Kurmi Caste, Gotra, and Marriage Traditions

Kurmi (Kunbi) is a non-elite farming Hindu farming caste living in areas such as India and Nepal. They have a long history in India. It is believed that the Kurmis were descendants of ancient Kshatriya warriors who practiced agriculture. Others think that they may have been descendants of the old Kuninda kingdom of Himachal Pradesh. According to statistics, in 2001 the Kurmi population was 25-30%, which was only in India. In Nepal, Kurmi Madheshi are a subgroup within the broader social group of other castes. Along with this, there were approximately 221,129 Kurmi people in Nepal in 2011.

If you are looking for a bride or groom within the Kurmi caste who can understand you, then Kurmi Matrimony can help you. As you can see, the society is very big and wide, hence there will be many singles also.

Meaning of the word kurmi

The word "Kurmi" actually means "I can" or "I am capable". They are therefore considered to be the descendants of some of the fastest growing Aryan immigrants to India.

There are different theories regarding the origin of the word Kurmi. It can be taken from any Indian tribal language. It may be a Sanskrit compound word for agricultural worker, "farmer". Kurmi is a Sanskrit word which actually means capable, master, powerful, great etc. Another theory is that it is derived from Krishmi, meaning "ploughman".

Key facts about history

• At that time the Aryans were in the Indus Valley. They established trade with a wide area of Iran and Mesopotamia.
• The people of Indus Valley started knowing them as "Hindu". In this way the Aryans became Hindus.
• Their mention is found in ancient India since the Vedic period. They actually flourished as a community during the medieval period in places like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
• At that time, they were known as farmers and landowners. When the British came, they gave intermediate status to the Kurmis because they owned land.
• Nowadays, Kurmis are placed in the Other Backward Class category in most parts of India. They are engaged in agriculture and business, especially in rural North India.

Kurmi Gotra

There are several sub-groups within the Kurmi caste called gotras. Some common Kurmi gotras include Chandel, Chauhan, Solanki, Tomar, Baghel and Sengar. For Kurmis, Gotra is important while marrying. Kurmi cannot marry within the same gotra as this has been their tradition for centuries.

Marriage Rituals

In Kurmi culture, marriage is done on the basis of astrology after the relationship is finalized and then an auspicious day is chosen for the marriage. In this caste, marriage rituals last for several days. In which after haldi and mehndi, the couple revolves around the sacred fire and garlands each other. After the marriage, the bride goes to the home of the Kurmi groom's family.

People of Kurmi caste celebrate all major Hindu festivals like Holi, Diwali and Navratri etc. enthusiastically. Besides, these people also celebrate some festivals specific to their agricultural traditions, which include Sohrai, Bandana and harvest festivals.

lifestyle

The Kurmi diet consists of staple vegetables, pulses and grains grown in their fields.

Men were engaged in agricultural work like ploughing, sowing, harvesting etc. and women also took care of household chores, livestock rearing and agricultural work.

Overall, the Kurmi caste has a long history and culture. Which you now know. If you want to give any suggestion related to this then you can join through the comment section.