Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s2.t2.1.1

c48.s2.t2.1.1

This group includes the lowest of at all events the village castes of India, whatever may be their position relatively to the immoral and foul-feeding nomad. Yet even here there are gradations of rank duly recognised within the community though not affecting its intercourse with the outside public. For this reason, perhaps, the Bhangī or Mihtar caste of the upper Gangetic region is subdivided to an unusual extent, and the main endogamous sub-castes are strict in regard to the limitation of their respective functions. Judging from the nomenclature of the subdivisions it may be inferred that the caste was originally formed out of a number of local tribes, reduced or compelled to have recourse to occupations repudiated by the community to whom they were subject. Some of these sub-castes draw the line at carrying loads and playing pipes and drums; others have become watchmen, cane-workers, domestic servants, sweepers of roads, and plasterers of walls with cowdung. A section which keeps pigs, again, ranks below all but those who remove night-soil, and amongst these last, those who serve private houses hold no intercourse with those employed on public latrines. It may be borne in mind that these latter functions are confined to towns, except where the women of the household are strictly secluded. Elsewhere, the custom of the country renders their offices unnecessary.