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District. |Number.
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Muzaffarnagar | 11
Meerut | 47
Bulandshahr | 25
Agra | 7
Bijnor | 22
Morâdâbâd | 6
Shâhjahânpur | 2
Cawnpur | 11
Bânda | 7
Hamîrpur | 10
Jhânsi | 1
Jâlaun | 10
Tarâi | 2
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Total | 161
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Chaubê—[Sans.: Chaturvedika—“one skilled in the four Vedas;” according
to others because they use four fire-pits (vedi)].—A sub-caste of
Brâhmans who have their head-quarters at Mathura, whence they are very
commonly known as Mathura ke Chaubê, Mathur or Mathuriya.
2. They are a sub-division of the great Kanaujiya stock, and according
to Dr. Wilson, [215] their principal sub-divisions are,—Nayapura,
Hargadi, Chaukhar, Kataya, Râmpura, Paliya, Hardâspura, Tibaiya,
Jamaduva, and Gargeya. According to another account they have seven
gotras and sixty-four als: of these it has been found impossible to
obtain a full list. The best known of the seven gotras are Bhâradwâja,
Dhuma, Sana, Astra, and Daksha. Some of their als are Pânrê, Pâthak,
Misra, Lapsê, Soti, Bharatwâr, Jonmanê, Ghebariya, Chhiraura, Donrwâr,
and Tivâri.
3. The local legend tells that during the Varâha incarnation of Vishnu,
the Daitya Hiranyâksha, twin brother of Hiranya-Kasipu, the hero of the
Holi legend, came to fight with the deity. Varâha killed him, but was
smitten with remorse, as his antagonist had been a Brâhman. So he sat
down on the Visrânt Ghât at Mathura, and began to meditate how he could
atone for the sin which he had committed. From the perspiration which
the deity rubbed from his body sprang the Chaubês of Mathura. With
their aid he performed a sacrifice and cleansed himself from his
iniquity.
4. The Chaubês of Mathura are endogamous. It is said that their women
can never live beyond the land of Braj. Hence the verse,—Mathura ki
beti, Gokul ki gâê, Karam phûtê to ant jâê. “Mathura girls and Gokul
cows will never move while fate allows.”
This custom of endogamy results in two exceptional usages—first, that
marriage contracts are often made while one or even both the parties
are still unborn; and, secondly, that little or no regard is paid to
relative age; thus a Chaubê, if his friend has no available daughter to
bestow upon him, will agree to wait for his first grand-daughter. They
will not, if it can possibly be avoided, marry in their own gotra; but
instances are said to occur in which this law of exogamy is not
observed. According to Mr. Raikes [216] they have four varieties of
marriage, called in the jargon of the tribe—awwal byâh or “first
class,” of which the total cost is Rs. 225; doum or “second class,”
costing Rs. 175; tisra or “third class,” costing Rs. 75, and kora or
“mean,” where only one rupee is paid by the bride’s folk; but no
disgrace attaches to this cheap wedding.
5. “They are still very celebrated as wrestlers, and in the Mathura
Mahâtmya their learning and other virtues are also extolled in the most
extravagant terms; but either the writer was prejudiced, or time has
had a sadly deteriorating effect. They are now ordinarily described by
their own countrymen as a low, ignorant horde of rapacious mendicants.
Like the Prâgwâlas at Allahâbâd, they are the recognised local
cicerones; and they may always be seen with their portly forms lolling
about near the most popular ghâts and temples, ready to bear down on
the first pilgrim that approaches. One of their most notable
peculiarities is that they are very reluctant to make a match with an
outsider, and if by any possibility it can be managed they will always
find bridegrooms for their daughters among the residents of the town.
Many years ago a considerable migration was made to Mainpuri, where the
Mathuriya Chaubês now form a large and wealthy section of the
community, and are in every way of better repute than the parent
stock.” [217] Another peculiarity of them is their notorious love for
bhang and sweetmeats. All are Vaishnavas and worshippers of Sri
Krishna.
6. Their women are well known for their beauty and delicacy of form. A
native traveller [218] writes:—“The Chaubâinis are in the grandest
style of beauty. The whole class is superb, and the general character
of their figure is majestic. Their colour is the genuine classical
colour of the Brâhmans of antiquity.” It is peculiar with them to
celebrate a number of marriages the same day in order to save expense.
Their greediness is proverbial—Achchê bhaê atal, prân gaê nikal—“A life
is well lost that is lost in gorging sweets.”