Blunt, Edward : The caste system of northern India: with special reference to the united provinces of Agra and Oudh (London, 1931)

THE CASTE SYSTEM OF NORTHERN INDIA

Some castes that are themselves low are especially
strict in keeping untouchables at a dis-
16. 'Poiiution' tance. I have examined the taboos of

I'astes l0LL’er twenty-five such castes : the principal

results are given in the following table :

Caste

iiame Regard as untouchable the

Bhangi Chamar Dharkar Dhobi

Dom

Agariya






i

Audhiya


i

i




Baheliya


i



i

i

Bajgi


i

i



i

Bansphor





X

i

Basor


i

i

i

i

i

Bhangi


X



i

i

Bhar


I


i

i

i

Bhot


X

i


i


Bhuiya



X

i

i

X

Bhuiyar



i

i

i

i

Bind



i

i


i

Byar


I

i

i


x

Chamar



X


i

i

Dangi


I

I




Dharkar



I

X

i

i

Dom





i

X

Dusadh



I

i


X

Gharuk


I

I




Ghasiya





i


Golapurab


I

I


i


Khangar


I

I


i


Kharwar



I

X



Khatik



I

I

i

I

Majhwar



I

I

i

I

Eleven

castes will

not touch a

Bhangi,

seventeen

will

not touch

a Chamar,

ten

will not

touch a

Dharkar,

six-

teen wil not touch a

Dhobi or a

Dom.

These are the

untouchables par excellence; though one or more of the
twenty-five castes also regard the Basor, Bhuiya, Gha-
siya, Kori, Musahar, Pasi, and Patari as untouchable.
The most particular in this respect are the Basor, Bhar,
Bhuiya, Bhuiyar, Byar, Khatik, and Majhwar; most of

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