The Koshta are a Hindu caste found in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India. They are also known as Kesri, which is also used as a surname.[1]
They claim descent from Kush, the son of the Hindu God Ram. Actually koshta is Kush+Tha which reflects Kushvanshi Thakur. In Uttar Pradesh, the community is distributed in Jhansi, Jalaun, Hamirpur, Kanpur, Etawah, Allahabad and Varanasi. They are divided into several exogamous clans, the main ones being the Likharia, Kesri, Kesaria, Mathe, Bangar, Pateta, Lakheta, Dhaketa, Bakaria, Rahakwar, Narya, Gorwa, Bhurra, Nimje and Nimja. Their traditional occupation was the weaving of fine silk for God or Kings. But many Koshta have given up their traditional occupation, and are now mainly traders. They are of Kshatriya origin.[2]
In Bihar, the Koshta are also known as Meher. The name Koshta is said to be derived from the word koya, which means a silk cocoon, from which their ancestors used to extract the yarn and weave cloth. They are found mainly in south Bihar and the Gumla District of Jharkhand. The Koshta are divided into totemistic clans known as killis. They are strictly endogamous, and practice clan exogamy. Their traditional and primary occupation is weaving. Many Koshta of Jharkhand are now cultivators. The Koshta speak Sadri, a dialect of Hindi spoken in Jharkhand.[3]