GO The Ethnology of India. 



much more complete sense than most modern Sikhs, abandoning all 

 pretence of Hindoo religion and adopting to the full the Sikh 

 reformer's tenets. Indeed they were converted during Mahommedan 

 rule, and when ' Sikh' was really a religious rather than a political 

 name. The fact probably is, that they found the country too hot for 

 Bramins, but did not care to become Mahommedans, so adopted the 

 alternative of becoming Sikhs, and so free from the trammels of caste. 

 These men are very useful soldiers and servants, especially under 

 Sikh rule. A good many of them have been introduced into Kashmir 

 as a sort of military colonists, partly by a Hindu governor under the 

 Affghans, and partly by the Sikh rulers ; but they remain quite apart 

 from the Kashmir Bramins. One of the best native officers in the 

 Punjab force, who is himself of this class, told me that the Banibas 

 are without doubt Bramins under a corrupted name. He says that 

 to this day the Sikh Bramins and Bambas exchange cakes on the 

 occasion of certain ceremonies (births, funerals, &c. I think), and that 

 there is no doubt that they are of the same stock. I believe that it 

 certainly is so. It seems to be a common practice in India to give to 

 tribes who have departed from the faith or mixed the blood of their 

 ancestors, names derived from their original tribal names. Thus half- 

 civilised Bheels are called ' BheelaJahs ;' Mahommedan Bajpoots are 

 called " Hangars ;" a tribe of bastard Bramins to be afterwards noticed 

 (in Benares and Bahar) c Bamuns' or c Babhans.' 



The Bramins of the frontier hills are, I think, even handsomer 

 than the Kashmeerees. To my view, the people in general of those 

 hills are the handsomest of the human race. 



Descending from the Himalayas, there are some Bramins near 

 the foot of the hills. Except a few priests, I do not think that 

 they are found beyond the Indus, but they are, I understand, pretty 

 numerous in part of the Bawal Pindee district. South of the Salt Bange, 

 in the plains, they are well nigh overwhelmed by the strong flow of 

 Bajpoots and Jats (advancing, as I believe, at a later period and from 

 another direction). The Bramins either never occupied the plains 

 of the Punjab to the south-west, or they have been driven from that 

 country. Even nearer the hills they are not exceedingly numerous. But 

 still in that fertile and pleasant strip under the hills we have, among 

 other races, villages of agricultural Bramins in the districts of Sealkot, 



