Kayasthas is a community or caste has always been a topic of debate, but as per historical records they were traditionally scribes or writers. You will also find mention about them as the village account keepers. Kayasthas are mainly found in the north, central and eastern states of India including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. They are also found in small groups in south Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As per few mentions in books and articles they are considered to have come from “Kaayadesh”, the geographical region stretch between Ganga and Yamuna rivers. Kayasthas are one of the important communities in India owing to their intellectual and political influence. Due to their high literacy and early urbanization they are the dominating group in India’s bureaucracy.

Historically Kayasthas are mentioned to have occupied the highest posts in government offices of various Indian rulers and Mughals, serving them as ministers or advisors. They also occupied key administrative posts during the British rule in India. During this period, they were owners of large land areas, and have been holding high positions of influence in Government jobs in recent times. Further, going into the religious history, reveals many references of Kayasthas in various Puranas and Hindu religious texts. They are mentioned in these religious texts as the descendants of Chitragupta (considered to be son of Lord Brahma) and who were born from Brahma’s body. Lord Brahma assigned Chitragupta as record keeper to Lord Yama (the god of death) to record the good and bad deeds done by humans in their entire life based on which their position in heaven or hell is suggested after death.

Kayasthass are Chitragupta’s sons from his two wives Eravati and Nandini. The twelve sons of Chitragupta form the subdivisions of the Kayasthas - Mathur, Saxena, Bhatnagar and Srivastava/Shrivastava/Shrivastav from Eravati (first wife) and Gaur, Nigam, Asthana, Surajdwaj, Awastha, Karan, Balmiki and Kulshrestha from Nandini (second wife). There is a lot of mention, after the 7th century AD, about Kayasthas as the ones responsible for maintaining records. There is mention of them holding positions of prime ministers and treasury officials in the Kashmir Kingdom. In many historical citings, they are mentioned to be rulers in many parts of present day Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. During the time of the Gupta Empire in Bengal, large migrations of Kayasthass took place from north India to Bengal which was facilitated by the Gupta Emperors. Kayasthass served and managed administrative affairs of the Gupta Empire.

The classification of Kayasthas as per four Varna or class statuses of Hindus has always been a matter of controversy and debate. They have been interestingly classified in all four Hindu Varna’s - Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and sometimes even Shudras, during the different periods of history. Kayasthas are estimated between 8 to 10 million in numbers in India as per few texts and Government documents. Kayasthas were always considered a forward caste, and hence, do not fall under jobs reservation categories. Kayasthas practice Hinduism and worship Hindu gods. Twice a year, Kayasthas worship the pen and inkpot, which are symbols of Chitragupta’s profession to which they relate as their material success. They also regard Shiva as the supreme deity; while many regard Vishnu as the most powerful. In few places, like West Bengal and Rajasthan, many Kayasthass practice the Shakti cult and worship goddess Durga, Kali and Saraswati. The Kayasthas celebrate all major Hindu festivals and perform Hindu lifecycle rituals like birth, marriage and death. 

With the rise of Muslim rulers in India, Kayasthas easily transformed themselves and mastered Persian, which was the official language in Mughal courts. There are evidences in history where Kayasthas converted to Islam and created the Muslim Kayasthas community in northern part of India. In Bengal, Kayasthas were the dominant landholding people before Mughal occupancy of the region. They socialized well with Mughal rulers and continued their jobs. Bengali Kayasthas served as prime ministers, governors, and treasury officials during Mughal rulers. Kayasthas had a great association and social involvements with other communities where they live. They are very open to exchange food and culture with everyone.

Due to their high status during time of Mughals and Muslim rulers, many Bengali Kayasthass became Zamindars and Patwari (land record keepers). (Even today, in north India, one who keeps land records of the region is referred as a ‘Patwari’). During the British rule, Kayasthas continued to dominate in public administration, and occupied highest administrative executive roles and key judicial office positions, which were offered by British to Indians under them. In Bengal they were also seen doing business and were owners of mills, factories and mines owned by Indians. They speak the languages of the regions where they live. In Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Bihar, Hindi is their mother tongue. In West Bengal their mother tongue is Bengali and in Assam they adopted Assamese as their mother tongue. In Punjab the mother tongue is Punjabi and in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it is the Telugu.

Some of the significant names of Kayasthas include - Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Lal Bahadur Shastri, and Transcendental Meditation guru - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Integral yoga guru - Sri Aurobindo, Kriya Yoga guru - Paramahansa Yogananda. Akbar’s finance minister Raja Todar Mal was one of most notable Kayasthas of his times. He was considered to be the pioneer of creating the revenue system for the Mughals. The customary occupation of the Kayasthas has always been government jobs. Modern day Kayasthas of young people, work in private sectors across the country and the globe. Kayasthas usually have not been found to involve themselves in business or agriculture in modern times, although few who still live in villages own lands and do cultivation. Education is valued by the community and hence, their literacy rates are very high. Their children generally reach highest levels of education in their fields. Modern family planning methods and medicine are accepted by the Kayasthas. They are seen getting involved in various Government developmental programs to improve their socio-economic status.

Kayasthas prefer to marry within the sub division levels of the community. However, intercaste marriages have made their frequent appearances in recent times. Kayasthas marriages are generally arranged through talks, negotiations and agreed between family members of both the boy and girl. Rise in nuclear families is seen in last two or three decades. Kayasthas men and women work, earn and contribute to the family income. Kayasthas communities have their own caste social associations at various places across the globe with names such as Kayasthas Mahasabha; Kayasthas Sabha and the like, few even have their own publications like Kayasthas Samachar or Patrika.  Hence this a brief snapshot of the Kayastha community in India.