Panchama caste is surname of many people in southern India. Panchama caste meaning is The Panchamas are, in the Madras Census Report, 1871, summed up as being that great division of the people, spoken of by themselves as the fifth caste, and described by Buchanan and other writers as the Pancham Bandam. According to Buchanan,31 the Pancham Bandum consist of four tribes, the Parriar, the Baluan, the Shekliar, and the Toti. Buchanan further makes mention of Panchama Banijigaru and Panchama Cumbharu (potters). The Panchamas were, in the Department of Public Instruction, called Paraiyas and kindred classes till 1893. This classification was replaced, for convenience of reference, by Panchama, which included Chacchadis, Godaris, Pulayas, Holeyas, Madigas, Malas, Pallans, Paraiyans, Totis, and Valluvans. It is, the Director of Public Instruction wrote in 1902, for Government to consider whether the various classes concerned should, for the sake of brevity, be described by one simple name. The terms Paraiya, low caste, outcaste, carry with them a [44]derogatory meaning, and are unsuitable. The expression Pancham Banda, or more briefly Panchama, seems more appropriate. The Government ruled that there is no objection to the proposal that Paraiyas and kindred classes should be designated Panchama Bandham or Panchama in future, but it would be simpler to style them the fifth class.
The following educational privileges according to the various classes classified as Panchama may be noted
(1) They are admitted into schools at half the standard rates of fees.
(2) Under the result grant system (recently abolished), grants were passed for Panchama pupils at rates 50 per cent. higher than in ordinary cases, and 15 per cent. higher in backward localities.
(3) Panchama schools were exempted from the attendance restriction, i.e, grants were given to them, however small the attendance. Ordinary schools had to have an attendance of ten at least to earn grants.
(4) Panchama students under training as teachers get stipends at rates nearly double of those for ordinary Hindus.
An interesting account of the system of education at the Olcott Panchama Free Schools has been written by Mrs. Courtright.32
Panchama is returned, in the Census Reports, 1891 and 1901, as a sub-division of Balija and Banajiga.
Panchama 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. Panchama caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Panchama 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
Panchama 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.
Panchama caste is also known as Panchama 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.