Brahman: Punjab
This article is an extract from PANJAB CASTES SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I. Being a reprint of the chapter on Lahore : Printed by the Superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab, 1916. |
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The Gaur Brahman
There has been much dispute about tbc position of the Gaur from Which this section is named. Their traditional place of origin is Hariana, and their present home is the portion of the North-West Provices lying west of Aligarh and Mathra. and the part of the Panjab defined above ; and they are separated from Bengal by other sections of the caste. General Cunningbam suggests that Gaur is the old name of Gonda, while Sir George Campbell would make it another foim of the word Ghaggar. The Gaur Brahmans are far more strict in all caste observances than the Sarsnt Brabmaus, fiom wboae hands they will not eat broad, and upon whom they look down.
The Sarsut Brahman
is the Brahman of the Panjab Proper, and takes his name from the Saruswati which lies near his eastern boundary. He is said to be less grasping and quarrel some Than the Gaur, and he is certainly much less rigid in his observance of caste rules, eating and smok ing with mobt of the stricter Hiudu castes, such as Bauyas, Khatris, Suds, and Kayatbs. He gats flesh in the hills, and perhaps in some parts of the plains also.
The Gujarati and Dakaut Brahmans
These men are scattered in small numbers all over the Province. Tb.e Gujarati lirahmans probably belong 1o the Gurjara section already mentioned. The Dakaut or Dakotra Brahmans are fortune-tellers and astrologers, and came from Northern Rajputana. They belong to the Panj Gaur group, of which they are sometimes, in Rajputana which is their home, reckoned as a separate section. The following description is taken Rrom my Karnal Report : —
Offerings to Brahmans are divided into bar graha for the days of the week, and two gvahin for Rahu and Ket, the two demons who cause eclipses by attacking the sun and moon. These parts of a jin (Raksbas), who, when sitting at dinner with the gods and jins, drank of the nectar of the gods instead of the wine of the jins. The sun and moon told of him aul Bhagwan cut him into two parts, of which Rahu, including the stomach and therefore the nectar, is the more worthy. When anybody wishes to offer to Brahmans from llness or other cause, he consults a Brahman who casts his horoscope and directs which offering of the seven yraA'is should be made. The gi-ahins Ave most commonly offered during an eclipse, that to Rabu being given at the begiuning, and that to Ket at the end of the transit. The Gaur Brahmans will not take any black offerings, such as a buffalo or goat, iron, sesame {tib or urad, black blankets or clothes, salt, &c., nor oil, second-hand clothes, green clothes, nov gatnaja, which is seven grains mixed with a piece of iron in them ; these belonging to the grahe whose offerings are forbidden to them. An exception, however, is made in favour of a black cow.
The Gujarati or Bias Brahmans who came from Gujarat in Sindh are in some respects rp the highest class of all Brahmans ; they are always fed first ; and they bless a Gaur when they meet him, while they will not eat ordinary bread from his hands. They are fed on the 12th day after death, and the Gaurs will not eat on the 13th day if this has not been done. But they take inauspicious offerings. To them appertain especially the Rahu offerings made at an eclipse. They will not take oil, sesame, goats, or green or dirty clothes ; but will take old clothes if washed, buffaloes, and satnaja. They also take a special offering to Rahu made by a sick person, who puts gold in gln, looks at his face in it, and gives it to a Gujrati, or who weighs himself against satnaja and makes an off'ering of the grain. A buffalo which has been possessed '• by a devil to that degree that he has got on to the top of a house (no difficult feat in a village) or a foal dropped in the month of Sawan, or buffalo calf in Mag, are given to the Gujarati as being unlucky. No Gaur would take them. At every harvest the Gujarati takes a small allow ance {seori) of grain from the thrashing floor, just as does the Gaur.
The Dakauts came from Agroha in the Dakhau. Raja Jasrat, father of Ramchandar, bad excited the anger of Saturday by worshipping all the other graham but him. Saturday accordingly rained fire on Jasrat's city of Ajudhia. Jasrat wished to propitiate him, but the Brahmans feared to take the offering for dread of the consequences ; so Jasrat made from the dirt of his body one Daka Rishi who took the offerings, and was the ancestor of Dakauts by a Sndra woman. The other Brahmans, however, disowned him ; so Jasrat consoled him by pro mising that all Brahmans should in future consult his cbiUlren. The promise has been fulfilled. The Dakauts are pre-eminent as astrologers and soothsayers, and are consulted by every class on all subjects but the dates of weddings and the names of children, on wlnch the Gaurs advise. They are the scape-goats of the Hindu religion; and their fate is to receive all the unlucky off'erings which no other Brahman will take, such as black things and dirty clothes. Especially they take the offerings of Wednesday, Saturday, and ket. They are so unlucky that no Brah man will accept their offerings ; and if they wish to make them they have to give them to their own sister's sons. No Hindu of any caste will eat any sort of food at their bands, and at weddings they sit with tho lower castes ; though of course they only eat food cooked by a Brahman. In old days they possessed the power of prophecy up to 10-30 A.M.; but this has now failed them. They and the Gujuratis are always at enmity, because, as they take many of the same offerings, their interests clash.
The Pushkarna Brahmans take their name from the sacred lake of Pushkar or Pokhar near Ajmer. One section of them is said to have been origmally Beldars or Ods who were raised To Brahminical rank as a reward frr excavating the tank. They still worehip the pickaxe. They are the hereditary Brahinars of the Rajputara Ehatlas, and are mere strict in caste matters than the Sarsrit. They are found in some rmnthers in the western districts of the Panjab.
The Mahabrahman or Acharj
This is the Brahman who performs the funeral ceremonies. After the cremation he is seated on the dead man's bedstead and the soth lift him up, hedstead and all, and make obeisance to him. He then receives the hedstead and all the wearing apparel of the dead man. He rides on a donkey, and is considered so impure thai in many villages he is not allowed to come inside the gate.
The Muhial, Moyal or Mial Brahmans
This is a sub-section of the Sarsut section, who are said to be so named from the seven Muhins or clans of which they consist. They are almost confined to the sub-montane Salt-range Tract. They say that certain of their ancestors rose to high position under the Mughals, since when they have abandoned all performance of priestly functions or claim to a sacerdotal character, and cultivate laud, but especially take service in the army or as clerks. They object to be called Brahn ans, as the enlistment of Erahmans is said to be forbidden in our army. This is their own account ; but in Haznra proper the Muhials perform priestly functions and receive alms and oblations just like other Brahnmns. Another story derives their name from a place called Mava, ' now deserted.'
Dharukra Brahraans
are Gaur Brahmans of the Dehli Territory who have taken to widow marriage, and with whom other Brahmans will not intermarry. They are much the same as the Dasa or Doghla Brahmans.
Chamarwa and Gurra Brahmans
These are the Brahmans who minister to the Chamars, Aheris, and other outcastes. They are not recognized as Brahmans by the other classes ; and though they wear the sacred thread it is perhaps possible that their claim to Brahman origin is unfounded. Yet on the whole it seems most probable that they are true Brahmans by descent, but have fallen from their high position. They are often called Chamarwa Sddhs.
