Mahishya, also spelled Mahisya, is a Bengali Hindu agrarian caste. The Mahishyas are Forward caste.
The Mahishya today are regarded as dominant middle-caste group in Bengal.[1][2][3] They are traditionally found in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Odisha. Mahishyas are one of the predominant castes in West Bengal, especially in the southern districts of Howrah, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur, Hooghly and South 24 Parganas.
Mythology
According to ancient texts like Manusmriti, the term Mahishya refers to one born to a Kshatriya father and a Vaishya mother, supposed to be engaged in the profession of astronomy or agriculture.[4][5]
History
The group now known as Mahishyas were originally considered Kaibarttas. In the latter half of the 19th century, many upwardly mobile Kaibarttas, the caste generally being associated with the lowly occupation of fishing, asserted themselves as Chasi Kaibartta and later, as Mahishyas; transforming themselves into a dominant agrarian caste in Bengal.
Although many are still involved in traditional work in rural areas, within a generation Mahishyas gave up agriculture in large numbers in favour of engineering and skilled labour in the urbanised areas of Howrah and Kolkata. In Howrah, the Mahishyas are the most numerous and successful businesspeople. At the turn of the 20th century, much of the land and factories were owned by Kayasthas; but by 1967, the Mahisya community owned 67 percent of the engineering businesses in the district.[6]
Social stigma
Although the financial, social, and political success of Mahishyas is notable, they have often been stigmatised due to their agrarian roots. Mahishyas have not been averse to manual labour (often considered demeaning by higher castes);[6] for example, Birendranath Sasmal was refused the post of Chief Executive of the Calcutta Municipal Corporation by Chittaranjan Das on the grounds that his appointment would offend the Kayasthas of the city.[7] The job ultimately went to Subhas Chandra Bose.
Notable Mahishyas
Spirituality
- Rani Rashmoni, founder of Dakshineswar Kali Temple
Freedom Fighters
- Birendranath Sasmal, freedom fighter, barrister and politician
- Hemchandra Kanungo, one of the first revolutionaries to go abroad, co-creator of India's first unofficial flag
- Basanta Kumar Biswas, freedom fighter, attempted assassination of Lord Hardinge
- Matangini Hazra, martyr during the Quit India Movement
- Satish Chandra Samanta, freedom fighter, established a parallel government in Tamluk during the British Raj
- Sushil Kumar Dhara, freedom fighter, established a parallel government in Tamluk during the British Raj
- Bishnucharan Biswas and Digambar Biswas, protagonists of the Indigo revolt during British Raj
Industrialists
- Alamohan Das, pioneering industrialist and founder of India Machinery Co., namesake of Dasnagar
Sportspersons
- Sailen Manna, Indian footballer and only Asian to be to be named among the 10 best Captains in the world by the English FA
- Ashok Dinda, Indian cricketer
Academics
- Anil Kumar Gain, mathematician and statistician
- Mani Lal Bhaumik, physicist and a bestselling author
Politicians
- Ujjal Biswas, present Minister for correctional administration in the Government of West Bengal
- Abha Maiti, former minister of state for industry of Government of India from 1977 to 1979.
- Anil Biswas, former secretary of the West Bengal State (CPI(M)) and member of the party's Polit Bureau
See also
References
- ↑ Partha Chatterjee: The Present History of West Bengal: Essays in Political Criticism. Oxford University Press, 1997, ISBN 978-0-19-563945-2, S. 73 (google.com).
- ↑ Ralph W Nicholas: Fruits of Worship: Practical Religion in Bengal. Orient Longman Ltd, 2003, ISBN 978-81-8028-006-1, S. 53 (google.com).
- ↑ A Saga of the Hindus of Eastern Bengal" by Tathagata Roy. (blogspot.com).
- ↑ Shyam. S. Agarwalla: Religion and Caste Politics. Rawat Publications, 1998, S. 133 (google.com).
- ↑ Sangeet Kumar: Changing Role of the Caste System: A Critique. Rawat Publications, Jaipur, India 2005, ISBN 81-7033-881-6, S. 48 (google.com).
- ↑ a b Lessinger, Johanna M.: The New Vaishyas. In: Economic Development and Cultural Change. 30. Jahrgang, Nr. 4, 1982, S. 920–924, doi:10.1086/452603.
- ↑ Sachindra Maity: Freedom Movement in Midnapore. Firma, K.L., Calcutta 1975.