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Baidya

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For the occupation, see Vaidhya.

Baidya[1] or Vaidya[2] is a Hindu community of Bengal. The Baidyas have generally claimed Brahmin status[3][4] but some have been associated with the Ambashtha caste or sub-caste.[5] In Bengal, Baidya is regarded as the highest Hindu caste after Bengali Brahmin, followed by Kayastha.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]

History

Historian Bijay Chandra Mazumdar suggests that the Baidyas owe their origin to the Vellala Vaidyas, known for their military prowess in Southern India, who started functioning as priests some time earlier than the 10th century CE, and were called 'Vaidya' on account of their Vedic knowledge and studies. The Vellala Vaidyas also served as military leaders and high civil officers apart from being priests of the Dravidian kings.[13]

According to R.N. Chakraborty, the earliest reference of Vaidya as a distinct social group occurs in some South-Indian inscriptions. From these inscriptions it is evident that Vaidyas as a profession had high official status and had such high position in society that they were regarded as Brahmin. He also mentions that Vaidya as a caste in Bengal has no definite reference before twelfth century AD. According to him, the Vaidyas and Ambashthas are "regarded as mixed castes".[14] Charles M. Leslie mentions that in ancient India, Vaidya students had to undergo same ritual ceremonies as that of Brahmin students. Upanayana used to be performed at the beginning of the training. According to him, Vaidya was not a distinct caste at that time, and members might belong to any three higher varnas of the society, and at times may also admit members of the lowest of the four varnas i.e. the Shudras, who were taught without undergoing the initiation ceremony undergone by members of the three higher classes. After the ceremony meant for members of all three higher varnas, the student became 'trija' or 'thrice-born'. This 'trija' part is also mentioned by Warren T. Reich.[15][16] Nazrul Islam says that according to the pre-2nd century CE text Carak Samhita, the Vaidyas were given superior position to that of Brahmins. According to this text, "the Brahmin is twice born but the vaidya is thrice born. If a Brahmin learns the Vedas and attains knowledge of medicine and medication he can be treated as a vaidya".[17] But then, regarding this view of 'trija' from Carak Samhita, Hartmut Scharfe clearly mentions that "the notion does not appear to have gained general acceptance - it would have raised the physician above the twice-born brahmin in spite of his decried impurity, or made him at least equal since the brahmin and any worshipper undergoing the consecration (diksha) for the srauta-ritual experience a third birth, too (Manu II 169)."[18]

These migrants, probably Ambashthas as well as the other groups like Vellala Vaidyas, started moving from north and south to Bengal during the period of the Pala Empire. They mainly dealt with medicine and other fields of study. Some of them rose to power and endeavoured to revive Vedic Hinduism in predominantly Buddhist Bengal.

According to Anil Seal, "in social esteem they ranked next to Brahmins, while in education and wealth they were ahead of them". He also mentions that the Baidyas were not a compact uniform community as such, and had four distinct sub-castes including more than fifty gotras.[19] Again, according to Nripendra Kumar Dutt, Dhanvantari gotra was the original gotra of the Vaidya caste.[20]

According to Indologist Ronald Inden, Adisur and Vallal Sena of the Sena dynasty were considered as Vaidyas. Inden also mentions the Vaidyas as "one of the highest of the Shudra castes".[21] They possessed the "Atharvaveda "[22] and "Ayurveda".[21] According to Peter Gonsalves "Shudras were not allowed to learn Sanskrit or study the Vedas".[23] Vaidyas were considered as one of the highest among the Hindu castes in Bengal,[1] and there are instances where they were not considered as Shudras; for example, Calcutta Sanskrit College barred Shudras from admission, initially allowing only Brahmins and Baidyas to enroll until Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar introduced admission for Kayasthas.[24] Of note, traditionally, the Hindu community in Bengal was divided into only two varnas: Brahmins and Shudras.[25]

Professor Christopher S. Raj and Marie McAndrew mentions Vaidyas of Bengal and Bhumihars of Bihar and U.P as semi-brahmins. They also mentions that these castes like Brahmins have access to Scriptures, the sacred thread, and right to use 'Sharma' as caste surname. However these castes don't have right to conduct public divine services.[26]

Most Baidyas perform rituals like wearing the sacred thread. It is believed that Vallal Sen, the legendary Sena king, divided the Baidyas into two divisions, for one of which wearing of the thread was compulsory and for the other it was optional,[citation needed] while some consider that a section of the Baidyas themselves started wearing the sacred thread in the 18th century when they started movements in order to improve their ritual status.[27] Tej Ram Sharma, an Indian historian, says that

Originally the professions of Kayastha (scribe) and Vaidya (physician) were not restricted and could be followed by people of different varnas including the brahmanas. So there is every probability that a number of brahmana families were mixed up with members of other varnas in forming the present Kayastha and Vaidya communities of Bengal.[28]

Traditionally, the Brahmin, Baidya and Kayastha communities together formed the second tier in the social hierarchy of Bengal, being ranked below the rulers. In the era of the Palas, Senas, Pathans and Mughals, the ruler had to rely on their support. Baidyas shared the knowledge of Sanskrit with Brahmins.[29] These three castes held major landholding and control over education and major professions.[1][30][31]

The terms Baidya and Vaidya also literally mean a physician in the Bengali and Sanskrit languages.[32] In Sanskrit the term 'Vaidya' also denotes "a pandita or a learned person".[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Bandyopādhyāẏa, Śekhara (2004). Caste, Culture and Hegemony: Social Dominance in Colonial Bengal. SAGE. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-76199-849-5.
  2. ^ Dutt, Nripendra Kumar (1968). Origin and growth of caste in India, Volume 2. Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay. p. 69.
  3. ^ Masaeli, Mahmoud; Sneller, Rico (2018-10-11). India as a Model for Global Development. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-5275-1856-8.
  4. ^ Bose, Nirmal Kumar (1994). Structure of Hindu Society. Orient BlackSwan. p. 163. ISBN 978-8-12500-855-2.
  5. ^ Leslie, Charles M. (1976). Asian Medical Systems: A Comparative Study. University of California Press. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-52003-511-9.
  6. ^ Singh, Kumar Suresh; Pandit, T. N.; Sarkar, B. N. (1994). Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Affiliated East-West Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-81-85938-16-5.
  7. ^ Swami, Adiswarananda (2004). Sri Sarda Devi, The Holy mother. Paths Publishing. p. 108. ISBN 1-59473-070-9.
  8. ^ Chowdhury, Sunandan Roy (2017-08-28). Politics, Policy and Higher Education in India. Springer. p. 48. ISBN 978-981-10-5056-5.
  9. ^ Massey, Sujata (2013-08-20). The Sleeping Dictionary. Simon and Schuster. pp. XII. ISBN 978-1-4767-0316-9.
  10. ^ Manna, Samita (1994). Mahishadal, a Small Town. Institute of Social Research & Applied Anthropology. p. 69.
  11. ^ Revankar, Ratna G. (1971). The Indian Constitution--: A Case Study of Backward Classes. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-8386-7670-7.
  12. ^ Seal, Anil (1971-09-02). The Emergence of Indian Nationalism: Competition and Collaboration in the Later Nineteenth Century. CUP Archive. p. 41. ISBN 978-0-521-09652-2.
  13. ^ Mazumdar, Bijay Chandra (2000). The History of the Bengali Language. Asian Educational Services. p. 52. ISBN 978-81-206-1452-9.
  14. ^ Chakraborty, Rabindra Nath (1985). National Integration in Historical Perspective: A Cultural Regeneration in Eastern India. Mittal Publications. p. 124.
  15. ^ Leslie, Charles M. (1998). Asian Medical Systems: A Comparative Study. Motilal Banarsidass Publishe. p. 25. ISBN 978-81-208-1537-7.
  16. ^ Reich, Warren T. (1998). Bioethics: Sex, Genetics & Human Reproduction. Macmillan Library Reference USA. p. 492. ISBN 978-0-02-864919-1.
  17. ^ Islam, Md Nazrul (2017-04-04). Chinese and Indian Medicine Today: Branding Asia. Springer. p. 67. ISBN 978-981-10-3962-1.
  18. ^ Scharfe, Hartmut (2018). Education in Ancient India. BRILL. p. 263.
  19. ^ Seal, Anil (1971-09-02). The Emergence of Indian Nationalism: Competition and Collaboration in the Later Nineteenth Century. CUP Archive. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-0-521-09652-2.
  20. ^ Dutt, Nripendra Kumar (1965). Origin and Growth of Caste in India: Vol. II: Castes in Bengal. Firma K. L. Mukhopadhyay. p. 77.
  21. ^ a b Inden, Ronald B. (1976). Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal. University of California Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0-52002-569-1.
  22. ^ Dvaipāẏana (1965). Matibāī (in Bengali). Maṇḍala Buka Hāus. p. 47.
  23. ^ Gonsalves, Peter (2012-07-05). Khadi: Gandhi′s Mega Symbol of Subversion. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-81-321-1694-3.
  24. ^ Bayly, C. A. (10 November 2011). Recovering Liberties: Indian Thought in the Age of Liberalism and Empire. pp. 144–145. ISBN 9781139505185.
  25. ^ Leach, Edmund; Mukherjee, S. N. (1970). Elites in South Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 55.
  26. ^ Raj, Christopher S.; McAndrew, Marie (2009). Multiculturalism: Public Policy and Problem Areas in Canada and India. Manak Publications. p. 90. ISBN 978-81-7831-184-5.
  27. ^ Mukherjee, S. N. (1970). "Caste, Class and Politics in Calcutta, 1815-1838". In Leach, Edmund; Mukherjee, S. N. (eds.). Elites in South Asia. Cambridge University Press. p. 59.
  28. ^ Sharma, Tej Ram (1978). Personal and Geographical Names in the Gupta Empire. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 115.
  29. ^ Mukherjee, S. N. (1970). "Caste, Class and Politics in Calcutta, 1815-1838". In Leach, Edmund; Mukherjee, S. N. (eds.). Elites in South Asia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 55–56.
  30. ^ Nair, P. Thankappan (2004). South Indians in Kolkata: History of Kannadigas, Konkanis, Malayalees, Tamilians, Telugus, South Indian dishes, and Tippoo Sultan's heirs in Calcutta. Punthi Pustak. ISBN 978-8-18679-150-9.
  31. ^ Sarkar, Sumit (2005). Beyond Nationalist Frames: Relocating Postmodernism, Hindutva, History. Permanent Black. p. 49. ISBN 978-8-17824-086-2.
  32. ^ Naples, Nancy A.; Desai, Manisha, eds. (2002). Women's Activism and Globalization: Linking Local Struggles and Transnational Politics. Routledge. p. 102. ISBN 978-0-41593-144-1.
  33. ^ Chattopadhyaya, Annapurna (2006). The People and Culture of Bengal, a Study in Origins. Firma K.L.M. p. 886. ISBN 978-81-7102-144-4.
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