94 MB. 0. A. SHERBING ON 



2. Byansi (1585) ; dialect spoken in patti Byans. 



3. Chaudansi (1485) ; dialect spoken in patti Chaudans. 



4. Darmiya (1761) ; dialect spoken in patti Darma, all in Almora District. 



5. Bhotia or Huniya (820) ; dialect spoken by Huniyas, Khampas and Bhotias 

 scattered in different places. The term Bhotia is used here in the sense common outside 

 the districts of Almora and Garhwal. 



[Note. — This is taken from Mr. Grierson's ethnographical correspondence.] 



A Bhotia who talks one of these dialects often cannot understand another who 

 speaks a different dialect. The Bhotias themselves, however, do not admit their Tibetan 

 origin, except the Nikhurpas of Milam, in Almora, and the inhabitants of Malpha, in 

 Garhwal. The latter have a number of their clan still living north of Toling in Tibet 

 close to the Pass called Bogo-la. 



All Bhotias, except Huniyas, wherever they live, have two castes, viz., Rajputs and 

 Dumras. In the latter they consider Lohars, Hurkiyas, Dholis, Odhs (carpenters), Baje- 

 las (basket-makers), and Bhools (tailors and shoe-makers). There are no Bhotia Brah- 

 mans, although there are many Brahmans living in Bhot, e.g., Dobedhiyas, Pathaks, 

 Karakhetis, etc., who perform priestly functions for the Bhotias. These are received on 

 terms of equality by other Brahmans. These Brahmans have entered Bhot from the 

 South, and are in every way the same as their fellow-castemen in the rest of Kumaun. 

 In conformity with these divisions of language it is best to subdivide the Bhotias as fol- 

 lows : — 



Partially Hinduized Rajputs. 



1. The Jethoras who speak the Rankas or Shaukia Khun and live in Goriphat and 

 Malla Danpur and Johar, Almora District. 



2. The Tolchas and Marchas of Mana and Niti, in the Garhwal District, and Johar 

 in the Almora District. These have forgotten the old dialect and employ the ordinary 

 hill-language of their neighbours. 



3. The Rawats, or Shaukas, or Shokas (a corruption of Sokpa) of Johar, Almora 

 District. These have also forgotten the original peculiar speech of their race and now 

 use the hill-dialect. 



Nominal Hindu Rajputs. 



4. Byansis -^ 



,-.,,. living- in the pattis of Byans, Chaudans and Malla Darma — all 



5. Chaundansis r A i T ^- 



, t-. 1 in the Darma pargana, Almora District. 



6. Darmiyas J L ° 



7. Lower caste. — Dumras, who live through the length and breadth of Bhot in Garh- 

 wal, Johar and Pargana Darma, Almora District. These are a clan in themselves, and 

 their customs and habits everywhere are similar. 



8. No caste. — Huniyas, who are closely allied to the Tibetans and are Budhists and 

 nominal Hindus both at the same time. They ought not to be called Bhotias at all, in 

 the sense generally understood in the Almora and Garhwal districts, as they are 

 domiciled Tibetans. 



