User:BengaliHindu/Vaishnava (caste)

Vaishnava (বৈষ্ণব), sometimes referred to as Jati Vaishnava (জাতি বৈষ্ণব) are a Bengali Hindu caste that evolved during the movement of Chaitanya and Nityananda. Chaitanya consolidated the Hindus outside the caste hierarchy into his movement. They adopted Vaishnavism, but worshipped Chaitanya rather than Vishnu or Krishna. Later they evolved into a separate caste and came to be known as Jati Vaishnavas, as opposed to the Vaishnavas by faith.

History
According to Binay Sarkar, the majority of the Bengalis during the time of Chaitanya were neither Buddhists nor Hindus per se. The Islamic missionaries were trying to woo them into the fold of Islam. Chaitanya's movement was essentially an attempt to consolidate the Hindu society by bringing in the untouchables and out castes into the Vaishnava fold. The upper caste Hindus, especially Brahmins and Vaishnavas belonging to the mainstream caste system derided them as untouchables, vile and bastards.