1893.] Dr. J. Wise— The Hindus of 'Eastern Bengal. 3 



Sapta-sati, undoubtedly one of the oldest Bengali septs, is gradually be- 

 ing absorbed by the Srotriya, and few confess they belong to it. In a 

 few years they will be sought for in vain. Tbe Acharya and Agradana 

 are Brahmans only in name. The former are chiefly employed in secular 

 occupations, and in discharging duties useful, but unknown, to the Vedas 

 or Puranas. The Agradana, claiming to rank above Acharya, is the 

 most despised of the sacred order, and clean Sudras, as well as Patit 

 Brahmans, would be degraded by eating with them. 



The Patit Brahmans are the most active representatives of the 

 Hindu hierarchy, having fallen from their high estate by neglecting 

 religious duties, officiating in Sudra temples, marrying into inferior 

 grades, or acting as Purohits to the Varna Sankara. 1 The loss of rank 

 has in some respects been mitigated by the affection and devotion of the 

 laity, and by the high social position given by the caste for which they 

 officiate. It is to this class, abandoned by the Kulins, that India owes 

 the spread of the Hindu religion among the wild tribes of the Tarai, 

 Assam, and Eastern Bengal, and the conversion of the semi-Hinduised 

 aborigines throughout Bengal. Bad and immoral many of these 

 Sudra Brahmans are, but as a class their lives are not one long course 

 of depravity and selfish indulgence, as is too often the case with the 

 Kulins. Education has made no progress among them, and holding 

 the position they do, concession to the wants of the age is not to be 

 expected. Their hold over the men is slowly loosening, but the women 

 still obey and worship them, and while this subjection lasts, Hindu caste 

 and Hindu exclusiveness will remain. 



Though not recognised in books, many social grades are found 

 among these fallen Brahmans. Those ministering to the Nava-sakha, 2 

 popularly called Sudra Brahmans, occupy a position of comparative 

 distinction ; but at the bottom of the scale Brahmans appear, who are 

 accounted lower than the vile caste they serve ; while such an indivi- 

 dual as the Chaudal, or Dom Brahman scarcely deserves to be called 

 by that proud title. 



The Vaisya caste, standing next the sacred order, occupies a very 

 anomalous and strange position. Their claim to be genuine Vaisyas is 

 admitted by the higher classes, but the Ballali Vaidya and Kayath 

 refuse to touch food prepared by them. This small caste deny that 

 Ballal Sen reorganised or interfered in any way with their regulations, 

 and for this reason it remains isolated and unrecognised by Hindus. 



The two next castes are the Vaidya and Kayath, who repudiate 

 the name of Sudra, and maintain that Ballal Sen did not enroll them 



1 Literally, mixture of colours : hence mixture of castes. 

 8 Or Nava-Sayaka, the nine inferior castes. 



