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

GLOSSARY OF VERNACULAR TERMS

S unni

One of the two principal divisions of
Muh amm adan s

Takawan

Takht

Thali

That

(Silver) contribution at a wedding

Lit. ‘throne’. A caste headman

Dish

Lit. ‘frame work’; a name used by hill
Brahmans for their sections

Thok

Lit. ‘company’. Jurisdiction of a caste
council

T ikligar

T ilak

Tirath

Spangde maker

Gift of the dowry

Pilgrimage

Vadhaka

Vaishnava

Vakil

Murderer (Sanskrit)

Worshipper of Vishnu

Lit. ‘attorney or delegate’. A caste

official

Vanap rasta

Varna

Hermit

Lit. ‘colour’; one of the four Aryan
social classes

Varnasankara
Vijaya homa
Vyavastha

One of Manu’s ‘mixed’ castes

Name of a Goshain rite

A declaration of law, a Brahmanical
ruling

Vratya

Vrisala

Name given to certain castes by Manu
Name given to certain castes by Manu

Wajih-ul-arz

Wali

Record of village customs

Guardian (especially in respect of mar-

Wazir

riage)

Lit. ‘minister’. A caste official

Zargar

Zat

Jeweller

Lit. ‘breed’; used for ‘caste’ (Arabic)