Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7Thurston, Edgar
History
Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol. 2 of 7
Thurston, Edgar
Caste -- India, South; Ethnology -- India, South; India, South -- Social life and customs; Tribes -- India, South
Chapa (mat).--An exogamous sept of Boya.
Chappadi (insipid).--An exogamous sept of Jogi.
Chapparam (a pandal or booth).--An exogamous sept of Devanga.
Chapparband.--The Chapparbands are manufacturers of spurious coin,
who hail from the Bombay Presidency, and are watched for by the
police. It is noted, in the Police Report, 1904, that good work was
done in Ganjam in tracing certain gangs of these coiners, and bringing
them to conviction.
For the following note I am indebted to a report [12] by
Mr. H. N. Alexander of the Bombay Police Department. The name
Chapparband refers to their calling, chapa meaning an impression or
stamp. "Among themselves they are known as Bhadoos, but in Hindustan,
and among Thugs and cheats generally, they are known as Khoolsurrya,
i.e., false coiners. While in their villages, they cultivate the
fields, rear poultry and breed sheep, while the women make quilts,
which the men sell while on their tours. But the real business of this
class is to make and pass off false coin. Laying aside their ordinary
Muhammadan dress, they assume the dress and appearance of fakirs of the
Muddar section, Muddar being their Pir, and, unaccompanied by their
women, wander from village to village. Marathi is their language,
and, in addition, they have a peculiar slang of their own. Like all
people of this class, they are superstitious, and will not proceed
on an expedition unless a favourable omen is obtained. The following
account is given, showing how the false coin is manufactured. A mould
serves only once, a new one being required for every rupee or other
coin. It is made of unslaked lime and a kind of yellow earth called
shedoo, finely powdered and sifted, and patiently kneaded with water
to about the consistency of putty. One of the coins to be imitated
is then pressed with some of the preparation, and covered over,
and, being cut all round, is placed in some embers. After becoming
hardened, it is carefully laid open with a knife, and, the coin
being taken out, its impression remains. The upper and lower pieces
are then joined together with a kind of gum, and, a small hole being
made on one side, molten tin is poured in, and thus an imitation of
the coin is obtained, and it only remains to rub it over with dirt
to give it the appearance of old money. The tin is purchased in any
bazaar, and the false money is prepared on the road as the gang
travels along. Chapparbands adopt several ways of getting rid of
their false coin. They enter shops and make purchases, showing true
rupees in the first instance, and substituting false ones at the time
of payment. They change false rupees for copper money, and also in
exchange for good rupees of other currencies. Naturally, they look
out for women and simple people, though the manner of passing off
the base coin is clever, being done by sleight of hand. The false
money is kept in pockets formed within the folds of their langutis
(loin-cloths), and also hidden in the private parts."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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