| Rajput clan - Bais | |
| Vansh | Suryavanshi Nagavanshi |
| Descended from: | Rishi Gotra: Bharadwaj |
| Branches: | Divided into 360 sub-divisions. |
| Ruled in | Oudh, Mangi Pattan, Dekhan, Lucknow, Kashmir (All), Shalikot (Sialkot), Harsha's Empire, Tanda, Malwa, Nahrwala, Mahrat, Dakhin, Birar, Bengal, Kasmanda, Sitapur district, Orissa |
| Princely states: | Oudh Lucknow Shalikot (Sialkot) |
| Surnames: | Byce, Bhains, Bhaisade, Bais, Baniya, Basade, Baruliya, Badhelia, Beunse, Vense, Basade, Kataha, Rao, Khathabains, Tilokchandi |
| Bais | |
|---|---|
| Varna | Kshatriya |
| Religions | Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism |
| Languages | Sanskrit, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Awadhi and most Lahnda languages |
| Populated States | Punjab region, Kashmir and Oudh |
| Subdivisions | Hindustani, Punjabi, Kashmiri |
The Bais Rajput (also known as Bhains Rajput in certain regions), are an ancient Rajput clan consisting of the wealthy, warriors, entrepreneurs and Zamindar (land owners).
The Bais Rajput are one of the Chattis Rajkul - 36 Royal Rajput lineages. They were included as Byce Rajputs a name hardly used now[1][2] and also a clan of the 108 ancient Dhangar clans.[3][4][5][6]
The Bais Rajput held dominion over several empires and kingdoms of northern India and also owned much land. Writing in 1890, William Crooke comments that "The Bais pride themselves in being the most enterprising, the wealthiest, the best housed, and the best dressed people in Oudh."[7]
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"Bais Rajput" (Hindi बैंस राजपूत, Urdu راجپوت بھینس, pronounced [ˈbɛ̃ːs ˈraːdʒpuːt̪]) means "one who occupies the soil" [8] meaning owners of land. The clans name originates from Sanskrit and also is phonetically translated to English as Bhains. The pronunciation of the clan name: Bhains is mostly used widely to the west of northern South Asia while the Hindi pronunciation Bais is more commonly used in eastern and central areas.
The original ancient pronunciation was Bhaiñs or Baiñs with the nasally pronounced 'n'.[9] The name was subject to distortion via pronunciation and accent and so today, in the area of Oudh the pronunciation has found its was to be pronounced with out the nasally pronounced 'n'. Evidence for this can be seen in the ancient texts such as Dhangar texts and texts from the time of Harshavardhana which were written a long time before the Bais Rajputs gradually adopted the pronunciation of Bais.
The pronunciation and phonetic spelling Bais was coined around after the takeover of Oudh and is predominantly used in north western India and some parts of the Punjab in both India & Pakistan. It was accepted as the official pronunciation in Hindi and the official pronunciation and spelling in English by the British observers because it was how it was mainly pronounced in Baiswara where the observers discovered the Bais Rajputs.
| Pronounced & spelt (officially): | Languages: | |
|---|---|---|
| Bais Rajput | Hindi, Urdu, English | |
| Bhains Rajput | Sanskrit, Punjabi & Persian |
Also spelt:
The word Bhains is pronounced [bʱɛ̃ːs].
The Bais Rajputs are considered to be Suryavanshi. They are an ancient Hindu warrior caste. Their eponymous ancestor was Gautamiputra Satakarni also known as Shalivahana, the king of Shalikot presently known as Sialkot in Pakistan. Shalivahana is the mythic son of a snake who conquered the great Raja Vikramaditya of Ujjain in 55 AD and established his own area. The clan claims to have come from Manji Paithan in the Dekhan in 78 AD when Shalivahana was king.[8] This was the Saka era and Shalivahana was the leader of the Saka nomads who invaded Gujarat on two occasions before and shortly after the beginning of the Christian era.[8] It makes sense for Shesh-Vansh to be called Suryavanshi because they are descendants of Lakshman Ji, brother of Sri Rama, who is believed to be an avtar of Sheshnag.
The Bais Rajput come in the list of castes in the super caste known as the Dhangar Rajput, formed by wealthy Kshatriyas who moved to the regions of Punjab( now Himachal Pradesh and Haryana ) and Azad Kashmir and settled there.
The Bais Rajputs are now a numerous clan and have given their name to an extensive district Baiswada in the Doab, the land between the Ganges and Yamuna. They are found all over the Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
The Bais Rajput come under the list of the super Rajput caste: the 'Dhangar' meaning 'who is wealthy'. These Dhangar Rajput Kshatriyas, during times of hardship, migrated from origins in the Indian state of Maharashtra to hills and forests in The Hill States of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. Few Bais clans remain in modern day India's Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh as Hindu Bais rajputs.
Clans in Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of the religion are discriminated againgst for not being originally from the region.
Most in Hilly areas have taken up farming and are living a backward life. These things unsaid, majority of Central Indian, UP and Bihar Bais and Pakistan Bais Rajputs enjoy a high social place in the society.[3]
The Ain-i-Akbari describes them as being a "proud, refractory and domineering race ... living in the Basim Sircar and, with numerous armed forces, occupying the forts and controlling the surrounding districts."[10][11][12]
As listed in the list of Dhangar clans in India:[3][4][5][6]
Bhains:
Kul Devi : Maa Kaalika Mata (Kaalka Maa)
Lineage(Vansh): Suryavanshi
Kul Gotra: Bhains
Rishi Gotra: Bharadwaj
Surnames:
Bais are considered also to be Nagvanshi. Baiswara is group of 365 villages comprising mostly Bais clansmen. King of Thanesar Harshvardhan united the whole nation and chose his capital as Kannauj.
The Bais Rajput, over centuries, have gained a reputation in many positions such as: on the battle field, in wealth and in the modern day and age: in sports.
Since the beginning of the Rajput era to the days of the British Raj, the Bais Rajput fought extensively in many wars for their own cause and the cause of their allies. This can be seen clearly in historical evidence such as during the time of the Bais Rajput king Harsha and his empire for which many battles with the Gupta empire were fought and won, in the taking over of Oudh and certain parts of northern India from the Bhars, in the rise of the Mughals and the days of the Colonial India.
At the time of the Mughals the Bais Rajput were known as Bhale Sultan (Lords of the spear) in recognition of their warlike and brave nature.[13]
The reputation of the clan can be estimated by analysing historical references. According to tribal tradition in Sultanpur about half a millennia ago Rae Barar, the son of Amba Rae, brother of the then Raja of Morarmau, commanded a troop of cavalry entirely from the Bais Rajput clan, in the imperial service and was deputed to exterminate the troublesome Bhars, (whom the Bais Rajput had already defeated to gain Oudh), in the Isauli Pargana. Having accomplished his mission he returned to Delhi and presented himself at the head of his troop before the Emperor, who, struck with their manly bearing, exclaimed "Ao, Bhale Sultan!": "Come, spears of the Sultan!".[13][14][15] During the days of the British Raj the Bais Rajput became particularly famous for their skills in tank building for the use of their own armies. Their Rajas and aristorats were recorded building tanks around 1730 and again in 1780.[16]
In the 1800s a ban was imposed on all Bais Rajputs in participating in any warfare for any cause other than the cause of the Bais Rajputs themselves.
At the time of Tilokchand, the eponymous hero of the Bais Rajputs the Bais Rajput were at a peak or Arooj. They were brought to the limelight in many different ways, mainly in power. The Bais Rajput also played a major part in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 fighting on both sides.
The Bais Rajput (in some cases to this day) are a very wealthy tribe in terms of how they dressed, ate, their homes and the money and land to their name. This was due to them being Zamindar and also experienced entrepreneurs. The Bais Rajput had a strong hold of the economic situation of India throughout history. When times were hard they would turn to trade making them skilled merchants and extremely rich.
Not only did the Bais Rajput trade, but the economy of the northern half of modern day India and the west of modern day Pakistan played in the hands of the Bais Rajput. The Bais Rajputs also gained a reputation as money lenders.
Their wealth caused the Bais Rajput to become the "best dressed and housed people" in the areas where they lived.[16]
The Bais Rajput clan's identity is based on them being the ones who occupy the soil. They are very dominant zamindar in the areas that they reside. A zamindar is he who owns extreme masses of land, a classic estimate would be "as far as the eyes can see".
In these masses of lands many towns were erected but there still remained vast amounts of lands wasteful as they were not being used for any cause. The Bais Rajputs then decided in making money from these lands by agriculture. They hired many farmers to work the lands and produced profits adding to their already rich positions in wealth.[16]
The Bais Rajputs are known for well building.[16] They ordered the building of many wells that are being used still to the present day all over South Asia especially in areas of Oudh, Lucknow and the villages around Mangla Dam.
Sports is another sector in which some Bais Rajput have excelled, particularly in the sport of Field Hockey producing many Olympic champions in the sport, namely the hockey legend: Dhyan Chand.
Dhyan Chand was not the last of the sports personalities to début with Gold medals in the Olympics. The list carried on and most of them were the close relatives or family of Dhyan Chand, such as his brother Roop Singh Bais and many more.
Their tribal totem or symbol is the cobra. They perpetuate the tradition of a serpent origin, and assert that no snake has or even can destroy one of the clan; for the same reason no Bais Rajput will even kill a cobra. Bais Rajput females can never wear cotton of any colour but white and above their feet and ankles their ornaments must be made of gold.[7] The women wear one long cloth, which is fastened round their wastes around the middle, the lower folds covering the lower portions of the person, and the upper parts being thrown over the shoulder.[8][17][18]
Amongst the Bais Rajput neither man nor woman, rich or poor, will put a hand to cultivation or labour of any sort.[8][18][19] The Bais Rajputs divide their inheritance according to a system of primogeniture by which the three elder sons receive larger shares.[14][17]
The Bais Rajput live in groups of villages named Baiswara, where Bais Rajput have ever migrated they have also formed such coalition of villages, namely the move to The Hills States of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Baiswara are easily recognisable as most villages prize the name 'Bais' in the name of their village for example: Shere Bhainsi (Kashmir), Pind Bhainso (Pakistan) or Bais Godam (India).
The 'Bais' 'Rajput' clan never kill snakes, which they hold in great reverence. The Baise believe that no snake has destroyed, or ever can destroy, one of the clan. They seem to take no precautions against snake bite except hanging a vessel of water at the head of the sufferer, with a small tube at the bottom, from which the water is poured on his head for as long as he can bear it. So important is the snake to the Bais that the cobra forms part of the clan's flag.
| Give daughters to: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Take wives from: | Chauhan | Amethiya | ||
| Rathor | ||||
| Kachwaha | Bachgoti | |||
| Baghel | Chandel | |||
| Bhadauria | Dikhit | |||
| Tonwar | Raghuvanshi | |||
| Parihar | Gahlot | |||
| Sengar | Gautam | |||
| Bisen | ||||
| Dikhit | Kalhans | |||
| Gaharwar | Khichar | |||
| Raikwar | ||||
| Kanhpuriya | ||||
| Janwar | ||||
| Karchuliya | ||||
| Bisen |
In the present day the clan consists of two major religious groups, Hindus and Muslims. There are also Sikh and Buddhist Bais Rajput, although these form a minority within the clan.
Some Muslim Bais Rajput Thakurs experience problems in expressing their Thakur identity following the religion of Islam as it does not allow one to be self extravagant and flamboyant in acts. They form part of the larger Khanzada community in Awadh.[20]
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