Baidya (Bengali: বৈদ্য) [1][2] is a Bengali Hindu upper class caste originally a Brahmin[3] caste found largely in Bengal[4][5]
Since in Bengali people, there is absence of Kshatriya or warrior clans, the Kayastha and Baidya are considered at par and fall in second category after Brahmins.[4] These three castes held major landholding and control over education and major professions[5][6] The Sen belong to this group, who hold surnames like Sengupta, Dasgupta, Gupta, Sen-Sharma, etc[6]Even today in Bengali society there are only two varnas : Brahmin & Shudra.[3]But Baidya & Kayastha are considered at per with the Brahmin community. They as the hearsay goes , were segregated due to their occupational variation as Vaidhya ( Ayurveda practitioner ) and Kayastha ( who were largely in administrative posts & educational occupation ).
During historical times, Brahmin, Baidya and Kayastha together formed the next elite group apart from rulers, in the power structure and all the rulers of Bengal; Palas, Senas, Pathans and Mughals had to rely on their support.[3]Baidyas shared the knowledge of Sanskrit with Brahmins[3]
Baidya / Vaidya literally means a physician in Bengali[7]a profession from which the Baidya caste got their name.
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