23. They have a sort of local organisation (eka) in which three or four villages join, but it is weak and ineffective, and as a tribe they are little more than serfs, ascripti glebæ; a few are now beginning to cultivate as sub-tenants. DISTRIBUTION OF THE BIYÂRS ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1891. ==========+======== District. |Number. ~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~ Benares | 3,214 Mirzapur | 14,398 Ghâzipur | 537 Ballia | 579 Tarâi | 93 +~~~~~~~~ Total | 18,821 ==========+======== Bohra.—(Sanskrit, vyavahâraka, “a trader”).—A general term for any trader or money-lender. Those recorded under this name at the last Census are almost entirely confined to the Meerut Division. They claim to be and are usually admitted to be Brâhmans. Of them Sir H. M. Elliot [144] writes—“The Bohras of these Provinces either come from the neighbourhood of Jaypur, or are descendants of the original settlers from that quarter, and preserve some peculiarities of speech and dress by which they are readily known. An inferior class of Bohras is called Kaiyân, who are said to take their name from their trick of constantly saying Kahi, Kaîn, ‘Why?’ or Rahti—the continually revolving nature of their dealings and monthly visits to their debtors have with reference to the constant revolutions of the rahat or Persian wheel and buckets procured them the designation of Rahti.” Another name for them is Athwariya because they take interest every eighth (âthwen) day. The Bohras, according to Sir H. M. Elliot, have larger dealings and with higher classes than the Rahtis have, but, like the latter, are generally eager to acquire possession of profitable estates. There is, however, this difference between them, that the Rahtis lend and will take in return only money; whereas the Bohras are ready to receive every marketable article, including the produce of the soil as well as cattle, among which may be enumerated horses, camels, sheep and goats in payment of their debts. 2. Those in the Upper Ganges Jumna Duâb, claim to be Paliwâl Gaur Brâhmans, from Pâli, in Râjputâna. [145] Trade is not lawful for a Brâhman except in times of scarcity and under certain conditions. [146] Hence to mark their separation from Brâhmans with whom they do not mess or intermarry, they associate with the Mahâbrâhman, who is an abomination to the Hindu on account of his functions as a funeral priest.