ABSTRACT
The hypothesis that the name 'Rishi' 'could be the vernacular corruption of one of the names given to Ruidas' followers such as: Ruidasis, Ravidashis and Roishis' (Tobanelli 1989: 6; cf. also Fagan 1979: 13-15) coexists with the explanation given by the myths of the Rishi in South-West Bangladesh which clearly refer to the Rsi as their ancestors. As we shall see, the devotion of the Rishi to Rui Das and their commitment to Bhakti and Vaisnava movements on the one hand, and on the other their attachment to the main stream of Brahmanical Hinduism, are not in contradiction to each other in the Rishis' attempt to establish a dialogue with their environment. Furthermore, from the Rishis' point of view, it was felt important to separate themselves from the Chamar and to assert their own identity as a different jati.
