DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0068
THE CASTE SYSTEM OF NORTHERN INDIA
(ii) The Kurmiya Ahirs of Hardoi, the Jatiya Cha-
mars and Nikhar Gadariyas have all lost rank because
they are the offspring of a union between two persons of
different castes.
(iii) The Gola Agariya is a Luniya subcaste which
claims Rajput origin; it is clearly the same as Mr.
Crooke’s Agaris, who are also known as Gola Thakur
(i.e. bastard Rajput).
(iv) In Cawnpore were found some Thakur-Arakhs,
also obviously the offspring of a mixed union. It may
be added that such persons, if not admitted (as they some-
times are) into full caste rights, intermarry amongst them-
selves.
(v) The Gual Ahir in Bijnor ranks low because
legend traces his descent to the cattleherds of the true
Ahirs, who owned the cattle.
(vi) The Dhaigar Gadariya is despised because he
has adopted some Muhammadan customs.
(vii) The Gaur Kayasthas in service at the Delhi
Court under Nasiruddin Mahmud made great friends with
some Bhatnagar Kayasthas, and finally invited the latter
to eat with them. But most of them refused to accept a
return invitation, and excommunicated some of their num-
ber who proved more complaisant. The Bhatnagars
appealed to the Emperor to compel the Gaurs to eat with
them. The Gaurs fled to Budaun, save one pregnant
woman who took refuge with a Brahman, and ultimately
gave her son in marriage to his daughter. Those that
fled to Budaun were haled back to Delhi, and ordered to
eat with the Bhatnagars. Some Budaun Brahmans triecl
to save them by passing them off as their own relatives;
but the Muhammadan officials, who apparently knew
something about caste custom, defeated this move by in-
sisting that these Brahmans should eat from the same
cooking place as their proteges. Thereupon, to the dis-
g'ust of the Bhatnagars, the Emperor dismissed their
complaint; and in the end both the Bhatnagar and Gaur
groups broke up into endogamous sections. The Bhat-
nagars were subdivided into the Khas Bhatnagars who
had not, and the Gaur Bhatnagars who had, eaten with
54
(ii) The Kurmiya Ahirs of Hardoi, the Jatiya Cha-
mars and Nikhar Gadariyas have all lost rank because
they are the offspring of a union between two persons of
different castes.
(iii) The Gola Agariya is a Luniya subcaste which
claims Rajput origin; it is clearly the same as Mr.
Crooke’s Agaris, who are also known as Gola Thakur
(i.e. bastard Rajput).
(iv) In Cawnpore were found some Thakur-Arakhs,
also obviously the offspring of a mixed union. It may
be added that such persons, if not admitted (as they some-
times are) into full caste rights, intermarry amongst them-
selves.
(v) The Gual Ahir in Bijnor ranks low because
legend traces his descent to the cattleherds of the true
Ahirs, who owned the cattle.
(vi) The Dhaigar Gadariya is despised because he
has adopted some Muhammadan customs.
(vii) The Gaur Kayasthas in service at the Delhi
Court under Nasiruddin Mahmud made great friends with
some Bhatnagar Kayasthas, and finally invited the latter
to eat with them. But most of them refused to accept a
return invitation, and excommunicated some of their num-
ber who proved more complaisant. The Bhatnagars
appealed to the Emperor to compel the Gaurs to eat with
them. The Gaurs fled to Budaun, save one pregnant
woman who took refuge with a Brahman, and ultimately
gave her son in marriage to his daughter. Those that
fled to Budaun were haled back to Delhi, and ordered to
eat with the Bhatnagars. Some Budaun Brahmans triecl
to save them by passing them off as their own relatives;
but the Muhammadan officials, who apparently knew
something about caste custom, defeated this move by in-
sisting that these Brahmans should eat from the same
cooking place as their proteges. Thereupon, to the dis-
g'ust of the Bhatnagars, the Emperor dismissed their
complaint; and in the end both the Bhatnagar and Gaur
groups broke up into endogamous sections. The Bhat-
nagars were subdivided into the Khas Bhatnagars who
had not, and the Gaur Bhatnagars who had, eaten with
54