Kuilta
Encyclopedia
Kuiltas are an important caste
of the Western Orissa region of India
. Kuilta is synonymous with Kulta and Kulata.
, Chhattishgarh, and Madhya Pradesh
.
Chandra was wandering in the forests of Sambalpur
region. Once, he met three brothers and asked them for water. Out of these brothers, one brought water in a clean brass pot and as such was called Sudh, meaning pure. The second brother made a dana (cup of leaves) and drew water from a well with a rope. Hence, he was known as Dumal
, from the word for a coil of rope. The third brother is said to have brought water in a hollow gourd. So, he was named Kuilta, which is derived from the word Kurita, which means gourd. This narrative suggests that the Kuiltas, Sudhs and Dumal
are connected Jāti
s (communities) in west Orissa.
According to another oral tradition, The Kuiltas migrated from Ayodhya to Boudh
. Their ancestors were employed in the royal household of Dasharatha. They accompanied Rama
Chandra, Lakshman and Sita
in their exile and settled in Boudh. Sarsara and Jagati of Boudh are considered to be the main centres of the Kuiltas.
The Raja of Boudh gave one family of Dumal and four families of Kuiltas to the Raja of Patnagarh
during the marriage of his daughter. In other words the Raja of Boudh provided a group of agriculturists to help alleviate the agricultural situation and brought food relief to Patnagarh
.
Some Kuiltas might have migrated from Patnagarh to Bargarh
Gaisama area during the last phase of the reign of Raja Ajit Singh of Sambalpur
(1725–1766); but some of them migrated much earlier, in the first half of the sixteenth century AD during the reign of Raja Balaram Dev who constructed a fort in Bargarh and made it for some time his headquarters. There is a Kuilta dominated village named Kamgaon situated 13 km north of Bargarh. This village is a very old one and is said to have been established by the Kuiltas, when they migrated to this part of Bargarh from Boudh in around the first part of the sixteenth century AD. It contains a temple of Ramachandi, which is held in great veneration by the Kuiltas. Their chief families, the Bhois and the Pradhans, are its priests.
One Kuilta gauntia (village headman) of Patnagarh fled away with his men and property, crossed the border, which was the Ong River
, and entered into the territory of Sambalpur. Thereafter, they marched further and reached Gaisama, situated 13 km southeast of Bargarh, and settled there. Bargarh was than an important seat of power and one of the eighteen garhas (forts) of Orissa. It was a flourishing centre of trade and commerce. It is known that Kuiltas were living in large numbers in the Bargarh area in the basins of the rivers, namely the Mahanadi
, the Jira, the Ong and the Tel
.
Later on, some Kuiltas migrated to Kalahandi district from Sambalpur, most probably from Bargarh area, about the year 1867 to participate in the agricultural development of Kalahandi. In this context, it would not be unwise to mention the significant contribution of Raja Udit Pratap Deo (1853-1881 AD) of Kalahandi made towards the improvement of agriculture in his state. He was married to Asha Kumari Devi, the only issue of Maharaja Narayan Singh, the last ruler of Sambalpur.
The Kuiltas have the reputation of being very good cultivators (chasi) in west Orissa. In the past, irrigation was done mostly by tanks called kata, munda, or bandh. The very existence of villages over a large portion of the area is dependent on the tanks which have been constructed near them. Accumulated agricultural acumen of Kuiltas over the years has had a significant contribution towards the agricultural development of the region where they have settled. Today, agriculture is the key sector of this region's economy and bulk of its population primarily depend on agriculture for occupation and livelihood.
and Saivism
from ancient times. Near the village Jagati at Gandharadi is situated the famous twin temples of Lord Nilamadhaba and Lord Siddheswara. The significance of the Gandharadi temples lies in the fact that they represent the harmonious co-existence of the two major religious faiths of West Orissa during that period. This type of twin temple constructed on a common platform are seen nowhere in the medieval period. Nilamadhaba temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu
whereas Siddheswara temple is dedicated to Lord Siva
. On the basis of the detailed analysis of structural and sculptural features, the temples have been dated to the later half of the eighth or first half of the ninth century AD (Senapati and Kuanr, 1983:379-80; Panda, 2004:22).
Thus, historically speaking, Kuiltas have been associated with a glorious religion-cultural tradition although their principal deity is Ramachandi. It was the period when Lord Vishnu elicited great reverence like Lord Siva in Jagati. The above analysis suggests that in Jagati a great civilization flourished since at least eighth century AD (Sahu and others, 1981:131; Senapati and Kuanr, 1983:33, 134, 379-80; Behera, 1991:310-11; Panda, 2004:22).
Pradhan
:
Sahu
:
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...
of the Western Orissa region of 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...
. Kuilta is synonymous with Kulta and Kulata.
History of Kuilta Caste
It is said that originally Kuiltas lived in the valley of Kullu, near the hill of Kuladri. Kuilta means the community of Kuladri or of the Kullu Valley. Their main occupation was agriculture. Later on they migrated to various regions of India, and today they are mainly located in the states of OrissaOrissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
, Chhattishgarh, and Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
.
Oral Tradition
It is said that during his exile, Lord RamaRama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
Chandra was wandering in the forests of Sambalpur
Sambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
region. Once, he met three brothers and asked them for water. Out of these brothers, one brought water in a clean brass pot and as such was called Sudh, meaning pure. The second brother made a dana (cup of leaves) and drew water from a well with a rope. Hence, he was known as Dumal
Dumal
Dumal caste is one of the dominant caste in Western Orissa. It spreads from Boudh to Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Debgarh district....
, from the word for a coil of rope. The third brother is said to have brought water in a hollow gourd. So, he was named Kuilta, which is derived from the word Kurita, which means gourd. This narrative suggests that the Kuiltas, Sudhs and Dumal
Dumal
Dumal caste is one of the dominant caste in Western Orissa. It spreads from Boudh to Balangir, Sonepur, Bargarh, Sambalpur and Debgarh district....
are connected Jāti
Jati
Jāti is the term used to denote clans, tribes, communities and sub-communities in India. It is a term used across religions. In Indian society each jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function or tribe, although religious beliefs Jāti (in Devanagari: जाति Tamil:சாதி) (the...
s (communities) in west Orissa.
According to another oral tradition, The Kuiltas migrated from Ayodhya to Boudh
Boudh
Boudh is a town and a notified area committee in Boudh district in the state of Orissa, India. It is the district headquarters of Boudh district...
. Their ancestors were employed in the royal household of Dasharatha. They accompanied Rama
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...
Chandra, Lakshman and Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
in their exile and settled in Boudh. Sarsara and Jagati of Boudh are considered to be the main centres of the Kuiltas.
Establishment in Orissa
The area of Boudh is regarded as the ancestral home of the Kuiltas. From there they migrated and settled in different parts of Orissa. The writings of Cobden Ramsay about the Kuiltas substantiate this contention. He writes that the Kultas worship the goddess Ramachandi, whose principal shrine is situated at Sarsara.The Raja of Boudh gave one family of Dumal and four families of Kuiltas to the Raja of Patnagarh
Patnagarh
Patnagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Bolangir district in the Indian state of Orissa. Its original name is Patnāgarh and verbally as Patnāgad. The official language is Oriya , but the mother toungue is Sambalpuri....
during the marriage of his daughter. In other words the Raja of Boudh provided a group of agriculturists to help alleviate the agricultural situation and brought food relief to Patnagarh
Patnagarh
Patnagarh is a town and a notified area committee in Bolangir district in the Indian state of Orissa. Its original name is Patnāgarh and verbally as Patnāgad. The official language is Oriya , but the mother toungue is Sambalpuri....
.
Some Kuiltas might have migrated from Patnagarh to Bargarh
Bargarh
Bargarh, is a town and a municipality in Bargarh district in the state of Orissa, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Bargarh District.- Geography :...
Gaisama area during the last phase of the reign of Raja Ajit Singh of Sambalpur
Sambalpur
Sambalpur is a city in Sambalpur district in the Indian state of Orissa.It lies at a distance of 321 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar. In the year 1876, Sambalpur was established as a municipality. It is currently the headquarters and the largest city of Sambalpur district. It is also...
(1725–1766); but some of them migrated much earlier, in the first half of the sixteenth century AD during the reign of Raja Balaram Dev who constructed a fort in Bargarh and made it for some time his headquarters. There is a Kuilta dominated village named Kamgaon situated 13 km north of Bargarh. This village is a very old one and is said to have been established by the Kuiltas, when they migrated to this part of Bargarh from Boudh in around the first part of the sixteenth century AD. It contains a temple of Ramachandi, which is held in great veneration by the Kuiltas. Their chief families, the Bhois and the Pradhans, are its priests.
One Kuilta gauntia (village headman) of Patnagarh fled away with his men and property, crossed the border, which was the Ong River
Ong River
Ong River is a tributary of Mahanadi river. It flows across Orissa and joins Mahanadi at Sambalpur 11 km upstream of Sonepur where Tel merges. The river rises at an elevation of 457 m and runs 204 km before it meets Mahanadi. It drains area of about 5,128 km2.- References :...
, and entered into the territory of Sambalpur. Thereafter, they marched further and reached Gaisama, situated 13 km southeast of Bargarh, and settled there. Bargarh was than an important seat of power and one of the eighteen garhas (forts) of Orissa. It was a flourishing centre of trade and commerce. It is known that Kuiltas were living in large numbers in the Bargarh area in the basins of the rivers, namely the Mahanadi
Mahanadi River
The Mahanadi in East Central India. It drains an area of around 141,600 km2 and has a total course of 858 km. The river flows through the states of Chhattisgarh and Orissa.-Source:...
, the Jira, the Ong and the Tel
Tel river
The Tel river flows in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Balangir, Sonpur District of Orissa, India. Tel is an important tributary of Mahanadi. It flows just eight kilometers away from the town of Titilagarh. This significant tributary of the Mahanadi river meets the main river at Sonpur or Subarnapur....
.
Kuiltas in Bargarh
As told in oral history, a year-long effort and struggle of the Kuiltas brought dramatic changes. They excavated some thirteen tanks round about their new settlement. The digging of tanks was meant for conservation of water for multiple purposes; but the Kuiltas utilized these tanks mainly for agricultural purposes during scanty rainfall and thereby cultivated the fertile lands successfully. In that area water is a far more important factor than soil to farmers. Artificial irrigation is absolutely necessary and is a matter of vital importance when the amount of rainfall is insufficient. The then British Political Agent, Cobden Ramsay, wrote that the Kulitas were excellent cultivators, very industrious and very skillful in irrigation.Later on, some Kuiltas migrated to Kalahandi district from Sambalpur, most probably from Bargarh area, about the year 1867 to participate in the agricultural development of Kalahandi. In this context, it would not be unwise to mention the significant contribution of Raja Udit Pratap Deo (1853-1881 AD) of Kalahandi made towards the improvement of agriculture in his state. He was married to Asha Kumari Devi, the only issue of Maharaja Narayan Singh, the last ruler of Sambalpur.
The Kuiltas have the reputation of being very good cultivators (chasi) in west Orissa. In the past, irrigation was done mostly by tanks called kata, munda, or bandh. The very existence of villages over a large portion of the area is dependent on the tanks which have been constructed near them. Accumulated agricultural acumen of Kuiltas over the years has had a significant contribution towards the agricultural development of the region where they have settled. Today, agriculture is the key sector of this region's economy and bulk of its population primarily depend on agriculture for occupation and livelihood.
Religious traditions
Jagati and Sarsara have been a seat of VaishnavismVaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
and Saivism
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
from ancient times. Near the village Jagati at Gandharadi is situated the famous twin temples of Lord Nilamadhaba and Lord Siddheswara. The significance of the Gandharadi temples lies in the fact that they represent the harmonious co-existence of the two major religious faiths of West Orissa during that period. This type of twin temple constructed on a common platform are seen nowhere in the medieval period. Nilamadhaba temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
whereas Siddheswara temple is dedicated to Lord Siva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
. On the basis of the detailed analysis of structural and sculptural features, the temples have been dated to the later half of the eighth or first half of the ninth century AD (Senapati and Kuanr, 1983:379-80; Panda, 2004:22).
Thus, historically speaking, Kuiltas have been associated with a glorious religion-cultural tradition although their principal deity is Ramachandi. It was the period when Lord Vishnu elicited great reverence like Lord Siva in Jagati. The above analysis suggests that in Jagati a great civilization flourished since at least eighth century AD (Sahu and others, 1981:131; Senapati and Kuanr, 1983:33, 134, 379-80; Behera, 1991:310-11; Panda, 2004:22).
Surnames of Kuilta Caste
There are 120 surnames in Kuilta Caste.- Badhei {Bad Paria}, Badhei {Deshi},
- Barik {Ganbahalia}, Barik {Gavnia}, Barik {Thukria}
- Behera {Budha}, Behera {Gandharatia}, Behera {Ghusha}, Behera {Sudha}
- Bhoi {Bad}, Bhoi {Jayetkara}, Bhoi {Mad Kurkria}
- Bishal {Dahi}, Bishal {Goras}, Bishal {Gupta Payen Ana}, Bishal {Mahi}
- Bishi {Bishipalia}, Bishi {Satria}
- Budhia
- Dehury {Bag}
- Gadtia {Barpalia}, Gadtia {Bijepuria}, Gadtia {Guchar Singhia}
- Gupta {Gandhardia}
- Khamari {Jadu}, Khamari {Santria}, Khamari {Turia}
- Kuilta {Bileigadia}, Kuilta {Debendra}, Kuilta {Kahalia}, Kuilta {Khura}, Kuilta {Raigadia }
- Majhi {Bad}, Majhi {Mutha Maria}
- Matha
- Naik {Bana}, Naik {Dhanuka}, Naik {Kamria}, Naik {Kundakhia}, Naik {Mud Katia}, Naik {Sambhari}, Naik {Sani}
- Negi
Pradhan
Pradhan
Pradhan is a high, generally ministerial, title of Sanskrit origin in cultures of Hindu tradition, mainly in and around the Indian subcontinent. Pradhan literally means "Prime"...
:
- Padhan (a){Turesinghia} (b){Panidia} (c) Padhan {Agalpuria} Padhan {Amudia} Padhan {Banjitalia} Padhan {Baragurlia}
- Padhan {Barangpalia} Padhan {Baudia} Padhan {Bilasinghia} Padhan {Bilasinghia} Padhan {Chaklia} Padhan {Dhangadia}
- Padhan {Dhangudia} Padhan {Gajarat} Padhan {Gandhardia} Padhan {Gudesingha} Padhan {Janakpuria} Padhan {Jatesinghia}
- Padhan {Jatikara (Gajaraj)} Padhan {Jhupursinghia} Padhan {Kalamatia} Padhan {Katarbagia} Padhan {Khukhulia}
- Padhan {Kirtania} Padhan {Kumelsinghia} Padhan {Landia} Padhan {Matesaria} Padhan {Raghunathpuria} Padhan {Rampuria}
- Padhan {Ratanpuria} Padhan {Remendia} Padhan {Samasinghia} Padhan {Santria} Padhan {Sarsaria} Padhan {Sarsaria (san)}
- Padhan {Tankdia} Padhan {Tapranga} Padhan {Tato Singh} Padhan {Thunthunia} Padhan {Thutrasia}
- Patra {Deshi} Patra {Latasinghia} Patra {Raghunathpalia}
- Raut {Duan} Raut {Kshetria}
Sahu
Sahu
Sahu is an Indian and Pakistani surname belonging to the Vaishya varna or Jat varna respectively .They derive their name Sahu, or sometimes pronounced Sao and Sah, from their ancestral family business of bankers and money lending: from the Hindi word SAHUKAR, meaning, in a sense, persons dealing...
:
- Sahu {Agalpuria} Sahu {Ayodhya} Sahu {Banjitalia} Sahu {Barlasinghia} Sahu {Bhitiria} Sahu {Budhia}
- Sahu {Chakapanjia} Sahu {Duan} Sahu {Ghurlipalia} Sahu {Gulmalia} Sahu {Hemgiria} Sahu {Jatikara}
- Sahu {Kadobahlia} Sahu {Kamgia} Sahu {Kumria} Sahu {Lapangia} Sahu {MithilaMithilaMithila was a city in Ancient India, the capital of the Videha Kingdom. The name Mithila is also commonly used to refer to the Videha Kingdom itself, as well as to the modern-day territories that fall within the ancient boundaries of Videha...
} Sahu {Param keria} - Sahu {Patnia} Sahu {Pipingia} Sahu {Sadabartia} Sahu {Santria} Sahu {Sree Puria} Sahu {Takria}
- Sahu {Tamia} Sahu {Taparkalia} Sahu {Tarijania} Sahu {Tasa} Sahu {Turia}
- Samal {Banji} Samal {Lain} Samal {Sanji/Swain}
- Raneswar {Ramachandi} /Baba
External links
- Official Website of Sambalpur
- kuilta blogs
- Official Website of bargarh
- Official Website of bolangir
- Kulita Maha Sabha Community in Orkut
- http://kultasamaj.org/
- http://kultamahasabha.vze.com/
- http://kulita.110mb.com