1923. ] An Essay on the History of Newar Culture. 549 
by forming them into a group, calling it Jaisi, a more or less 
indeterminate class which aspired to rise to the rank even 
They were then divided into four sections, Acharya, Daivajfia, 
Vaidya, Srestha, according to the position of their mothers 
in Newar social organisations. The Jaisi Achiryas born of 
a mother of the Acharya class fulfilled the function of 
Acharya for the group of Jaisis. The Jaisi Daivajfias became 
their astrologers, while the Sresthas represented the Ksatriyas 
in this particular community. The Jaisi Acharvas were further 
subdivided into three classes, and the Daivajias into four, 
while the Sresthas had a large number of divisions. The 
ten upper classes of Sresthas and all Acharyas and Daivajiias 
were allowed to wear the sacred thread. The distinction 
made in the case of Sresthas was due to the fact that they 
followed diverse occupations of which some are respectable, 
others not particularly so. Further, the practice of medicine 
was reserved for Jaisis, those who followed it being grouped 
into one caste, which had four subdivisions. 
easants, Jyapus or Jaffus, who form half the indige- 
nous populations of Nepal were ranked as Sudras and divided 
into 32 classes. The Kumhals or potters, formed four other 
divisions of the same class, while the Podhyas comprehended 
all vile occupations in their professional duties. This last 
group and the Charmakara and the Rajaka are impure in that 
their water cannot be taken. In the seventeenth century, 
however, Laksmi Narasimha Malla of Kathmandu, as a reward 
for services, done to him, raised the last mentioned caste to the 
status of purity. 
T shall now compare the two lists. It has already been 
pointed out that there are twenty-one castes in Lévi’s list 
point has to be left indeterminate. only way of compari- 
son is to see how far the available description of Levi's list 
agrees with that of Hodgson. : 
The similar castes have, as far as possible been put side 
i 
by side, and bring out the close agreement strikingly. rty- 
