Caste and Race in India c6.39

c6.39

Peculiarities connected with the apparatus or technique of an occupation have given their names to the sub-divisions of some of the occupational castes. The Kumbhar, potters of the Maratha country, distinguish those who make pots by hand without the wheel as Hatghades (hand-potters), those who use a big wheel as Thorchake ("thor," big, and "chak", wheel), and those who use a small wheel as Lahanchake ("lahan," small). In the Central Provinces the potter-caste has the first sub-caste, but not the last two. Instead they have Chakere and Kurere, the latter using a revolving stone slab instead of a wheel. In addition they have a sub-caste called Goria because the members of their sub-division make white pots only and not black ones. In the Nagpur district the Telis have two principal sub-divisions. Ekbaile are those who yoke only one bullock to their press while Dobaile yoke two bullocks.