1893.] Dr. J. Wise— The Hindus of Eastern Bengal. 7 



is not so. For example, the Ahir, Surabiya, and Kanaujiya Brahmans, 

 who keep up communication with their kindred and marry from their 

 own homes, are reckoned pure ; but the Kahar, Ahir, and Kandu domi- 

 ciled in Bengal forfeit all claim to be considered stainless. By adopting 

 local Siidra customs and marrying with women of the country Hindus- 

 tani tribes are stigmatized as " Khonta," or debased. The Kanaujiya 

 Brahman, again, expelled by his family for these delinquencies, finds 

 shelter in the ranks of the Srotriya ; but above this he cannot expect to 

 rise, and his children must be content with a very ambiguous position. 



The steps by which a Hindustani caste loses its original rank and 

 gains a new one may be traced in the case of the potters. The Kumhar 

 of Bihar is always unclean in Bengal, but if he marries a kinswoman he 

 may return to his home without loss of rank. The Raj-Mahallia potters 

 however, being in an intermediate state, have neither risen to an equali- 

 ty with the Bengali Kumar, nor remained unclean like the Kumhar. 

 The Siidras of Bengal drink from their water-vessels, and, still more 

 blessed, the Sudra Brahman ministers unto them. Lastly, the Bengali 

 Kumar, originally of the same stock, has become in the course of ages 

 a pure Siidra and one of the Nava-Sakha. 



In no instance, however, is the separation between kindred castes 

 so striking as with the Chamars and Rishis. Both belong to the same 

 tribe, both are equally vile in the eyes of Hindus, and both live apart 

 from all other castes, yet similar occupations not only excite jealousy 

 and enmity, but prevent all friendly intercourse between them. 



Occupations, moreover, which a Hindustani may engage in at home 

 without stain or obloquy, are sometimes unbecoming when the habitation 

 is in Bengal. Thus the Domni and Chamain, professional musicians in 

 Upper India, are disgraced by playing for hire in Bengal, while on the 

 other hand, such menial work as the Mungirya Tantis perform in Dacca 

 would be considered very debasing in their own district. 



Although continuous residence at a distance usually repels, a 

 brief sojourn sometimes draws together, disunited sub-divisions. Thus 

 the different branches of Ahirs and Ohhatris intermarry in Bengal and 

 lose caste, although debarred from doing so in Hindustan. 



The Brahmanical order to which the Purohit belongs is generally 

 a nice test of the rank accorded to a Hindustani caste. Among the 

 lower tribes the Guru belongs either to one of the Dasnami orders, or he 

 is a Yaishnava Bhagat, who visits his flock at regular intervals, con- 

 firming the old, and teaching the young the rudiments of their faith. 

 Maithila Brahmans, on the other hand, ordinarily act as Purohits to 

 Kurmi, Chhatri, Kandu, Ahir, Chain, and Kewat ; but Chhatris are 

 occasionally found with a Sarsut, or Sarasvati, Brahman, and Kurmis 



