Katri: Deccan
Katri
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Katri, Chhatri (Sansk,. Kshatriya) — a very widely diffused caste of the Panjab and Gujarath, supposed to have come into these domi- nions nearly four hundred years ago. The Khatris claim to be descended from Kshatriyas, of early Indian tradition, and, in support of this claim, they allege that they assume the sacred thread and com- mence the study of the Vedas at the age of eight years, as is enjoined in the sacred books. They are a very fine, fair, handsome race with delicate Aryan features. " Trade is their main occupation," says Sir George Campbell, whose remarks on the caste are worth quoting, " but in fact they have broader and more distinguishing features. Besides monopolising- the trade of the Panjab and the greater, part of Afghanistan and doing a good deal beyond those limits, they are, in the Panjab, the chief civil administrators and have almost all literate work in their hands. So far as the Sikhs have a priesthood, they are, moreover, the priests or gurus of the Sikhs. Both Nanak and Govind were Khatris. Thus, then, they are in fact, in the Panjab, so far as a more energetic race will permit them, all that Maratha Brahmans are in the Maratha country, besides engrossing the trade, which the Maratha Brahmans do not. They are not usually mili- tary in their character, but are quite capable of using the sword when necessary. Divan Sawan Mai, Governor of Multan, and his successor, Mulraj, and very many of Ranjit Singh's chief functionaries, were Khatris. Even under Muhammadan rulers they have risen to high administrative posts. It is said that a Katri was Dewan of Badak Shah or Kunduz, as was the Peshkar Chandu Lai of Hyderabad. Under the Afghans a Khatri was governor of Peshawar, and the Emperor Akbar's famous Minister, Todar Mai, was a Khatri. Altogether there can be no doubt that the Khatris are one of the most acute, energetic and remarkable races in India. The Khatris are staunch J^inclus, and it is somewhat singular that, while giving a religion and priests to the Sikhs, they themselves are comparatively seldom Sikhs."
Internal Structure
Three divisions of the Khatris are to be distinguished in these dominions, viz : — Brahma Khatri, Kapur Khatri, and Khatri, or Patkar Sale, who, though bearing a common caste name, differ so entirely from one another in their domestic and social customs as to deserve separate treatment.
Brahma Khatri. — The members of this caste say that they came from Gujarath, but little is known regarding their immigration. A legend, cunent among them, traces their descent from one Raja Ratnasen of the Solar race who, to escape the wrath of Parasram, sought the protection of Dadhicha Rishi. The Raja was killed while hunting in a forest and left four male children, whom the Rishi brought up as his own sons. Parasram, when once visiting the Ashram of the sage, noticed the children and thinking them to be of Kshatriya origin, called upon Dadhicha to give them up to him, but the latter refused to do so, saying that they were Brahmans. There- upon Parasram remarked that if they were really Brahmans, as Dadhicha said, he should eat with them from the same dish. Dadhicha readily partook with them of some food placed on a plantain leaf ; Parasram was satisfied and did not molest the children. The princes were called Brahma Khatris, a name which has since been transmitted to their descendants.
The sections of the Brahma Khatris are of the ordinary Brah- manical type. A man may not marry a girl belonging to his own section, nor may he marry within the usual prohibited degrees reckoned to the seventh generation in the descending line. Girls are married as infants at ages varying from five to twelve. The marriage ceremony is the standard Brahmanical type, the gift of the bride to the bride- groom and his acceptance of her being deemed the essential and binding portion. Polygamy is permitted, without any definite limit as to the number of wives a man may have. Widows are not allowed to many again nor is divorce recognised. In matters of religious and ceremonial observances the Brahma Khatris exhibit little divergence from the standard of orthodox Hinduism. They employ Saraswat Brahmans as priests, who are received on terms of equality by other members of the sacred order. In point of social standing, they rank next to Brahmans. The members of the caste eat fish and the flesh of the goat, sheep and deer, and drink spirituous and fermented liquors. Some of the members abstain from flesh and wine and are, on that account, raised in the estimation of the caste. Most of the Brahma Khatris are engaged in trade. Some of them have distin- guished themselves as high officials and as members of learned professions.
Kapm Khatri. — The members of this caste trace their origin to the Panjab and the bulk of them are said to have emigrated from that country in the time of Asaf Jah, the first Nizam of Hyderabad. They conform, on the whole, to the traditional usages of the Panjab branch of the caste. They look upon the Panjab as their original home and the Panjabi customs are the standards by which their social and domestic affairs are regulated. Their exogamous sections are of the eponymous type, the eponym being mostly a Vedic Saint. The Kapur Khatris marry their daughters as infants between the ages of five and twelve, condemn the re-marriage of widows and do not recognise divorce. Polygamy is permitted without any restriction as to the number of wives a man may have. The marriage ceremony is of the type in use among Northern India Brahmans. In matters of religion and ceremonial observances they are at all points orthodox Hindus. Most of them belong to the Vaishnava sect. Kanaujia Brahmans officiate Qs their priests. The members of the caste also pay reverence to Baba Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. They burn their dead and perform Sradha in the orthodox fashion. The social position of the caste is a high one and all Gour Brahmans will accept water from their hands. Trade is believed to be the original occupation of the caste.
Khatri. — Khatri, Patkar Sale, the silk weaving caste, found distributed all over the Dominions. Their traditions say that they came into these dominions from Mandugad in Malwa nearly four hundred years ago and first settled at Gulbarga, whence they spread all over the country. The Khatris have the same legend of origin as the Bhavsars, relating how they were descended from the posthumous son of a Kshatrlya woman who, to save her child from Parasram, fled to the goddess Ingala for protection. The goddess brought up the child, trained him in the art of silk weaving and changed his caste name from Kshatiiya into Khatri. The sections of the Khatris are of the Brahmanical type and marriage between persons belonging to the same gotra, is forbidden. A man may marry two sisters, but two brothers cannot marry two sisters. The Khatris practise infant marriage, and allow polygamy without setting any limit to the number of wives a man may have. Widows may marry again and enjoy full freedom of choice in selecting a second husband. Divorce is recognised and divorced wives may marry again by the same rite as widows. The marriage ceremony is of the orthodox type, Kan^adan, or the gift of the bride and the bridegroom's acceptance of the gift, being deemed the binding portion of the ceremony. Their patron deity is the goddess Devi, who is worshipped with great circumstance with offerings of goats. In other respects, the religion of the Khatris exhibits little divergence from that of middle class local Hindus. They engage Brahmans for religious and ceremonial purposes and invest their boys with the sacred thread at the age of nine. The dead are either burnt or buried, according to the means of the family of the deceased. Sradha is performed on the 10th day, and subse- quently on each anniversary of the death.
Socially, the Khatris rank higher than Kapus and Maratha Kunbis, but lower than Brahmans. The members of the caste eat the flesh of sheep, goats, and deer and indulge freely in strong drink. Their sole occupation is weaving. They weave silk cloth and silk borders.
