DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0070
THE CASTE SYSTEM OF NORTHERN INDIA
their chaudhris or headmen. Twenty years ago each
group had one chaudhri, but now Jaiswala has three and
iVlanikpur two. The quarrel, or rather the series of quar-
rels, was as follows. Firstly, a woman (her ghol is not
given) peddled fruit about the streets. Two brethren
ordered her to desist from the practice, which is deroga-
tory to the caste’s dignity : women should only sell in
shops. Her husband and she proved contumacious : and
finally their own ghol, acting singly, outcasted the man.
The Dalmau ghol, however, dissenting from this action,
admitted the husband to communion with themselves
upon payment of a fine of Rs. 80, in lieu of excommuni-
cation. Secondly, a man (the ghol is again not given)
was excommunicated by his own ghol, acting alone : and
while his case was under trial, the Jaiswala chaudhris in-
vited him to dinner by mistake. Thereupon the three
ghols, acting in concert, fined the chaudhris Rs. 30.
Lastly, fines had accumulated and it was decided to hold
a katha (sacred recitation). The Dalmau chaudhri said
he preferred to have his share of the money; but the
Manikpur chaudhris (who seem to have kept the joint
purse) refused, taking up the attitude that there was go-
ing to be a katha, to which the Dalmau people could come
or not as they liked. The matter at this stage was brought
into court; meanwhile the three ghols ceased to inter-
marry, so that one endogamous subcaste split into three
endogamous groups. It will be noted that in all these
quarrels, ghol was pitted against ghol.
If in any caste a group should adopt some new or
unusual worship of which other members
30. Subcastes not approve, one would expect that
due to change x x y x
of religion grouP to break off and become an endo-
gamous subcaste. That such subcastes
are uncommon is due to the tolerance of the Hindu, who
troubles himself little about a man’s beliefs and worships
—much less than he troubles about what and with whom
he eats and whom he marries. We do, however, find
the Mahabiriya and Pachpiriya subcastes amongst Telis,
the latter also amongst Halwais, the Sadh amongst
Koris, and the Nanakshahi amongst Barhais, Bhangis,
56
their chaudhris or headmen. Twenty years ago each
group had one chaudhri, but now Jaiswala has three and
iVlanikpur two. The quarrel, or rather the series of quar-
rels, was as follows. Firstly, a woman (her ghol is not
given) peddled fruit about the streets. Two brethren
ordered her to desist from the practice, which is deroga-
tory to the caste’s dignity : women should only sell in
shops. Her husband and she proved contumacious : and
finally their own ghol, acting singly, outcasted the man.
The Dalmau ghol, however, dissenting from this action,
admitted the husband to communion with themselves
upon payment of a fine of Rs. 80, in lieu of excommuni-
cation. Secondly, a man (the ghol is again not given)
was excommunicated by his own ghol, acting alone : and
while his case was under trial, the Jaiswala chaudhris in-
vited him to dinner by mistake. Thereupon the three
ghols, acting in concert, fined the chaudhris Rs. 30.
Lastly, fines had accumulated and it was decided to hold
a katha (sacred recitation). The Dalmau chaudhri said
he preferred to have his share of the money; but the
Manikpur chaudhris (who seem to have kept the joint
purse) refused, taking up the attitude that there was go-
ing to be a katha, to which the Dalmau people could come
or not as they liked. The matter at this stage was brought
into court; meanwhile the three ghols ceased to inter-
marry, so that one endogamous subcaste split into three
endogamous groups. It will be noted that in all these
quarrels, ghol was pitted against ghol.
If in any caste a group should adopt some new or
unusual worship of which other members
30. Subcastes not approve, one would expect that
due to change x x y x
of religion grouP to break off and become an endo-
gamous subcaste. That such subcastes
are uncommon is due to the tolerance of the Hindu, who
troubles himself little about a man’s beliefs and worships
—much less than he troubles about what and with whom
he eats and whom he marries. We do, however, find
the Mahabiriya and Pachpiriya subcastes amongst Telis,
the latter also amongst Halwais, the Sadh amongst
Koris, and the Nanakshahi amongst Barhais, Bhangis,
56