Kaikadi people

The Kaikadi[1][2] are a community found in the Indian states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. their name derived from kai (meaning "hand") and kade (meaning "basket"), while the community derives its name from kai (a stand-in for a name) and kadi (a type of twig). Traditionally they were nomadic, mainly wandering in the Vidarbha region of the state, but most have now settled down. They speak Kaikadi, a Dravidian language closely related to Tamil with significant Indo-Aryan admixture.[3]They practice the puberty function like other Tamil communities.

For language of Kaikadi ethnic group, see Kaikadi language.

History

They face significant oppression and were once called a Criminal Tribe, and so were placed on the list of Denotified Tribes (DNTs) after independence.[4] Colonial scholars had a significant disdain for the community, with Robert Vane Russell calling them "disreputable" and with "bad morals." Russell claimed their name derived from kai (meaning "hand") and kade (meaning "basket"), while the community derives its name from kai (a stand-in for a name) and kadi (a type of twig). Russell recorded their occupation as basket-making.[5] Colonial scholars claimed the community arrived from Telangana and they were related to the Yerukala.

Their touch supposedly "polluted" communities above the Kunbi in the caste hierarchy and they are barred from entering village temples although they can live inside. They are classified as a Denotified Tribe for purposes of Reservation,[6] although in much of Vidharbha they are classified as Scheduled Castes and they are central cast come under OBC (other backward class) class. The Kaikadis mainly worship Nagas, mainly on Nag Panchami, but also pay reverence to Khandoba.

Clans

The community has several endogamous septs: 9 recorded in Vidarbha. They also have a set of exogamous clans: Gadge, Gaikwad, Patke, Mule, Makadwale[7] and Mane. Marriage within the clan is forbidden, as is marriage outside a sept. Kaikadi men can't marry maternal aunt's daughter, although maternal uncle's children are allowed like in most of South India.[8]

References
  1. Singh, Kumar Suresh; Bhanu, B. V.; India, Anthropological Survey of (2004). Maharashtra (Page_1364). Popular Prakashan. p. 1364. ISBN 978-81-7991-101-3.
  2. Devi, Dr V. Vasanthi (2021-05-03). A Crusade for Social Justice: P.S.Krishnan : Bending Governence Towards The Deprived. South Vision Books. p. 155.
  3. Mhaiske, Vinod M.; Patil, Vinayak K.; Narkhede, S. S. (2016-01-01). Forest Tribology And Anthropology (Page_185). Scientific Publishers. p. 185. ISBN 978-93-86102-08-9. Kaikadi This is a Dravidian language spoken by the Kaikadi tribes in some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. 148. Kakborok (Tripuri, Tripura, Kokborok) Kakborak is a Baric language ...
  4. Rupavath, Ramdas (2022-07-12). Politics of Education in India: A Perspective from Below. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-60114-5. The Kaikadi community was used to be considered as an untouchable and criminal community in some parts of Maharashtra and India. Today, education brought a ray of hope for them to live a dignified life. But at the same time, ...
  5. K.S, Singh (1992). People of India: The scheduled castes (2nd ed.). India: Anthropological Survey of India. p. 651. One derivation of Kaikadi is from the Tamil kai , i.e. hand , and kudi , i.e. basket , as they are considered to be basket - makers . They are dispersed all over the Vidarbha region of ... The clan names are also used as surnames .
  6. Shashi, Shyam Singh; Varma, P. S. (1991). A Socio-history of Ex-criminal Communities OBCs. Sundeep Prakashan. p. 112. ISBN 978-81-85067-69-8. Kaikadi community , a denotified tribe , has taken up the cause of their emancipation and welfare . The Bhatkhya Vimukta Jamati Sanghatana ...
  7. Singh, Kumar Suresh; Bhanu, B. V.; India, Anthropological Survey of (2004). Maharashtra. Popular Prakashan. p. 1364. ISBN 978-81-7991-101-3.
  8. People of India. Maharashtra. Singh, K. S., 1935-2006., Mehta, B. V., 1931-, Anthropological Survey of India. [Calcutta]: Anthropological Survey of India. 2004. ISBN 81-7991-100-4. OCLC 58037479.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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