Yadavs, Paswans, Chauans, Meenas, even Gujars suffix their names with their cast and display their cast, status and clout for all to see.
Earlier Jats used to prefix Chaudhry ( one of the many spellings), exclusive to jat, to their name, my father did. Somehow the next generation youngs stopped the practice, some, a minority, continue to suffix it , but then it loses its impact. a majority has replaced Chaudhry with their Goat . Why this chnge? what is the cost benefit if any? Bls
Sir i think Chaudhary(for collection) was a post in time of Britishers like numberdar.Owner of my college was Baniya but use chaudhary with his name. Sorry i was wron it was started by Mughals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaudhary
Chowdhury/Chaudhry/Choudhury/Chaudhary (
Hindi: चौधरी ,
Urdu: چوہدری,
Bengali: চৌধুরী) is a term in
Indo-Aryan languages, literally meaning "holder of four". Traditionally, the term is used as a title indicating the ownership of ancestral land, but in contemporary usage it is often taken as a
surname or
Title. The spelling of the word varies in different areas. In some cases it may also mean power.
In Bihar - Choudhary are known for owning huge ancestral land.
In north and eastern Indian states of
Bihar and
Bengal, this title is used by Kulin Brahmins and certain Muslim
Taluqdar families. Kamadhenu,
Gujjar and
Kamboja caste groups which had kayastha connections in Nizami times also used this title.
In
Andhra Pradesh, this title is used by the
Kamma caste.
The title is also in use by many landowning
ethnic groups and tribes, including the
Rajputs,
Arains,
Gujjars,
Jats,
Ojnaas,
Yadavs,
Kambohs,
Minhas,
Sulehria,
Ghore Waha and
Sainis. Nowadays many Rajput clans have given up this title. They use the titles
Rana & Raja instead of
Chaudhary.
[edit] History
The earliest written references are from the 15th century, when this title was conferred by the Sultans of the
Delhi Sultanate upon its military nobles of Indian origins mainly Gurjars, Rajputs and Kayasthas as well as
Yadav's and Jats.
The title became significant during the
Mughal era as the Mughal Emperors conferred it upon some privileged
Taluqdars (area administrators), initially in the
Punjab region, and then throughout most of
North India. A taluqa or district usually consisted of 84 villages and a central town during this era. The Taluqdar was required to collect taxes, maintain law and order, and provide military supplies and manpower to the provincial government. In most cases the Taluqdars were entitled to retain a tenth of the collected revenue. However, some privileged Taluqdars were entitled to a quarter and hence were called Chowdhury, which also literally means owner of the fourth part.
The Mughal Emperor Zaheerudin
Babur mentions the Chowdhurys of
Bhera in his book,
Tuzk-e-Babri, who were appointed by the Turk King
Alauddin Khilji. According to the Glossary of Punjab Castes, the
Talukdars belonging to Mair-
Minhas and
Mughal Kassar مغل کسر/ مغل قصر tribes of the Dhani country (present day
Chakwal district) in the northwest of Punjab were among the first few to receive this honorific title from the
Mughal Emperor Zaheerudin
Babur, for their services to his army during a later expedition in that region.
During the
Sikh rule in Punjab this title became very common and quite a few village headmen or 'Lumberdars' were given 'Chowdhury' as a title by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Ever since, the Chowdhurys of Chakwal style themselves as 'Chowdhurial' to distinguish themselves from the newly appointed men.
Choudhry as a surname was also adopted by some south Indian communities, particularly by the kammas of coastal andhra pradhesh. During the 1500s the Golkonda Nawab
Ibrahim Qutb Shah captured the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh. Rayarao, his Maratha commander, appointed Kammas as Deshmukhs and Choudharys in 497 villages, beginning the use of the title ‘Choudhary’ for Kammas in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The people of the ojanaa Patidar community of north Gujarat and south Rajasthan also hold the surname 'Chaudhari' which relates to military command. Most changed profession later to become tax collectors (collection of fourth part, a quarter) and
sahukari (money lenders). The ojnaa are also known as patyol(also patel or patidar), which is not related to the well known sub cates-leva & kadva patel or patidar. The chaudhary were military commanders where as the patel were land-owning agriculturalists. Some land holders in Eastern Bengal(Bangladesh) use this surname as well.
[edit] Modern Usage
Although the title has lost its original exclusivity, in both Indian and Pakistani Punjab regions a Chowdhury is still considered a leader of a tribe in some villages and small towns. Male members of Chowdhury families are entitled to use the prefix CH., an abbreviation for Chowdhury which acts as a courtesy title before their first name.
In northern and eastern Indian states of
Bihar and
Bengal, this title is still used by Brahmins and certain Muslim
Taluqdar families.
Roy or Chowdhury is used by Zamindars of Bengal(Bangladesh).
Some communities in Southern India, particularly Kammas of coastal Andhra-Pradesh, also have Choudhary as a surname and treat that title as a symbol of honor.
Since the partition of
British India people from many tribes have retained this title in
Pakistan as well, including people from Arain, Gujjar, and Jat, and Muslim
Minhas,
Sulehria tribe.
Outside India, Chaudhary's have also inhabited in US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
