Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s2.5

c48.s2.5

East of the Panjāb, the only caste, beside those already mentioned, which can be described as dominant, is the Tāgā, a community of the upper Jamnā. Its origin is doubtful; though it seems to be generally agreed that it has Brāhman blood; but the prominence of snake-worship amongst Tāgā, together with the division of the caste into the "Score" and Half-Score" sections, indicates considerable admixture of local races. Their degradation from Brāhmanical rank is attributed to their addiction to agriculture, as in the case of the Bābhan of the south-east. More than a third of them are now Muslim. In Bihār, the only dominant caste beyond the Rājput is the Bābhan or Bhūinhār, already mentioned in connection with Brāhmans, which forms but a small proportion of the population. Lower Bengal as above stated, was never colonised by military occupation, and the only caste which may be called dominant is the Kōch of the northern territory bordering upon the Brahmaputra. Their claim to this position rests upon the long existence of the Kōch kingdom of Kāmarūpa, in the Assam valley, and its extension, for a time, into Bengal. The latter portion was separated from the rest towards the end of the 16th century, and succumbed to the Muslim, as did the other shortly afterwards to the Āhōm. There are two distinct sections of the population owning to the name of Kōch. West and south of the Brahmaputra it is said to be of Kōl-Khervārī origin, and has long been Brāhmanised under the designation of Rājbansi, which satisfies the aspiration of the local peasantry, as that of Rājput crowns the ambition of the Chieftain or large landowner in other parts of India. In Assam, on the contrary, where the lineage of the local leading families is known, the Kōch is Mongoloidic, or Bōdo in origin, and its rank and file are recruited from all the Bōdo and Mikir tribes of the valley, who drop their own title on adopting Brāhmanism. Some go further, and pass at once into Rājbansī, or embrace Islām if their claim be not allowed. The respective numbers of the two are, 2,115,700 Rājbansī, chiefly in Bengal, and 292,100 Kōch, of the Assam branch. The Āhōm of the more eastern portion of the Assam valley, are also a once dominant tribe of agriculturists of Indo-Chinese descent, who will be referred to under the head of Assam Hill tribes. There is one more caste belonging to Bengal which may be here mentioned, to wit the Khaṇḍait of Orissa.