Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c22.s3.4

c22.s3.4

"After the Sudra follow the people called *Antyaja*, who render various kinds of services, who are not reckoned amongst any caste, but only as members of certain craft or profession. There are eight classes of them, who freely intermarry with each other, except the fuller, shoemaker, and weaver, for no others would condescend to have anything to do with them. These eight guilds are the fuller, shoemaker, juggler, the basket and shield maker, the sailor, fisherman, the hunter of wild animals and of birds, and the weaver......These guilds live near the villages and towns........but outside them.

"The people called Hadi, Doma (Domba), Candala, and Badhatau (*sic*) are not reckoned amongst any caste or guild. They are occupied with dirty work, like the cleaning of the villages and other services. They are considered one sole class, and distinguished only by their occupations...They are considered like illegitimate children......they are degraded outcastes...

"Of the classes beneath the castes, the Hadi are the best spoken of, because they keep themselves free from everything unclean......the Doma...play on the lute and sing. The still lower classes practice as a trade killing and the inflicting of judicial punishments..."¹⁵