46. Exogamous Septs of the Gehara Section of Kunch- 
bandia Kanjars. 
By W. KIrRKPATRIOK. 
‘* If we are to seater the rise and history of Totemism 
‘‘and Exogamy, we must clearly apprehend that totemism 
‘‘existed in all its marist features before exogamy was 
‘*thought of, in other words, that exogamy was an innovation 
‘‘jmposed on communities who were already divided into 
ei totemic classes. 
‘“The totemic clan is a totally different social organism 
‘‘from the exogamous class, , and we have good grounds for 
‘* thinking that it is far older 
J. G. Frazer, 
Totemism and Exogamy, vol. iv, p. 75. 
The Geharas are an Endogamous section of the tribes of a 
Gypsy character scattered over CoN and known under th 
generic name of Kanjar.! While it is idicervabte that the 
Geharas, like most other hitherto casteless peoples in India, 
will receive into their camp members—particularly women— of 
allied tribes, the inclination is towards a strict observance of the 
Endogamic practice. This marrying within the clan is incul- 
cated in one of their socio-religious songs: ‘‘ Gehdri Karsi tho 
nio chalsi, Kajri Karsi tho ndo na chalsi,’’ ‘‘ Marry a Gehari 
and your (our) name will ee ail marry an outsider and your 
(our) name will disappear 
Endogamous, as a section or clan, the Geharas are 
divided up into a number of Exogamous septs, some of totemic 
and others of functional origin. I will not attempt to defi- 
nitely fix on the exact origin of each sept, but itis abundantly 
clear that whatever may have been the structure of the original 
primeval clan or camp, and whatever its original Exogamous or 
Endogamous divisions, the process of splitting up into Endoga- 
mous sections and Exogamous sub-sections has taken on a 
e 
the origin of the various descriptive names of the sub-sections 
and septs of these so-called Dravidian and Gypsy-like tribes, 
1 See J.A.8.B., vol. vii, No. 6, Pasi Boli or Argot of ibekbesdiys 
Kanjars 
a A.S8.B., vol. vii, No. 7, Folk Song and Folk-lore of the 
Gehara bh anjars. 
