Bahrupia Caste Definition

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Bahrupia caste is last name of many people in Indian subcontinent. Bahrupia caste definition is A small class of mendicant actors and quick-change artists. They are recruited from all classes of the population and though a distinct caste of Bahrupias appears to exist people of various castes also call themselves Bahrupia when they take to this occupation. In Berar the Mahar Mang and Maratha divisions of the Bahrupias are the most common:7 the former two begging only from the castes from which they take their name. In Gujarat they appear to be principally Muhammadans. Sir D. Ibbetson says of them:8 The name is derived from the Sanskrit bahu many and rupa form and denotes an actor a mimic or one who assumes many forms or characters. One of their favourite devices is to ask for money and when it is refused to ask that it may be given if the Bahrupia succeeds in deceiving the person who refused it. Some days later the Bahrupia will again visit the house in the disguise of a pedlar a milkman or what not sell his goods without being detected throw off his disguise and claim the stipulated reward. In Gujarat they are ventriloquists and actors with a special skill of dressing one side of their face like a man and the other side like a woman and moving their head about so sharply that they seem to be two persons.9 Mr. Kitts states that the men are by profession story-tellers and mimics imitating the voices of men and the notes of animals; their male children are also trained to dance. In payment for their entertainment they are frequently content with cast-off clothes which will of course be of use to them in assuming other characters.10 Occasionally also they dress up in European clothes and can successfully assume the character of a Eurasian.. Bahrupia caste is one of the many castes subcastes of India.

India has thousands of castes and subcastes, they are in existence and practice since the Vedic times. They were created to solve the problem of division of labor. Bahrupia caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Bahrupia caste do or did in earlier times. Many last names in India indicate the place the person originally belongs to. All castes sub castes are primarily divided into 4 categories:
1.Brahmins – The learned or priestly class
2.Khastriyas – The warrior class or those with governing functions
3.Vaishyas – The trader, agriculturalists or cattle rearers class
4.Shudra – The class that serves other three categories

Bahrupia caste belongs to one of the above 4 categories. Indian caste system is the best system to solve the problem of division of labor. In earlier times there was no rigidity in caste system. Indian caste system is still the best solution for the problem of division of labor, the only change that is needed as per changed times is that rather than having a vertical hierarchical system with Brahmins on top and Shudras at bottom, it would be good to have a horizontal socialist system with Brahmins, Khastriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras all at same level.

The caste system of India is in ruins at present. It is also cause of bloody quarrels in certain parts of the rural India. People of backward castes have reservations in government jobs, this facility is widely misused in India. Many of the backward caste people have become rich and still use the facility for their benefit. Many in India believe reservation in jobs should be given on the basis of poverty rather than caste because there are many poors in upper castes as well.

Many foreginers and followers of Abrahmic religions criticize the Indian caste system because of bad material condition of lower castes but if they observe in an unbiased way they would find that there are many in upper castes with bad material conditions. The problem lies in power not in castes, power can corrupt anyone be it from upper caste or lower caste.

Secondly I have seen Abrahmic religions especially Muslims and Christians claiming that they have no caste system – It is an utter lie. All cultures, all countries, all religions have caste system in one form or the other. Christians have different churches depending on the region or language or skin color of people. Muslims have a priestly class that tries to control everything. Arab Muslims before the oil boom were so much divided among tribes that if you drank water from a well of a different tribe you could be shot dead. Tribal divisions still exists among Muslims. You can also see the caste system in a different form in your corporate companies. I had seen different food and drinking facilities for people at different levels.

Bahrupia caste is also known as Bahrupia Gotra.

Caste situation is quiet different in urban India, people in urban areas especially youngsters don’t bother about castes. Inter caste, inter religious, inter lingual marriages are quiet common in urban India. Inter caste, inter religious and inter lingual marriages in rural areas attract severe criticism and many times people are expelled from community for not marrying as per religious and caste rules.

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