162 STATISTICAL, SKETCH 



vince, and the inhabitants of the towns, professed the pure Hindu Brahminical 

 tenets. Either from the absence of any intimate connection with Mohammedan 

 powers, or from an abhorrence of the excess committed by Mohammedan 

 invaders against the Brahminical worship, in this and other countries, strong 

 prejudices were ever entertained against that sect. The profession of the 

 Mohammedan religion was rather tacitly permitted, than openly tolerated in 

 both Kamaon and Gerhwal, and no public processions, Tazias, kc, were ever 

 suiFered to take place either at Almora or Srinagar, at which places only 

 Mohammedans are to be found in any number. ^ 



The institution of caste exists here, among the upper ranks, in its utmost 



rigour, and any infringement of its ordinances or restrictions is immediately 



followed by degradation, nor can a restoration to the privileges of caste be 



obtained, but by undergoing various prescribed penances agreeable to the nature 



of the offence. In the interior, the inhabitants are comprised under three 



classes only, Brahmins, Rajputs, and Doms : in the towns, other castes and 



branches are to be found. The principal classes of Brahmins are Joshis, 



PantJis, and Pandes, in Kamaon, and Khanduris and Dobhals, in Gerhwal, 



all of which are extremely scrupulous and prejudiced. Among the lower 



ranks of Brahmins, great latitude is taken in regard to labor, food, &c., and 



their claim to the distinction of that caste is, in consequence, little 



recognised: the mass of the labouring population, from similar causes, 



have still less pretensions to the designation of Rajputs, which they assume. 



The Doras are, of course, out castes, and to them are left the whole of 



the inferior trades, those of carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, coppersmiths, 



quarriers, miners, tailors, musicians, &c., and by them also are performed the 



most menial offices. 



The ceremonies and periods at which marriages are concluded, are 

 almost wholly similar to those followed by the Hindus in the plains. A sum 



