Nagarchi caste is last name of many people in Indian subcontinent. Nagarchi caste definition is The Nagarchis appear to be a class of Gonds whose special business was to beat the nakkara or kettledrums at the gates of forts and palaces. In some Districts they now form a special community marrying among themselves and numbered about 6000 persons in 1911. The nagara or nakkara is known in Persia as well as in India. Here the drum is made of earthenware of a tapering shape covered at both ends with camel-hide for the zir or treble and with cowhide for the bam or bass. It is beaten at the broader end. In Persia the drums were played from the Nakkara-khana or gateway which still exists as an appanage of royalty in the chief cities of Iran. They were beaten to greet the rising and to usher out the setting sun. During the months of mourning Safar and Muharram they were silent.67 In India the nagara were a pair of large kettledrums bound with iron hoops and twice as large as those used in Europe. They were a mark of royalty and were carried on one of the state elephants the royal animal in the princes sowari or cavalcade immediately preceding him on the line of march. The right of displaying a banner and beating kettledrums was one of the highest marks of distinction which could be conferred on a Rajput noble. When the titular Maratha Raja had retired to Satara and any of the Maratha princes entered his territory all marks of royalty were laid aside by the latter and his nagara or great drum of empire ceased to be beaten. The stick with which the kettledrum was struck was called danka and the kings jurisdiction was metaphorically held to extend so far as his kettledrums were beaten. Angrezi raj ka danka bajta hai or Where the English drum is beaten means So far as the English empire extends. In Egypt the kettledrums were carried on camels.. Nagarchi 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. Nagarchi caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Nagarchi 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
Nagarchi 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.
Nagarchi caste is also known as Nagarchi 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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