1 314 PANJAB CASTES.
2 the common term for any carpenter. It is cm-ions that the Barhis of Karnal
3 are also divideil into two great sections, Dese and Multani. The Sikli
4 Tarkhans on the Patiala border of SIrsa claim Bagri origin, worlc in iron as
5 well as in wood, and intermarry with the Lohars. (See supra under Lohars.)
6 628. The Kamangar (Caste No. 132)— The Kamangar, or as ho is commonly [P. 329]
7 called in the Panjal) Kamagnr, is as his name implies a Ijow-makor ; and with
8 him I have joined the Tirgar or arrow-maker, and the Pharera which appears
9 to be merely a hill name for the Rangsaz. These men are found chiefly in the
10 large towns and cantonments, and, except in Kangra, appear to be always
11 :Musalman. Now that bows and arrows are no lonj^er used save for purposes
12 of presentation, the Kamangar has taken to wood decorating. Any colour or
13 lacquer that can be put on in a lathe is generally applied by the Kharadi ;
14 but flat or uneven sui-faces are decorated either by the Kamiiugar or l)y the
15 Rangsaz ; and of two the Kamangar does the finer sorts of work. Of
16 course rough work, such as painting doors and window-frames, is done by
17 the ordinary INIistrl who works in wood, and who is generally if not always
18 a Tarkbiin. I am not sure whether the Kamangar can Ijc called a distinct
19 caste ; but in his profession he stands far above the Tarkhiin, and also above
20 the Rangsaz.
21 629. The Thavi (Caste No. 149).— The Thavi is the carpenter and stone-
22 mason of the hills, just as the Raj of the plains, who is a bricklayer by
23 occupation, is said to be generally a Tarkhan by caste. His principal occu-
24 pation is building the village houses, which are in those parts made of
25 stone ; and he also does what wood work is requu-ed for them. He thus
26 forms the connecting link between the workers in wood or Tarkhans
27 on the one hand, and the bricklayers and masons or Rajs on the other.
28 Most unfortunately my offices have included the Thavis under the head
29 Tarkhan, so that thev are only shown separately for the Hill States ; and
30 indeed many of the Hill States themselves have evidently followed the same
31 course, so that our figures are very incomplete In Gurdaspui- l,7:i3 and
32 in Sialkot 1,06:3 Thavis are thus included under Tarkhan. The Thavi is
33 always a Hindu, and ranks in social stimding far above the Dagi or outcast
34 menial, but somewhat below the Kanct or inferior cultivating caste of the
35 hills. Sardar Gurdial Singh gives the following information taken down
36 fi-om a Thavi of Hushyarpur :—" An old man said he and his people
37 " were of a Brahman family, but had taken to stone-cutting and so had
38 ■' become Thavis, since the BnUunans would no longer intermarry with them.
39 " That the Thavis include men who are Brahmans, Rajputs, Kanets, and the
40 ' like by birth, all of whom intermarried freely and thus formed a real Thavi
41 " caste, quite distinct from those who merely followed the occupation of Thavi
42 " but retained their original caste." The thavi of the hills will not eat or
43 interman-y with the Barhai or Kharadi of the neighbourhood. Fm-ther details
44 regarding his social position will be found in sectiin 651', the section treating
45 of hill menials.
46 630. The Raj (Caste No. 93).— Raj is the title given by the guilds
47 of bricklayers and masons of the towns to their headmen, and is consequent-
48 Iv often used to denote all who follow those occupations. Mimar is the
49 corresponding Persian word, and I have included all who so returned them-
50 selves under the head of Raj. The word is probably the name of an
51 occupation rather than of a true caste, the real caste of these men being