Question

Who were the koshtis?

Answer 1

• Koshta (also spelt as Koshti) are a Hindu caste found in the Indian states of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
• The Koshti traditionally worked as royal weavers, but the industrialisation and the introduction of power looms beginning in the late 1800s heavily impacted this community.
• Census Report of Central Provinces, 1872 noted that Koshtis a community of weavers were unable to compete with the showy goods imported from Manchester. Due to this problem, Koshtis had started emigrating in great numbers, chiefly to Berar, where as day labourers they are able to obtain wages.