The Kathi (Gujarati: કાઠી) are a Hindu caste found in the state of Gujarat in India.[1] Kathi is also a big gotra of Yaduvanshi Ahirs of Haryana.[2] Also inter-marriage between the Ahir and the Kathi is an old phenomenon.[3]Kathi tribe is named as Catti or Cat'hi [4] and has been named as 36 royal races by James Tod.[5]
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The Kathi are said to have given their name to the Kathiawar region. They are said to be descended from the Sura, an ancient race of sun worshipers found in western India. According to their traditions, they are descended from Kush, the son of the Hindu God Ram. Colonial British historians consider the Kathi to be a Scythian tribe that settled in the Kathiawar region in the second century B.C.[6]
The Kathi have two divisions, the Sankhyavat and Auratia. These divisions are hierarchical in nature, with the former considered royalty. There are three clans found among the Sankhyavat, namely the Vala, Kachar and Khuman. These clans are further divided into smaller lineages called attaks. Strict exogamy is maintained between the Auratia and Sankhyavat. The community is split between the farming Kathis and the Maldhari cattle owners. They are found in both Kathiawar and Kutch divisions of Gujarat.[7]
A person from Kathiawar is called a "Kathiawadi". For more information on the Kathis (Rajputs of Gujarat), read Colonel James Tod's Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan,[3] especially the chapter on the 36 Royal Races of India. Kathis migrated from the Rajastan to Kutchh and then to Saurashtra and made treaty with the Wala rajputs of Suarastra and stated materimonial relations with the local rajputs, most probabaly Walas, thus to days kathi community is the mix of kathis from the Rajastan and the local ancient rajputs of Saurashtra. SAVJI community which is staying in maharastra and Gujarat. katwe are khsatriyas of Gujarat. kathiawadi later known as katwa or katwe in maharastra. The Kathiawadi originate from Kathiawar