Ramoshi
The Ramoshi (alternately Berad) is an Indian community found largely in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka, and are historically associated with great empires, important historical conflicts and agriculture. They are also described as the Bedar.
History
The Ramoshi were called ramoossy during the era of the British Raj. The title also denotes the leader of a group or head of a territory.
The Ramoshi in Maharashtra were earlier known as Boya, Bedar and Vedan.[1]
The community were once infantry fighting battles for the Maratha kings and leading the troops. They were then classified as a criminal tribe under the Criminal Tribes Acts of the Raj.[2]
Culture
They recognise the Hindu varna system and belong to the kshatriya class. They are Hindu and belong to the Lingayat sect while some are Vaishanavas.[3]
References
- Dr. K. Jamanadas. "Criminal Tribes of India". Ambedkar.org. Retrieved 10 December 2015.
- Bates, Crispin (1995). "Race, Caste and Tribe in Central India: the early origins of Indian anthropometry". In Robb, Peter (ed.). The Concept of Race in South Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press. p. 227. ISBN 978-0-19-563767-0. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
- People of India: Maharashtra, Volume 3, Kumar Suresh Singh, B. V. Bhanu, Anthropological Survey of India 2004, ISBN 9788179911020
Further reading
- Precolonial India in Practice, Cynthia Talbot, Oxford University Press, 2001, ISBN 978-0195136616