Surya-Vansi, Suraj-Bansi

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James Wise Notes on the Races, Castes and Trades of Eastern Bengal 1883 London Her Majesty's printer Harrison and Sons

SURAJ-BANSI, SURYA-VANSI

This honourable Rajput title has been assumed, within the last few years, by a hybrid race of Indo-Chinese origin, inhabiting the jungly tract of Bhowal bordering on the alluvial plains of Eastern Bengal. Their history is a most significant one, as it exhibits the compromising spirit and assimilative nature of Brahmanism, when brought in contact with races of lower civilisation. Ths Suraj-bansis were formerly regarded as akin to the Kochh-mandai, but the Brahmans, taking advantage of their credulity and ignorance, led them to believe that they were descendants of the Chhatri who, by throwing away their sacred thread, escaped from the death-dealing axe of Parasurama. Accordingly, in 1871, they proceeded in a body to the house of their Zamindar, Kali Narayana Rai, Rai Bahadur, a Srotriya Brahman, and requested him to reinvest them with the sacred cord. An offer of five hundred rupees was made, but declined. Disappointed at this unexpected rebuff they retired to consult, and, after grave deliberation, it was decided to offer two thousand rupees, when the scruples of the crafty Brahman being laid to rest, the sacred cord was with due solemnity presented, and ever since the Suraj-bansi have assumed the high rank of Chhatri, to the great disgust of Hindus generally.

The Kochh-mandai, who reside in the same jungle, assert that a few years ago the Suraj-bansi were known as Kochh-mandai, and that even at present "Bansi" is their ordinary appellation. The Suraj-bansi are peculiar to Bhowal, and are not met with beyond the limits of the Dacca district. They are certainly allied to the Kochh-mandai, but, by marrying with low Bengali tribes, have lost the characteristic Indo-Chinese physique and physiognomy, and inherited those of Bengali lowlanders. Their original language, too, has been forgotten, and the Bengali vernacular is universally spoken. The Suraj-bansi is generally a darker and taller, but less muscular man, than the Kochh-mandai. Certain of them still retain the peculiar Indo-Chinese cast of features, with oblique eyes, and scanty growth of hair; but the majority have the common Bengali countenance, with bushy moustaches and voluminous cues, for they already ape the Vaishnavas fashion of wearing the hair. Even now they call themselves worshippers of Vishnu, and have engaged the services of a Patit-Brahman as Purohit. They have invented three gotras, Kasyapa, Aliman , and Madhu Kuliya, and marriages into the same gotra are strictly forbidden. Furthermore, having assumed the sacred badge of the Chhatris, they imitate them in observing the Sraddha on the nineteenth day after death.