Rachevar caste is surname of many people in southern India. Rachevar caste meaning is It is noted, in the Mysore Census Report, 1901, that there are three broad distinctions founded on the traditional occupation, but there are two main exclusive divisions of Telugu and Kannada Rachevars. One set, called Ranagare, are military, and most of them are found employed in His Highness the Maharajas Rachevar and Bale forces. The second, consisting of the Chitragaras or Bannagaras, make good paintings, decorations, and lacquered ware and toys. The last consists of the Sarige, or gold lace makers. These people claim to be Kshatriyasa pretension not generally acquiesced in by the other castes. They trace their origin to a passage in Brahmanda Purana, wherein it is said that, for an injury done to a Brahman, they were condemned to follow mechanical occupations. In connection with recent Dasara festivities at Mysore, I read that there were wrestling matches, acrobatic feats, dumb-bell and figure exercises by Rachevars.
In the Tanjore Manual it is noted that the Rachevars are descendants of immigrants from the Telugu country, who apparently followed the Nayak viceroys of the Vijayanagar empire in the sixteenth century. They are more or less jealous of the purity of their caste. Their language is Telugu. They wear the sacred thread.
In the city of Madras, and in other places in Tamil country, the Rachevars are called Razus or Mucchis, who must not be confused with the Mucchis of Mysore [239]and the Ceded districts, who are shoe-makers, and speak Marathi. In the Telugu country, there are two distinct sections of Rachevars, viz, Saivite and Vaishnavite. The Saivite Rachevars in the Kistna district style themselves Arya Kshatriyalu, but they are commonly called Nakash-vandlu, which is a Hindustani synonym of Chitrakara or Jinigiri-vandlu. The Vaishnavites are known as Jinigiri-vandlu, and are said not to intermarry with the Saivites.
Rachevar 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. Rachevar caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Rachevar 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
Rachevar 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.
Rachevar caste is also known as Rachevar 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.