The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, Volume 1

Kurmeta.—A sept of Gonds in Chanda.

Kurmgutia.—(From kurm, tortoise.) A section of Mahār.

Kurmi.—A caste. A subcaste of Agharia in the Uriya country. A subcaste of Barai. A sept of Pardhān. A section of Mahār.

Kurochi.—(Kur, hen.) A sept of the Uika clan of Sahdeve or six-god Gonds in Betūl, so named because their priest once stole a hen.

Kurpachi.—(Kur, hen.) A sept of the Uika clan of Gonds in Betūl, so named because their priest offered the contents of a hen’s intestines to the gods.

Kurru or Kura.—Title of Yerukala.

Kusangia.—(Of bad company.) A section of Lohār.

Kushbansi.—A subcaste of Ahīr. (Descendants of Kush, one of the two sons of Rāma.)

Kush Ranjan.—A section of Brāhman, Barai, Chamār, Chandnāhu Kurmi, Rāwat (Ahīr), Marār and Rājbhar.

Kushta, Koshta.—Subcaste of Kori.

Kuslia.—(Kusli, boat.) A subcaste of Māli.

Kusrām.—(Kusri, pulse.) A sept of the Uika Gonds in Betūl and Chānda.

Labhāna.—Synonym and subcaste of Banjāra.

Lād.—The old name for the territory of Gujarāt. A subcaste of Bania, Kalār, Koshti and Sunār.

Ladaimār.—One who hunts jackals and sells and eats their flesh. Subcaste of Jogi.

Ladele.—(Quarrelsome.) A section of Shribathri Teli.

Lādjin.—Subcaste of Banjāra.

Lādse or Lādvi.—Subcaste of Chamār and Dhangar.

Ladwan, Ladvan.—A subcaste of Mahār. Perhaps from Lād, the old name of Gujarāt.

Laheri.—Synonym of Lakhera.

Laherīa.—Subcaste of Brāhman.

Lahgera or Lahugera.—(Lahanga, weaver.) A subcaste of Kori.

Lahuri Sen.—A subcaste of Barai in the northern Districts who are formed of excommunicated members of the caste.

Lahuria.—(From Lahore.) A section of Rāthor and Chauhān Banjāras.

Lajjhar.—Synonym of Rājjhar.

Lakariha.—A subdivision of Pardhān in Kawardha. While begging they play a musical instrument, hence the name from lakri, a stick.

Lāla.—(A term of endearment.) Synonym for Kāyasth. A subcaste of Chamār.

Lālbegi.—A follower of Lālbeg, patron saint of the sweepers. Synonym of Mehtar.

Lāl Pādri.—Red priests, because they rub geru or red ochre on their bodies. Title of Jogi.

Lamechu.—A subcaste of Bania.

Langoti.—Subcaste of Pārdhi. They wear only a narrow strip of cloth called langoti round the loins.

Lānjia.—A subcaste of Lohār and Nai, from Lānji in Bālāghāt. A subtribe of Gonds in Khairagarh.

Lānjiwār.—(One living round Lānji in Bālāghāt.) Subcaste of Injhwār.

Laphangia.—(Upstart.) A section of Kolta.

Laria, Larhia.—(Belonging to Chhattīsgarh.) A synonym of Beldār. A subcaste of Bhaina, Binjhwār, Chamār, Gānda, Ghasia, Gond, Gosain, Kalār, Kewat, Koshti, Mahār, Marār, Mowār, Panka, Savar, Sunār and Teli.

Lasgaria.—A class of Bairāgi mendicants.

Lasukar.—A subcaste of Gondhalis who sell books and calendars.

Lāt.—Subcaste of Chamār.

Lave.—Subcaste of Kunbi.

Laya.—(Bird.) A section of Binjhwār, Mahār, and Panka.

Lekha.—Subcaste of Gūjar.

Lemuan, Limuan.—(Tortoise.) A totemistic sept of Audhelia, Munda and Oraon.

Lidha.—(Excrement of swine.) Subcaste of Khatīk in Jubbulpore.

Lilia.—(From līl or nīl, the indigo plant.) Subcaste of Kāchhi.

Lilorhia.—Subcaste of Gūjar.

Limba.—(Nīm tree.) A totemistic section of Dumāls.

Lingāyat.—A religious order which has become a caste. See article and subordinate article to Bania. A subcaste of Bania and Kumhār.

Lodha.—Synonym of Lodhi. Subcaste of Lodhi.

Lohār.—A caste of blacksmiths, synonym Luhura. A section of Binjhwār and Gānda.

Lohār Barhai.—A subcaste of Barhai in Bundelkhand.

Lohāria.—A subcaste of Ahīr.

Lonāria.—A salt-maker. Subcaste of Mahār.

Lonchatia.—(Salt-licker.) A sept of the Uika clan of Gonds. The members of this sept lick salt on the death of their relatives. Another account from Betūl says that they spread salt on a platform raised in honour of the dead and make cattle lick it up.

Londhāri.—A small caste of cultivators found in the Bhandāra District. They appear to be immigrants from northern India, as their women wear the Hindustāni dress and they speak Hindi at home. At their weddings the bridal couple walk round the sacred post according to the northern custom. When a widow marries again the couple worship a sword before the ceremony. If a man is convicted of an intrigue with a low-caste woman, he has to submit to a symbolical purification by fire. A heap of juāri-stalks is piled all round him and set alight, but as soon as the fire begins to burn he is permitted to escape from it. This rite is known as Agnikasht. The Londhāris appear to be distinct from the Lonhāre Kunbis of Betūl, with whom I was formerly inclined to connect them. These latter derive their name from the Lonār Mehkar salt lake in the Buldāna District, and are probably so called because they once collected the salt evaporated from the lake. They thus belong to the Marātha country, whereas the Londhāris probably came from northern India. The name Lonhāre is also found as a subdivision of one or two other castes living in the neighbourhood of the Lonār Mehkar lake.

Londhe, Londe.—(One who hides himself behind cloth.) A section of Kohli. A sept of Korku.

Londibacha.—A subcaste of Kasār, including persons of illegitimate descent.

Lonhāre, Lonāre.—(From Lonār-Mehkar, the well-known salt lake of the Buldāna District.) A subcaste of Kunbi. A section of Arakh and Ahīr.

Ludhela.—A section of Basor who worship the ludhia, a round stone for pounding food, at the Maihar ceremony.

Luhura.—(One who works in iron.) Synonym of Lohār. Subcaste of Sidhira.

Lunia.—Synonym of Murha, Nunia.

Machhandar.—(One who catches fish.) Synonym of Dhīmar.

Machhandra Nāth.—A subdivision of Jogi.

Machhia.—(From machhi, fish.) A section of Dhīmar and Lodhi.

Machhri.—(Fish.) A sept of Oraon.

Mada Kukuria.—(Dead dog.) A subsection of the Viswāl section of Koltas.

Madankul.—A section of Komti. They do not use red clothes, nor the wood of the swallow-wort tree.

Madari.—A class of Fakīrs or Muhammadan beggars.

Māde.—A resident of the Mād country in Chānda and Bastar. Subcaste of Pardhān.

Mādgi, Mādiga.463—The Telugu caste of workers in leather corresponding to the Chamārs, which numbers nearly 1½ millions in Madras, Mysore and Hyderābād. In 1911 there were nearly 6000 Mādgis in the Central Provinces and 3000 in Berār. According to tradition, the Mādigas derive their name from that of a sage called Mātanga Muni, and it is said that a dynasty belonging to the caste once ruled in the Canarese country. The following legend of their origin comes from Mysore:464 In former times the sage Jāmbava Rishi was habitually late in attending at Siva’s court. Siva asked him why this happened, and he replied that he was occupied in tending his children. On this Siva took pity on him and gave him the sacred cow, Kāmdhenu, from which all the needs of the children could be satisfied. But one day while Jāmbava was absent at Siva’s court, another sage, Sānkhya, visited his hermitage and was hospitably entertained by his son, Yugamuni. The cream which Sānkhya was given was so good that he desired to kill the cow, Kāmdhenu, thinking that her flesh would taste even better. In spite of Yugamuni’s objections Sānkhya killed the cow and distributed the meat to various persons. While this was in progress Jāmbava returned, and, on hearing what had been done, dragged Sānkhya and Yugamuni before Siva’s judgment seat. The two offenders did not enter the court but stood outside the doorway, Sānkhya on the right side and Yugamuni on the left. Siva condemned them to become Chandālas or outcastes, and the descendants of Sānkhya have become the right-hand Holias, while those of Yugamuni and his wife Mātangi are the left-hand caste of Mādigas. The latter were set to make shoes to expiate the sin committed by their ancestor in killing a cow. Another story given in the Central Provinces is that the Golla caste of cowherds, corresponding to the Ahīrs and the Mādgis, are the descendants of two brothers. The brothers had a large herd of cattle and wanted to divide them. At this time, however, cattle disease was prevalent, and many of the herd were affected. The younger brother did not know of this, and seeing that most of the herd were lying on the ground, he proposed to the elder brother that he himself should take all the cattle lying on the ground, and the elder brother all those which were standing up, as a suitable method of division. The elder brother agreed, but when the younger came to take his cattle which were on the ground he found that they were all dead, and hence he had no alternative but to take off the hides and cure and sell them. His descendants continued his degraded profession and became the Mādgi caste. In Chānda the following six subcastes of Mādgis are reported: The Nulka Chandriah or caste priests; the Anapa or leather dealers; the Sindhi who are supposed to have been performers of dramas; the Masti or dancers; the Kommu or tellers of stories; and the Dekkala or genealogists of the caste. It is said that Kommu really means a horn and Dekka a hoof. These last two are the lowest subdivisions, and occupy a most degraded position. In theory they should not sleep on cots, pluck the leaves of trees, carry loads on any animal other than a donkey, or even cook food for themselves, but should obtain their subsistence by eating the leavings of other Mādgis or members of different castes. The Nulka Chandriah or priests are the highest subdivision and will not take food or water from any of the others, while the four remaining subcastes eat and drink together, but do not intermarry. There are also a number of exogamous groups, most of which have territorial names; but a few are titular or totemistic, as—Mukkidi, noseless; Kumawār, a potter; Nagarwār, a citizen; Dobbulwār, one who possesses a dobbulu or copper coin; Ippawār, from the mahua tree; Itkalwār from itkal a brick, and so on. The caste customs of the Mādigas need not be recorded in detail. They are an impure caste and eat all kinds of food, and the leavings of others, though the higher subdivisions refuse to accept these. They live outside the village, and their touch is considered to convey pollution.

Madhavachārya.—A Vishnuite sect and order of religious mendicants. See Baīrāgi.

Madhyanjan, Madhyandina.—A class of Brāhmans, the same as the Yajur-Vedis, or a section of them.

Mādia.—A class of Gonds in Bastar.

Madpotwa.—(One who distils liquor.) Subcaste of Teli.

Madrāsi.—Subcaste of Dhobi.

Magadha.—A subcaste of Ahīr or Rāwat in Chhattīsgarh, who ask for food from others and do not cook for themselves.

Magar, Magra.—A sept of Khangār, Ahīr or Rāwat, Gond and Chadār.

Māgida.—Synonym of Mādgi.

Mahābrāhman.—A degraded class of Brāhmans who accept gifts for the dead.

Mahādeva Thākur.—(Lord Mahādeo.) A section of Māli.

Mahajalia.—(Deceitful.) A section of Lohār.

Mahājan.—A banker. Title of the Bania caste.

Mahākul.—Synonym for Ahīr.

Mahālodhi.—(Great Lodhi.) Subcaste of Lodhi.

Mahānadiya.—(Those who came from the Mahānadi river.) A subcaste of Lodhi. A section of Gānda, Ghasia and Panka.

Mahant.—Chief of a math or monastery. A superior class of priest. A section of Ahīr, Panka, Chamār and Koshta.

Mahanti.—A synonym for the Karan or writer caste of Orissa. A section of Chasa.

Mahāpātra.—A subdivision of degraded Brāhmans who take funeral gifts. An honorific title of Thānapati and of Uriya Brāhmans. A subcaste of Bhāt.

Mahār.—A caste. A subcaste of Balāhi and Gondhali. A section of Rawat in Raigarh.

Mahārāj.—(Great king.) A title of Brāhmans.

Mahūrāna.—Synonym of Chitāri.

Mahārāshtra or Marāthe.—One of the five orders of Pānch Dravida Brāhmans inhabiting the Marātha country. They are also called Dakshini Brāhmans. A subcaste of Kumhār, Kāsar and Lohār.

Mahedia.—A section of Basors who worship pounded rice mixed with curds.

Mahenga.—(An elephant.) A totemistic sept of Rautia and Kawar in Bilāspur.

Maheshri.—Subcaste of Baina.

Mahili.—Synonym for Māhli.

Mahipia.—(A drinker of curds.) A subsection of the Viswāl section of Koltas.

Mahisur.—(Lord of the earth.) A synonym of Brāhmans.

Mahli-Munda.—Subcaste of Mahli.

Mahobia.—(From the town of Mahoba in Central India.) A subcaste of Barai, Chamār, Dāngi, Ghasia, Khangār and Mahār. A section of Dāngi, Kumhār and Kori.

Mahoda.—A subdivision of Brāhmans in Jubbulpore.

Mahore, Mahure.—A subcaste of Bania, Kori, Kumhār and Kalār.

Mahrātta.—Synonym of Marātha.

Māhto, Māhton.—A chief or village headman. Subcaste and title of Teli and Khairwār; title of the leader of the Bhuiya caste. A section of Gānda and Rāwat (Ahīr).

Mahur.—(Poison.) A subcaste of Sunārs in Chhindwāra.

Mahure, Mahuria.—(From Mahur, a town in Hyderābād.) Subcaste of Barhai and Dhangar.

Mai.—(Mother.) A division of the Kabīrpanthi sect.

Maichhor.—A small clan of Rājpūts. Perhaps from Maichuri in Jaipur.

Mailwār.—(Dirty.) A group of Sunārs in Raipur.

Maina.—Synonym of Mina.

Mair.—A subcaste of Sunār named after Mair, their original ancestor, who melted down a golden demon.

Maithil.—One of the five divisions of Pānch Gaur Brāhmans inhabiting the province of Maithil or Bihār and Tirhūt.

Majarewār.—A territorial section of Binjhwār (from Majare in Bālāghāt).

Mājhi.—(A village headman.) Title of Bhatra.

Mājhia.—Synonym of Majhwār.

Majhli.—(Middle.) Subcaste of Rautia.

Makaria.—(From makad, monkey.) A subcaste of Kamār, so called because they eat monkeys.

Makhia.—Subcaste of Mehtar.

Malaiya.—An immigrant from Mālwa. Subcaste of Chhīpa.

Māle, Māler.—Synonyms of Māl.

Malha.—A boatman. Synonym of Mallah.

Malhar.—Subcaste of Koli.

Māli.—(A caste.) A section of Kalār.

Māl-Pahāria.—Synonym of Māl.

Mālvi, Mālwi.—(From Mālwa.) A subdivision of Brāhmans in Hoshangābād and Betūl. A subcaste of Ahīr, Barhai, Darzi, Dhobi, Gadaria, Kalār, Koshti, Kumhār, Nai and Sunār.

Malyār. 465—A small and curious caste of workers in gold and silver in Bastar State. They are known alternatively as Marhātia Sunār or Panchāl, and outsiders call them Adhāli. The name Malyār is said to be derived from mal, dirt, and jār or jālna, to burn, the Malyārs having originally been employed by Sunārs or goldsmiths to clean and polish their ornaments. No doubt can be entertained that the Malyārs are in reality Gonds, as they have a set of exogamous septs all of which belong to the Gonds, and have Gondi names. So far as possible, however, they try to disguise this fact and perform their marriages by walking round the sacred post like the Hindustāni castes. They will take food cooked without water from Brāhmans, Rājpūts and Banias, but will not eat katcha (or food cooked with water) from anybody, and not even from members of their own caste unless they are relatives. This custom is common to some other castes of mixed descent, and indicates that illicit connections are frequent among the Malyārs, as indeed would necessarily be the case owing to the paucity of their numbers. But their memories are short, and the offspring of such irregular unions are recognised as belonging to the caste after one or two generations. An outsider belonging to any higher caste may be admitted to the community. The caste worship Māta Devi or the goddess of smallpox, and revere the spirit of a Malyār woman who became a Sati. They have learned as servants of the Sunārs the rudiments of their art, and manufacture rough ornaments for the primitive people of Bastar.

Māna Ojha.—Subcaste of Ojha.

Mandal.—(A name for a prosperous cultivator in Chhattīsgarh.) A section of Chamār and Panka. See article Kurmi.

Mandilwār.—Name derived from Mandla. Subcaste of Katia.

Mandkul.—A section of Komti who do not eat mangoes.

Mandlāha.—(From Mandla town.) Subtribe of Gond.

Māne Kunbi.—Subcaste of Gondhali.

Māng or Māngia.—A caste. Subcaste of Gānda, Gondhali, Bahrūpia.

Mangan.—(From Manghunia, beggar.) A caste.

Mangan.466—A small caste found in Chhattīsgarh and Sambalpur who are the musicians and genealogists of the Ghasias. The term is considered opprobrious, as it means ‘beggar,’ and many Mangans probably return themselves as Ghasias. They are despised by the Ghasias, who will not take food or water from them. At the marriages of the former the Mangans play on a drum called ghunghru, which they consider as the badge of the caste, their cattle being branded with a representation of it. The only point worth notice about the caste is that they are admittedly of mixed descent from the unions of members of other castes with Ghasia prostitutes. They have five totemistic exogamous sections, about each of which a song is sung relating its origin. The Sunāni sept, which worships gold as its totem and occupies the highest position, is said to be descended from a Brāhman father and a Ghasia mother; the Sendaria sept, worshipping vermilion, from a Kewat ancestor and a Ghasia woman; the Bhainsa sept, worshipping a buffalo, from a Gaur or Ahīr and a Ghasia; the Mahānadia sept, having the Mahānadi for their totem, from a Gond and a Ghasia woman; while the Bāgh sept, who revere the tiger, say that a cow once gave birth to two young, one in the form of a tiger and the other of a human being; the latter on growing up took a Ghasia woman to himself and became the ancestor of the sept. As might be expected from their ancestry, the Mangan women are generally of loose character. The Mangans sometimes act as sweepers.

Māngta.—(A beggar.) A subcaste of Pāsi in Sangor, who beg from their caste-fellows.

Maniāra.—(A Pedlar.) Subcaste of Jogi.

Manihār.—A caste. The Manihārs are also known as Bisāti. An occupational name of Jogis.

Mānikpuria.—(A resident Mānikpur.) Subcaste of Panka.

Mānjhi.—(Headman.) A synonym of Santāl and Kewat. A section of Chasa, Dhanuhār and Kolta. A title of Chasa.

Manjur.—(Peacock.) A totemistic sept of Munda.

Manjmār.—Term for a boatman. Included in Kewat.

Mānkar.—Name of a superior class of village watchmen in Nimār District. See article Bhīl. A subcaste of Māna and Halba.

Mannepuwār.—A subcaste of Māla. Synonym, Teluga Bhoi.

Mānwa.—Subcaste of Kunbi.

Marābi.—A common sept of Gond. A section of Nat.

Marai.—(A name for the goddess of cholera, who is called Marai Māta.) A common sept of Gond. Also a sept of Baiga, Pasor and Bhunjia. A subcaste of Majhwār.

Marāl.—Synonym of Māli.

Marapa.—A sept of Gonds in Betūl, who abstain from killing or eating a goat or sheep and throw away any article smelt by them.

Marār.—Synonym for Māli, a gardener. Also a subcaste of Kāchhi.

Marātha, Marāthe.—A caste. A subcaste of Barhai, Bedar, Chamār, Dhīmar, Gadaria, Kumhār, Mahār, Māli, Māng, Nai and Teli.

Marāthi, Marātha, Mārthe, Marāthe.—(A resident of the Marātha country.) Subcaste of Bahrūpia, Chamār, Dhargar, Gundhali, Gopāl, Injhwār, Kaikāri, Kasār, Koshti, Nāhal, Otāri.

Marathia.—Resident of Bhandāra or another Marātha District. Subcaste of Halba.

Māria.—A well-known tribe of Gonds in Bastar and Chānda. See article Gond. A subcaste of Gowāri. A section of Ahīr, Chamār and Kumhār.

Markām.—(Marka, mango.) One of the principal septs of Gonds. Also a sept of Baiga, Basor, Bhumjia, Pardhān and Solāha.

Marori. 467—A small caste of degraded Rājpūts from Marwār found in the Bhandāra and Chhindwāra Districts and also in Berār. The name is a local corruption of Mārwāri, and is applied to them by their neighbours, though many of the caste do not accept it and call themselves Rājpūts. In Chhindwāra they go by the name of Chhatri, and in the Tirora Tahsīl they are known as Alkari, because they formerly grew the al or Indian madder for a dye, though it has now been driven out of the market. They have been in the Central Provinces for some generations, and though retaining certain peculiarities of dress, which show their northern origin, have abandoned in many respects the caste usages of Rājpūts. Their women wear the Hindustāni angia tied with string behind in place of the Marātha choli or breast-cloth, and drape their sāris after the northern fashion. They wear ornaments of the Rājpūtans shape on their arms, and at their weddings they sing Mārwāri songs. They have Rājpūt sept names, as Parihār, Rāthor, Solanki, Sesodia and others, which constitute exogamous groups and are called kulis. Some of these have split up into two or three subdivisions, as, for instance, the Pathar (stone) Panwārs, the Pāndhre or white Panwārs and the Dhatūra or thorn-apple Panwārs; and members of these different groups may intermarry. The reason seems to be that it was recognised that people belonged to the same Panwār sept who were not blood kin to each other, and the prohibition of marriage between them was a serious inconvenience in a small community. They also have eponymous gotras, as Vasishtha, Batsa and others of the Brāhmanical type, but these do not influence exogamy. The paucity of their numbers and the influence of local usage have caused them to relax the marriage rules adhered to by Rājpūts. Women are very scarce, and a price varying from forty to a hundred rupees is commonly paid for a bride, though they feel keenly the degradation attaching to the acceptance of a bride-price. Widow-marriage is permitted, no doubt for the same reasons, and a girl going wrong with a man of another caste may be readmitted to the community. Divorce is not permitted, and an unfaithful wife may be abandoned; she cannot then marry again in the caste. Formerly, on the arrival of the marriage procession, the bride’s and bridegroom’s parties let off fireworks, aiming them against each other, but this practice is now discontinued. When the bridegroom approaches the marriage-shed the bride comes out and strikes him on the breast or forehead with a ball of dough, a sheet being held between them; the bridegroom throws a handful of rice over her and strikes the festoons of the shed with a naked sword. A bachelor espousing a widow must first be married to a ring, which he thereafter carries in his ear, and if it is lost funeral ceremonies must be performed as for a real wife. Women are tattooed on the arms only. Children have as many as five names, one for ordinary use, and the others for ceremonial purposes and the arrangement of marriages. If a man kills a cow or a cat he must have a miniature figure of the animal made of gold and give it to a Brāhman in expiation of his sin.

Marskola.—(From markets, an axe.) A common sept of Gonds and Pardhāns.

Māru.—Subcaste of Chāran Bhāts.