Bauris

The Bauris (Bengali: বাউড়ি) are people of aboriginal origin, belonging to a caste, low in the caste system in India, found in large numbers in Bankura, Birbhum and other districts in the western fringe of the Indian state of West Bengal. They are also found in many villages like Chhatna and Beliatore.

Bauris numbered 1,091,022 in the 2001 census and were 5.9 per cent of the scheduled caste population of West Bengal. 37.5 per cent of the Bauris were literate - 51.8 per cent males and 22.7 per cent females were literate. Only 4.7 per cent of the Bauris were matriculates or completed schooling.^[1]

The Bauris are usually involved in activities like farming , daily wage labour consisting of works like making bricks , as a labour in construction sites. The prime festival they celebrate is known as Mansa Puja. Still today they lack many facilities provided by the Government as those facilities couldn't reach them easily as they live in very remote villages. They mainly live in houses constructed of brick and mud , haystack, The State Government has also started an initiative to provide them houses made of bricks and cements and the Local Government has been quiet successful in this initiative. Also the Government is trying to provide construction of free toilets. Also Government has set up many Primary and Secondary schools so they can be encouraged to get the best education to improve themselves and the Government has also started the Mid-Day Meal Scheme for them.

Subcastes

Bauris are divided into the following subcastes: Mallabhumia, Sikharia or Gobaria, Panchakoti, Mola or Mulo, Dhalia or Dhulo, Malua, Jhatia or Jhetia, and Pathuria. Some of these subcastes appear to be territorial subdivisions. Mallabhumia, Malua and perhaps also Mola, were residents of Mallabhum, the central and eastern parts of Bankura district. Sikharia were Bauris who hailed from Shikharbhum, the tract between the Kasai and Barakar rivers. The Dhulia subcaste is supposed to be from Dhalbhum, which is the area in Khatra subdivision. Panchakoti refers to the central area of Panchet estate now in Purulia district.

Practices

Traces of totemism still survive in their reverence for the red-backed heron. The heron is looked upon as the emblem of the tribe.^{[2] [2]}

Prominent Bauris

Sandhya Bauri and her daughter, Susmita Bauri, have been members of parliament from Bishnupur (Lok Sabha constituency) Amar Kumar Bauri is a minister in jharkhand .^[3]

References