DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0139
THE SYSTEM OF CASTE GOVERNMENT
together, unless the offence were serious. But if it
were, then he would seldom need to do so, since
public opinion would come to his assistance. The
brotherhood, individually and collectively, would send
the offender ‘to Coventry’, cease all intercourse with
him, and, in fact, outcaste him without enquiry or forma-
lity. The onus would then fall on the offender : he, or his
relatives for him, must convene the panchayat to establish
his innocence, or obtain a mitigation of sentence. And
this he would not be likely to do unless he were hopeful
of success. The result is that impermanent panchayats
very seldom meet; it was recorcled in 1911, for instance,
that in Banda, the panchayat of the Hindu branch of
the Chamargaur Rajputs had only met once within the
memory of the oldest brother; and that the panchayats of
the Muhammadan Chamargaur and the Baghel Rajputs
had not met for at least three generations. In such cir-
cumstances, it is not surprising to find that little informa-
tion is available regarding the procedure of impermanent
panchayats when they do meet. In most cases, a sar-
panch is selected to preside, pro hac vice : and the coun-
cil then investigates the case and passes sentence, in
much the same way as if it were permanent. Nor is it
possible to give a complete list of castes that possess im-
permanent panchayats. Besides the two Rajput septs
already mentioned, such panchayats exist among the
Moradabad Chauhans, the Ghosis, jats, Kurmis, Lodhas,
Orhs, and Turks, and the Chandel and Kachhwaha Raj-
puts : and, in some places, among the Kayastha-Mochis,
Kumhars, Luniyas and Sonars. But many of the
‘twice born’ groups—ali Brahmans, most Rajputs and
the highest Vaisyas (Agarwal, Bhat, Umar)—have no
panchayat of any kind. They rely solely on the force
of public opinion : the offender is informally ostracized
in the manner already described, and remains so all his
days, and his children after him. Various castes owe
their existence to such ostracism : one instance is the
Moradabad Chauhan group, which springs from the
Chauhan Rajputs. And smaller groups of outcastes are
to be found scattered up and down the country.
125
together, unless the offence were serious. But if it
were, then he would seldom need to do so, since
public opinion would come to his assistance. The
brotherhood, individually and collectively, would send
the offender ‘to Coventry’, cease all intercourse with
him, and, in fact, outcaste him without enquiry or forma-
lity. The onus would then fall on the offender : he, or his
relatives for him, must convene the panchayat to establish
his innocence, or obtain a mitigation of sentence. And
this he would not be likely to do unless he were hopeful
of success. The result is that impermanent panchayats
very seldom meet; it was recorcled in 1911, for instance,
that in Banda, the panchayat of the Hindu branch of
the Chamargaur Rajputs had only met once within the
memory of the oldest brother; and that the panchayats of
the Muhammadan Chamargaur and the Baghel Rajputs
had not met for at least three generations. In such cir-
cumstances, it is not surprising to find that little informa-
tion is available regarding the procedure of impermanent
panchayats when they do meet. In most cases, a sar-
panch is selected to preside, pro hac vice : and the coun-
cil then investigates the case and passes sentence, in
much the same way as if it were permanent. Nor is it
possible to give a complete list of castes that possess im-
permanent panchayats. Besides the two Rajput septs
already mentioned, such panchayats exist among the
Moradabad Chauhans, the Ghosis, jats, Kurmis, Lodhas,
Orhs, and Turks, and the Chandel and Kachhwaha Raj-
puts : and, in some places, among the Kayastha-Mochis,
Kumhars, Luniyas and Sonars. But many of the
‘twice born’ groups—ali Brahmans, most Rajputs and
the highest Vaisyas (Agarwal, Bhat, Umar)—have no
panchayat of any kind. They rely solely on the force
of public opinion : the offender is informally ostracized
in the manner already described, and remains so all his
days, and his children after him. Various castes owe
their existence to such ostracism : one instance is the
Moradabad Chauhan group, which springs from the
Chauhan Rajputs. And smaller groups of outcastes are
to be found scattered up and down the country.
125