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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.

CASTES OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY.

Dr. H. W. Carter to his “Report on the Pre valence and Characters of Leprosy in the Bombay Presidency” has added an appendix giving short notices of all the castes mentioned in the returns.

“The details it supplies,” he remarks, “are of the simplest, and without pretence: such of the infor mation as is not commonly available has been obligingly furnished by the Magistrates of Kanara, Khandesh, Thana, Dharwar, &c. and many pro bable discrepancies are referrible to the varying customs of the same castes in different provinces.” “The subject of caste,” he adds, “is full of instruction to the antiquary and the ethnologist : it is a mine as yet little worked, but which holds information sufficient, by analysis of details, to explain many curious anomalies in the opinions and condition of the existing native races, if not to throw light on their origin and descent.” The list is arranged alphabetically, but we extract the accounts of some of the castes without

reference to such arrangement:— “Koli.-A caste of low rank, embracing numer ous tribes who are still most numerous in the

mountain ranges running parallel to the sea-coast, and par excellence a hill-people; dwellers in the jungle or forest; most numerous of all such in the

Bombay Presidency; they exist in large numbers in Gujarat and the Konkan and in the adjoining central districts of the Dekhan, but not beyond

[MAY, 1873.

complete civilization. On the hills their brethren are still a rude people, living by selling jungle

produce, cultivating a little land, and keeping a few cattle. All are very ignorant, but not unin telligent. Kolis are subdivided into numerous

families (or kuls) all of which are perfectly distinct; the families form orders or classes, which under cli

matic and historic influences have acquired their present distinctive characters; eventually, doubt less, the whole race will become assimilated, with out being decimated in process, for the people are apt.

“Ambigár.—A Koli caste of boatmen, watermen. and fishermen, in S. India; they belong to the re cognised and more civilised division of Kolis.

“Patanwaria.-A ‘Koli tribe of Gujarat, ori ginally named from Patan-Anhilwādā, the Hindu capital of Gujarat; their rank in the Koli caste

is not the highest, as they eat the flesh of buffaloes; they are cultivators and labourers and sometimes village watchmen.

“Bhui Kahár.—A widely-spread caste of rather inferior rank, whose occupation is to carry pal kis, dolis, water-skins, &c.; to act as porters: they also catch and eat fish: they bear some

resemblance to ‘Kolis,' and have latterly been suspected to be also aborigines; they eat flesh and

drink spirits: they are an ignorant but industri ous class.

Buchanan describes them as of Telinga

descent : and adds that distillation of rum is one

these limits: their proper locale would seem to be the Western Ghâts and prolongation northwards (18° to 24° N. Lat.); they also occupy the sea

of their proper occupations.

board; it would appear as if their continuity had

Kanara, who are fishermen and palki-bearers, also

been disturbed by intrusions of the ‘Bhills,' com

crews and mates of native craft: they speak Ma rathi and Kanarese, and in that respect are noted to differ from ‘Bhūis' or “Kāhāras ;’ numerous: of rather inferior rank, and partakers of all kinds

ing from inland forest hills along the banks of the Tapti and other rivers opening into the Gulf of Cambay; hence in Khandesh “Bhills' occupy the ghâts and hilly ranges, the ‘Kolis’ being

“Khárwi.--A caste in Southern Konkan and

of food, &c.

The name is indicative of their con

found in the plains, as a reflux from the south. The Kolis of Gujarat are thus almost separated

nexion with the sea.

from those of the Windhya Ghâts; their history and

people who habitually wear arms and pay for the privilege : in most villages they are Kolis and Pagis: in a few only Rajputs and Sipáhis also :

present condition differ somewhat also ; for a few formed alliances with marauding Rajputs, and their descendants claim the title of Thākurs; and in this fertile province some of the Kolis have

become admirable and prosperous farmers. Coast wise the race has maintained its place as fishermen, boatmen, and sailors: they make salt. In Lat. 20° Kolis again predominate on both sides of the ghâts: they are chiefs in the Dhangs; Patels, &c. in the Mâwals; the name ‘Thäkur'

is retained, but is not now associated with any preference apart from means: here, too, in the Dekhan a large section of “Kolis' have become

incorporated with the population on the plains; they occupy a humbler position than the Talabdi ‘Kolis' in Gujarat, but have a recognised place in the village establishment, being watchmen,

water-carriers, boatmen, fishermen, messengers, &c.; these have made the first long stride towards

“Dharálá.—In Gujarat; an inclusive term for

some are in independent circumstances: and all are probably the descendants of former successful soldiers.

“Mäch?.-In Surat, of the Koli caste : fisher

men, chiefly; a rude, ignorant, and intemperate race, said to be short-lived.

“Wigri.-An offset, probably, of the Koli tribe, who retain primitive habits, and are mostly hunters and snarers of game and wild animals,

whose voice and calls they can closely imitate: some make earthen toys, &c. They are widely distributed; some are lepers in Gujarat, where they are probably more numerous than in the

Dekhan and Southern India. In appearance they are, often at least, of a true aboriginal type : their language appears to be the vernacular of the pro vince they inhabit.”