Indian Antiquary Vol 03

SR No.: 032495
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 420
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 147

MAY, 1874.]
NOTES ON CASTES IN THE DEKHAN.
131
the guardian of boundaries, but also of the resemble the Mahars in personal habits, but are public peace and health, as watchman and scav- seldom public servants, except in a capacity to enger; of communications, for he should guide be mentioned hereafter. Colonel Taylor, in "Tara," travellers aud make petty road repairs; and of has confounded ther, in a manner to me unthe public treasure and correspondence, for accountable, with Ramosis, whom they reit is his duty to carry the revenue to the semble in no other respect than in being great treasury, and convey all messages on account thieves. But the Màng thief is a mere prowler of Government. It will be seen that be has no and pilferer; whereas the Råmosî excels in sinecure, when it is added that in no district robbery "considered as one of the fine arts," does he get more for all this than a little the "Daroda," or house-breaking by night with inám land and a few rapees cash allowance; arms and torches. The Mangs are supposed by and that in Eastern Punâ and Solapúr he gets courtesy to live by making ropes, and it is the nothing at all be the contributions in kind of privilege of their race to apply their own stock. the villagers, which the revenue officers are not in-trade to practical use when anybody has to allowed to enforte except by "personal in be hanged. It is said that the proudest moment fluence (that is, pressure of pattáwallás), it of a Mang's life is when he hangs a Mahâr, for is obvious that he is not one of "the Queen's between these two castes exists a bitter jealousy bad bargains." These duties belong to the as to precedence! They are great keepers of Mahâr as yeskar, or village watchman, with pigs, and have a method of cookery which rethe name of which office that of Mahîr is minds one a little of Charles Lamb's account of generally considered synonymous. But the the discovery of roast pork among the Chinese. Tural or gate-ward, an officer found in a good A hole is dag in the ground and a good fire many villages, is generally also a Mahar by lighted till it is full of glowing embers. Four caste. The term Dhed is simply Hindu- good tent-pegs are then driven in around it, the stani for a Mahâr, and is found as we go north- selected porker is spread-eagled thereto, and, ward. The Mahars take service as horse- without further preparation, then and there keepers, in which capacity their hardiness and roasted alive, while his squeals serve as grace natural talent for topography make them nge- before meat to the expectant Mångs. ful; also as domestic servants (the Surat They are also owners of donkeys which carry servants, so well known in Bombay, are loads of building materials; and they are someGujarati Dheds), and in native infantry regi- times scavengers. ments, where they sometimes come to commis- 3. The Bhaigis, Mehters, or sweepers, Eions--an arrangement, I suspect, not very are of two divisions, Hindu and Muhammadan. favourable to discipline. But for district It should be premised that the Mahars and police and peons they are useless, having Mångs, though not otherwise particular, will no moral influence that is, no man of caste not remove night-soil, so that this trude is the will submit to be bullied by them. They monopoly of the Bhangis; and in these days do not often learn to read and write, because of sanitation they make a very good thing of it, the children of caste generally rather leave and no class of labourers in the country gets a school than sit in the class with them; so well paid for the amount of work done. and at sone messes and private houses it is not The men often combine with their hereditary thought “good form " to bring a Mahar. occupation, that of a kurudild, or dog-boy, servant to wait at table. These prejudices, and the women ase often prostitutes and prowhich seem at first sight unreasonable, are, curesses. It is to be noted of the Bbary'that as I have said, justified by the personal they have also their point of honour, and habits of a race who will dispute a rotten nothing will induce them to scavenge a Malarbuffalo with the kite and jackal, and whose wada, or Mahárs' quarter. All the Parwaris favourite method of indicating their displeasure are obliged to find barbers of their own castes, with any thing or body is that by which the as the Nahavis, like their fellow-trades an Yahoos dislodged Gulliver from his post of chronicled by the late Mr Dickens, "monst vantage by the tree.
draw the line somewhere," and they draw it at 2. The Mângs are a tribe who a good deal | Marathas. The Mahars generally have a little