Kathi (caste)
Encyclopedia
The Kathi are a Hindu
caste
found in the state of Gujarat in India
. Kathi is also a big gotra of Yaduvanshi Ahirs of Haryana
. Also inter-marriage between the Ahir and the Kathi is an old phenomenon.Kathi tribe is named as Catti or Cat'hi and has been named as 36 royal races
by James Tod
.
region. They are said to be descended from the Sura, an ancient race of sun worshipers found in western India. According to their traditions, they are descended from Kush, the son of the Hindu
God Ram
. Colonial British historians consider the Kathi to be a Scythian tribe that settled in the Kathiawar
region in the second century B.C.
and Kutch divisions of Gujarat.
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 Gujarat 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...
. Kathi is also a big gotra of Yaduvanshi Ahirs of Haryana
Haryana
Haryana is a state in India. Historically, it has been a part of the Kuru region in North India. The name Haryana is found mentioned in the 12th century AD by the apabhramsha writer Vibudh Shridhar . It is bordered by Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to the north, and by Rajasthan to the west and south...
. Also inter-marriage between the Ahir and the Kathi is an old phenomenon.Kathi tribe is named as Catti or Cat'hi and has been named as 36 royal races
36 royal races
The 36 royal races is a listing of Indian social groups purported to be the ruling clans of several states and Janapads spread over northern Indian subcontinent...
by James Tod
James Tod
Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod was an English officer of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar.Tod was born in London and educated in Scotland, later joining the East India Company as a military officer. He travelled to India in 1799 as a cadet in the Bengal Army where he rose...
.
History and origin
The Kathi are said to have given their name to the KathiawarKathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
region. They are said to be descended from the Sura, an ancient race of sun worshipers found in western India. According to their traditions, they are descended from Kush, the son of the 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...
God Ram
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
. Colonial British historians consider the Kathi to be a Scythian tribe that settled in the Kathiawar
Kathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
region in the second century B.C.
Present circumstances
The Kathi have two divisions, the Sankhyavat and Auratia. These divisions are hierarchical in nature, with the former considered royalty. There are three clans found among the Sankhyavat, namely the Vala, Kachar and Khuman. These clans are further divided into smaller lineages called attaks. Strict exogamy is maintained between the Auratia and Sankhyavat. The community is split between the farming Kathis and the Maldhari cattle owners. They are found in both KathiawarKathiawar
Kathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
and Kutch divisions of Gujarat.
People
A person from Kathiawar is called a "Kathiawadi". For more information on the Kathis (Rajputs of Gujarat), read Colonel James Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan,[3] especially the chapter on the 36 Royal Races of India. Kathis migrated from the Rajastan to Kutchh and then to Saurashtra and made treaty with the Wala rajputs of Suarastra and stated materimonial relations with the local rajputs, most probabaly Walas, thus to days kathi community is the mix of kathis from the Rajastan and the local ancient rajputs of Saurashtra. SAVJI community which is staying in maharastra and Gujarat. katwe are khsatriyas of Gujarat. kathiawadi later known as katwa or katwe in maharastra. The Kathiawadi originate from KathiawarSee also
- Ahir clansAhir clansThe Ahir clans are the various subsets of the Ahir, a primarily Hindu class of herdsman in India.-Nandvanshi:A legendary story of the origin of the Nandvanshi Ahirs narrates that on his way to kill the rakshas, Krishna crossed the river Yamuna accompanied by the Gawlis; those that crossed the river...
- Karadiya RajputsKaradiya RajputsKaradiya Rajputs are a clan of Rajputs in India, mostly living in Gujarat with a high concentration in Saurashtra kodinar.A detailed description of the clan's culture and origin can be found in the book Karmi Karadia....
- KhantKhant (caste)The Khant are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India.-History:Khants numbered 13,423 , including 6,733 males and 6,690 females. They are found chiefly in Gir villages in Junagadh district in Kathiawar. The chief of the tribe claims descent from Bhati Rajputs. The leading families are...
- KathiawarKathiawarKathiawar or Kathiawad is a peninsula in western India, which is part of the Saurashtra region on the Arabian Sea coast of Gujarat state. It is bounded on the north by the great wetland of the Rann of Kutch, on the northwest by the Gulf of Kutch, on the west and south by the Arabian Sea, and on...
- SagarSagar (caste)The Sagar are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India.-History and origin:The Sagar claim to be of the Kshatriya varna, whose ancestors arrived in Kathiawar from Rajasthan. They are one of a number of quasi-Rajput groups such as the Kathi found in Saurashtra, and are concentrated in...
- Rajputs of GujaratRajputs of GujaratThe Rajputs form an important element in the Hindu population of the state of Gujarat in India. They are also known as the Darbars, especially in the Kathiawar and Kutch regions...