TJie " Kols" of Chota-Nagpore. 173 



adopted it, and in their villages, as well as in those of the Oraons, 

 there is always a Pahan. The village system now existing is such as it 

 became after many encroachments by the Rajah and the middlemen 

 introduced by him. Still as bearing the impress of a very primitive 

 form of government, it is worth describing, and in doing so, I 

 will make use of a very elaborate report on the subject written by 

 Doctor Davidson in 1839. 



The actual descendants of the men who formed the villages are 

 called Bhuinhurs. They are a privileged class, who hold their lands 

 at low fixed rates or rent-free, but they are bound to do service to the 

 chief or his representative. The head of_ the Bhuinhurs is called the 

 Moondah, and is generally the representative of the old Moondah chief 

 of the village. He presides when meetings are held to settle disputes 

 about social customs ; and all demands for service on the Bhuinhurs by 

 the proprietor or farmer are made through him. He holds his lands as 

 Bhuinhurree, and has no other emolument. 



The Mahto, though second in point of rank, is the most important 

 functionary in the village. He has the assessment and settlement of 

 all lands not held by the hereditary cultivators ; collects all dues and 

 rents, and is responsible for them to the farmer or proprietor. He 

 holds for his services one powa of land rent-free, and in some villages 

 gets a fee of one or two pice annually from each ryot. The office is 

 not hereditary. 



The Pahan is the village priest. He is a Moondah or Oraon by 

 caste, but all observances for propitiating the village gods or devils 

 are performed by him. No Bramins are permitted to interfere. The 

 office of Pahan is generally hereditary, but is not necessarily so. He 

 has under his charge the land called " Dalikhatari," and from the 

 proceeds of this land, he has to support himself and to provide the rice 

 and rice-beer required for the great festivals. 



The Bhandari assists in the collection of rents, summoning ryots 

 who have to do work or whose attendance is required by the Zemin- 

 dar or farmer, and in looking after the collections made in kind. He 

 has an allowance of one powa of land, and gets from each ryot one 

 kerai or bundle of each crop as it is cut. 



There is a Grorait for each village, and a Kotewar for one or more 

 villages. The former is the messenger of the Zemindar or his repre- 

 sentative, the latter is the Police officer. 



