The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 1 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 1 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
[Eponymous titles.] 8. Next to these names derived from the local areas
occupied by tribes, septs, and sections, we have the eponymous titles
derived from the worthies of the ancient days. Thus Vatsa seems to give
his name to the Bachgoti, Râja Vena to the Benbans: the Rishi
Bhâradwaja constantly appears, while Vasishtha is absent. Râja Durga is
represented in the Durgbansis; and we meet constantly with Garga,
Gautama, Parâsara, Raghu, and Sandila. Later in history come saints and
holy men like Kabîr, Lâlbeg, Madâr, Malûkdâs, and Nânak. Akbar, Humâyun
and Shâhjahân have disappeared, and perhaps the only monarchs of the
Delhi line who have survived in the caste names are Shêr Shâh and Salîm
Shâh, who give their name to two divisions of the Bhathiyâras. A
sub-caste of the Chhîpis take their name from Todar Mal, the famous
minister of Akbar.
[Names derived from Râjput septs.] 9. Much of the caste nomenclature is
taken from that of the famous Râjput septs who employed or protected
the menial peoples. No names recur more often among the sections of the
inferior castes than Chauhân, Gaharwâr, Gahlot, Bargûjar, Râthaur,
Kachhwâha, Jâdon and Tomar, which possibly represent the serfs and
helots attached to them.
[Occupational titles.] 10. Next comes the great mass of occupational
titles, the Bardhiya, “ox-men;” Bedbâf, “cane twisters;” Bâzigar,
“acrobats;” Beldâr, “spademen;” Bhainsaha, “buffalo-men;” Bhusiya,
“chaff men;” Chiryamâr, “fowlers;” Chobdâr, “mace-bearers;” Dhâlgar,
“shield makers;” Dhankûta, “grinders of paddy;” Dhânuk, “bowmen;”
Dharkâr, “rope twisters;” Dhelphor, “clod breakers;” Dhenkuliya, “those
who work the water lever;” Dhobi, “the washermen;” Dholi, “drummers;”
Gadariya, “shepherds;” Ghosi, “those that shout after the cattle;”
Guâla, “cow-keepers;” Hardiya, “turmeric growers;” Jauhari,
“jewellers;” Jonkâha, “leech men;” Julâha, “thread makers;” Kamângar,
“makers of bows;” Khâlranga, “dyers of hides;” Kingriya, “violin
players;” Kisân and Koeri, “ploughmen;” Kûnchhand, “makers of weavers’
brushes;” Kuppêsâz, “leather vessel moulders;” Lakarhâr, “the workers
in wood;” Lohiya, “the dealers in iron;” Luniya, “the saltmen,” and
Labâna, “the salt carriers;” Machhimâra, “the fish-killer;” Manihâr,
“the jeweller;” Pahlwân, “the wrestler;” Pattharâha, “the stone
workers;” Pâwariya, “the singer on a mat;” Piyâzi, “the growers of
onions;” Singiwâla, “the cupper;” and Sirkiband, “the people who live
under a thatch.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account