Nai (caste)

Nai, also known as Sain/Sen, is a generic term for occupational castes of barbers. The name is said to be derived from the Sanskrit word nāpita (नापित). [1] In modern times Nai in northern India refer to themselves as "Sain" instead of Nai.

Nai/Sen
Nai (barber) doing his work (c. 1870s)
Regions with significant populations
Primary populations in:
Religion

The Nai caste was listed as an Other Backward Classes in various regions of India. These include Andhra Pradesh,[2] Assam,[3] Bihar,[4] Chandigarh,[5] Chhattisgarh,[6] Dadra and Nagar Haveli,[7] Daman and Diu,[8] Delhi NCR,[9] Goa,[10] Gujarat,[11] Haryana,[12] Himachal Pradesh,[13] Goa,[10] Jharkhand,[14] Karnataka,[15] Madhya Pradesh,[16] Maharashtra,[17] Odisha,[18] Puducherry,[19] Punjab,[20] Rajasthan,[21] Tripura,[22] Uttaranchal,[23] Uttar Pradesh,[24] West Bengal.[25]

History

The traditional occupation of Nais is barbering. The barber also has duties in connection with marriages and other festive occasions. They act as the Brahmin’s assistant, and perform marriages for the lower castes, who cannot employ a Brahmin.[26]

Origin

Puranic view

According to a legend prevalent among Nai they are descended from Nabhi, who in puranic literature is king of the Ikshvaku dynasty.[27]

Other views

They are refereed as Ampitta in Puranas. 'Ampitta' is derived from the Sanskrit word "Ambashtha", which means Physician.[28] In Tamil region some members of the barber caste practiced medicine and used to be called Ambathan.[29]

Impact of the Ideas of Sain

The process of the Nais adopting the ideas and teachings of Bhagat Sain can be conceptualized as Sainization, depicted through deifying Sain by setting up the institution of Sainacharya. Sain, who was the contemporaries of Kabir, the Bhakti poet who challenged the hegemonic values and hierarchy of the caste system, has become the most revered symbol of pride and identity formation of the Nais. In order to assert their cultural autonomy in 1992 Akhil Bharatiya Sain Bhaktipith Trust was set up on the occasion of the Ujjain mahakumbh mela headed in Pushkar. Achlanandji Maharaj was made the first Sainacharya.[30]

Notable people

References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17745/IN

  1. Rangachari, Edgar Thurston (1855-1935) K. "Castes and Tribes of Southern India: Volume VII—T to Z". www.gutenberg.org. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  2. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  3. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  4. Central List of OBCs for the State of Bihar (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 2. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  5. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  6. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  9. Central List of OBCs for the State of Delhi (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 3. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  10. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  11. Central List of OBCs for the State of Gujarat (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 5. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  12. Central List of OBCs for the State of Haryana (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 2. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  13. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  14. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  15. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  16. Central List of OBCs for the State of Madhya Pradesh (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 5. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  17. Central List of OBCs for the State of Maharashtra (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 4. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  18. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  19. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  20. Central List of OBCs for the State of Punjab (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 2. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  21. Central List of OBCs for the State of Rajasthan (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 2. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  22. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  23. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  24. Central List of OBCs for the State of Uttar Pradesh (PDF). National Commission for Backward Classes. p. 3. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  25. "National Commission for Backward Classes" (PDF). Ncbc.nic.in. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  26. Ghurye, G. S. (30 October 2017). Bharat Mein Jaati Evam Prajaati (in Arabic). SAGE Publishing India. ISBN 978-93-5280-444-3.
  27. Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass.
  28. Mani, Vettam (1975). Puranic encyclopaedia : a comprehensive dictionary with special reference to the epic and Puranic literature. Robarts - University of Toronto. Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass.
  29. Leslie, Charles M. (1998). Asian Medical Systems: A Comparative Study. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. p. 38. ISBN 978-81-208-1537-7.
  30. Singh, Jagpal (7 October 2020). Caste, State and Society: Degrees of Democracy in North India. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-19606-1.
  31. Selections from the Sacred Writings of the Sikhs. Orient Blackswan. 2000. ISBN 978-81-250-1790-5.
  32. Grewal, J.S. (2011), "The Sikh Faith and the Khalsa Panth: Chhibber's Bansāvalīnāma", History, Literature, and Identity, Delhi: Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198070740.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-807074-0, retrieved 5 November 2021
  33. "एक आम आदमी, जो बना भोजपुरी का शेक्सपियर!". Amar Ujala (in Hindi). Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  34. Singh, Aastha (24 January 2019). "Karpoori Thakur, the other Bihar CM who banned alcohol". ThePrint. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.