Narsinghpur

[527] Mr. Crooke [528] surmises that they belonged to the large impure caste of Basors or basket-makers, who took to bow-making and thence to archery; and some connection is traceable between the Dhanuks and Basors in Narsinghpur.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

In Narsinghpur, when a bachelor marries a widow, he first goes through a mock ceremony by walking seven times round an earthen vessel filled with cakes; this rite being known as Langra Biyah or the lame marriage.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

The Deswar Chamars of Narsinghpur [448] are now all agriculturists and have totally abjured the business of working in leather.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

Narsinghpur will take food cooked without water may indicate that they formed the militia of Lodhi chieftains in the Nerbudda valley,

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

The Mochis or shoemakers and Jingars [450] or saddlemakers and bookbinders have obtained a better position than the ordinary Chamars, and have now practically become separate castes; while, on the other hand, the Dohar subcaste of Narsinghpur have sunk to the very lowest stage of casual labour, grass-cutting and the like, and are looked down on by the rest of the caste.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

But the Dhanuks, not less than the other soldier castes, have advanced a pretension to be Kshatriyas, those of Narsinghpur sometimes calling themselves

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

Among the Dohar Chamars of Narsinghpur the bride and bridegroom are seated on a plough-yoke while the marriage ceremony is performed.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

Narsinghpur District, which contained three-fourths of the total of nearly 7000 persons returned in 1911.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

_ -- This subcaste numbers nearly 4000 persons, the bulk of whom reside in the Saugor, Damoh, Narsinghpur and Seoni Districts.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell

Ajudhiabasis numbered nearly 2000 persons in 1911, belonging chiefly to the Jubbulpore, Narsinghpur and Hoshangabad Districts.

The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II R. V. Russell