The MuchI is another important Bengal caste where 

 the wearing of numerous chank bangles is a distinctive 

 custom among the women. This is a leather-dressing 

 and cobbler caste, socially a shade higher than the 

 allied Chamars from whom the Muchis appear to be an 

 offshoot. One of the obvious distinctions between the 

 women of these castes lies in the character of the brace- 

 lets worn. Thus while the female Chamar prides herself 

 on huge bracelets of bell metal adorning her arms, the 

 Muchi woman always substitutes chank bangles. The 

 Muchis, like the Paraiyar of the South, are largely the 

 caste drummers of the province and as they are lond of 

 the violin and the pipe are usually employed as musi- 

 cians at Hindu weddings. 



In Western Bengal and in Behar the Santals take 

 the place occupied by the Rajbansis and Paliyas in 

 North- Eastern and Eastern Bengal as the chief chank 

 bangle wearing tribe. Many of their women follow 

 the same habit of disposing of a number of chank 

 bangles, three to five usually, as a massive cuff-like 

 gauntlet or compound bracelet. These people being 

 generally poor, the quality employed for these compound 

 bracelets is inferior and red and yellow lac are freely 

 used upon them to enhance their appearance and to 

 disguise imperfections. Many indeed are too poor to 

 afford these ornaments and others belong to families 

 which do not observe the custom ; in Birbhum which 

 may be taken as a characteristic Santal district, it is 

 estimated that about half the female Santal population 

 follow this custom. Sometimes Santal girls wear them 

 from an early age but generally they are assumed at 

 marriage. It has no religious significance and marriage 

 may be ])erformed without the putting on of these 

 bangles which are worn more for ornament and because 

 of custom than for any more serious reason. Like the 

 Hindus, Santal women break and throw away their 

 bangles on the occasion of widowhood, re-assuming 

 others, if they wish, if they remarry. Dead shells are 

 often employed by the cutters lor Santal bangles. 



Risley states (II, p. 225) that the Santals in point of 

 physical characteristics may be regarded as typical 

 examples of the pure Dravidian stock and in view of the 

 similar origin attributed to the Kochh tribe which 

 includes both the Rajbansi and the Paliya, this becomes 



