Kevuto caste is surname of many people in southern India. Kevuto caste meaning is It is recorded, in the Madras Census Report, 1891, that the Kevutas are the fisherman caste of Ganjam, and they are said to be the descendants of the Kaibartas, a fishing caste of Bengal. Besides fishing in rivers, canals and lakes, they ply boats and catamarans, and some are also traders. Uriya Brahmans and Bairagis are their priests. From the fifth day after child-birth till the twenty-first, the Uriya Brahmans read the Bhagavata Purana in the house, and on the last day they give a name to the child. The married girls and widows put a veil over their faces whenever they go out of doors.
The Kevutos are low in the social scale, but not a polluting caste. They apparently recognise the following endogamous sub-divisionsBhettiya, Bilva, Jonka, Khottia, Koibarto or Dasa, Liyari, Chuditiya, and Thossa. Of these the Thossas are cultivators, the Liyaris make a preparation of fried rice (liya), and the Chudityas are engaged in parching grain (chuda, parched rice). By reason of their change of occupation, the Liyaris and Chudityas have practically become distinct castes, and some deny that there is any connection between them and the Kevutos. Telugu people sometimes call the Chuditiyas Neyyalu, and I am told that there is a street in Parlakimedi almost wholly inhabited by Kevutos, who say that they are of the Neyyalu caste.[280]
Of gotras which occur among the Kevutos, nago (cobra), bhago (tiger), and kochipo (tortoise) are the most common. They also have exogamous septs or bamsams, among which are gogudiya (bells) and nolini (bamboo carrier). The titles which occur in the caste are Behara, Sitto, Torei, Jalli, Bejjo, and Paiko.
The marriage rite is performed at night, and the brides father ties a gold bead (konti) on the neck of the bridegroom. The Kevutos worship especially Dasaraj and Gangadevi. The latter is worshipped at the Dasara festival, and, in some places, fowls and goats are sacrificed in her honour. In the neighbourhood of the Chilka lake, the goats are not sacrificed, but set at liberty, and allowed to graze on the Kalikadevi hill. There is a belief that animals thus devoted to Gangadevi do not putrify when they die, but dry up.
In the Vizagapatam Agency tracts, the Kevutos are said to be notorious for their proficiency in magic and necromancy.
Kevuto caste is one of the many castes subcastes of India.
India has thousands of castes and subcastes, they are in existence and practice since the Vedic times. They were created to solve the problem of division of labor. Kevuto caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Kevuto caste do or did in earlier times. Many last names in India indicate the place the person originally belongs to. All castes sub castes are primarily divided into 4 categories:
1.Brahmins – The learned or priestly class
2.Khastriyas – The warrior class or those with governing functions
3.Vaishyas – The trader, agriculturalists or cattle rearers class
4.Shudra – The class that serves other three categories
Kevuto caste belongs to one of the above 4 categories. Indian caste system is the best system to solve the problem of division of labor. In earlier times there was no rigidity in caste system. Indian caste system is still the best solution for the problem of division of labor, the only change that is needed as per changed times is that rather than having a vertical hierarchical system with Brahmins on top and Shudras at bottom, it would be good to have a horizontal socialist system with Brahmins, Khastriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras all at same level.
The caste system of India is in ruins at present. It is also cause of bloody quarrels in certain parts of the rural India. People of backward castes have reservations in government jobs, this facility is widely misused in India. Many of the backward caste people have become rich and still use the facility for their benefit. Many in India believe reservation in jobs should be given on the basis of poverty rather than caste because there are many poors in upper castes as well.
Many criticize the Indian caste system because of bad material condition of lower castes but if they observe in an unbiased way they would find that there are many in upper castes with bad material conditions. The problem lies in power not in castes, power can corrupt anyone be it from upper caste or lower caste.
All cultures, all countries, all religions have caste system in one form or the other. Christians have different churches depending on the region or language or skin color of people. Muslims have a priestly class that tries to control everything. Arab Muslims before the oil boom were so much divided among tribes that if you drank water from a well of a different tribe you could be shot dead. Tribal divisions still exists among Muslims. You can also see the caste system in a different form in your corporate companies. I had seen different food and drinking facilities for people at different levels.
Kevuto caste is also known as Kevuto Gotra.
Caste situation is quiet different in urban India, people in urban areas especially youngsters don?t bother about castes. Inter caste, inter religious, inter lingual marriages are quiet common in urban India. Inter caste, inter religious and inter lingual marriages in rural areas attract severe criticism and many times people are expelled from community for not marrying as per religious and caste rules.