74 An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kclies* [Jan. 



hill-forts of Poorundur, Singhur, Torna and Rajghur, all south of 

 Poona, are Mullar Kolies, their duties consisted in guarding the ap- 

 proaches leading to the forts, &c. They held enam lands and received 

 regular pay from government, besides enjoying the privilege of cutting 

 grass and firewood, &c. In the year A. D. 1340, the Singhur Koly 

 Naik resisted the attacks of the army of the emperor Mahomed 

 Toghluk, during several months. A few of these Kolies are settled at 

 Bombay, and along the sea coast, as cultivators. They worship Khun^ 

 dobah, Bhyroo, &c. 



The Aheer Koly. — The Kolies of this tribe are inhabitants of Can- 

 deish, and they reside chiefly in the villages along the banks of the 

 Girna river, and on the southern bank of the Taptee, one and two, and 

 sometimes five and ten, families, are found in those villages. They are 

 very poor, but there are several instances of their holding the Patell- 

 ships of villages in the vicinity of Yewull Salary, It is said they origi- 

 nally came from the south. They are not held in high estimation, for 

 they perform the hereditary duties of the turrall, or village Mhar, o r 

 Dhere (pariah), and, on this account, are entitled to receive the skins 

 of bullocks and buffaloes that die a natural death, and they plant the 

 horns of the animal in front of their door and worship it. The Aheer 

 Koly is engaged occasionally to perform the duties of the jaglah, or 

 village watchman, and at times as the Koly or water-man to supply the 

 inhabitants and travellers with water, &c. In some villages, where the 

 members of a family of the Aheer Kolies perform the different duties of 

 the turrall or village beadle, those of the Koly or waterman, as well as 

 those of the jaglah or watchman, they have been presented by the 

 British government with from ten to fifteen, and twenty to thirty, 

 beeghas of land in free gift, according to the size of the village, and the 

 responsibility of the duties they had to discharge. The object 

 of this grant, was to ensure their becoming more faithful and diligent 

 public servants. They worship all the Hindoo deities, but the goddess 

 Kanby Ranby (a derivative of Bhoany) is an object of great adoration 

 with them. Their marriage ceremony is performed by a Brahman, and 

 usually in front of the shrine of Kanby Ranby ; this does away with the 

 necessity of providing a feast for all the guests, &c, so that the expense 

 incurred is trifling. They have two chief Naiks, who adjust matters 

 connected with the affairs of their caste, one of these "resides on the 

 banks of the Taptee, and the other near the Girna. 



The Muroy Koly performs similar duties, in every village in the 

 northern Konkan, to those the Panburry Koly discharges in the Duk- 

 hun. He receives the Balottah allowance, and holds a piece of ground 

 rent free, worth a few rupees. There are about a hundred families of 

 the Muroy Koly at Bombay j they serve as palankeen bearers, labourers 

 and porters. 



