- Religion
: Hindu
-
Gotra : Kashyapa
-
Caste : Kshatriya
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Sub-caste : Khandayat
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Family Title : Chhayal Singh - Jena
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Emblem : Crossed swords and a dagger
The
word "Khandayat" lierally means swordsman in the Kings
Infantry regiment, indicating our origin from a warrior tribe that
existed in the time of the Indo-Aryan civilisation. The ancestral
family settled in a hamlet called Baliparha on the bank of the river
Baitarani, approximately 60km south east of Chandbali, an ancient
port in the bay of Bengal.
We
believe that our great great grandfather BJ was a Zammidar (Landowner)
and aristocrat who enjoyed a good life. The revenue from the landholdings
supported his family comfortably. We also believe that our great
grand father KJ inherited the fortune for most part of his life
and lived a comfortable life too. At the turn of the nineteenth
century Land ownership was abolished and most of the land was taken
away from Zammidars and was given to peasants who were the subjects
of the landowners. Zammidars were given some compensation and were
allowed to retain a smallholding of land for their own use.
KJ
had two sons and seven grand children. The yield from the land was
insufficient to support a growing family. As far as we are aware
that, our grand father KSJ and his brother AJ-1 soon ran in to problem.
KSJ left the family in search of employment living the land and
the family in charge of his brother AJ-1. He went to Burma and found
himself a job in the British colonial service. He had very little
education and failed to achieve a higher employment status. After
all, he was born as a Zammidar's son and was never happy to be a
subordinate to his boss. After few years he left Burma and returned
home. On his return to Baliparha he was somewhat disenchanted with
life and family, became a wondering ascetic, preached theology until
his death at 87 years of age.
RBJ,
PJ, and PNJ in their early twenties found themselves unable to support
their growing family. AJ-1 was struggling with the family land,
as the harvest was disappointing due to continued flood and droughts.
It was 1939 and the second World War had just begun. The family
was experiencing real difficulty. PJ and PNJ set out for employment
leaving their eldest brother RBJ in charge of the family. Both were
recruited as Military Police during the WW-2. Like their father
they did not enjoy the job. PJ left the force after serving only
4 years and PNJ followed a year or two later. Unfortunately, the
family position was no better. It was PNJ's turn to look after the
family. RBJ and PJ again went out in search of employment and it
was West Bengal this time, a little nearer to home. RBJ found a
job in the Life Insurance Corporation of India where he continued
until his retirement in 1976. PJ held two jobs. In addition to his
small clerical job in the Judiciary he was also managing a private
estate on behalf of a property tycoon. After few years they recalled
their cousin TNJ and arranged a job in the LIC of India where he
is working at present. PJ retired in 1977. The family fortune was
restored.
The
separation of the family began soon after the retirement of RBJ
and PJ. RBJ left the family home to live with his only married daughter
where he later died. PJ also left family home to live with his second
son UJ in the nearby town of Jajpur. UJ, after completing a Law
degree took a job in the Govt.of India and was working in the old
capital city of Cuttack until his sad and premature death in 1997.
His widow Santi is a Schoolteacher and his daughter SJ-1 and a son
SJ-2 survive him. SJ-1 is a graduate with a diploma in computer
science and continuing in the same line of employment as her father.
SJ-2 is an undergraduate student studying Engineering.
RJ-1
left family home at an early age and lived with his maternal uncle
and aunts who were teachers. He completed his primary and secondary
education at his maternal uncle's hometown. He matriculated in 1960.
After two intermediate years at BJB college in the state capital
of Bhubaneswar, he studied Medicine at the University Medical School
at Cuttack (SCB MC). He graduated in 1967 and completed the internships
in 1969. After a three years job as a junior doctor in a District
General hospital (Baripada-Mayurbhanj) he left the job and emigrated
to the UK in 1973. He completed his postgraduate education and training
in Edinburgh. After a further 3 year spell in different Hospitals,
he finally settled as a NHS General Practitioner in a Coastal town
of South Essex where he is practising now.
RJ-1
has three children, RJ-2, AJ-2 and AJ-3. RJ-2 is married to SJ-3
and working as a Clinical Oncologist in Cambridge. They have a son
HPJ who was born in October 2005. AJ-2 is married to PJ-2 and working
in Pharmacy IT. AJ-3 is currently studying for a degree in Business
studies at Manchester University.
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