Ambastha Kayastha

The Ambasthas constitute one of the twelve sub-castes of Kayasthas of the country. They are numerically small and mostly confined to the ertwhile state of Bihar. However, many people do not know the history that the Ambastha Kayasthas were found at various parts of the country but perhaps they have got assimilated with the local people. This study deals with the search of the genesis and development of a particular branch of Ambastha Kayastha family with Puraiyaras Khasghar, which is a family (lineage) of the founding ancestor, Sri Mangal Singh of village Nejatpur under Nawadah district in Bihar. It covers seven generations from the end to eighteenth century to the present time. It is a journey from the rural to the urban way of life. The events of the intervening period have a large range of interesting and penetrating socio-cultural aspects, decadant Kaithi script of the Kayasthas, some fascinating life-styles and dynamics. Anthropology has a tradition of life-history but this study