Domara-Kolhati: Deccan
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Domara-Kolhati
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Origin
Ancient authorities ascribe the origin of the Kolhatis to a liaison between a Shilindhru man and a Kshatriya woman. Their traditions say that they originally belonged to Northern India and are akin to the Bowries, the Kanjars, the Waghris and other Northern India tribes. According to another account, they claim to be descended from Khatri women who were degraded for sexual indis- cretions with lower castes. Very little is known, however, regarding their origin and the etymology of the name they bear. They are divided into three sub-castes : (1) Pal or Kane Kolhatis, (2) Dukkar or Potri Kolhatis and (3) Dombaris. They are found in all the Districts of the Marathawada. The Pal Kolhatis are a wandering tribe, living in portable huts made of rousa grass, and carried from place to place on the backs of donkeys. The men are lazy and slovenly, while the women are smart and good-looking ; many of them lead a life of prostitution and support the men. The Dukkar Kolhatis are a fine, manly people and derive their name from their occupation of hunting wild pig and breeding the domesticated pig. They are a settled class, cultivating land and serving:' as village watchmen. The Dombaris are a branch of the Domars of Telingana and are inferior to the other two sub-castes. The Pal and Dukkar Kolhatis speak a mixture of Gujerathi and Marathi, whereas the home tongue of the Dombaris is a mixture of Telugu and Canarese. Internal Structure — The exogamous sections of the tribe are of the Maratha character, such as Gaikwad, Sinde, Pawar, Jadhava, Andhara, Kachare and the like. Intermarriage within the same section is prohibited. A man may marry two sisters and two uterine brothers may also mcury two sisters. Marriage with a sister's daughter is allowed.
Marriage
Girls are married either as infants, or after they have attained puberty. Sexual intercourse before marriage is tolerated and condoned by a small fine. If the man with whom she has associated be of her own caste, she is married to him. Married girls live a very virtuous life but those who are likely to develop into good athletes are dedicated to the god Khandoba : these remain unmarried and become prostitutes. The ceremony of dedication is as follows. A pandal is erected in front of the hut and an image of Khandoba is installed in it. The girl, bathed and ornamented, is made to stand before the deity and bhandar (turmeric powder) is thrown over her. Goats are sacrificed to the god and the caste people are feasted in honour of the event.
The marriage ceremony is simple and is performed at the bride's house. The bride and bridegroom are seated side by side and their garments are tied in a knot by the bride's mother. Women sing songs and one of the men beats a dholak (drum) all the while. Brahmans have, in recent years, been employed as priests and the ceremony is being elaborated into that current among the Maratha Kunbis. The father of a girl receives a price for her, varying from fifty to one hundred rupees.
Widow-Marriage
Widows are allowed to marry again, but divorce is not recognised. If the couple disagree and cannot live in harmony, the husband abandons his claims over his wife, on recover- ing the price he paid to her father. Adultery is severely punished and the delinquent woman has her head shaved and her tongue branded wijh hot gold.
Religion
The chief deity of the Kolhatis is Khandoba, to whom offerings are made on Sundays and on the light 6th of Margasirsa (December). They worship Hanuman, Tuljapur Bhavani and other gods of the Hindu pantheon. Among their minor gods are Mari Ai (the deity of cholera), Mhasoba, Jotiba and Bahiroba, propitiated with sacrifices of goats and fowls. They observe the Hindu ffstivals and make pilgrimages to sacred places. They have a strong belief in sorcery, malevolent spirits and the evil eye. They also worship Muhammadan Pirs.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are buried with the head to the north and the face upwards. The body is washed and carried on a bamboo bier to the burial ground. No regular Sradha is per- formed in honour of the deceased ; but, on the 3rd day after death, food is cooked in the burial ground and, after a portion of it has been offered to and touched by a crow, the mourners eat the rest and return home. Ancestors, in general, are propitiated on the last day of Bhadrapad and on the light 3rd of Vaishakha.
Social Status
The social rank of the Kolhatis is very low.
They eat from the hands of all castes except Nhavis (barbers), Parits (washermen) and castes inferior to these, while no one, except a Mahar or a Manga, will eat from their hands. They also eat the leavings of Brahmans. Their touch is not regarded as unclean and they are allowed to draw water from wells used by the higher castes. They eat mutton, pork, fowl, all kinds of fish, rats and the flesh of carrion, and are addicted to strong drink. The Dukkar. Kolhatis are said to add beef to this diet.
The Kolhatis admit into their community members of castes higher than themselves in social standing, and the person thus admitted is required to eat the flesh of the pig with his adopted caste brethren.
Occupation
The Kolhatis pursue the same occupation as the Domars of Telingana. The Dukkar Kolhatis are reputed to be inveterate criminals and are vigilantly watched "by the police. Girls of higher castes are often kidnapped and trained as prostitutes and acrobats. Kolhati women are expert in tattooing. Some of the settled classes have followed agricultural pursuits, but 'ihey never work as farm-labourers.
