Kushwaha

Kushwaha (sometimes Kushvaha) is a non-elite peasant caste-community of the Indo-Gangetic Plain that has traditionally been involved in agriculture, including beekeeping and horticulture, found largely in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Kushwahas are presently classified as Other Backward Class (OBC) by the National Commission for Backward Classes. The term has been used to represent different sub-castes of the Kachhis, Kachhvahas, Koeris and Muraos. At present, it is a broad community formed by coming together of several caste groups with similar occupational backgrounds and socio-economic status, who, over time, started inter-marrying among themselves and created all India caste network for caste solidarity. The communities which merged into this caste cluster include Kachhi, Kachhwaha, Kushwaha, Mali, Marrar, Saini, Sonkar, Murai, Shakya, Maurya, Koeri and Panara.