DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.31218#0259
CASTE IN RELATION TO OCCUPATION
permitted to finish it, except with the leave of the original
Darzi.
Bhishti1 (Etah).—An employer who was building a
house rebuked a Bhishti for unpunctuality. The Bhishti
struck work : whereupon all other Bhishtis followed suit,
and refused to resume work till the employer apologized.
Nai.—The Nai panchayat deals with jajmani disputes.
On one occasion they boycotted dancing girls who refused
to dance at a Nai’s wedding.
Dhuniya1 (Sitapur).—In this caste interlopers are
outcasted.
Dhobi (Shahjahanpur).—The Dhobis of Shahjahanpur
city refused to wash the Kahars’ clothes in consequence
of a dispute.
Murao (Fatehpur).—A Murao panchayat used to run
a co-operative bank. If a member of the caste neglected
to pay his dues to the bank, he was outcasted till he did
so—an excellent instance of the adaptation of old world
methods to new conditions.
The Nanbai,1 Qassab1 and Raj1 all have guilds that
deal with professional matters. The Raj is not a caste
at all; it is an occupational group recruited from many
castes. They have a system of apprenticeship : the
apprentice when out of his indentures presents a turban
to his master, and feeds the members with cardamoms.
Koiri.—Some twenty years ago, the Koiri opium-
growers, being dissatisfied with the rates paid for opium
by Government, decided at a monster panchayat to refuse
to supply at these rates and to stop growing poppy till
the rate was enhanced, as was ultimately done.
An examination of these cases shows that the castes
which deal most with trade questions are,
15. Summary for the most part, those which cling most
closely to their traditional occupations—
the Bhangi, the Nai, the Bhishti, the Darzi. Other
functional castes seem to ignore such matters, as is natural
since so many of their members are now taking to other
than their traditional occupations. But, as the cases of
1 Muhammadan castes.
245
permitted to finish it, except with the leave of the original
Darzi.
Bhishti1 (Etah).—An employer who was building a
house rebuked a Bhishti for unpunctuality. The Bhishti
struck work : whereupon all other Bhishtis followed suit,
and refused to resume work till the employer apologized.
Nai.—The Nai panchayat deals with jajmani disputes.
On one occasion they boycotted dancing girls who refused
to dance at a Nai’s wedding.
Dhuniya1 (Sitapur).—In this caste interlopers are
outcasted.
Dhobi (Shahjahanpur).—The Dhobis of Shahjahanpur
city refused to wash the Kahars’ clothes in consequence
of a dispute.
Murao (Fatehpur).—A Murao panchayat used to run
a co-operative bank. If a member of the caste neglected
to pay his dues to the bank, he was outcasted till he did
so—an excellent instance of the adaptation of old world
methods to new conditions.
The Nanbai,1 Qassab1 and Raj1 all have guilds that
deal with professional matters. The Raj is not a caste
at all; it is an occupational group recruited from many
castes. They have a system of apprenticeship : the
apprentice when out of his indentures presents a turban
to his master, and feeds the members with cardamoms.
Koiri.—Some twenty years ago, the Koiri opium-
growers, being dissatisfied with the rates paid for opium
by Government, decided at a monster panchayat to refuse
to supply at these rates and to stop growing poppy till
the rate was enhanced, as was ultimately done.
An examination of these cases shows that the castes
which deal most with trade questions are,
15. Summary for the most part, those which cling most
closely to their traditional occupations—
the Bhangi, the Nai, the Bhishti, the Darzi. Other
functional castes seem to ignore such matters, as is natural
since so many of their members are now taking to other
than their traditional occupations. But, as the cases of
1 Muhammadan castes.
245