History of Orissa from the Earliest Times to the British Period v1.c9.9

v1.c9.9

In Northern Orissa a multitude of sub-castes follow the Rājanyas, and it is extremely difficult to locate them in any order of sequence; for example, in the Balasore district there were 2,10,000 Khaṇḍāits, forming about 20 per cent. of the population of this district. They are generally taken to be the descendants of the feudal militia of the Hindu Rājās of Orissa. But beyond this nothing is known of this caste and no attempt has ever been made to connect them with any of the three lower Varṇas of the original Indo-Aryan castes. The Khaṇḍāits form a very large percentage of the population of other districts of Orissa also. There are 3,75,000 Khaṇḍāits in Cuttack but very few in the Puri district. The distinction between the Khaṇḍāits and the cultivator class or Chasās (locally pronounced Tasā) is really very little. Both the Khaṇḍāit and the Tasā are at present cultivators. To the south of the Chilka Lake these castes disappear and their place is taken by others who are practically unknown in Northern Orissa. Among other castes of Northern Orissa must be mentioned the Gauṛas or milkmen and Goḷas or cultivators. The Gauṛas are to be found in the districts of Balasore, Cuttack, Puri and Ganjam. The writer caste, Bhoi or Karan, is very insignificant from the point of view of numbers, but they are to be found in the Bengal district of Midnapur also. The remaining castes of Cuttack are the Kāndrās and the Pāns who are also to be found in Balasore and Ganjam districts. The Pāns are an aboriginal race who at one time ruled over some part of Orissa. They are, at present, regarded as untouchables.