1 VAGRANT, MENIAL, AND ARTISAN CASTES.
2 321
3 fore to be found in largest nninber in the towns. His social position is very
4 low, for his occnpation is considered impure ; and he alone of the tribes which
5 are not outcast will imitate the Knmhar in keeping and using a donkey. He
6 stands below the Nai, but perhaps above the Knmhar. He often takes to
7 working as a Darzi or tailor. He is most often a Mnsalman. His title is
8 Barefa or KJialifali, the latter being the title of the heads of his guild.
9 The Chhimba^ Chhaimjia, Chhijji or Chhimjn is properly a calico-piinter;
10 and stamps coloured patterns on the cotton fabrics of the country ; and he i^
11 said occasionally to stamp similar patterns on paper. But, as before remarked'
12 he can hardly be distinguished from the Dholn. Besides printing in colonr-
13 lie dyes in madder, but as a rule in no other colour. He is purely an artisan,
14 never being a village menial except as a washerman. He is sometimes called
15 Chhapegai", and I have classed 45 men so retm-ned as Chhimbas. I have also
16 thus classed 23 men returned as Chhaperas. Wilson, at page 111 of his
17 Glossary, gives these two words as synonymous with Chhimpi ; but I am
18 informed that in some places, though
19 not in all, Chhapegar is used to dis-
20 tinguish those who ornament calico
21 with patterns in tinsel and foil only.
22 The Chhimba often combines wash-
23 ing with dyeing and stamping, and
24 he veiy commonly works as a Darzi
25 or tailor, insomuch that Chhimba is
26 not unfrequently translated by
27 " tailor."
28 But few large divisions are return-
29 ed for these castes. I give in the mar-
30 gin the figures for a few of the largest,
31 showing the Dhobi, Chhimba, and
32 Charhoa side by side. The divisions
33 are roughly arranged in the order in
34 which they are found from cast to
35 west.
36 64.3. The Lilari and Rangrez (Caste Nos. 67 and 110).— These two
37 classes have lieen hopelessly mixed up in the di\-isional offices, and the
38 two sets of figures must be taken together. They axe both dyers, and
39 both artisans and not menials, being chiefly found in the towns. Biit the dis-
40 tinction is said to be that the Lihlri dyes, as his name implies, in indigo only ;
41 while the Rangi-ez dyes in all country colours except indigo and madder, which
42 last appertains to the Chhimba. It "is noticeable that, with the exception of a
43 few returned as Hindus by the Native States, both of these castes are exclu-
44 sively Musalmans. The Hindu indeed would not dye in blue, which is to him
45 an abomination ; and madder-red is his special colour, which perhaps accounts
46 for the Chhimbas, most of whom are Hindus, dyeing in that colour only. In
47 Peshawar the Dhobi and Rangrez are said to be identical. The Lilai-i is often
48 called Nilari or Nirali ; while I have included under this heading 2.51 men re-
49 turned as Pungar from Multan, where I am informed that the term is locally
50 nsed for Lilari.
51 644. The Charhra (Caste |No. 54).— The Charhoa is the Dhobi and
52 C;hhimba of the JMultiin and Derajiit divisions ; and, as far as I can find out,
53 DiTISIONS OF Washebmen.
54 Divisions.
55 Dhobi.
56 Chbfmta.
57 Charhoa.
58 1. Bhalam
59 1,82G
60 74
61 2. Malmial
62 1,318
63 3. Kohans
64 1,032
65 ...
66 4. Agrai
67 49
68 1,050
69 5. Rikhrai
70 682
71 2,264
72 6. Akthra
73 943
74 *•■
75 ...
76 7. Sarii
77 737
78 ...
79 S. Sippal
80 6,200
81 3,704
82 5,799
83 9. Bhatti
84 4,207
85 2,995
86 4,306
87 10. Khokhai-
88 3,419
89 3,107
90 3,313
91 11. Kamboh
92 216
93 533
94 2,335