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Chhipi- (Hindi, chhapna, “to print,” Sans: kship “to pour”). The caste of calico printers and chintz stampers, of whom there are both a Hindu and a Muhammadan branch. The Hindu branch have a tradition tha they were once Rathaur Rajputs. In the same way the Bhavsars or calenders of Bombay have a tradition that when Parasurama was exterminating the Kshatriya race they were Rajputs living at Mathura, and, fearing same fate as their brethren, became followers of one Ramdevji, a mendicant, and came to Marwar. This Ramdevji being a calender his followers at first were called Chhippas. Their present name they derive from the fact of their having placed faith (bhav) in this mendicant. The Eastern Chhlpis refer their origin to a place which they call Dheri Avarerachh, somewhere in Bundelkhand. Dheri is a village in the Samthar State which lies between Jalaun and Jhansi, and Avarenchh is a corruption of Irichh or Erichh, a town in Pargana Moth, of the Jhinsi District, which is even to the present day noted for its manufacture of chintz.

Reference: The Tribes and Castes of the North-western Provinces and Oudh by William Crooke (Published 1896)