Basor
Encyclopedia
The Basor are a Hindu
caste
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
in India
. They are also known as Dumar, and have scheduled caste status.
community, who were traditionally involved in the manufacture of bamboo furniture. Their name means a worker in bamboo. The Basor are found mainly in the districts of Jalaun
, Hamirpur
, Jhansi
and Banda
. They speak Bundelkhandi, although most can also understand Hindi
.
n Hindu
s. Their clans are called gotra
s, the main ones being the Bahmangot, Dhuneb, Katahriya, Sikarwar, Samangot, Sonach and Supa. Marriages do not occur with the Muslim Bansphor
community. The Basor live in multi-caste villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste
council, known as a panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a pradhan, a position which is heredity. In addition, there is an overarching panchayat of between three and four villages, which headed by a chaudhary. The panchayat resolves any intra-community dispute, as well as acting an instrument of social control. They are Hindu
s and have Lakshmi
and Durga
as their tribal deities.
The Basor are marginal farmers and sharecroppers. Their traditional occupation was basket making and animal husbandry. Like other artisan castes, they have seen in their traditional occupation, with a concurrent rise in the number of daily wage labourers.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
found in the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They are also known as Dumar, and have scheduled caste status.
Origin
The Basor are a sub-division within the DomDom
- People :* Dom people, an ethnic group in the Middle East* Doms, people of indigenous origin found in the Indian state of West Bengal* Domba or Dom, an ethnic group of India...
community, who were traditionally involved in the manufacture of bamboo furniture. Their name means a worker in bamboo. The Basor are found mainly in the districts of Jalaun
Jalaun District
Jalaun District is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India.The district is named after town of Jalaun, which was the former headquarters of a Maratha governor, but the administrative headquarters of the district is at Orai. Other large towns in the district are Kalpi, Konch, and...
, Hamirpur
Hamirpur District, Uttar Pradesh
Hamirpur district is one of the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh state of India and Hamirpur town is the district headquarters. Hamirpur district is a part of Chitrakoot Division. The district occupies an area of 4,121.9 km². The district has a population of 1,042,374...
, Jhansi
Jhansi District
Jhansi District is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. The town of Jhansi is the district headquarters.The district is bordered on the north by Jalaun District, to the east by Hamirpur and Mahoba districts, to the south by Tikamgarh District of Madhya Pradesh state, to...
and Banda
Banda District
Banda district is a district of Uttar Pradesh state of India, and Banda is the district headquarters. It is a part of Chitrakoot Division.Banda is famous for its Shajar stone, used for making jewellery, and the historically and architecturally significant sites Khajuraho and Kalinjar. Khajuraho is...
. They speak Bundelkhandi, although most can also understand Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
.
Present circumstances
The Basor practice strict community endogamy, as well as clan exogamy, which a common practice among most North IndiaNorth India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
n Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s. Their clans are called gotra
Gotra
In the Hindu society, the term Gotra broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor. Panini defines gotra for grammatical purposes as apatyam pautraprabhrti gotram , which means "the word gotra denotes the progeny beginning with the son's son"...
s, the main ones being the Bahmangot, Dhuneb, Katahriya, Sikarwar, Samangot, Sonach and Supa. Marriages do not occur with the Muslim Bansphor
Muslim Bansphor
The Muslim Bansphor are a Muslim community found in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. They are Muslim converts from the Hindu Bansphor caste.-Origin:...
community. The Basor live in multi-caste villages, but occupy their own distinct quarters. Each of their settlement contains an informal caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
council, known as a panchayat. The panchayat is headed by a pradhan, a position which is heredity. In addition, there is an overarching panchayat of between three and four villages, which headed by a chaudhary. The panchayat resolves any intra-community dispute, as well as acting an instrument of social control. They are Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
s and have Lakshmi
Lakshmi
Lakshmi or Lakumi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity , light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. Representations of Lakshmi are also found in Jain monuments...
and Durga
Durga
For the 1985 Hindi Film of Rajesh Khanna see DurgaaIn Hinduism, Durga ; ; meaning "the inaccessible" or "the invincible"; , durga) or Maa Durga "one who can redeem in situations of utmost distress" is a form of Devi, the supremely radiant goddess, depicted as having eighteen arms, riding a lion...
as their tribal deities.
The Basor are marginal farmers and sharecroppers. Their traditional occupation was basket making and animal husbandry. Like other artisan castes, they have seen in their traditional occupation, with a concurrent rise in the number of daily wage labourers.