they have not produced heat enough to generate controversy. Indeed it is not customary with most of the Brahmins of Bengal to declare the sect to which they belong, except to their Gúrú, or spiritual instructor; and it is not considered as civil to ask them the question: whereas those in the south glory in their sect, and take every opportunity of declaring their adherence to it and their aversion to all others.

Among the Barondro Brahmins, however, many of the third rank openly profess themselves of the sect of Vishnu, and are called Odwaito Bongso, or descendants of Odwaito, a learned and holy Brahmin of Santipúr, who declared himself a worshipper of Krishno, and established rules for the belief of his descendants, none of whom, whatever his private opinion may be, will venture to say, that he departs from the creed of his ancestor. In the same manner a Rarhi Brahmin of Nodiya, named Nityanondo, who lived about 300 years ago, openly professed himself a follower of Vishnu; and his descendants follow his tenets. Both the descendants of Odwaito and Nityanondo are called Goswami, or Gosaing, (vulgo Goseyn,) but must be carefully distinguished from those of the same title, who come from the western provinces, who are persons of all castes, and who say that they have forsaken the world, and have taken vows of poverty and chastity, although most of them are keen merchants, and pay very little other respect to their vows, except in abstaining from marriage. The Goswamis of Bengal, on the contrary, marry; but almost all of them adhere to the proper duties of their caste, and very rarely accept of service.

The other Pandits of the five tribes, who do not acknowledge the nature of their creed, call themselves simply Pandit Gurus. The Goswami form about a tenth part of the five tribes, having been able to multiply fast, as they are Gurus, or religious instructors for almost all the Sudros, aad have considerable means of subsistence. Like other followers of Vishnú they chiefly study, as their guide in religion, the Purans, or works attributed to Vyas; while the Guru Pandits, although they occasionally read the Purans, study chiefly the books called Tontros, supposed to have been revealed by the god Sib. The science contained in the Tontros, and which is eagerly studied in most parts of Bengal, is called Agom, and the most learned doctor in this law is esteemed to have been Agom Vagis, who lived at Nodiya about the same time with Nityanondo. These differences of sect produce no sort of difference of caste, and every Goswami is anxious to procure a husband of the 1st or 2nd rank for his daughter; although none of these dignified persons profess the worship of Vishnú, and the wife is always expected to adopt the sect of her husband.

A most essential difference arises in the rank of the five tribes from that of the persons, whom they condescend to instruct in religious matters, or for whom they act as priests. The former, or teachers, are called Gurus; the priests, who read prayers on solemn occasions, are called Purohits, and in general are less respected than the former. Those who perform these offices for Brahmins alone are the highest in rank; but few of such respected persons belong to the five tribes. Next follow such as perform these offices for the two higher ranks of Sudros, the physicians, and scribes. Then follow those, who act for the nine pure castes of tradesmen, (Novosakh,) and for a few tribes that are admitted to be of a similar rank.

All these Brahmins continue to be tolerably respected, and may give their daughters in marriage to Kulins; but certain religious offices in some measure deprive a Brahmin of caste, and his daughter cannot intermarry with a person of any of the three pure ranks.

The highest of these impure Brahmins are the Ogrodani, who receive the first charity (Dan), that a person offers in commemoration of his deceased parents. The charity offered on all future occasions is accepted by the highest, and is a considerable source of revenue. A tradesman of the nine pure castes will condescend to drink the water of an Ogrodani; but rejects that of all the inferior Brahmins, who are considered as inferior in rank even to a Sudro.

The Brahmins who condescend to act as Gurus and Purohits for any of the impure tribes are called Vorno; and occupy the next rank, but differences exist in their rank, according to the various degrees of their disciples’ impurity.

Next to Vornos are the Moruiporas, who read the funeral service over any person lower than a Brahmin. These are the lowest persons that are descended from the five tribes which were introduced by Adisur.

The Pujaris, or priests who officiate in temples, are considered as blameable for undertaking so low an office; but the Brahmins of the third order (Srotriyos), who usually accept of the office, are not on that account degraded from their rank, provided the temple has been built and endowed by a person of pure birth, such as a tradesman of the nine pure castes, and are the usual Gurus of the lower castes. The Pujari is indeed generally selected from the family of the founder’s Purohit. The temples founded by persons of low origin are served by Vorno Brahmins.

Brahmins of the five tribes, very unlike those of the south, not only act as Pujaris in temples where bloody sacrifices are made, but actually make the offering, and eat the meat. They are also permitted to eat fish and venison, with five other species of animals, namely, the rhinoceros, hare, porcupine, turtle, and a large kind of lizard (Sworno Gadhika). Few however avail themselves of any animal food except fish, and many abstain even from that indulgence.

Next in number to the five tribes are the Baidik Brahmins, a colony which also came from Kanyokubjo, but at a later period. I have not been able to ascertain the time; but they say, that they were introduced by Adityo Subuddhi Narayon Raja of Srihotto, which is north from Dhaka. I do not know what place is meant, unless it be Silhet. These Baidik Brahmins seem to have nearly the same customs with the five tribes, but are considered as higher, are not divided into three ranks, and none of them have betaken themselves to service, nor have any degraded themselves so as to become Vornos, nor scarcely any so much as to act as Gurus for Sudros of even the highest rank. By far the greater part of the Gurus of the five tribes are Baidiks, who excel in learning. From having settled in different parts of the country, they have separated into two tribes that do not intermarry, the one called Paschatyo, and the other Dakhyinatyo.

The Paschatyo, who are mostly settled in the N. E. parts of Bengal, are considered as rather the highest, and their hereditary chief and religious instructor (Guru) still resides at Srihotto. Among the Baidiks also there arose a person of great celebrity named Chaitonyo, who openly professed the worship of Vishnú, and who having no children, instructed his pupils in that doctrine, which their descendants now adopt, and are called Chaitonyo Bongso, and Goswamis. The others conceal their sect, assume the title of Pandit Gurus, study the Tontros, and are by far the most numerous. The Baidiks do not indulge themselves in numerous wives like the higher ranks of the five tribes, and seldom, if ever, taste even fish. They offer sacrifices, but do not eat the flesh. None of them are Pujaris nor priests in temples.

In Dinajpúr are many persons calling themselves Brahmins, but neither the five tribes nor the Baidiks acknowledge them as such, nor as descended from the sacred persons who proceeded from the mouth of Brahma. Some pretend that their ancestors were created by Vyas, and this seems to be their own opinion, as they call themselves Vyasokto. A circumstance, said to be related in the Sri Mohabharat, will perhaps throw some light on the subject. Porasor, the father of Vyas, was on a certain day near the river, and observed a fisherman (Kaiborto), who had a most beautiful girl in his boat. The Gymnosophist could not resist the violence of the desire with which he was seized, but went into the boat, and impregnated the beauty with Vyas, who cannot well be considered as a Brahmin, the maternal line being impure. We may therefore suppose, that the Vyasokto are the descendants of Vyas. The Pandit of the survey, however, will not allow of the illegitimacy of Vyas, and supposes, that Bollalsen, when he raised the Kaibortos to the rank of pure Hindús, allowed their Gurus or priests to assume the name of Brahmins. It must be observed, that many of the impure tribes of Hindús have Gurus of their own, totally independent of the Brahmins, and the Vyasoktos continue to be the Gurus and Purohits of that tribe alone, and have no sort of connection with the other Brahmins. I met with no person of any learning among them, which has prevented me from entering into a particular detail of their customs.

Except families which have evidently migrated lately into Bengal, there are none in that country who pretend to be Khyetriyos or Vaisyos, and the people may be divided into Brahmins and Sudros.

Between these, however, are in some measure suspended two tribes, the Daivoggnos, or astrologers, and the Bhat, or bards; but I procured no information concerning these, that is interesting. The Daivoggnos here have been nearly deprived of their profession by the Brahmins, and in the south entirely. There they (Daivoggnos) have become weavers, have refused obedience to the sacred order, and have adopted priests of their own. Whether this was in revenge for the encroachments of the Brahmins, or whether these were in consequence of the rebellion of the astrologers, I cannot take upon myself to say.

The highest of the Sudros are the Baidyos, or medical tribe, concerning whom I shall say nothing, as I met with no man of learning among them.

The Kayosthos or scribes follow next, and were once of more importance than they are now, as at one time they managed most of the revenue and commerce of the country; but the Brahmins of the five tribes having applied themselves more closely to business, chiefly since the English government, there can be no doubt, from their superior intelligence and education, that they will soon obtain the whole, as they have already a considerable part. The Kayosthos however are now enjoying the fruit of their former labours, and a great many of the landholders are of this tribe. The five Brahmins, who were introduced by Adisur, were accompanied by five Kayosthos, but all the Kayosthos of Bengal are not considered as sprung from them; and their descendants seem to have settled chiefly in the western districts, forming the two tribes called Uttor and Dokhyin Rarhi, while the Bonggoj and Sudro Kayosthos occupy the eastern districts towards Dhaka, and seem to be of a more ancient colony. Bollalsen arranged their ranks, and subdivided them variously. Those of Dokhyin Rarhi, who seem to have been introduced into Dinajpúr by one of them, who was ancestor of the Raja’s family, were divided by Bollalsen into Kulin and Mollik; but both can intermarry. On the whole, this caste has been frittered into endless subdivisions, concerning which there are several treatises, but to follow them would be tedious aud perhaps useless. Those of Dinajpúr chiefly follow the Pandit Gurus and the Tontros as their guides in religion, the Rajas however were of Vishnú’s part.

Next to the Kayosthos are nine tribes (Novosakh) of tradesmen, who although greatly inferior to the scribes, are still considered as pure Sudros; for a Brahmin may drink their water without loss of caste, and a Brahmin who condescends on certain occasions to give them instruction is not altogether disgraced. In this country they are mostly followers of the Goswamis. The trades are,

1. Gondhobonik, druggists.

2. Songkhobonik or Sangkhari, workers in shell.

3. Kongsobonik or Kongsari, copper-smiths.

4. Baruyi, cultivators of betle-leaf.

5. Tontrovay, or Tangti, weavers,

6. Malakar, makers of garlands.

7. Kormokar, or Kamar, blacksmiths,

8. Kumbhokar, or Kumar, potters.

9. Napit, barbers.

The extreme variance, that is found in the arrangement of castes in different parts of India, appears to me a pretty convincing proof, that they did not proceed from any original general law; but were adapted to the prejudices of the various Indian nations respecting the ranks of different trades, when these nations were induced to receive the doctrine of caste from the Brahmins. In Bengal, for instance, the copper-smiths and blacksmiths are considered as distinct castes; whereas, in the south of India they are united, and conjoined with the carpenters, masons, and goldsmiths, who in Bengal are placed among the impure tribes, as the whole are in the south; probably because there they persisted in having Gurus of their own.

Nearly in the same rank with the nine most distinguished trades, and within the limits of pure Sudros, (Sot Sudro,) Bollalsen, according to tradition, has placed the following castes which are found in Dinajpúr,

1. Teli, retailers of grain, salt, &c.

2. Tamoli, of the same profession.

3. Moyra, preparers of sweetmeats.

4. Ahiri Gop, or Goyala, keepers of buffalos.

5. Pollob Gop, or Goyala, keepers of kine.

6. Kaiborto, cultivators.

This list of the professions, which were admitted into the limits of pure Sudros, by Bollalsen, seems to me curious; as it probably shows the degree of importance which each possessed in his time: and it is probably owing to the same circumstance, that the Kaibortos obtained a preference over the other tribes of cultivators in Bengal, all of which are reckoned impure. This I think will be confirmed, when it is considered, that the fishermen among the Kaibortos, who in Dinajpúr are called Jhalos, have been left among the impure tribes, as being of little importance; while the Vyasoktos, or priesthood common and peculiar to both Jhalos and Kaibortos, have been elevated to the title of Brahmin. Before the introduction of proper castes, the various tribes of India were probably like the ancient states of Greece and Italy; a Roman could only marry with a Roman, or an Athenian with an Athenian; for the same circumstance takes place among the rude tribes of India, although these have no proper distinction of castes. This circumstance no doubt greatly facilitated the introduction of proper caste, each tribe took its place among the pure or impure Sudros, according to its importance, and continued as before to confine its marriages within itself. I am persuaded, that the impure tribes, are not as commonly supposed the offspring of the four pure castes contaminated by illegitimate connection. The Baidyos, for instance, who are alledged to be descended of a Brahmin, by a Vaisyo woman, are placed at the very head of the pure tribes of Bengal. The same origin is assigned to the Daivoggnos, who hold a still higher station; but of this more hereafter.

The pure Sudros are distinguished from those below them by having pure Brahmins for their Gurus and Purohits; and by their abstaining from all food that is forbidden to Brahmins, from intoxicating drugs, from concubines, and from marrying widows. The Kulin Kayosthos are allowed to keep two wives, and can sell their daughters to the lower rank at a great price. The other pure Sudros can marry only one wife, unless the first proves barren. Whenever a man, whose birth is esteemed remarkably pure, gives his daughter to a lower person, he receives a Page:A Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Description of the District, or Zila, of Dinajpur.djvu/113 Page:A Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Description of the District, or Zila, of Dinajpur.djvu/114 Page:A Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Description of the District, or Zila, of Dinajpur.djvu/115