Raut (also spelled as Rout) is an Indian caste, whose traditional occupation is herding.
Traditionally, they were predominantly distributed in the districts of Durg, Raipur, Bastar, Nagpur and Bhandara.
[6] The Raut men traditionally performed the local folk epic Candaini (or Chandaini) in a combination of dance and song.
The epic tells the story of princess Chanda, who leaves her impotent husband and falls in love with a common man Veer Lorik.
[9] The Rauts are present in the central [Chhattisgarh, along with other castes and sub-castes including Ahir, Brajwasi, Gawli, Gawali, Lingayat-Gaoli, Gowari (Gwari), , Yadav, Thethwar, and Gop/Gopal.