Baishya Saha or Saha, though not considered
Vaishya in the caste structure of Bengal, is a
Bengali Hindu trading caste traditionally known to have the occupation of grocers, shopkeepers, dealers moneylenders, and farming.
Origin
The
Upapuranas played a significant role in creating the caste origin and hierarchy in Bengal. The name Saha (or Sadhu) is not found in 13th-century works like
Brihaddharma Purana
The Brihaddharma Purana ( sa, बृहद्धर्म पुराण, ) is a Hindu religious text, which classified itself (I.25.26) as the last of the 18 Upapuranas. The extant text comprises three ''khaņḑa''s (parts): ''pūrvakhaņḑa'' ...
.
According to historians, Sahas were originally wine sellers
Shunri
Shunris are a Bengali Hindu caste whose traditional occupation is the distillation and selling of country wine.
History
In the census of 2001, the Shunris numbered 317,543 in West Bengal, consisting of 1.7% of the total Scheduled caste popul ...
. In a later period they tried to break away from their parent caste.
History
Before the seventh or the eighth centuries A.D. when historical evidence indicates that the society was based largely on trade and commerce, the merchant classes had a notably high position in society. The low rank experienced by the Subarnabanik (gold merchants),
Shunri
Shunris are a Bengali Hindu caste whose traditional occupation is the distillation and selling of country wine.
History
In the census of 2001, the Shunris numbered 317,543 in West Bengal, consisting of 1.7% of the total Scheduled caste popul ...
(winemakers), Teli (oil producers), and in later times also by the
Gandhabanik (the dealers in spices), possibly indicates that the primary economic activities of the Bengali society shifted from trade and capital producing devices to cottage industries and agriculture. The caste ranks of the merchant classes became more and more lowered and reached a decidedly low stage at the beginning of the Sena and Varman periods. Saha as a distinct sub-caste did not flourish in Bengal before the mid-nineteenth century.
Saha is a merchant caste like
Suvarna Banik
Suvarna Banik, popularly called Bene, is a mercantile group from Bengal dealing in gold and silver. During the late eighteenth century, merchants of Suvarnabanik caste became prominent in trade including salt and opium trading. Despite their dep ...
, which has a low ceremonial rank, but a high secular rank. As of 1921, Suvarnabaniks and Sahas had a good literacy rate which was in the order mentioned.
Sahas were included in the list of 177 "backward classes" for the state of
West Bengal by
Mandal Commission
The ''Mandal Commission'' or the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBC), was established in India in 1979 by the Janata Party government under Prime Minister Morarji Desai with a mandate to "identify the socially or educa ...
, but the state government hasn't yet recognised Saha as such, and they still belong to
General category.
Varna Status
Traditionally the Bengal society is divided into two varna,
Brahmin and
Shudra. Sahas who belonged to the Shudra community started to claim
Vaishya status in the 1931 censuses report, but the evidence of history, literature, and scriptures suggest nothing in favour of their claim.
See also
Saha (surname)
Saha/Shaha ( bn, সাহা) is a Bengali Hindu surname mostly residing in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura, as well as in Bangladesh.
In the Pala domain a number of inscriptions from the Pala period mentioning communitie ...
References
Bengali Hindu castes
Social groups of West Bengal
Other Backward Classes
Indian castes
Ethnic groups in India
{{India-ethno-stub