The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
[The criminal Biloch of the North-Western Provinces.] 4. In the
Muzaffarnagar District they are also known as Rind. “They originally
emigrated from the Panjâb; that they are professional thieves of a
dangerous character is now well established. They depart on their
predatory tours assuming the character of faqîrs, physicians, and
teachers of the Qurân, and carry on their depredations at great
distances as far southward as Ajmere and westward as Lahore. Some few
in the Muzaffarnagar District have acquired landed property; but the
rest may be said to have no ostensible means of livelihood and to be
habitual absentees. Their mode of robbery is not by violence, but by
picking locks with needles. One thief makes an entry, receiving
two-thirds of the property as his share, while his confederate, who
sits outside to watch, receives one-third.” [116] The same people there
called Biloch are found in Ambâla and Karnâl. “During the rainy season
the whole country is inundated for months. A more suitable stronghold
for a criminal tribe could not be imagined. They are almost certainly
of true Biloch origin, and still give their tribal names as Rind,
Lashari, Jatoi, and Korai. But they are by their habits quite distinct
from both the land-owning Biloch and the camel-driver, who is so
commonly called Biloch simply because he is a camel-driver. They are
described as coarse-looking men of a dark colour, living in a separate
quarter, and with nothing to distinguish them from the scavenger caste
except a profusion of stolen ornaments and similar property. They say
that their ancestors once lived beyond Kasûr, in the Lahore District,
but were driven out on account of their marauding habits. The men still
keep camels and cultivate a little land as their ostensible occupation;
but during a great part of the year they leave the women, who are
strictly secluded at home, and wander about disguised as Fakîrs or as
butchers in search of sheep for sale, extending their excursions to
great distances, and apparently to almost all parts of India.” [117]
DISTRIBUTION OF THE BILOCH ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1891.
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