Purbiya (also spelled Purabia) was a common term used in late-medieval and early modern India for mercenaries and soldiers originating from the eastern Gangetic Plain, corresponding to present-day western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The term derives from the Hindi word Purab, meaning "east."
Geographic Origin and Recruitment
The core region for Purbiya recruitment was the Bhojpur region of modern-day western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. The Ujjainiya clan of Rajputs were the main territorial lords of this area and acted as specialized recruiting agents and commanders of these soldiers, who were typically young peasant men native to Bhojpur. Many Purbiya mercenaries undertook a pilgrimage to Buxar (modern-day Bihar), where they would immerse themselves in a tiger tank—a ritual through which the young peasant would perceive himself as being reborn as a "fearless warrior."
Expertise and Employment
The area around Bihar contained a high concentration of saltpetre, a key ingredient in gunpowder. As a result, many mercenaries from this region became experts in the use of muskets and other firearms. The Mughals were among the first groups to recruit Purbiyas on a large scale. The rulers of the Malwa Sultanate were also keen recruiters due to the Purbiyas' expertise with firearms. The presence of Purbiya mercenaries in Gujarat is referenced in 16th- and 17th-century Persian chronicles, including accounts of Purbiya gunners serving in the army of Bahadur Shah of the Gujarat Sultanate in 1535.
Purbiyas served in the militaries of various principalities across western India, including the Marwar army, the Gujarat Sultanate, and the Malwa Sultanate. They later served the Marathas and the British East India Company.
Role in the Bengal Army and the 1857 Rebellion
Purbiyas constituted the majority of the Bengal Army of the British East India Company prior to 1857. The British designated them as "the fighting tribes of the Hindoos and the Musselmen" or simply "Easterners." The Bengal Army predominantly recruited Brahmins, Rajputs, and Bhumihars from Awadh and Bihar. Recruits from Rajput and Bhumihar castes were common, and they used service in the Bengal Army as a means to raise their wealth and status.
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Purbiya units of the Bengal Army played a major role in the uprising against British rule. Mangal Pandey, a notable figure at the start of the mutiny, was a Purbiya serving in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry.
After 1857
Following the suppression of the rebellion, British authorities decided not to recruit troops from the eastern plains of India. The new Bengal Army was recruited primarily from northwestern ethnic groups, including Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities of the Punjab and the North-West Frontier Province. Purbiya recruitment from the western regions of the United Provinces and the Delhi region continued but on a much smaller scale—only two out of sixty-four regiments by 1893.
