256 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. | December, 1905. 
37. Formation of New Oastes.—By R. Bury, I.C.S8. 
Aninteresting example of the constant movement going onamong 
Hindu castes has recently been brought to my notice. Among the 
numerous endogamous groups included in the term Vaisya or Bania 
are two known as Barahseni and Chauseni, the members of which 
are chiefly found in the Central Doab. The former claim descent. 
from the Chandravansi King Brasni, while one account of the 
latter traces their origin to Chantr, a wrestler attached to the 
Court of Raja Kans who was slain by Krisna. There seems little 
doubt that neither group is in reality of any considerable antiquity. 
While the Barahsenis are shopkeepers and frequently confectioners, 
they were, till recently, only allowed to sell articles made up of 
milk and curds, such as pera, barfz, etc., and not sweetmeats contain- 
ing flour or grain such as puri and halwa. The Chausenis are 
usually regarded as a class composed of illegitimate children oH 
Bar ahsenis or outcastes from that group. 
_ Two events have, however, recently happened which shoes 
that the Chausenis are rising in importance and now object to 
receive recruits in the usual manner. The Hindu Barahsenis 
have already reached the stage at which widow remarriage is no 
longer recognized. Some members have, however, joined the 
Arya Samaj, and a marriage was lately celebrated between a 
Barahseni man and a widow of the same group. When the 
project was announced, the orthodox Hindus held a meeting and 
endeavoured to stop further proceedings, but without success. 
Two days after the marriage another meeting was held, and the 
married couple and those who aided them were solemnly ex- 
communicated. A printed notice has been widely circulated 
directing all Barahsenis to avoid dining, marrying, drinking or 
holding any communication with those outcasted. A large feast 
was subsequently held, at which about 4,000 orthodox Barahsenis 
were present, but to which none of the guilty members were 
invited. The feeling has gone so far that some men whose sons 
had previously married into families now outcasted have re- 
called their daughters-in-law, and refuse to let them visit their 
parents. Others have turned their own daughters out of their 
houses as they are married to outcastes. 
The other case differs in nature. A Barahseni, A, has a 
daughter who was married to B. B abandoned his wife and 
kept a Musalman woman by whom he had several children, and 
it was thought that he had become a Musulman, He recently 
came to A and claimed his wife, and was entertained by his 
father-in-law. A has, therefore, been outcasted, and was not 
invited to the caste feast which celebrated the expulsion of those 
concerned with the remarriage of a widow. 
The question now arises, what is to become of the persons 
outcasted ? Up toa recent date they would have been received. 
by the Chausenis. This group, however, refuses to admit them, 
as an important section of it has refused to recognize widow 
marriage, and even the rest of the group look on the practice 
