1 30G
2 PANJAB CASTES.
3 wliieh ai'e traversed by the preat Panjab rivers, wb ere too they assist largely in
4 agrieultxiral laboxTr, besides finding more extensive occupation as cooks among a
5 Mnsalniiin po]inlation with no prejudices against eating food prepared ))y otliers.
6 On the fionticr proper^ like most of tljc occupational castes^ tbey are few in
7 number. In Ihe Eastern Plains aud bills these people are returned as .Thin wars ;
8 west of Lahore as Miicb bis. They are one of the pleasantest and most willing
9 of the menial classes, and the Bbishti is proverbially a good servant. Bhatyara,
10 Bbarbhunja, and Mallab are names of occupations merely, bit of occupations
11 which are followed almost if not quite exclusively by the Jbinwar caste.
12 617. The Jhinwar (Caste No. 15).— The Jbinwar, also called Kabar in
13 the east, and JNIabra'. where a Hindu, in the centre of the Province, is the
14 caiTier, waterman, fisherman, and basket-maker of the east of the Panjab.
15 He caiTies palanqnins and all such burdens as are borne by a yoke on the
16 shoulders ; and he s])ecially is concerned with water, insomuch that the
17 cultivation of water-nuts and the netting of water fowl are for the most part
18 in his hands, and he is the well-sinker of the Province. He is a time village
19 menial, receiving customary dues and performing cnstnmnry. service. In this
20 cnpacity he siipplies all the baskets needed by the cultivator, and brings water
21 to the men in the fields at harvest time, to the bouses where the women are
22 secluded, and at weddings and other similar occasions. His occupations in the
23 centre and west of the Province are
24 described below under the head
25 M^chhi. His social standing is in
26 one respect high ; for all will drink
27 at his hands. But he is still a
28 servant, though the highest of the
29 class.
30 Division.
31 Saqqah.
32 Mashki.
33 Dehli
34 12,870
35 Hissar
36 7,604
37 Amlmla
38 1,104
39 Jalandhar
40 29
41 Lahore
42 11,893
43 Rawalpindi
44 321
45 Multan
46 125
47 Peshawar
48 191
49 States of East Plains...
50 5,303
51 DiTlSIOXS Of THE
52 Jhi.nwae
53 GBOtTP.
54 DiTISIOS.
55 Jhinwar.
56 Machhi.
57 Malah.
58 Khokar ...
59 8,657
60 43.865
61 2,362
62 Slahar
63 27,337
64 115
65 Bhatti
66 6.000
67 15,961
68 3,'496
69 Manhas ...
70 3,112
71 7.619
72 329
73 Tank
74 8,587
75 2
76 13
77 Suhal
78 3,928
79 14
80 [P 325]
81 I have included under Jhinwar
82 such men as returned themselves as
83 Bhfshtis, Mi'shkis, or Saqqdbs, the
84 terms for Musalman water-carriers.
85 It is just possible that some of these
86 men may be of other castes than Jhinwar, Init the number of such will be
87 exceedingly small. The numbers so included are given in the margin, except
88 for the Amritsar division which made no separate returns.
89 618. Divisions of Jhinwar, Machhi, and Mallah.— The sub-divisions of
90 both Jhinwar and Machhi are very
91 numerous. I show one or two of
92 the largest in the margin, adding the
93 figures for Mallahs. These tribes
94 do not appear to be found in any
95 numbers among the Bhatyara and
96 Bbarbhunja, and Ave must wait for
97 the detailed tables of elans before we
98 can compare the sub-divisions of
99 those castes, and
100 upon the question
101 or diversity.
102 1 Mahra seems to he a title ot respect, just as a Bhi'shti is often addressed as Jamadar.
103 Mahir is a synonym for " chirf " in the south-weat of the Province.
104 thus throw light
105 of their identitv