Name of the Section - Anthropology and Archaeology

Name of the Section - Anthropology and Archaeology
Title of the paper - Dhankute: A wandering endogamous group of district
Bahraich( U.P.) in search of their social status in India.
ALOK CHANTIA
Keywords-Dhankute, Bahraich, Gazette, SC/ST/OBC, Gullabeer, Marriage - RangPar,
Magni, Lagna, Bow and Arrow, Churi Pahnana, cross-cousin, Mahia, Birth Ceremony-
Khadua, Kanchhedan, Mundan, Death ceremony- Tija, Daswan, Tipakhi, Barsi, Roti Dena,
Bappa, Badke Bappa, Chat Ke Bappa, Dau,Mai,Phuphu, Panchayat, Nomadic trader, fair-
Aatho, Charai, Gagan, Ornament- kadua, Aren, Hasuli, Guleband, Murki, Gona, Lakh and
Silver bangles.
Abstract- What is our caste? Who are we? What is our social origin? Have we any social
identity? All these questions are related to "Dhankute" an endogamous" and socially
unidentified people of district Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh( India). They are not listed in any
Governemnt record nor have they been listed in the SC/ST/OBC category.So far, no study
has been carried out by any Govt., NGO or Sociologist -Anthropologist. No literature is
available about them. But their physical feature and cultural traits show their reality in caste
stratification and their memory based history explains a new chapter related to social status
of them, which was hiddeen in the past. their research work will add the Dhankute with
mainstream which was neglected after independence.