1890.] P. N. Bose — GhhatHsgar : notes on Us tribes, sects and castes. 273 
other. But, it is difficult exactly to define the ethnological position of 
a good many of the castes treated of in these notes. The chainars, for 
instance, one of the largest and most interesting castes in Chhattisgar 
are looked down upon by the Hindus, and in their faith tliey are rather 
aggressively anti-Hindu — the word Hindu being used in its popular 
sense. Yet, physically the chaniars resemble their Aryan more than 
their non-Aryan neighbours ; and it is impossible to place them in 
either of these categories without giving rise to serious objections. 
Similar difficulties are e.xperieuced in classifying such castes as the 
Kanwa’rs the Paukas and Halvas. In the present state of our know- 
ledge a rigid system of classification would, 1 thiuk, be rather disadvan- 
tageous than otherwise; I have not, therefore, adopted any. I may, 
however, mention in passing, that the Gonds have unquestionable Dravi- 
dian affinities, and that the Bhunjiyns, the Baigas, the Komars, and the 
Saonras probably belong to the Kolnrian group. Whether the Sudra 
castes such as the Telis, the Miirars, the Koshtas &a., are Aryan or non- 
Aryan, or a mixture of the two, it is difficult to say exactly. I do not 
think any of them is of purely Ai-yan blood, some of them may be 
Hinduised non- Aryans. The process of transformation is still going on. 
The gi’eater number of the Gouds who have settled in the plain country 
amongst the Hindus have adopted the manner's and customs of the latter. 
They are proud to be called Hindus, and are ashamed to own affinity 
with their brethren of the jungles; and some few have succeeded so far 
as to be recognised as Hindus. Some of the castes are probably of 
mixed descent. The Dhnr Gonds appear to bo such. 
Some castes or sub-castes are due solely to differences of habitat 
and environment ; others to inequality of social position. The castes into 
which the Gonds are subdivided seem to be mostly explicable by one or 
other of these causes. Those who have settled in the plains have been 
greatly affected by their Hindu environment. They have entirely for- 
gotten their' owtr language, have taken to Hindu maimers arrd customs ; 
and will on no account have social intercourse with their brethren in the 
jungles. Thus we have two great castes, one comprising settlers in the 
plain country, and the other dwellers in the jungles. Amongst these, 
again, minor castes would be formed owing to geographical and social 
causes. A barrier, such as a range of hills, would preverrt intercommuni- 
catioir and social intercourse and give rise to castes. People of high 
social position, those, for instance, who claim kinship with the once 
powerful Gond kings of Garha-Mandla, Lanji &c., would not associate 
with those of an inferior status, and would thus form a caste by them- 
selves. 
The sects of the Satnamis, the Kabirpauthis and the Man Bhaiis are 
