Barika (caste)

The Nai, also known as Nai Nai Brahmin, Napita, Bhandari, and by surnames such as Sen, Sain, Behera, Barik, Thakur, Pasayat, Dakua, Paramanik etc etc., found not only in odisha but across all over India. The Nai community, now known primarily for barbering, was once deeply involved in the field of Ayurveda, surgery, and traditional medicine. Their ancestors were healers, Ayurvedic surgeons, wound-treaters, and ritual caretakers who worked closely in temples, villages, and battlefields. They performed procedures such as abscess draining, bloodletting, and suturing, and were trusted for their skill, hygiene, and devotion to wellness. These were not ordinary tasks—they were acts of science and service. When no hospitals existed, our ancestors were the first doctors for rural society. They knew how to mix herbs, treat pain, and purify wounds—not just with knowledge, but with honour. But today, many from that community have forgotten this proud legacy. Due to historical suppression and misrepresentation, our identity was reduced to mere barbering. Indian caste found from Odisi State in India. Traditionally they are barbers by profession. Their service is indispensable on the occasion of marriage, birth and death. They are also required for carrying luggage bags of bride and groom in Hindu weddings.