Indian Antiquary Vol 17

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 84

THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1888.
classed as Manghaiya or residents of the In the extreme west we find them on the right ancient Magadha kingdom. There are also bank of the Indus, living in villages apart many sub-divisions of them, but many of from the people, and filling the same servile these are by a process of fission rising to occupations. In Yisin, Nagar, and Chilas, they the dignity of new castes, because of course are very numerous, and are of a very dark no one when he arrives at any degree of complexion, coarse features and inferior phyrespectability cares to be called a Dôm. sique. They are found again in the same Such are the Kaliwalas, who are the most position among the Aryans of Kaśmir and respectable of all. Their special business is among the Dôgrâs of Jammun. Here again setting light to funeral pyres, and many bave they are noticed for their dark complexion, thereby realised much wealth. They are which unmistakably marks them out from supposed to have been deputed for that par- the light-complexioned Aryans. They are pose from Kasiji (Benares); hence their smaller in limb, stout, square-built, and less name. The men of this sub-division think it a bearded, and altogether exhibit a much disgrace to set fire to brick kilns. Next come lower type of face which centuries of serfdom the Banwads, who are makers of rope from the and oppression have not tended to modify, bon fibre. And the Holas, most of whom are The Dhiyars or ore-smelters of Jammún, corMuhammadans and do regular sweepers' work. responding to the Agaris of these bills and The Bansphors or "bamboo breakers" use a the Batals of the Kasmir Valley who are particular kind of knife called bánk or jhallá, curriers and musicians and correspond to the and make thatches ļike the Gharamis of other Harkiyas of Kumâ , should be assigned to parts. Bansbinwas or "bamboo weavers " the same class. The Bēms of Ladakh occupy make bamboo baskets. The Dharkars make a similar position, and are blacksmiths and musifly-nets (chiq), stools (môrhá), &c.; they act cians. In Kundnr and KnQ we have them as musicians at weddings, where they blow again following the same trades, classed with a long horns called singhá. The Pattaris make tribe of similar occupations called Kohlis by the leaf dishes (pattari or dauna) used at mar- the people of the lower bills, Chamars about riages and by poor people. The HalAlkhors or Rámpur on the Satlaj and by themselves and "foul eaters," are executioners and scavengers. the Kunkuris Chamangs. The same remark
Of the Hill Doms the best account I am is made about them here, that they are darker acquainted with is contained in Mr. E T. than the Kunsts round them. The smiths Atkinson's Himalayan Gazetteer, Vol. II. p. are called pomang in Kunâuri and the car. 370. He says, "they are correctly enough penters are termed Oras, and both equally supposed to be remnants of the original in with the Kohlis considered of impure caste. habitants. They are of exceedingly dark In Nepal these helot craftsmen are represented complexion as a rule, but not more so than by the Nowars. Sufficient has been said to the tribe of the same name in the plains and show that these Dôms in the Hills are not a many Chamars. They have for ages been the local race peculiar to Kuman, but the remains slaves of the Khasiyas, and been thought less of an aboriginal tribe conquered and enslaved of than the cattle, and with them changed hands by the immigrant Khasiyas." from master to master. It was death for a The specific crimes of the Eastern Doms Dôm to infringe the restrictions of caste laid are dacoity, robbery, theft, and illicit distilladown by the Hindu laws, such as knowingly tion of spirits. The Hill Doms appear to be making use of a huqqa, or any other utensil greatly addicted to kidnapping children." belonging to a Rajpût or Brahman. Even the Dosad or Dusad. They do not find a place wild Raji considered the presence of the Dôm in the Census. Their habitat is the Eastern a source of defilement. The Dôms are divided Districts of the North-West Provinces, partiinto a number of classes; chiefly according to cularly Ghazipur, where they are said to number occupation like the Chamârs of the plains. more than 20,000.36 They seem to be an off
> Sce Report of the Inspertor-General of Police, 1870, p. 13 B, and the case of Kaunchiye, Nisamat Adalat!
Report, 9th October 1852.
Report of Inspector-General of Police, 1870, p. 86 B.