A History of the Mahrattas v1.c25.41

v1.c25.41

³ [i.e. Kāyasth, the writer-caste of Bengal, whose origin has been the subject of much controversy. They claim to be Kshatrīyas, but by reason of observing the ceremonies of the Sūdras were styled Vratya, or incomplete Kshatrīyas. They are probably a functional group, developed in response to the demand for an official and literary class; and this caste of writers and clerks may have included elements drawn