DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0223
NEW CASTES, AND NEW INFORMATION ABOUT OLD CASTES
definitely assigned to any particular caste, or functional
names which were not true caste names, though they
possibly denoted new castes in process of formation.
Apart from ignorance, however, there are many cases
of wilful misrepresentation, dictated by
j. Wiifui mis- various motives. Sometimes a Hindu
representation prefers, when asked his caste, to give,
about caste jn peu Qf jts name, some more or less
honorific title which is appropriated to
it. For instance, a Kayastha may describe himself as
‘Lala’, a Jat as ‘Chaudhri’, a Bhangi as ‘Mehtar’.
Others may return an occupational name, or the name
of a subcaste, or the name of his gotra or family, for no
better reason than that they sound more distinguished.
For instance, there were such occupational entries in the
census returns of 1911 as 'sargar’ (jeweller), ‘nilgar’
(worker in indigo), ‘tikligar’ (spangle-maker). The
Kayastha-Mochi preferred to call himself Kayastha-
Zingar (i.e. saddler instead of shoemaker). Jaiswara
Chamars almost invariably describe themselves as ‘Jais-
wara’, for that is also a subcaste of many much higher
castes. Similarly the Kori-Chamar will always call him-
self Kori—or even by slurring the first syllable try to
make himself out a Koiri.1 From time to time, too,
castes or particular branches of castes, who, having
acquired wealth, are endeavouring. to rise in the social
scale, claim descent from one of the three twice-born
classes of Manu ; and in pursuance of their claim they
call themselves by a name that conforms to it. These
claims may or may not be justified : some of them un-
doubtedly are so, and (if the description of the growth of
the caste system given in an earlier chapter is correct),
there is no a priori improbability in any of tliern. But
when, for instance, a Bhuinhar or a Belwar calls himself
a Brahman, the result is but to increase the difficulty of
classification by caste. The vanity which induces such
1 A Kori-Chamar tent-pitcher once earned a severe beating from
his fellow servants for playing this trick, and so inducing them to drink
water at his hands.
14
209
definitely assigned to any particular caste, or functional
names which were not true caste names, though they
possibly denoted new castes in process of formation.
Apart from ignorance, however, there are many cases
of wilful misrepresentation, dictated by
j. Wiifui mis- various motives. Sometimes a Hindu
representation prefers, when asked his caste, to give,
about caste jn peu Qf jts name, some more or less
honorific title which is appropriated to
it. For instance, a Kayastha may describe himself as
‘Lala’, a Jat as ‘Chaudhri’, a Bhangi as ‘Mehtar’.
Others may return an occupational name, or the name
of a subcaste, or the name of his gotra or family, for no
better reason than that they sound more distinguished.
For instance, there were such occupational entries in the
census returns of 1911 as 'sargar’ (jeweller), ‘nilgar’
(worker in indigo), ‘tikligar’ (spangle-maker). The
Kayastha-Mochi preferred to call himself Kayastha-
Zingar (i.e. saddler instead of shoemaker). Jaiswara
Chamars almost invariably describe themselves as ‘Jais-
wara’, for that is also a subcaste of many much higher
castes. Similarly the Kori-Chamar will always call him-
self Kori—or even by slurring the first syllable try to
make himself out a Koiri.1 From time to time, too,
castes or particular branches of castes, who, having
acquired wealth, are endeavouring. to rise in the social
scale, claim descent from one of the three twice-born
classes of Manu ; and in pursuance of their claim they
call themselves by a name that conforms to it. These
claims may or may not be justified : some of them un-
doubtedly are so, and (if the description of the growth of
the caste system given in an earlier chapter is correct),
there is no a priori improbability in any of tliern. But
when, for instance, a Bhuinhar or a Belwar calls himself
a Brahman, the result is but to increase the difficulty of
classification by caste. The vanity which induces such
1 A Kori-Chamar tent-pitcher once earned a severe beating from
his fellow servants for playing this trick, and so inducing them to drink
water at his hands.
14
209