Bind (tribe)
Encyclopedia
The Bind are scheduled caste, found in North India
North 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...

. They are also known as Chatai Bin or Chai.

History and origin

They originate from the Vindhya hills in central 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...

. According to their traditions, the daughter of Nisadh, on the way to her husband's house, was passing by a river, when she was charmed by a river nymph. She was taught to make a reed mat by the nymph. The community has since been involved in the manufacture of reed mats, which are as chatai. The Bind are sub-divided into seven occupational groups. These sub-groups are the Suraia, Nisadh, Kulawat, Mallaah, Guria, Kewat and Bind proper. Each of these sub-groups have specialized occupations. The speciality of the Kewat
Kewat
The Kewat are a Hindu caste, found in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are the traditional boatmen of North India.-History and origin:...

, Nisadh and Kulawat is to catch fish. The Mallaah
Mallaah
The Mallah are the traditional boatmen caste and ethnic group of North India, East India and Pakistan. A small number of Mallah are also found in Nepal....

 and Guria are traditionally boatmen.
Bind community also claim that they belong to Siṃha community.
In Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

, according to their traditions, the Bind once belonged to the Noniya caste. The Noniya were forced to become grave diggers by the early Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 rulers, while the ancestors of the Bind fled to the forests, and evolved into a distinct community.In Uttar Pradesh they are known as Bind ,Nunera chamar and Beldar. They have two sub-divisions, the Noniya, Jethaut and the Kharaut. They are found in the districts of Samastipur
Samastipur
Samastipur is a city and a municipality in Samastipur district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is headquarters of the Samastipur district.It is situated on the banks of Burhi Gandak River.-Demographics:...

, Begusarai
Begusarai
Begusarai is a city and a municipal council in Begusarai district in the state of Bihar, India. Begusarai had traditionally been a communist stronghold and it was earlier also referred to as the Leningrad of Bihar.- Recent history :...

, Darbhanga
Darbhanga
Darbhangā is a twin city and a municipal corporation and the capital city of the Darbhanga district and Darbhanga Division in the state of Bihar, India. It is one of the most important districts of North Bihar situated in the very heart of Mithilanchal. According to the latest 2011 census, the...

 and Saran
Saran
Saran may refer to:In Places:* Saran, Kazakhstan, a city in Kazakhstan* Saransk, Russia* Saran, Loiret, a commune of the Loiret Department, France* Saran district, Bihar, India* Saran division, Bihar, India...

.

Present circumstances

The main occupation of the Bind has remained the manufacture of reed mats. They collect reed from the river banks. The community are entirely landless, but many are sharecroppers. The Kewat Bind are essentially fishermen, while other sub-groups are involved in the rasing of milch cattle.

The Bind have a traditional caste council, and like other occupational castes, maintains strict social control, over members. The Bind 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...

, and customs similar to other similar groupings such as the Kewat
Kewat
The Kewat are a Hindu caste, found in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in India. They are the traditional boatmen of North India.-History and origin:...

. They are concentrated in eastern 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...

, and speak Bhojpuri.

In Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....

, the Jethaut are mainly engaged in fishing, well sinking and basket making, the Noniya are salt manufacturers, while the Kharaut are mainly farmers. They speak the Maithili
Maithili language
Maithili language is spoken in the eastern region of India and South-eastern region of Nepal. The native speakers of Maithili reside in Bihar, Jharkhand,parts of West Bengal and South-east Nepal...

 dialect of 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...

.
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