The raut, who were nomadic cattle herders in the incipient stage of their civilisation, have now settled down in the villages of Chhattisgarh and have combined agriculture with their traditional occupation of cattle-herding, which shows their shift from pastoral economy to agricultural economy, involving them in the process of pastoral agriculture continuum. Over a long period of time, systematic modes-socio-economic between the raut and other local peasant communities have developed in the area. The vocational specialisation of the different castes, which is more or less hereditary, makes them to interact fulfilling the needs of each other. Different caste groups work as segmented functional groups, separate in their caste behaviour and economic mode, but as an integral part of the Indian village society and culture in Chhattisgarh region of Madhya Pradesh. This ethnographic study throws light on the rout of Chhattisgarh which is the first comprehensive study on this major caste group. Rauts are widely known as Yadavas who have been playing very significant role in recent times in the national as well as state political scenario of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and some other states of India. Rich cultural heritage and the functional role of the raut in the local peasantry have provided them an important place in the regional caste milieu of Chhattisgarh.
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