Kayastha Caste: Origin, Sub-Castes And Marriage Rituals

The Hindu varna system recognizes the Kayastha caste as a major caste that exists throughout India. However, it is a heterogeneous caste, with a wide range of sub-castes and gotras. These people offer education from the very beginning, so they are considered a literate and educated community. These people are employed in jobs related to administration, writing, accounting, and governance because of their proficiency in education.

Because of this quality, Kayasthas have been called the brain and conscience of the Hindu society. It is also believed that the Kayastha traces its origin from Chitragupta who was entrusted with the task of recording the good and bad deeds of humanity.

Kayastha Caste: Origin, History, Sub-Castes And Marriage Rituals

Below are the details of each and everything:

History

Although it is difficult to tell the origin of the Kayastha caste, they are mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures. It is also believed that they may have originated in North India and gradually migrated to other parts of the country.

Under Mughal rule, Kayasthas played an important role as sub-divisional revenue collectors and administrators. Not only this, Kayasthas, while maintaining caste customs, carried forward their culture by contributing in the field of clerical and administrative civil service during the British rule.
After independence, Kayastha continued to advance their society by moving forward in education, law, governance and culture.

Sub-castes

Information about major sub-castes of this caste is given below.
1. Srivastava: Srivastava are the largest subcaste, concentrated mostly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
2. Saxena: Saxena are especially concentrated in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi and they are also found all over India.
3. Mathur: It is mainly found in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
4. Khatri: A large number of Khatri Kayasthas are found in Punjab and Haryana.
5. Karan: Karan's sub-caste predominantly exists in Rajasthan and Gujarat and actively participates in the race for progress.

Gotras

There are many different gotras of Kayasthas some of the most common gotras include:Sandilya,Kautilya,Garga and Kashyap. These people use these gotras in marriage ceremonies which helps in maintaining the purity of the caste.

Marriage Rituals

The marriage rituals of this caste vary depending on the region and sub-caste. But all Kayasthas follow some common rituals.

Their first ritual is Lagan during which the bride and groom garland each other. Kayastha people start the Haldi ceremony within a few days, and they bathe the bride and groom with turmeric paste.
After the Haldi ceremony, the family takes the bride and groom to the mandap and starts the wedding ceremony with Ganesh puja. After seven rounds, the Kayastha bride's father performs Kanyadaan and hands over the bride to the groom. In the end, the bride's new Kayastha family sends her away and she starts integrating into it.

We hope that you have learned everything about the Kayastha caste. If it is a matter of marriage then these people perform it with customs and traditions. But nowadays, due to a lack of discrimination, these people are also doing love or arranged marriages with the help of online portals in their own or other communities. Be it love marriage or arranged marriage, Kayastha matrimony service of matrimonialsindia is making an important contribution in it.

FAQ:

Is Kayastha a Brahmin caste?

Kayasthas are not Brahmins. They belong to a different caste within the Hindu caste system. Their traditional occupations were as scribes, administrators and accountants.

Is Kayastha general or OBC?

The general category classifies Kayasthas, not the Other Backward Classes. However, some states classify them as Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Can a Kayastha bride marry a Rajput?

Yes, Kayastha brides can marry Rajputs. Because there is no ban on inter-caste marriage between Kayasthas and Rajputs.

Is Kayastha a high or low caste?

In the Hindu caste system, people consider Kayasthas as an upper caste. Generally, people place them in the Vaishya varna, which is the second highest varna in the caste system.