Thakur (Indian title)
Thakur is a feudal title used by various Indian communities.
Usage
The term Thakur refers to a man of indeterminate but mid level caste, usually referring to the landowning caste, often Jat,[1]Kshatriya Yadav[2] and Rajputs.[3] The title was used by rulers of the princely states (videshi origin) of Ambliara, Bakrol Limbdi Malia, Sayala, Bhavnagar, Lakhtar, Miyagam, Manadar, Siba, Dhrol, Rajkot, Virpur, Sathamba, Morbi, Varsoda, Vala, Gad Boriad, Gadhka, Gabat, Kankarwa, Rajpur, Gondal, Kotda Sangani, Shahpur, Deesa, Kotharia, Lodhika Senior, Lodhika Junior, Gavridad, Rajpara, Jaola, Dundlod, Ghanerao, Bissau, Tana, Gana, in addition to others.
- With regard to Thakore (Thakur), an accepted explanation is "All those who are not powerful enough to assume and use the title of a Rajah or who are the head of the distinct but inferior branch of family. To the head of a family, Thakore owe a feudal submission exemplified in the payment of tribute. In their possessions Thakors are as independent as Rajah (King), however, it is found that in North-Central India, Thakore has become synonymous to Kshatriya or Rajput.[4]
- Kamaria (Ahir),[5] Ghosi(Hindu Ahir),[6][7] Dauwa Ahir,[8] Kirar Thakur[5] and Lodhi[9] like Zamindar castes, are honoured with the title of Thakur.
- On Occasions, Professional Barber ( Nai) caste people are also addressed by the Thakur title in North India.[10][11]
- In Madhya Pradesh, the Gonds a Scheduled Tribe is also titled as Thakurs or Thakur Gonds.[12]
- Thakur families that belong to the Maratha Kshatriya caste exist in Maharashtra and Goa.[13]
Bengal
Main Article:Thakur (Bengali surname)
The surname was given out of respect for any earlier Kayastha or Brahmin family who used to hold a different Thakur title (surname) like Banerjee , Thakur (Bengali surname),[14][15][16][17][18] Bhattacharya etc. In English, it was Anglicized to "Tāgore". Thakur is also an Indian feudal and colonial title in Hindi.
- Rabindranath Thakur, anglicised to Rabindranath Tāgore, in English.
- Ramakrishna, a 19th-century mystic of Bengal, is also addressed as Thakur by his followers.
- The followers of Thakur Anukulchandra address him with the title of "Sri Sri Thakur".
Kashmir
A prominent Ahmadi Muslim Thakur family resides in Kotli, Kashmir.[13]
Other uses
- In Tripura, members of the royal family were known as "Thakurs".[19]
Related terms
- A "Thikana" is the state or estate of a Thakur.
- A "Thakurani" is the title for a Thakur's wife.
See also
References
- ↑ Susan Snow Wadley (2004). Raja Nal and the Goddess: The North Indian Epic Dhola in Performance Raja Nal and the Goddess. Indiana University Press,. p. 60. ISBN 9780253111272.
- ↑ Sir Roper Lethbridge (1893). The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire. Aakar Books,. p. 246. ISBN 9788187879541.
- ↑ "The Rajputs of Saurashtra". google.co.in.
- ↑ "The Rajputs of Saurashtra". google.co.in.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar (1978). "Ramchandra Keshav Mutatkar". Anthropology. Shubhada-Saraswat. p. 165. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ↑ The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India. Forgotten Books. pp. 33–. ISBN 978-1-4400-4893-7. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ↑ Edward Balfour (1871). Cyclopædia of India and of eastern and southern Asia, commercial, industrial and scientific: products of the mineral, vegetable and animal kingdoms, useful arts and manufactures. Scottish and Adelphi Presses. pp. 2–. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ↑ Sir Roper Lethbridge (1 Jan 2005). "The Golden Book of India: A Genealogical and Biographical Dictionary of the Ruling Princes, Chiefs, Nobles, and Other Personages, Titled Or Decorated of the Indian Empire". India. Aakar Books. p. 371. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ↑ Mishra, Jai Prakash (1982). The Bundela Rebellion. Sundeep.
- ↑ Ranabir Samaddar (11 Apr 2009). "State of Justice In India: Issues of Social Justice (Google eBook)". Social Science. SAGE Publications India. p. 44. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ↑ "Anthropology of Ancient Hindu Kingdoms: A Study in Civilizational Prespective". Hindus. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. 1 Jan 1997. p. 35. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
- ↑ Anima Sharma (2005). Tribe in Transition: A Study of Thakur Gonds (Google eBook). Mittal Publications. p. 369. ISBN 9788170999898.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Sherring (1872). Hindu Tribes and Castes as Reproduced in Benaras. 6A, Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049, India: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 978-81-206-2036-0.
- ↑ Tagore, Rathindranath (December 1978). On the edges of time (New ed.). Greenwood Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0313207600.
- ↑ Mukherjee, Mani Shankar (May 2010). "Timeless Genius". Pravasi Bharatiya: 89, 90.
- ↑ Banerjee, Hiranmay (1995). Tagores of Jorasanko. Gyan Publishing House.
- ↑ RoyChowdhury, Sumitra (1982). The Gurudev and the Mahatma. Subhada-Saraswata Publications. p. 29.
- ↑ Aruna Chakravarti, Sunil Gangopadhyaya. Those Days. pp. 97–98. ISBN 9780140268522.
- ↑ Sociological perspectives on globalisation By Ajaya Kumar Sahoo p.128
External links
- J.T.Platt's Dictionary of Urdu, Hindi
- The Royal Ark- site on the genealogies of the Royal and ruling houses of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas