DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0055
CASTE, SUBCASTE, AND MARRIAGE
Finally Cawnpore Khangars say that across the Jumna
Arakhs and Khangars are ‘two separate equal castes
forming one brotherhood with one panchayat, and marry-
ing, eating, and drinking together’ :—'which, if true, can
only mean that they are two exogamous branches of a
single caste. The Khangar is a caste that has risen in
the social scale and become Hinduized; very probably
it has left the Arakh, a much lower caste, behind in the
process.
There are survivals of totemism amongst some abori-
ginal tribes, such as the Agariya, Bais-
10. Totem names war, Bhuiya, Bhuiyar, and Dhangar.
All these have sections with names deriv-
ed from plants, animals, etc. which members of the sec-
tion are forbidden to eat. These totem groups are exo-
gamous, as totem groups usually are. Mr. Crooke has
discovered sections with plant and animal names in some
24 castes : but it is only in a few primitive castes that the
totem-name, totem-taboo, and exogamy co-exist.
11. Other kinds oj There are sectional names of other
sectionai names kinds which may be briefly mentioned.
(4) The nickname—Kamchor (loafer), Kabutari
(‘pigeonlike’—a flirter).
(ii) Names connected with a social custom—Byahut
(marrying only in the byah form, i.e. marrying only
virgins).
(iii) Names referring to origin—Chauhaniya-Misr
(Kumhar), Swang and Ghulam (Barwar).
(iv) Names referring to religious belief—Pachpiriya,
Mahabiriya.
(v) Names recalling castes of the Puranas—Amisht
(Amabashtha), Gaharwar (Gahvara), Kewat (Kaivarta),
Khasiya (Khasa), Nikhad (Nishada), Tank (Takka).
Such survivals, however, are not numerous.
As will be seen later, the constitution of a caste is
very liable to alteration ; groups originally
12. Nomenciature exogamous for this reason or that become
of exogamous and end0prarn0US whilst the reverse process,
endogamous . 11 1 11
groups though less common, also takes place.
At the present time, therefore, it is impos-
41
Finally Cawnpore Khangars say that across the Jumna
Arakhs and Khangars are ‘two separate equal castes
forming one brotherhood with one panchayat, and marry-
ing, eating, and drinking together’ :—'which, if true, can
only mean that they are two exogamous branches of a
single caste. The Khangar is a caste that has risen in
the social scale and become Hinduized; very probably
it has left the Arakh, a much lower caste, behind in the
process.
There are survivals of totemism amongst some abori-
ginal tribes, such as the Agariya, Bais-
10. Totem names war, Bhuiya, Bhuiyar, and Dhangar.
All these have sections with names deriv-
ed from plants, animals, etc. which members of the sec-
tion are forbidden to eat. These totem groups are exo-
gamous, as totem groups usually are. Mr. Crooke has
discovered sections with plant and animal names in some
24 castes : but it is only in a few primitive castes that the
totem-name, totem-taboo, and exogamy co-exist.
11. Other kinds oj There are sectional names of other
sectionai names kinds which may be briefly mentioned.
(4) The nickname—Kamchor (loafer), Kabutari
(‘pigeonlike’—a flirter).
(ii) Names connected with a social custom—Byahut
(marrying only in the byah form, i.e. marrying only
virgins).
(iii) Names referring to origin—Chauhaniya-Misr
(Kumhar), Swang and Ghulam (Barwar).
(iv) Names referring to religious belief—Pachpiriya,
Mahabiriya.
(v) Names recalling castes of the Puranas—Amisht
(Amabashtha), Gaharwar (Gahvara), Kewat (Kaivarta),
Khasiya (Khasa), Nikhad (Nishada), Tank (Takka).
Such survivals, however, are not numerous.
As will be seen later, the constitution of a caste is
very liable to alteration ; groups originally
12. Nomenciature exogamous for this reason or that become
of exogamous and end0prarn0US whilst the reverse process,
endogamous . 11 1 11
groups though less common, also takes place.
At the present time, therefore, it is impos-
41