CENSUS OF INDIA I96I
VOLUME IV
BIHAR
'PART VI-NUMBERS 6-8
Village Survey Monographs on GHUTUA, OREA AND NARESHGARH ( District Palamau)
S. D. PRASAD OF THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE Superintendent of Census Operations, Bihar 1961 CENSUS PUBLICATIONS, BIHAR
(All tho Census Publications of this State will bear Vol. no. IV) Central Government Publications l:' ART I-A (i) General Report (Chapters I to IX)*
PART I-A(ii} General Report (Chapters X to XII)t
PART I-B Report on Vital Statistics of Bihar, 1951-60
PART I-C Sub::ddiary Tables*
PART II-A General Population Tables·
PART II-B(i) Economic Tables (B-I to B-IV and B-VII)'"
PART II-B(ii) Economic Tables (R-V, B-VI, B-VIll and B-IX)*
PART II-C Social and Cultural Tables·
PART n-D Migration Table&*
PART lII(i) HQusehold Economic Tables (B-X to B-XIV)*
PART IJT(ii) Household Economic Tables (B-XV to B-XVII)*
PART IV-A Report on HouRing and Establishments*
PART IV-B Housing and Establishment Tables'"
PART V-A Special Tables for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes*
PAR'r V-B Ethnographic Notes on Scheduled Cl];stes and Schednled Tribes
PART VI Village Surveyst (Monographs on 32 selected villages)
PART VII-A Selected Crafts of Bihar t
PART VII-B Fairs and Festivals of Bihart
PART VJII-A .... Admimstration Report on Enumeration * } (Noli for sale) PART VIlI-B Administration Report on Tabulation*
PART IX Census Atlas of Bihar*
PAltT X(i) Special Migration Tables on Dhanbad-Jharia-Sindri Town groupt
P AE.T X(ii) Special Migration Tables on Jamshedpur-Jugsalai Town groupt
state Government Publications
17 Volumes of District Census Handbooks*
*,Already priiited tIn Press t Nos 1-8 (nos. 6-8 present volume) of the series alroady printed. CONTENTS PAGE
Foreword v
Prefaco .. ix ".,. Introduction xi
:Monograph on Ghutua 1
Monograph on Orea 29
Monograph on Naresbgarh 71
Annexures 123
Map of Palamau district showing the location of Ghutua, Ore-a and FACING PAGE xi N areshgarh.
FOREWORD
,APART from laying the foundations of demography III this sub-continent, a hundred years of the Indian Census has also produced 'elaborate and scholarly accounts of the variegated phenomena of Indian life-sometimes with no statistics attached, but usually with just enough statistics to give empirical under-pinning to their conclusions'. In a country, largely illiterate, where statistical or numerical comprehension of even such a simple thing as age was liable to be inaccurate, an understanding of the social structure was essential. It was more necessary to attain a broad understanding of what was happening around oneself than to wrap oneself up in 'statistical ingenuity' or 'mathematical manipulation'. This explains why the Indian Census came to be interested in 'many by-paths' and 'nearly every branch of scholarship, from anthropology and sociology to geography and religion'. In the last few decades! the .Census has increasingly turned its efforts to the presentation of1 village statistics. This suits the temper of the times as well as our ~olitical and economic structure. For even as we have a great deal of centralisa tIOn on the one hand and decentralisation 0(1 the other, my colleagues thought it would be a welcome continuation of _the Census tradition to try to invest the dry bones of village statistics with flesh-and-blood accounts-of social structure and social change. It was accordingly decided to select a few villages in every State ~or special. study, where personal observation would be brought to bear on the mterpretatIOn of statistics to find out how much of a village was static and yet changing and how fast the winds of change were blowing and from where. Randomness of selection was, therefore, eschewed. There was no intention t? build up a picture for the whole State in quantitative terms on the basis of VIllages selected statisti~ally at random. The selection was avowedly purposive; t~e object being as much to find out what was happening and how fast to those VIllages which had fewell reasons to choose change and more to remain lodged in the past as to discover how the more 'normal' types of villages were changing. ~her we.re to! be primarily type studies which, by virtue of their number and dIstrIbutIon, would also give the reader a 'feel' of wliat was going on and some kind of a map of the country. A brief account of the tests of -selection will help to explain. A minimum of thirty-five villages waS! to be chosen with great care to represent adequately geographical, occupational and even ethnic diversity. Of this minimum of thirty fi ve, the distribution was to be as follows: (a) At least eight villages were to be so selected that each of them would contain one. dominant community with one predominating occupa tion, e.g., fishermen, forest workers, jhum cultivators, potters, weavers, salt-makers, quarry workers, etc. A village should have a minimum population of 400, the optimum being between 500 and 700. (b) At least seven villages were to be of numerically prominent. Scheduled Tribes of the State. Each village could represent a particular tribe. The minimum population should be 400, the optimum being between 500 -and 700. (t;) The third group of villages should each' be of fair size, of an old and settled character and contain variegated oecupations and be, if possible, multi-ethnic in composition. By fair size was meant a population of 500-"-700 persons or more. The village should mainly depend vi
op agriculture and be sufficiently away from the major sources of modern communication such as the district administrative head quarters and business centres. It should be roughly a day's journey from the above places. The villages were to, be selected with an eye to variation in terms of size, proximity to city and other means of modern communication, nearness to hills, jungles and major rivers. Thus there was to be a regional distribution throughout the State of this category of villages. If, however, a particular dIstrict contained significant ecological variations within its area. more thall one village in the district might be selected to study the special adjustments to them. It is unique feature of these village surveys that they rapidly outgrew their original terms of reference, as my colleagues warmed up to their work. This proved for them an absorbing voyage of discovery and their infectious enthusiasm compelled me to enlarge the mquiry's scope again and again. It was just as well cautiously to feel one's way about at first and then venture furtIier afield, and although it accounts to some extent for a certain unevenness. in the quality and coverage of the monographs, it served to compensate the purely honorary and extra-mural rig-ours of the task. For, the Survey,. along with its many ancillaries like the survey gf fairs and festivals, of small and rural industry and others, was an 'extra', over ~nd above the crushing load of the 1961 Census. It might be of interest to recount briefly the stages by which the Survey enlarged its scope. At the first Census Conference in September, 1959 the Survey set itself the task of what might be called a record in situ of material traits, like settlement patterns of the village; housetypes; diet; dress; - ornaments and fOOl· wear; furniture and storing vessels; common means of transport of goods anti passengers; domestication of ani;nals and birds; markets attended, worship of deities, festivals and fairs. There were to be recordings, of course, of cultural and social traits and occupational mobility. This was followed up in March, 1960 by two specimen schedules, one for each household, the other for the village as a whole, which, apart from spelling out the mode of enquiry suggested in the September, 1959 Conference, introduced groups of .questions ai1!led at sensing changes in the attitude and behaviour in such fields as marriage, inheritance, moveable and immoveable property, industry, indebtedness, education, commu nity life and collective activity, social disabilities, forums oE appeal over disputes, village leadership and organisation of cultural life. It was now plainly the intention to provide adequate statistical support to empirical 'feel', to approach qualitative change through statistical quantities. It had been difficult to give thought to the importance of 'just enoug4 statistics to give emeirical under pinning to conclusion', at a time when my colleagues were strainmg themselves to the utmost for the success of the main censlJsi operations, but once the census count itself was left behind in March, 1961 a series of three regional seminars in Trivandrum (Ma~ 196i), Darjeeling and Srinagar (June, 1961) restored their attention to this field and the importance of tracing social change through a number ,of well-devised statisiical tables was once again recognised. This itself presupposed a fresh .survey of villages already done; but it, was worth the trouble in view of the possibilities that a close analysis o~ statistics offered, and also because the 'consanguinity' schedule remained to be canvassed. By November, 1961, bowever, more was expected of these surveys than ever before. There was dissatisfaction on the one hand with too many general statements and a growing desire on the other to draw' conclusions from statistics, to regard social and eCOflnmic d~lta as ini:errelated processesp and' finaily to examine the socia! and Vll economic processes set in motion through land reforms and other laws, legislative and administrative measure~, technological and cultural change. Finally, a s~udy camp was organised in the last week of December. 1961 when the whole field was carefully gone through over again and (l programme worked out closely knitting the various aims of the Survey together. This gradual unfolding of the aims of the Survey prevented my colleagues from adopting as many villages as they had originally intended to. But I believe that what may have been lost in quantity has been morej than made up for in quality. This is, perhaps, for the first time that such a Survey has been conducted in any country, and that purely as a labour of love. It has succeeded in attaining what it set out to achieve; to construct a~ map of village India's social structure~. One hopes that the volumes of this Survey will help to retain for the Indian Census its title to the most fruitful single source of information about the country. Apart from other features, it will perhaps be conceded that the Survey has set up a new Census standard in pictorial and graphic documentation. The schedules finally adopted for this monograph have been printedl in Annexure I.
A. MITRA, Registrar General. India NEW DELHI: July 30, 1964
PREFACE
This 15 the fourth volume of Vlllage Survey monographs In whIch an attempt is bemg made to "znvest the dry bones of vlllage statistIcs wah jirsh-and-blood accounts of sacral ~tructure and socwl change". It contazns studle5 of vdlages Ghulua, Orea and Nazeshgmh zn the dzstrzct of Palamau. The vlllages me t)'plcal of the Chero, Kharwar and Parhmya Itlbps of Palamau d,sh ICt.
The methodology of the studies ronslsted, fi1stly, of canvassmg the deLatled household and village schedules (rep1-oduced at the end of thIS volume). This was done lnztzally by the junlOr Statistical SupervIsors of the Communtty Develop ment Blocks wtthin which the vtllages lay. Subsequently, wholetlme Investigators we're aj7pointed by the Census organlsattOn for studymg each of the selected villages. 7 hey .!1pent two to three weeks m each Village, checlvng up the schedules and colleGtmg such further details and partIculars as were requzrf'd. On their ,durn zo heaaquarters, the relevant sLahstl('$ were com1n1ed and tabulated. On the basis of these and other enquzrzes the Investigators prepared the first draft rrporls which had to be re-wrzttenc. and revIsed by the Deputy Supenntendent. These revIsed drafts were forwarded to Dr. B. K. Roy Burman, Office-r on Special Duty, Soczal Studies and Handicrafts, Office of the Registrar General, India, who scrutmtsed the reports and gave valuable suggestlOus fm fw/her enquzt Irs and elucitl'7/.lOn of ohscurel poznts. Quzte often, tho meant two OJ three revi.nts to the VIllage iJy the InvestIgators for collectmg JUt thrr matenai.!J. At one time 01' the olllpr, beforr the draft was final1sed, the Superzntpndpnt of Census Ope:ratlOnJ as well as the Dp pUly SUjJenntendent I'Yl chargr of thr Vzllage Surveys also pmd brief VISits so as to grt a pmrtlcal jt'd of the VIllages under study.
Thus, these studies represent the f1'uits of common pndeavour by several agencles It nepds to be stated that only a few of the persons engaged on this work can make any pretenswns to be experts or specialists zn the line. Naturally, the reports may appear to be somewhat general and disrursive In their approach and ireatmf'nt though objectiVity of approach was never eschewed. The difficulties zn conducting such enquiries among the tribal people are many. For one thing, they are grnerally serretive by nature and do '(lOt easily "open out" before the outsiders. Then, the problems of language and cornmunicallOn can be qUlte real. The Lzmited tIme within which the enquiries had to be condurted and the reports pre/Jared for over 20 villagrs proved another handicap. The published literature 50 far on the subjeGt is also rather scanty.
Notwithstandzng these difficulties and drawbacks, the studips have bTought their own reward in the shape .of a fruitful diversion from the humdrum of cold ~tallstics. Thr efforts 'lUlll have been certainly worthwhzle if the monographs can alsa help in a brtter understanding of, the life and environs of the people they seek to depict, and thus lead to a more realistic appreciallOn of their pressing pmblems. •
S. D. PRASAD Superintendent of Census Operations, Bihar
PATNA: January 15, 1969
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0 \ i :. ') \.... 0 x- ...... ) < -:. C, ( -./ .,:, " .. ( 1 iii 0".... •" INTRODUCTION T he district and its administrative divisions According to the now obsolete" set-up, Latehar anchal is a part of Palamau Pargana, and The district or Palamau is situated inl the the three villages are situated in areas covered by south-west of Bihar State. It is border.ed on the tappas Mankeri and Sima. Both 'the Pargana west by Mirzapur district of Ut4)_r Pradesh. and tappa are, however, mentioned in the Sarguja district of Madhya P.radesh lies to its cadastral survey maps of the villages wnich were south. Palamau forms the north-western fringe prepared at the time of last Survey and Settle of ,the l'Ow-density Cholanagpur Plateau in which ment Operations concluded in 1920. the districts of Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Singhbhum The district -map of Palamau showing and SantaI Parganas are all larger in area. administrative divisions on the facing page, Palamau has the lowest density of population depicts Latehar subdivision, Latehar revenue among t~e districts in Bihar. It has only 214 th~m..a and Latehar anchal. The location of the persons per squalje' mile. Palamau is also the selected villages has also been shown. least populous district in the State, with the sole exception of Bhanbad. However, the density of The People population of Dhanbad is more than four times A1most half (45 per cent) of the population that of Palainau. of Palamau is comprised of members of the Palamau formed a part of Lohardaga district scheduled c"ommunities, 26 per cent b~ihg till 1892. IIlj that year, it was constituted into a members of scheduled castes and 19 per cent separ1a-te administral:iive district. Its boundari·es members of the scheduled tribes. Palamau have remained unchanged since its formation. being a low-density area, the absolute number of people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes is not When the British took over Palamau very high and only' lout of every 20 members of (towards the cIo~e' of the eighteenth century), it the scheduled tribes in the State live in the was divided into four fiscal divisions called dist1rict. Yet, 'du~ to its peculiar geQgraphical Pargana~. These were Palamau, Tori, Japla and position, Palamau has a diverse tribal population Belaunja. Each was furtherr subdivided into and as many as 23 out of the 30 communities units known as tappas. These fiscal divisions scheduled in Bihar are to be found here. became more or less obsolete after the completion of Revenue Survey and Settlement Operations Latehar subdivision is contiguous to the which gave rise to the revenue thanas. The district of Ranchi towards its south and shares its revenue thanas 0'£ Balumath, Latehar and charact,existics to a larger extent than the other Mahuadanr comprise Latehar subdivision which subdivisions. With an area of about one-third was copstituted in 1924: Consequent upon the that of the district, it contains more than half the abolition of intermediary rights on land by the district's scheduled tribe population. The entire Bihar Land Reforms Act, 1950, and the decision subdivision has been notified as a scheduled area of the Government to cover the entire country since well-nigh haH its population is made up of by Community Development Blocks, the district members of the scheduled tribes. was divided into 25 Anchal-cum-Community More than half of the rural population of Development Blocks. $.c'ven of these lie in Latehar anchal is tribal. It has only two fowns, Latehar subdivision anp three, viz., Latehar, viz., Latehar and Netarhat. Here, as elsewhere Manika and Barwadih, in Latehar revenue generally, literacy amongst the tribals is much thana. lower than among non-tribals. Thus, only one The three villages for which the survey out of every eight tribal males is literate as monographs are printed in this volume lie in against one out of every four being so among the Latehar Anchal-cum-Community Development non-tribal. The 1961 population, of each of the Block. Its place vis-a-vis the larger administra ni.ne scheduled tribes in Latehar anchal is given tive divisions in the district is diagrammatically below: represented below: Popuhtion Of SCheduled tribes in• Latehar anchal, 1961 ,PALAMAU DISTRICT Serial Name of scheduled tribe Population no. in 1961 1 Asur " 633 Gar~wa. subdivision Lateha.r subdivision Sadar subdivIsion 2 Baiga .. 2 I - 3 Chero ." 2,121 4 Kharwar 5,372 ." I • J 5 Lohra 698 Mahuadanr revenue Latehar revenue Balumath revenue 6 Mahli"" 96 thana thana thana 7 Munda .. 242 8 Oraon .. 10,936 , I 9 Parhaiya 725 Manika anchal Latehar anchal Barwadih ancha.l Total 20,835 xu Villages Ghutua, Orea and Nareshgarh in The rainy sleason extends from June to Latehar am::hal have been selected for the present September, although there is no inconsiderable survey for studies of Chero, Kharwar and precipitation even in October. Parhaiya tribes resRectively. Tetnp.erature is not recorded at Latehar. Physical features December and January are the coolest months and during cold' waves, which are not uncommon, Latehar anchal forms the south-eastern the temperature sometimes falls to almost freezing boundary of Palamau district. Lohardaga anchal point. Frosts also occur. of Ranchi district lies to its south. The area consists largely 01 forest-clad hills with narrow, Flora and fauna albeit fertile, val~eys. The hills consist of spurs The .hills are covered with numerous kinds and ranges radiating from the high ,tableland of of both timber and fruit trees as also clumps of north Lohardaga, their characteristic iormation bamboos (mainly of the s~~cies Dendrocalamus being gneiss. The peaks bear no ~efintlC names, Strictus). In the final report on the Survey and but distinctive appellations are often derived Settlement of the Palamau Government:! Estate from the names of nearby villages. On the (1898) D. H. E. Sunder has giv,en (in Appendix south-western boundary of the anchal is situated XIX, page cxciii) a table showing the common the peak known as Bulbul which is 3,349 feet trees and shrubs. He has remarked, "From high. Villages Orea and Nareshgarh are situated many of them the people obtain a good supply of at the foot of a range of hills running from east flow,ers, fruit, bark, roots and tubers, which form to west_ Photograph 1 between pages 64 and 65 important articles of food almost throughout the was taken ~ust where the settlements of village year ...... " Appendix XX gives details of the Orea begin, with "the camera facing south. fauna. These appendkes are reproduced in Annexures II and III. There are many streams and rivulets. but th,e' Auranga IS the only major river. It rises in Latehar town the Chotanagpur Plateau near Soheda and flows The subdivisional headquartel1S of Latehar north-west (in a westerly direction within Late has Qeen treated as a census town for the first har anchal) to join the Koel some 10 miles south time in 1961. It has a population of 7,689 of Daltonganj, af~er journeying through about persons. Out of 153 cities and towns in Bihar 50 miles. only 20 have a smaller population and among Climate these, only ~ are subdivisional headquarters like Latehar. A proposal for the formation of a The climate is bracing, became of the notifi,ed area committee is still under considera elevation and existence of abundant natural tion by the authorities. Neither pipe-water vege'tation. The average annual rainfall at supply nor electricity was available in the town Latehar (calculated on the basis of data for 46 till 1963. years up to i958) is 1,323 mm., there being 67 Latehar is situated 40 miles ,east of Dalton rainy days in the year (i.e., days on which there ganj on the all-weather Daltonganj-Ranchi high was rain of 2.5 mm. or more). In 1961, the way, 64 miles north-west from Ranchi. There rainfall ·recorded was 1,530;7 mm. The follow is a road from Chandwa (17 miles east of Latehar ing table gives the average rainfall (up to 19(8) on th.e Daltonganj-Ranchi road) which goes to and the rainfall recorded in r 961, monthwise: Dobhi on the Grand Trunk Road via Chatra. Rainfall recorded at Latehar Latehar railway station is situated about 4 miles to the south of Latehar town. It lies on Seria.l Month Average rainfall Rainfall re- no. up to 1958 cordfl'd in 1961 the Daltonganj-Barkakana broad gauge line of (inmm.) (in mm.) the Eastern Railway, which was opened to traffic in 1 January 26'4 .7.2 1929. Barkakana and Daltonganj are connected 2 February 36.1 87.8 to Gomoh and Dehri-on-Sone respectively, both 3 March . 20.1 Nil of which lie on the Grand Chord Lin,e of the 4: April 10.9 Nil 5 May 23'9 2.0 Eastern Railway running from Howrah to 6 June 176.5 437.0 Moghalsarai. However, passenger trains are few 7 July 358.4 198.8 in rmmber and short distance travel by road is 8 August .. 368.5 431.6 9 September 209.0 259.4 always preferred, being more expeditious and 10 Ootober .. 71.1 100.6 equally cheap, if a trifle less comfortable. Buses 11 November 14.7 Nil 12 December 7.1 ply regularly on the Daltonganj-Ranchi route, 6'3 there also being direct bus routes passing through Total 1,322.7 1,530.7 Latehar to Hazaribagh, Chatra and Gaya. xiii There is a post and telegraph office at A weekly markte't is held at Latehar on Latehar which is also telephonically connected. There are, however, no banking instItutions. Tuesdays. The market has been in direct charge A Government hospital which was established in of the Government since a Gentury and is leased 1902 and has provision for 24 indoor patients, for collection of tolls. The rate of tolls levied attended to more than 15,000 outdoor patients at present is given in Annexure IV. A three in 1958. There is also a veterinary dispensary. day fair is held here on the occasion of Shivaratri festival, when about 6,000 heads of cattle are Besides the subdivisional office, Latehar has the office of the Divisional Forest Officer (created e.stimated to be sold. The fair is not "ery old, in 1954), Subdivisional Agriculture Officer, Block ~o such fair having been mentioned in Sunder's, Development Officer, and others. report of 1898. Monograph on Village GHUTUA (In Latehar Subdivision : District Palamau) Field Investigation and First Draft BINDESHWARI PRASAD SINGH, M. A. AND RAJENDRA PRASAD, M. A. INVESTIGATORS Supervision, Guidance and l?inal Draf! R. N. MISRA OF THE BIHAR. CIVIL SEIlVICE Deputy Superintendent of Census 0 perations~ Bihar Editor. s. D. PRASAD OF THE n~DIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE Superintendent of Census Operations, Bihar PHOTOGRAPHS S. D. Prasad. Shyamlanand. Public Relations Department, Patna. K. Tigga, Cameraman. Bihar Tl'ibal Research Institute, Ranchi. MAPS M. Abbas. Shafi Ahmad. Period of field survey-July, 1962. OONTENTS CRAPTER I : THE VILLAGE PAGE Introducing the village ,.. I Location I Physical aspects, flora and fauna I Size a.nd number of households I Residential pattern 2 Communications 2 Public places 3 Legend concerning the Cheros 3 History of the village 4 CHAPTER II : THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS Ethnic composition 6 Language 7 Housetype 7 Dress 8 Ornaments 8 Household goods 9 Food and drink 10 Beliefs: and practices connected with birth, marriage and death Birth 10 M'arriage 11 Death 14 Tattooing 14 CRAPTER III : ECONOMY Land and Forest 15 Livestock 16 Factors influencing economic life in the vi1la~o 16 Livelihood classes 17 Agriculture 18 Animal husbandry and forestry 19 Fishing 20 Village industry 20 Income and expenditure 20 Indebtedness 21 xviii CHAPTER IV : > SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE PAGE Population growth 22 Age and sex distribution 22 Marita.l status 22 Disease and medical care 23 Education and literacy 23 Family structure 23 Intra-family relationships .. 24 Inheritance of property 24 Leisure and recreation 24 Religion 25 Festivals 25 Intra-village relations 26 _Organs of d('!mocratic decentralization 26 Impact of development schemes 27 CHAPTER V : CONCLUSION Level of social awareness 28 Conclusion 28 INSET TABLES: 1. Distribution of households and persons by community and hamlet 2 2. Composition of population and households by tribe/caste 6 ,3. Distribution of househt;>lds by the number of rooms and persons occupying them 7 4. Distribution of households according to use of ornaments 9 5. Tribewise average, maximum and minimum ages of marriage for males and 11 females. _ 6. Classification of marriage by distance of wives' home from the village 12 7. Classification of area of the village 15 8. Communitywise distribution of households by the size of agricultural holding 15 9. Livestock 16 10. Distribution of workers and non-workers by community, sex and age groups 17 11. Communitywise agricultural produce .. ' 18 12. Calendar of agricultural. activities .. 18 13. Households by monthly income-group 21 • 14. Average expenditure per household 21 15. Extent of indebtedness 21 16. Age and sex distribution 22 17. Marital status, ~ . 22 18. Distribution of households by the number of members 23 19. Households by type of family 24 XIX FACING PAGE MAPS AND DIAGRAMS, 1. Lay-out of the village Ghutua 1 2. House Plan 8 PHOTOGRAPHS (BETWEEN PAGES 24 AND 25) 1. The Devisthan. 2. A Chero father and son-profile. 3. A Chero father and son -front. 4. A well-dressed Chero woman. 5. Growing potatoes. (). 'Plou.ghing the field. 7. A distant view of the village. 8. A Chero house. 9. The DhcnH is used to dehusk grains. 10. Beside the hearth. 11. Ornaments used by the people include hansuli, kantha, haikal, kara, bala and bangles. 12. Drying grains in the sun. 13. Some household utensils. 14. Carrying water from the village well. 15. The house of a well-to-do Chero of the villagf' 16. A village street. 17. Village lands. 18. The village well. 19. The Shivasthan. 20. A view of the outside of a Choro house. 21. The bu1l0Ck cart-wheels have no spokes. OJ (!)« S®EDe 0 ~ ..J :z: ..J « en = ~9 ~ ;:)0 > 0 Z 2:r: ::> 11.1 z z ILl a: ILl J < < - w II: X X < :t: v « ... l- I- l- I- en a:11.1 c l en en ~ a: a: ~ ..J $ a: bI :r '5 oJ ~ ~ 11.1 > I.L u:r: x ILl X ::::> t- « 9 ~ co 3 0 1/1 0 O ...._z f- :I: ::> 0 C) I 1:1 >- a: « .c: ...J >- {]~c( II:. C> s 2I sSe e ~ SSSQ S ~ w ~I SSOSO@~ < S S x SOS=SS C> EBffi $ ffioEB t5~ $QEEl w X CC ",4 Z ~c(X til'" 0 0 CHAPTER I THE VILLAGE I. Introducing the village vegetable fields which are looked after with the meticulous care usually associated only with the The 'Cheros, erstwhile rulers of Palamau, vegetable growing community of Koeris found arc now a numerically unimportant scheduled in other parts of the State. A little further away tribe or Bihar. 30,845 persons of this tribe are the cultivated fields, with barren lands (with recorded in the Census of 1961 constitute less a more reddish hue) intervening sporadically. than I per cent of the total tribal population of And finally there are clusters of trees: remnants, the State. Palam au is the stronghold of the as it were, of the former sway that the forests Cheros, 88 out of every 100 of whom hail from held over the entire area. The-agricultural fields this district. Within the district, they ate mainly occur in patches and at differing le\'els. It concentrated in 7 anchals distributed in the appears that no stretch of level land has been Sadar and Latehar subdivisions. The anchals allowed to escape the plough. contammg more than 1,000 Cheros each are: (i) Patan, (ii) Chainpur, (iii) Daltonganj, (iv) The Sharna is a narrow but perennial stream Lesliegan j, (v) Barwadih, (vi) Manika and (vii) which originates only a f~w miLes south and flows Latehar. These anchals form a compact block northwards through the village to join the which contains four-fifths of the total number of ;\uranga. It divides the village in almost two Cheros in the district. In Latehar anchal itself cq llal parts. The eastern half, which contains the number of Cheros is 2,121. They constitute the main tala is mor,e extensively cultivated. the predominant community in a good many The forest towards the eastern extremitv of the villages of this anchal. Ghutua is one such village constitute& less than a fourth of the ar~a. village. The other half, to the west of the Sharna, has a greater proportion Of uncultivated land. Nor 2. Location ate th,e areas adjoining the Sharna always cultiv Th.e village is situated about 7 miles south able since the banks of the stream are as much east of Latehar town, across the river Auranga. as 15 feet high at certain places. It is bisected by the rivulet named Sharna, locally called Panultari, literally meaning whC') e The soil of the cultiva~ed lands is a mixture water is drawn from. The villages ad jacell t of clay and sand. the latter preponderating. It to Ghutlla are Monger to the north, Keru and i~ of a light greyish colour, known 10lally as Hundru to the west, Demu to the south and pawar kulki. Soils with gravel content are Saraidih to the east-. k no,,'n as fal ki from the red hue they possess. 3. Physical aspects, flora and fauna Palas, klls1l1n and saklwa are the main , timber producing trees found in the forest. Proceeding from Latehar on foot, one crosses Among the fruit trees arc mahua, jam un, bair, the Auranga which is a shallow river during imli, dumar and mango. Banana trees are most of the year, flowing through broad sandy grown by many a family in their compounds. banks. Th,el'e are no ferries, and the nearest road-bridge is near Latehar railway station which The forests arc not thick but varieties of is in the opposite direction from Latehar. The deer and hares can be found. Depredations by terrain is undulating throughout the course south wild ;ll1imals are quite un.known. of the Auranga but one has t~e' impression of gammg height gradually yet. steadily. The 4. Size and number &f households settlements of Ghutua are situated 'on high land The area of the revenue mauza is 456 acres at an elevation Qf about 1,300 feet aboyc mean or about thre,e' quarters of a square mile. So far sea level. In the village itself, there are two as the villages in Latehar anchal go, it is a fair hamlets or to las, viz., Ghutua proper and sized village, quite a few villages in -the anchal Uper-Ghutua. the elevation of the latter being having an area of less than even 100 acres. The somewhat higher. adjoining villages of Keru and Saraidih are The features of the revenue mauza (b~aring about as large but the area of Monger and revenue thana no. 287 of Latehar revenue thana) Hundra is thrice and that or Demu almost five are varied. Closest to the homes are well-irrigated times that of Ghutua. 2 GHUTUA According to the statistics obtained in the 6. Residential pattern survey, the population of Ghutua comprises 0 The settlements in Ghutua lie in two 178 persons distributed in 34 households. In distinct tolas or hamlets, on either side of the the composition of its population, Ghutua largely Panbhari. The main tolaJ which is known conforms to the general pattern obtaining in the simply as Ghutua, lies to the east and contains subdivision. According to the G,ensus of 1961, 27 out of 34 households. There are only 7 out of 743 inhabited villages in Latehar subdivi households in the other tala which is Kll'.')wn as sion, as many as 611 had a population below 500. Uper-Ghutua (literally, 'Top Ghutua') &ince the However, the villages Demu and Monger present settLements here are situated at a higher eleva some! ~ontrast in population (though not as great tion than those in the main tala. While Ghutua as in area), their populations being 993 and 765 proper contains a heterogeneous population respectively according to the Census of 1961. consisting of Kharwars, Bhuiyas and Lohras in The density of population in Ghutua is 248 addition to the Cheros, Uper-Ghutua is inhabited pe~sons per square mile. This is somewhat by Cheros only. Table I shows the distribution higher than the density.for the subdivision as a of households and persoRs communitywise in Wlhole, which is 210 persons per square mile. the two iolas. TABLE I Distribution of househOlds and persons by community and hamlet TRIBE/CASTE ~------l ~erial Name of tala Chero Kharwar Bhuiya Lohra no. r----J....---, r------"-----, r---__.A....---.... r---__,A._---~ Number Number Number Number . Number Number Number Number Of Of of of of of Of of householdS persons houotholds persons liouseholds persons households perl:!ons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 Ghu'tua (proper) 17 96 7 38 2 9 1 5 2 uper·Ghutua 7 28 Total 24 llU 7 88 2 9 1 5 Cheros and Kharwars (occupy equal positions But the field workers of Governmen.t Depart in the social hierarchy and there is no distinctive ments whose duties involve considerable touring, tribewise grouping of their houses. Lohras, cannot do without bicycles. Some of them comprising the single household, are the black caustically observed that they have to carry the smiths of the village. Bhuiyas are at the lowest cycles for almost as great distances as the cycles rung of the social ladder. carry them. So far as transportation from the village is concerned, the villagers are almost in 5. Gommunications the same position that they were c,enturies ago. - Thei'e is a District Board unmetaIJed road "Fort'lln~teIy, however, the. state of affairs lasts branching off the Daltonganj-Ranchi Road about only till the Dalton~anj-Ranchi Highway is a mile east of Latehar. It goes up to Monger. reached, and this is situa~ed at not too great a From Monger the Gram Panchayat constructed distance. So far as goods ate concerned, small a kutclla road up to Ghutna only a few years bundles are simply carried on the head. If the ago. The entire rqad, however, simply comi~ts. of quantity of goods is more than can be con a demarcated strip of land often overgrown WIth veniently carried in this manner, bhars are used. grasses and shrubs and not even gravelled. The A ~har consists of a piece of split bamboo about road is jeepable only in summer when the waters 4 feet long, on either rend of which baskets of the unbridged Auranga are shallow enough, (usually of the, shallower variety) are suspen~ed. Goo<;ls are kept on thes,e and the bamboo pIece and provid,etl the bJlfiks have been ~djtisted placed on the shoulder at its centre of gravity. earlier to prbv~de a gradual ascent WhIch the jeep can take in ils sfride. Bullock-carts 'are Pack animals are hardly ever used. useful only up to Monger, the ascent thereafter being rather too much for the animals to cope Ther;e is a railway station at Demu about a with. :Hence nobody in Ghutua keeps a bullock mile and a half from Ghutua. Travel by rail is, cart, nor is a bicycle owned by any villager. howevert seldom necessitated, for the social and THE VILLAGE 3 economic ties of the villagers seldom extend to requirements \')£ spices, fats and oils and kerosene any appreciable distances. as also pe.rio~ical requirements of clothes, orna 7. Public places ments, utensIls and implements. The villagers ?ften sell some quantities of grains and vegetables I n the centre' of Ghutua is a Shivasthan, m the mark.ets. ~\:here the Hindu god Shiva is worshipped. lowards the east is a Devisthan the abode of a As a public place, the Akhara situated in goddess with an indeterminate)name save that front of the B~iga's house ~n the village, is the most unpretentIOUS, though perhaps most widely of t~e gell<:ric term Devi. There is a separate Demsthan m Uper-Ghutua. The buildings ror used. It consists of an open bit of land at which these c;entres of worship have been constructed people congregate on social and ceremonial and are J?aintained by collective contributions occasions. Ordinarily, however, any place where by the vIllagers. The Devisthan of Ghutua is people get together is good enough for the ever illustrated in Plate I. The grove in which the popular part-time of idle gossiping, Sarhul festival is celebrated consists of clusters of 8. Lege1ld concerning the Cheros banyan and tamarind trees. According to the legend recounted in the The banks of the Panbhari provide the site District Gazetteer (1912), the Cheros lived for cremation, by which method dead bodies are originally in a sub-Himalayan tract known as ~sually disposed of. In exceptional cases burial Morang. Later, they migrated to Kumaon; and IS also resorted to, the graveyard being situated f~om there made their way south to Bhojpur about half a mile to the east of the settlements (I.e., Shahabad), where they reigned for seven in Ghutua proper. generations. The fifth ru~er of the line Sahbal Rai, invaded Champaran with a large ~rmy of . r~~he Panbhari is sometimes used for fetching Cheros and ravaged the country as far as the dn-?kmg water other who came from behind. His has been recounted in this connection in the son Bhagwat Rai. became the District Gazetteer (1961): Diwan of Raja Man Singh in Palamau. Once when Man Singh "The origin of the family is traced from had gone to Sarguja, Bhagwat Rai, Raja Ke~so Narain Sin~h, a Boondya set afloat numerous leaf-cups- Rajput, who was Raja. of Ghu~- goomti in Bundelkund. HIS contammg sat too (fried and powdered cereals) in river Kanhar. daughter was married to one These cups were seen by Raja Man Chawan Muni, after whom they Singh i!l Sarguja. He thought are 'called Chawanbansi, or that a large army must have invaded '.":hildren of the Moon. Their and taken possession of his king descendants reigned at Kumaon f'O.r dom, since otherwise so many leaf five generations.. Foolchand RaI, cups W/Ould not have been found one of the famlly, cooquered floating in the river. So he fled Bhojpur, where they cO!ltinued f~r away and Bhagwat Rai became the 'the next four generatIons, untIl king in his place_" Raja Shahbul Rai conquered the Raja of Champaran and settled This story seems to compare broadly with there. But the latter, with the the legend drawn from the Gazetteer. Sahb~l aid of the Emperor of Delhi, took Rai's physical powers have b~en up?eld and hIS Shahbul Rai prisoner and regained ignominy concealed by the ll1.~uctlOn .of . two his territory. Shahbul 'Rai's son Jtigers. Similarly Bhagwat Ral s m~chmatIO~s Bhaowant Rai fled from Champaran to gain the chiettainphip have been gIven a tWIst and b found shelter with Raja Deo so as to appear merely as a subtle tritkery rather. Sahi of Dhawadand. From here than treacherous brutality. BhaO'wantb Rai came to Palamall The Cheros are also known as Barah-hazoT accompanied by Puran M ul, a (twelve th'ou,'>and) arid Temh-hazar (thirteen younger son of Raja Dea Sahi. and thousand). A legend relating to the origin of obtained service under Manu S1I1gh the name Barah-hazar is that the Cheros and the the th,en Rakseyl Raja of Palamau, Kharwarsl jointly subjugated Palamau. The to whom he had brought letters of army that did so c;onsisted of 12,000 Cheros and introduction from Raja Deo Sahi. 18,000 Kharwars. This legend is supported by In the following year during the the appellation, Athqrah-hazar ~eighteen thou-. absence of Raja Manu Singh at sand) still associated with the KharW~l:s, though Surguja. Bhagwant Rai treacherously it is not popular. Another expla~atlOn offered murder,ed his ~amily and seizing for the name is that the 01.&OS consIsted of 12,000 the guddee, proclaimed himself as families at the time of their settling in Palamau the first Chero Raja of Palamau. district. The family has been in the district With regard to- the formation of two ~ections for over 200 y;ears." amonO' the Cheros, it is said that the Terah-Iwzar are fhe offsprings of rakhails (concuhines), by The Chero chiefs reigned in Palamau for reason of which they are considered'inferior to the nearly two Ihundred years. Authentic accounts Barah-hazar. Another legend (recounted in of their dealings with the Muslims and the Ghutua) runs as follows: British are found in Chronicles 'from 1640 onwards. After the British took over Palamau, _ "Once a Chero invited many of his caste- the Chero chi~fs were'reduced to the position of ,men to a feast. The host himself Zamindars; aild, with the abolition of Zamindari seryed ghee to his guests, but there -remained no chief at all. while doing so, he had kharaun (wooden slippers) on. This, was 9. History of the village considered very insu,lting by 'the Gdpal Rai was the Chero chief when the guests who not only refused to British took over the pargana of Palamau in 1773. participate in the feast but also A settlement for 5 years was entered into with severed connections with their host him on his undertaking to pay Rs. 50,000 for for ever. In du,e time, the pro the period. The Chero chief was thus reduced geny of the host came; to be known 'to the position of an ordinary landlord (Zamindar) as Terah~ha,zar. h and no special polic,e or judicial powers were The Cheros consider themselves to 'be enjoined on him. The successors of Gopal Rai r:lwwanvansi, Rajputs ann the following story could n'olt live up to their commitments and the 'tHE VltLAC£ estate was resumed by Go\;ernment in 1818 and Singh are still living in. the village as the follow ing genealogy will show: held by it directly ever since. The estate Dutt Singh consisted of two distinct parts, first the khalsa I . 1 villages or villages held under direct manage AndraSmg 1 Chamru -"Singh J . I ment and secondly, the remaining villages Bhupat Smgh Nara.in Singh I I managed by subordinate jagirdars (landlords). PhekuSingh Dilwar Singh (50 years) I The jagirdars had the right of transferring their Barat Singh (50 years) I rights in the villages held by them. Meghu Singh (25 years) Th,e persons against whom ages have been indicated were living in the village at the time Ghutua was never a khalsa village. It was of survey. stated in the village that about the time of the The above would go to show that the village first settlement (1864-72) the village was held by has be,en occupied by the Cheros at least for a century. Consequent upon their occupation of one Dntt Singh. W'hen his daughter was married, the district, the expanding number of Cheros must have forced them out from Daltonganj. Ghutua was given as a present to her, the gift Sinc;e the Cheros occupied Palamau in the being called Khewncha (Khewncha . is the end beginning of the seventeenth century it is quite probable that the area round Ghutua was settled of the sari which hangs in the front and in which by them in the next century. The people women customarily keep the gifts offered at themselves aver that they have all been settled ill the village for more than five generations ceremonial occ,asions). Descendants of Dutt hack. CHAPTER II THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS .1. Ethnic composition Terah-hai1..ar (also known as Birbandhia). :rhe~e As noticed earlier the bulk (70 per cent) of two sections are exogamous. Each se<.:tlDn l~ the population of the village consists of Cheros. further subdivided into septs locally known as paris. It is said that there are twelve septs The following table gives the di~t!"ibution of the population and households by tribe or caste; amonO' Cheros each one having been founded by the t~elve original settlers in Palamau dist::ict. TAB.LE II Villagers of Ghutua, however, belong to eIght different septs and they could not even name the Oomposition of population and households by Tribe/Caste remaining bur. The eight septs reported are: Name ofCastej Number of Percentage Number Percentage Tribe house· of house· of of (i) Mawarwa (or Mawar); holds holds persons perilons (ii) Bath Mawatwa (or Mawar); 1 2 3 4 5 (iii) Kumarwa (or Kumar); 1. Chero 24 70.59 124 10.79 (iv) Barh Kumarwa (or Kumar); 2. Kharwar 7 20.59 38 21.35 (v) Sawanth (or Samwat); 3. Bhuiya 2 5.88 9 5.05 (vi) Majhia (or Manjhi); 4. Lohra 1 2.94 5 2.81 (vii) Mahto; and (viii) Rautia. Total 34 100.00 176 100.00 The Cheros of Ghntua call themselves The Mawar and Kumar septs at serials (z) Chawtmbansi Rajputs. They belong tu. the and (iii) are known more commonly by their Barah-hazar section which is held to be SOCIally colloquial forms in which the syllable wa is added superior to the Terah-hazar section. All of them to most names. Each of them have another form use the common surname Singh which ~as qualified by barka (or big). Manjhi and Mahto originally confined to Rajputs. The followmg are also functional names of village officials while description of Cheros has been given In the Rautias are also a caste. District Gazetteer (1907): The Kharwars have been considered in "The distinctive physical traits o~ the Cheros have been considerably detail in the report of Or~a *, a village not far softened by their -alliances wit.h from Ghutua. They call themselves Surajbansi Rajputs and are not markedly different from the pure Hindu families, which t~elr ancient power and large posseSSIons Cheros in appearance if a trifle more fair. The enabled them to secure; but they Bhuiyas are a sch,leduled caste in the district of appear still to exhibit an unmistak Palamau though universally acknowledged as able Dravidian physiognomy. possessing strong tribal affinities. The Backward They vary in colour, but are usually Classes Commission (1955) recommended that of a light brown. They have, as a Bhuiyas should be removed from the list of rule, high cheekbones, small eyes scheduled castes and brought to the list of sche obliquely set, and eyebrows to duled tribes. In the village itself, the Bhuiyas correspond, low broad noses and are a~ricllltural labourers. The Lohras are a large mouths with proluberant scheduled tribe of which the single household in lips." the village is engaged in blacksmithy. Lohras are more a functional group than a people with The photographs of Barat. and. Meghu any distinctive tribal affiliations. Sipgh, Chero father and son are gl.ven m Plat.es II and HI. A Chero - woman IS shown m The Land Revenue Survey and Settlement Plate IV. Report (1921) mentions Koeris as one of the Reference has earlier been made to the twO castes residing in the Village. They are no longer. sections among the Cheros, viz., Barah·hazGr and to be found and must have left a quite some time back since no information on the subject could * Included in the present volnme. hI' ohtained in the village. They have, howel'er, THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 7 left a grand legacy behind-many of the vi1lagers (dhenki' (pounding machine operated by [oat) in are now adept vegetable growers, an occupation the enclosed verandah of a Chero house. in which Koeris usually excel, and one which The inner apartments are not very large, the they must have introduced in the village. average size be~ng 12 feet long by 8 feet oroad and 12 feet high. The walls of mud are built The ~eople have adopt,ed the Hindu forms layer by layer and a~e about It feet thick. The of worship to a large extent. They appear to tiles are made locally but potters (called from the have been more largely Hinduised than many of adj'Oining village Monger) are ~specially engaged the tribes o~ the neighbouring district of Ranchi. being paid Rs. 6 for every thousand tiles made ready. Doors are also made locally by calling ~. Language carp,enters who work on daily wages of Rs. 4-6 per day. Both the potters and carpenters are The language of the Cheros is a corrupt brought from outside the village, the, latter from form of Bhojpuri (spok,en generally in Shahabad Latchar town, neithelf ,kind of artisans being and Saran districts) and Magahi (spoken mostly 'locally available. Tiled roofs are most predomi in Patna and Gaya districts), with some words of nant in the village which has no homes with tribal languages often absorbed from their pucca roofs. neighbours. This language is also known as N agpuria, or the language of Chotanagpur. In There is inadequatc provision for v1elntila the Census of 1961, the largest number of returns rion in the houscS'. Windows are not found at among the Cheros was in favour of Hindi all and the doors -are all that are available ior, (25,312), folloWied by Bhojpuri (4,788). Only light and air to get in. However, the inner 552 persons returned their language as Chero apartments are used as bedrooms 'Only in winter, while 2 r,e:turned Oraon and I Mundari as their if at all. mother"tongues. Nagpuria is the language spoken by all persons in Ghutua village. Bamboos and sal logs used in constructing the houses are obtained from the forests. The sal logs which provide the framework of the 3. H ouse-tyjJe houses are usually fixed a £oo~ apart. Bamooos The houses are all constructed of mud walls. are used for making the frame of the roof. Tiles There is not a single brick-walled structure in # are kept on latticed split bamboos but no straw the village. The roofs of the houses may slope is used, as is the general practice in the Chota on all four sides or only two of the sIdes. The nagpur area. The cost of a house varies accord essential plan of a house consists of an inner ing to its size but the average is about Rs. ~OO. apartm,e1lt with verandahs on tl].ree or all sides, The cost is low as building materials are free or covered with roofs at a lower level (Plates only nominally valued ~nd labour is mostly VII and VIII). Occasionally, the roof is made to contributed: by the household itself. Relatives slope only. on two sides as in the- case of the and friends also offer help and are feasted in Devisthan (Plate I). Doors are provided only in return of their labours. the inner apartments" entrances leading t'O the The following table gives the number oE verandah usually being leEt open (Plate VIII). households classified according to the number of The verandahs are used for storing household rooms possessed by them, separately for each implements and utensils. Plate IX shows a community: TABLE III Distribution of households by the number of rooms and persons occupying them Number of Number Of Number of Number Of Number of • Number of Serial Caste/Tribe households with familY househOlds with family households with family no. one room members two rooms members three rOoms members 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 Chero 7 31 14 70 3 23 2 KharWiar 3 12 3 • 15 11 3 Bhuiya 2 9 4 LohI'a 5 Total 10 43 19 94 5 39 8 GHUTUA In the village as a whole, there aloe almost made much headway. For the winter months, two rooms per h'vusehold, thele being 63 rooms cotton chadars suffice as drapings for the body. against 34 households. However, as mall} ,as 10 T~ese, supplemented by continuous fires burn households with 43 members liye in single-room ing throughout the night in their homes provide structures. The bulk of the households have adequate protection from the biting cold winds ,two-roomed houses and only five households emanating from the hills. Woollen garments (with 39 members) have three-room dwellings. are a rarity: knitting an unknown art. Small cattle sheds are separately provided. The walls of the houses are kept clean by plastermg 5. Ornaments with white soil and cow dung, the former being known as dudhia matti. The women are quite fond of jewellery. The ornaments worn by them are known by the Before a house is constructed the site is same Hindi names as in the other parts of Bihar. - selected in the fonowing manner: They are designed according to conventional A bit of the ground on the proposed site patterns by the silversmiths who have to be (about 2 feet square) is cleaned mobile with their stock which they carry for and smeared with cow-dung. sale from market to market. Some of the Twenty-one grains of paddy are ornaments worn are described below. They placed in a leaf cup and left to are usually made of silver or bronze and can be stand on the cl~ane!1 ground (or had from ~the dealer$ in th'e markets. In the night. _ Next morning, the leaf Latehar market, as many as half a dozen silver cup is scrutinized and the number smiths were found displaying their wares on of grains counted. If any grains the marl 39' T~I A .,'1 C"TTl! SHED 1 p' .7' 17 ' ~9' C D E B BED ROOM &EO ROOM PODDER STORE 14' I.' KI TCHEN CUM 21' STORE j 26' .1 "---+ ~ r- G VE RANDAH_ It, 'F ------1 f--- 9'~'I H W"TU STAND i I 5' FUll 9TORE I I I I I· BACk J K DOOR I 12' VERAND"H I- COURT YARD I. 20' I 10' I I M I S,TTING ROOM I I I I t 5' I 4" "'ATER STAND N DHENKI I ------_ ------1 34 ' KITCH,EN ( r 0 7' VERAND"H 1 - 17' .7' P R FUEL STORE Q I I BED ROOM liED ROOM CUM STORE 25' " 1 , t I.' +--- as' 5 T I 7' " CATTLE SHED FODDER STORE 1 , 1I 52' .MUTUA (Facing pogt 8) THE PEOPLE AND THEla MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 9 The above orpaj1lents are shown in Plate XI. While the above OFRameats are l.!s~d I?y The price of non~ of them e~ceeds Rs. 70. women the males were found wearing aaly rings Besides these, the following ornaments ~re also and malas (garlands of beads). worn: The design anp_ wake o~ th~ orn,!rp.ents cOl'ltinu~s to De traditi9n-oriel!~ed. The ,!n~i~ty Chhuchhi-lt is a nose pin made of gold to k~ep abreast of the tilI!es in tq.~ m~H~f pf and can be had for Rs. 5 or sp; omarpent desigp, so COIpmon ~mop.g ladl~§ 9f .Ring-It i~ m4qe of silv(:!f aQ.d is W9nl urban areas, is Inon-existent am(:mg worp.en£ol~ wmally jp. fOfcfing(!r and middJ~ fiq.ger. of the village. However, glass l;>a!1gle~ ilver are also vscd by Th~ fpHpwintf tilb,l~ §PPWs tp.~ ex;tBllt ef q§~ ~he w9IIleq.. of orrament by cgmPlllnity llnd ~~](: TABLE IV Distributipn or l)l>u~eholds accor~iJl& tQ \l~1l Ilf qrllamllU\s Community Description Chero Kharwar T~M! 2 4 6 'rotal number of households il) the community 24 7 2 34 'rotal number of households wearing ornaments 21 6 2 1 30 Households In whlch both males and females wear ornaments 2 Households in which only males wear ornaments Household~ in whic4 only females- wear ornaments 19 6 2 28 Households Uljing no ornaments 3 N OTE.-A prjef descxiption of tattooing is given at pago 14 6. Household goods Household ,!ppli use whilst ora is U&~Q fQr carrying grain. Dala, delli hurricane lanterns, the o~h~rs still 'Jdhering ~o and dauri art'! v;:trij:tjes of b,!skets distinguished the traditional oil-lamps (d(libri~}. Ope in c:v~ry by size. Soap is use4 for wi:q:qo'Ving grain and threG households possesses 4 tqrchHght. P~trq chalni is the skye fpf cleaning flour. j\.ll these maxes, keFosene "stoves, aiHcles q_nd rar;li9-~~~ b~Jnbo9 qrticles an~ prepaFt':d by the person& have yet to reach Ghutua. None use a b~l(;mging tP /)Q11'? l;~u# ilP·q 4r~ aVilHable to thft lTlosquitonet an~ only ~ hOllseholds ayen-ed that vma~~n! only ill the wt!~kly JIl~rk~t§. they used toilet §9ap~. GHUTUA Some of· the household utensils are shown in Plantains, lemons and mangoes are grown in the Plate ·XIII. ~ ba,ris attached to the homesteads. 7. Food and' drink . Country liquor (distilled and sold through hcenced contractors) ' the house. The midwife's ministrations do not care. Children are usually breast-fed up to the conclude after the' child is safely delivered, and age of three unkss another child is born 'mean she continues to remain with the mother and while. child for six days, the period during which even touching them will caus,e pollution to the family Abortions and still-births are often believed members who are thus debarred from .attending. to be caused by the malign influence of evil The midwife not 'Only massages her patienls spirits. Casting of evil exes by an old lady with morning and ,evening but prescribes recuperative evil powers is also believed to be a cause of herbal tonics and (if need be) medicines to cure abortions and still-births. When such even the complications that may arise as after-effects. tualities take place, the ojha is consulted to ward off further apprehended trouble. Th,e six-day period of pollution applies to the mother and child within the family and also Girls get their ears and nose bored at the to the en/tire 'family within the village. Thus age of 8-10 y.cars. This is done by a goldsII.lith. no villager will partake of food in that family No ceremonies are associated with it and, as often until the six-day period of pollution is over. as not, the girls are taken to Latehar for getting Actually, the mother bathes on the sixth day, th.eir ears and nose bored. wears new dothes_ and prays on the household The Chero males wear the sacred thread or deit~es. The same evening villagers are invited janeo. There is, h'Owever, no rigidity about to refreshments and the entire veil of pollution th.e age at wliich the sacred thread ceremony is lifted. However, if the circumstances of the must be performed. In most cases it just precedes new father do not permit his giving an immediate the marriage ceremony: the proc;edure enables fcast, this has perforce to be' deferred. But social the avoidance- of extra expenditure for the, customs do not permit its being done away with. purpo~es. In. case of a separate ceremony, the boy has to fast for the day. He is given new The child is named on the chhathi (sixth) clothes and the Brahmin priest puts the first day. According to Sunder, "Children are named sacred thread around his neck and shoulders. as soon as the means are available for paying the The chanting of mantras is only nominal and Brahmin. He is told the date and hour of birth there is no hom (offering in "fire). Relatives and and he gives the name. If the Brahmin is not friends of the family are invited on the occasion called, the child if a boy, is named by the and given a ~east according to the means of the father, and ~ girl is named by the mother". family. Non-vegetarian dishes are not sen:ed. The Brahmins in th,e area have defined jurisdic tions and it so happens Jhat the Brahmin to Unlike some other tribes, no institutIOns for whose share Ghutua has fallen resides far from the training of ado~escents exist in the village for the village. Even his deputy livteS a few miles any community. off. Hence no undue pains are taken to seek his help in naming t~e child which is done formally 9. Marriage by the father irrespective of the sex of the child. No system of betrothal exists in the village. Modern medical facilities ate available at Statistics collected in respect of ages of marriage Latehar Hospital. But no cases have b~en sent to of all married males and females are given in the it from the village for ante-natal or post-natal following table": TABLE V Tribewise average, maximum and minimum ages of marriage for mares and females Average.age Of Minimum age Of Maximum age Of' marrIage marriage marriage Tribe ~ _ __.A.. __~ ~---~--~~---~--~ MaleS FemaleS Males FemaleS MaleS Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1. Chero 15 12 10 g 20 18 2. Kharwar 16 14 10 9 20 18 3. Bhuiya 16 14 16 14 16 14: 4. Lobra 14 12 15 13 15 13 12 GHUTUA It is seen that there is little variation in the ages Negotiations for the marriage are initiated of marriage in different communities. Boys by the agua (broker) who represents the groom's get married at 15 to 16 years and girls at 12 to side. An ,eligible girl is sought out and her 14 years. However, even in the village girls of parents interviewed by the agua. Omen's play g to 9 years old have got mar-ried but such a significant part in deciding the future partner marriages occurr1ed in the past and are no longer of the boy. If th,e agua, on his journey to girl's in vogue. According to Sunder, puberty begins house, comes across ill-omens such as the wail of at 12. foxen, he simply forsakes his journey and the Marriages are restricted within the tribe and question of further n,egotiations does not arise. are prohibited among persons belonging to same If all goes well, he meets the girl's father and sept. Relations connected by blood up to three puts forward his proposal. If !he proposals are generations on either side are also to be avoided. prima facie acc,eptable, the bride's father. comes l:Ience cross-cousin and parallel cousin marriages to see the boy and his approval is indic.ated by are ruled out, 'as also marriages with the sister's his giving a small gift of money. In turn he is daughter. Monogamy is the general rule, the given fe~st by the groom's father. Fin~lly, the only exception being when the first wife is groom's, fat~er goes to see the girl, and like his barren. The second wife in such cases may be counter-part also() offers gifts to her if she meets the younger sister of t~e first wife, and to that with his approval. extent sororate is permissible. However, there The date of marriage is fixed according to is no bigamous. marriage in the village. Widows the Hindu almanac. Marriages generally take ale eligible to marry and there is no custom place in the months of Magh and Phalgun. The enjoining weferentfial treatment in the 'matter marriage may take place either in the house of t~· the younger brother of the de<;eased husband. th,e' groom when it is known as Dol-karhz or in Hence there is no system of levirate. the house of the bride when it is known as Dol-charhi. Most marriages in the village have Unlik,e many other tribal communities, the been performed as Dol-karhi marriages since in Cheros have only one form of marriage. The this system the cost of ceremony is substantially ceremony consists essentially of the customary lower. On the fixed day, the bride is brought rites of the Hindus. ~election of the partner is to th,e groom's house to which a Brahmin (who done by negotiations through brokers which are invariably officiates) and a barber have been finalised by the parents. That there is little called earlier. The marriage ceremony proceeds mixing Of th,e sexes in the village and that none in the usual Hindu form. The Brahmin is paid result in marital alliances become obvious frt>m Rs. 15 as his fee and th,e barber a quarrel' of the the fact that· no marriage has been contracted sum. between two pe'fsons belonging to the same village. Actually none of the marriages have There is no system of payment of price either been contracted in any village ~ess than 7 miles for groom or btide. Presents, however, are made away as the following table shows: from either side according to means. There is little of avoidable os~entation. TABLE VI Little can be added to the detailed descrip tlassification of maniage by distance. or wife'~ home from tion of the ceremony giv,ell by Sunder 60 years the vlllage ago and still f9110wed at present. This is given Distance of wife's homo Number of Percent- below: marriages age "The couple do bhanwar} by walking 1. Same village Nil Nil around the ,altar, which is set up in the centre of the marwa or marriage 2. O~3 miles Nil Nil canopy, built of bamboos in the 3.4-6 miles Nil Nil courtyard. The altar consists o'f two kalsas (earthen vessels) that are 4. 7-9 miles 6 10.71 • plac;ed there in the name of the 5. 10-12 miles S 14.29 bride and bridegroom. They 6. 13-15 miles 1 1.80 are filled with water and have some dubh grass, kaseli (betel nut) and 7. 16 miles and above 41 73.20 a pice plac;ed in each of them. Total 56 100.00 Over die kalsas there are two covers (dhaknas) in which cotton Nonetheless, there is no social injunction seed (banour) ~nd urid dal are kept regarding avoidance of marriages in the village with some mustard oil. There are itself. two wicks in each cover and the 'rHE plopLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQt1IPMENTS four ends of the wicks are lit while bridegroom promises to giv,e his the marriage ceremony is proceed bride some present, af~er which she ing. In doing bhanwar the bride takes the maur off his head. The and bridegroom (the latter being maur is placed by the bridegroom's behind the former with his left brother or father during Assar on hand on her ~eft shoulder and his the nearest bamboo bmh. The right hand holding her right wrist) belief being that the bridegroom's walk round the altar five times bans (children) will increase and scattering parched rice (lawa) before multiply as the bamboo does. On themselves all the while. After the fourth day of the marriage each turn the bridegroom stoops called chautai, the bride and bride and touches the right toe of the groom. and the latter's mother and bride. After this they return to other relatives go to the nearest their seats and are there surrounded river for a bath. The kalsa of the by a sheet of new cloth. The bridegroom is taken there and the sin,dur bandan ceremony is then water in it is poured by the bride performed by the bridegroom, who over her mother-in-Iaw's head; all mar;ks the bride's forehead five then have a bath in the 1 iver and times with sindur. This is return home. Here the bride and followed by the gaon ceremony. bridegroom are seatedl within a The napit makes a slight gash chowka which the napit makes. below the nail of the right hand T-he bride then takes off the bride little fingers of the couple and the groom's kakna, and he ,removes of blood that is drawn is wiped by her kakna. This closes the cere him with two pieces of mahawar mony. The two kalsas are care (cotton dyed with lac). The bride fully stored for one ye~r and then and bridegroom are then made to forgotten. The marriag,e is consum stand and th,eir seats of leaf plates mated on the wedding day." are changed, the bride taking the bridegroom's and he her's. The Widow marriages are permissible, specially napit then puts the mahawar con in cases of young widows. It is considered that taining the bridegroom's blood in unless a young widow is allowed to re-marry bride's right hand and her mahawar there are chances of her going astray and even with her blood in it in the bride making a misalliance with persons belonging to groom's right hand. Each then lower castes. A widow is allowed to marry only touches the other's throat (kant) in the sagai form in which the ceremonies are with the mahawar. This is the bind reduced to the minimum. However, a widow ing part of the ce:r~emony and is encumbered with children is seldom able to find called sine-jora. After this the a suitable mate for herself. napit takes two mango leaves from the bride's patmaur (crwn), rolls Dhorce is not recognised or prevalent to any them and with a cord ties one on appreciable extent, none having taken place in the left wrist of the bride and the the village. The_re is only one eyentuaJity other on the left wrist of the bride which allows a husband and wife to separate and groom, this is called kakna bandan. that is when the woman is found t'O have com The bridegroom's elder brother mitted adultery. In such a case, she is simply then receives some silver ornaments turned out by her husband with full social together with a sari from his father approval. The woman in her turn is free to and after touching the altar where marry her paramour in the sagdf form and none a lump of earth and one of cow of them are any the WlOrse for it. They continue dt,mg, representing Gour and to remain within the folds of the caste. No case Ganesh are kept, places them in of divorce was, however, r,eported in the village. the' hands of the bride and there after takes off her patmaur of mango leaves. He and other rela Should a cllild be born outside the honds of tives and friends then throw achat matrimony, the mother has to give out the name (urua rice) over the couple and the of the child's father. This person must marry proceedings end by their retiring the girl. In case the ,girl does not divulge the to their own quarter. Here the name of her lover, she is out-caste. 14 CHUTUA 10. Death and verses recited by the Brahmin who is called. On the 12th day all the male relatives of the There is little tendency to ascribe death to deceased shave their h,eads. This is followed by supernatural causes since the people's belief in a feast ,to the villagers "after which the pollution witchcraft, spirits and ghosts is not very defP~ ends. The Brahmin is paid Rs. 2,7 and the rooted. barber a quarter of the sum. The dead person is bathed and clothed in II. Tattooing clean garment. In the case of a married female, all the signs of the state 'Of marriage dre prond- All Chero women are tattooed. Tattooing nent!y displayed. Bangles, sindur and cosmetiCS is confined to Wlomen, and is done by the malarin are applied. The body is draped in a new piec~ (female of the Malar caste) who is paid about a rupee. The ioperation being \exceedingly pain -of white cloth and carried to the burning grom1? on a bamboo stretcher. The funeral pyre is 1It ful, tattooing is not completed in first year, but by the eldest or. other son. If ther,e be no son. is done gr.aduallY. Tattooing is done with a brother or the husband may also light tIle needles, the pigment employed being kalal funeral pyre. '(aniImony,> m'lxea w'lih womari's m'ilk. 'Tattoo ing commences inside the forearms, and then goes A custom has earlier been described accord on to the neck and chest. the design being ing to which the Cheros gathered 5 bones from according to fancy of the malarin doing it. the ashes of the deceased and buried them in a The marks on the chest are in imitation of neck pot. N 0- such practic,e was found in Ghutua. laces, and those on the ankles and- arms resemble anklets and armlets. ' The person who performs the funeral rite~ has to abstain from salt and all kinds of condI Tattooing Is prevalent among women of ments until the purificatory ceremomes are other communities in the village as well. The completed. Pinds consisting of balls of rice are . designs, however, are not any different as they offered to the soul of the deceased on the tenth are dependant only on the skill of the malarin day, to ,the accom,paniment of sanskrit hymns who performs the operation. ,. CHAPTER III ECONOMY 1. Land and forest Nature Area in acres The area of the revenue mauza is 456.23 10. Fallow for 2-5 years 25.58 acres which includes hills and jungles. The break-up of the area according to village papers II. Total of 7 to 10 226.61 is indicated below: Grand Total 456.23 Table VII I t is seen that just about half of the area of Classification of area of the "illage the village is uncultivated. According to. the Nature Area in acre'> sum-total of the data furnished by different households, agricultural lands constitute 167 1. Forest 82.21 acres. This figure tallies rather well with the area of 157.84 acres shown under agriculture 2. Waste land unfit for cultiva- 86.08 and horticulture in the official records as noted tion. in the abov~ table. Apparently the households 3. Pastures 7.36 III the village did not include their fallow lands in their returns. 4. Cultivable waste land 18.55 5. Homestead and other non 35.42 The agricultural lands consist of paddy agricultural land. fields (dhar:'khet) and up-lands. The latter IS 6. Total of 1-5 229.62 . classified into bari lands which are situated close to the homesteads and tanr which are further 7. Area under crops 141.54 away. The average ownership of all kinds of 8. Area under horticulture 16.30 land is 4 acres' per family. However, the distri bution is· not equal as the following table will 9. Current fallows 48.19 show: TABLE VlII Communitywisc distribution of households by the size of agricultural holding Land owned in ncres Community Total -_--- number of households 0.50 to 1 to 2.4 2.1l to 4.9 Il to 10 Over 10 I acre. acres. acres. acres. acres. 2 3 4 Il 6 7 1. Choro 24 2 7 13 2 2. Kharwar 7 3 4 3. Lohra 4. Bhuiya 2 ,. Total .. 34 1 4 10 17 2 It is seen that bulk of the households own 2.5 to 20 acres each. The heads of these households 10 acres of land.. The Lohras and Bhuiyas own are descendants of the former landlords of the very small holdings. Cheros and Kharwars are village. equally well off. The. two Chero households The quality of land is rather pOOl: and as under the category "over 10 acres" actually own. such sales and mortgages are infrequent. This, 16 GHUTUA perhaps, accounts for the fact that none of the 2. Livestock households' reported either to have or suffered The following table shows the number of or gained in the extent of area of land owneq by domesticated animals and birds kept by the the previous generation. people tribewise: , TABLE IX Livestock oattle ts Pjgs Fo,),Js Miloh oattle Drough~ Q9!! /f'lheep ------Number of Heads l'{umber of Heads Number of Number of Number of Number Num):>er of Number households of households of households goats! households of households of owning. oattle. owning. cattle. owning. sheep. owning. pigs. QW$g. birds. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 n 10 11 1. Chero 23 55 21 46 24 50 10 46 2. Kharwar i 21 3 3 4 12 4 3. Lohra 3 3 + 6 4. Bhuiya 2 1\ 2 4 2 (; ::! 8 2 13 Total 33 84 27 56 31 72 2 8 14 69 - It is noteworthy that only Bhuiyas, who eat pig's kinds of unauthorised levies. There was a meat, rear this animal. Otherwise all commu system of begar prevalent according to which a nities share the livestock wealth of the village. tenant was obliged tq work. ~or }lis Jalldiord free Each kind of the animal and bird found in the of charge. Although custom restricted - such village is found in every 4qusehold. However, forced labour to particular periods, this would the Kharwars have a larger number of ~nimals often coincide with the period in which the per household than the Cheros, among whom the tenant mpst needed to attend tq the awicultural number of fowls is proportionately higher. One operations in his own cultivation work. Almost reason for the large number of the heads of cattle two decades have passeq since zqmindari was appears to be that neither the Cheros nor the abolished and begar is 110W a tlJ.ing of the past. Khflrwars eat bel3f. The milch cattle are so in To this extent, there has been a great relief to name only: they do not yield milk for consump the people since the institlltion of Land Reforms tion. The cattle are of indigenous breed and measures. The proper control and management of poor quality. They have largely to feed for of the forests by the State Government has themselves by grazing in the fields and do not provided better opportunities to the villagers to get adequate nourishment. Their main utility be engaged as labourers in the cutting and collec is for ploughing the fields in which only bullocks tion of timber trees as also construction of roads. are used. There is no taboo in the village in The villagers are also permitted to collect dry Tegard to taking cow's milk. wood from the forests earmarked for the purpose, free of COSt for use as fuel. Building materials 3. Factors influencing economic life tr1 the are also available at concessi anal rates. village The village has imbibed a progressive out In 1920, there was not even a cart track look in some spheres but has not received the leading from the village. Latehar was not so impact of any. kind of industrialisation or urbani well connected by road to other places in the zation. Latehar itself is more a village than a district and outside. With the improvement in town and is yet not covered by the Notified Area communications and expansion Qf marketing Committee. There is scope for obtaining finan facilities in Latehar, an impetus was given for cial help through the Community Development growing cash crops. The villagers of Ghutua Block which pays subsidy for works of improve-_ realised the implications and they have taken to ment and irrigation. Three irrigation wells the growing of vegetables for commercial have been constructed in the village by such purposes. Along with vegetables, goats and means. However, the villagers are yet to form sheep find a re(ldy market at Lat~p.ar where a co-oper;:ttiv~ Spqj~W w4i~4 would §erve tlJ.eir dealers collect them from tpG villa~er& al1q export financial Ile!JP-s, There i~ considerabJe $cope fqr them to Ranchi. expansion in the i).rea under yegtltables, for these ·One of the deplorable feat1..J.res 9f the find ready p!arkeyt at Latellar tQ which tradesmen tamindari ~ystem was the r~alisation of various come cv~n {rpm R!lnchi. ECONOMY 17 4. Lwelihood cl~ses cultivation with its primary occupation o'{ black smithy. The followinO' table shows' the distribution The primary occupati(Jn or every househ?ld ~ . in the village is cultivation. . The only excep~lOn of workers and non-workers by commul1lty, sex is the Lohra household whIch too, combmes and age group: TABLE X Distribution of workers and non-workers by community, sex and age groups Community Ago group Total populaLion Workers Non-workers Percentage Of workers r------'------r-----'------.. r-----.---~ r------'------"'\ P M F P M F P M F P M F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1. Chero .. All ages 124 70 54 49 39 10 75 31 44 39.52 55.71 18.5 0-14 49 31 18 49 31 18 15 and above 75 39 36 49 39 10 26 26 65.33 100.0 27.2 2. Kharwar .. All ages 38 16 22 20 12 8 18 4 14 57.87 75 36.37 0-14 15 4 11 15 4 11 15 and above 23 12 11 20 12 8 3 3 87 100 72.73 3. Bhuiya .. All ages_ 9 5 4 4 2 2 5 3 2 44.44 40 50 0-14 5 3 2 5 3 2 15 and above 4 2 2 4 2 2 100 100 100 4. Lohra .. All ages 5 3 2 4 2 2 I 1 80 66.67 100 0-14 1 1 1 1 15 and above 4 2 2 4 2 2 100 100 100 It is seen that all the adult males of all commu non-workers. Dnly one Chero boy is attending nities are economically active and whereas this school at Latehar. also applies to the Bhuiya and Lohra adult females, the percentage of workers amongst the According to the economic classification of adult females is 72.73 in the case of Kharwars and 1961 Census and figures recorded in it, 93.6 per 27.2 in the case of Cheros. It has been observed cent of the workers are engaged in agriculture that the percentage of workers amongst females and of the_ remaining 7 per cent, half are engaged is much higher in tribal communities than in in livestock rearing and the other half in house the general population of Bihar. If this can be hold industry_ The latter account for the Lahra taken as an index, the Cheros appear to be more household engaged in blacksmithy. Hinduised than the Kharwars who in turn stand above the' Bhuiyas and Lohras in this respect. In the Census of 1951, out of 163 persons, The non-working) females are engaged wholly in 143 persons were shown"as cultivators of land household duties and do not participate in culti wholly or mainly owned and their dependents, vation work. But in the case of the latter, the and 20 persons as cultivating labourers and their number of persons is too small to indicate any dep,endents. Obviously the Lohra household trenl TABLE XI Communitywise agricultural produce , Annual production in maunds Community ,....------______A -----...... Paddy- Maize, Wheat and Pulses Tobacco Oil seeds etc. barley 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1. Chero 361 172 24 17 0.20 12 2. Kharwar 117 49 2 3. Lohra 16 4 0.20 0.20 4. Bhuiya 2 9 8 2 0.20 Total 496 284 32 21,20 O.ao 12.40 The- crops may' be divided into agahani, The following statement gives an idea of the bhadai and rabbi according to the Hindi various agricultural activities and the period months in which they are harvested. thereof: TABLE XII Oalendar of agricultural activities Month .-:-___Name of.:A. ______crop ...... -----"------...... ,.-- English Vernacular For which fields Sown Weeded Harvested ploughed 1 2 3 4 5 6 May·June 'Je)k Winter paddy Marua, Rakar Lac. June-July A8arh Marua, Makai, Marua, Makai, Gondli, Mahua fruits. Gondli Grwa paddy, Dhan paddy, vegetables Urid, Rahar. ' July.4-.ugust Sawan Urid, Kurthi, Maru4 Makai August.September Bhado Wheat, Barley, Urid, TiZ, KUI,thi Makai, Gondli, Gram, !takar. Marua, Bodi, Gora paddy. September.October Wheat, Barley, Mung,:;;arson, Gram Makai, Urid, Gora Gram, lllllstard. paddy. October-November Karerk Seedlac is applied on palas treo:;. November·December Agha,. Barley, Wheat, Gram Agahani paddy, Bodi, Kurthi. Mung. December·JanuaFY PaU8 Agahani paddy. Kurthi, Til, Urid. J auuary·February Mllgh February ·March Falgun Gram, Barley. 'Wheat, Sardon. March.April Barley, Wheat, Gram. 'April·Ma~ Bawa'kh Ma,]wa. ECONOMY 19 Paddy is an Agahani crop. Dhankhet lands are grown III season. However, since the vege are ploughed three or four times prior to the tables are sold in the time when production is commencement of the rains and. seeds sown in large, the prices obtained, are not significantly June-July in selected plots. When the plants profitable. The entire family, including are about a foot high (after a month or six weeks). children, help in the weeding operations so they are transplanted in fields which are low frequently required. This is possible l,ince the lying and contain enough water. In recent vegetable plots usually lie near the houses. times line-sowing and addition of fertilizers are Compost manure is prepared and used. Pesti being adopted as a sequel to their efficacy having cides are used to control diseases among the been demonstrated by the Jan Sewak of the vegetable plants. Communit~ Development Block. The crop is harvested III November-December. The yields The agricultural implements continue depend on the quality of land and the extent of largely to be made and supplied by the Lohra rainfall in the season, but average yields are 12 who is understandably immune to innovations in maunns per acre. It is seen that paddy forms design. Labourers are hardly ever employed. the bulk of crops produced in the village. Khesari 6. Animal husbandry and forestry (a pulse) is often grown along with paddy. Two maunds of seeds are required per acre of land on In discussing the livestock wealth of the which the plants are transplanted. Seeds are village it has been seen that there are appreciable ~omel imes also broadcast when the requirement numbers of animals to be looked after. So far IS only one maund per acre, but the yields are as the cattle are concerned, besides providing also lower, being about 8 maunds. animal power in cultivation they are not useful otherwise. The villagers do not eat beef, nor do Maize is the next important crop. It is a they take milk. The cows do not also yield Bhadai crop grown on the bari lands along with milk in sufficient quantity. The cattle are Marua and Gondli. It is sown in June-July and usually tended by youngsters and allowed to roam harvested in September-October. Maize fields about the forests in search of fodder. The have to be carefully watched against depredations villagers have rights to graze their cattle within by birds and animals as soon as the cobs begin the areas of protected forests. It is only during to appear about a month after the sowing. the rains when the countryside turns green with natural vegetation that the cattle have abundant Wheat, barley and gram are rabbi crops. food and cows yield more milk. There is no These are sown in October-November and harvested in March-Apri1.. taboo in regard to taking cow's milk. The forests still continue to supply a variety O'Malley (District Gazetteer, 1907) remarked of needs. Mahua trees are particularly useful that- and the following kinds of uses of the 'Mahua' extracted from the District Gazetteer are "The mOre civilized and semi-Hinduised relevant: tribes are also incapable of conti nued exertions, and possess neither "The mahua is found in great abundance the patience nor the skill necessary all over the district, and though it to raise the more valuable crops is only a supplementaJ;y article of which require frequent irrigation, food when cereals are cheap, it is hoeing and weeding. They live in the main resource of the aboriginal th~ midst of jungle, and grow tribes in times of scarcity. The chIefly crops that require little part of the mahua which is eaten manual labour, such as maize, is the corolla of the flowers, a fleshy cotton and various millets." blossom of a pale yellow colour; when fresh it has a disagreeable The above is a complete anti-thesis to the small but a peculiarly luscious situation prevalent in Ghutua todav. The taste, and is excellent for quench villagers have not only taken growing' paddy ing thirst; when dried, it is very (which requires a lot of labour and care) but grow like a :raisin. The blossoms spring v~getables for sale. New wells have been dug from the ends of the smaller WIth the help of the Community Development branches of the tree, in bunches of Block and fertilizers are used. In every part of from twenty to thirty, and. as they the year, some plots have vegetables growing. approach ripeness, swell with juice Po.ta~oes, cabbages, cauliflowers, ladies fingers, and fall to the ground. M ucn brmpls and various gourd and creeper vegetables -. depends on the weather while the 20 GHUTUA flowers are developing; the crop The two outer skins are either requires sun, and cloudy weather eaten raw or cooked as a vegetable; and thunderstorms are most the inner skin is dried and ground destructive. up into,fiour (sattu). Of the kernel. As soon as the buds appear, the ground is an oil is made, which is largely carefully cleared, all grass and used for cooking purposes and for weeds growing beneath the trees adulterating ghi." being removed, usually by burning. Lac is grown on Bair and Palas trees. The The first fall of the blossoms is the lac is harvested in summer. At that time, a few signal for women and ch ildren to trees are saved for providing seeds in the next commence\ wonk. Those whose season. With the commencement of rains insects homes are near their trees go out to begin. to grow. They are transferred to the 'Work at dawn, returning two or trees on which lac -is to be produced in autumn. three times during the day with Harvesting is done in summer. However, its what they have gathered; but where production has gone -down of late due to a sharp the trees are Since cultivation forms the mainstay of the fourth of the Chero households earn more than villages, the incomes on this reckoning will 75 rupees a month_ provide a fair idea of their level of prosperity. The following table shows the pattern of Casual earnings are there, but these are neither expenditure of each community: constant nor uniform and hence difficult to arrive at wi th any degree of correctness. TABLE XIV Average expenditure per househOld TABLE XIII Percentage of expenditure on Caste/Tribe Numberr------...__---<------, HousehOlds by monthly income group of house- • holds Food, Clothing, Miscel- Pursuits Number of households etc. etc. laneous of pro- Income group ,.-_-'--1_ _ . ______.A ______..... items fession (rupees per month) 1 2 3 4 5 6 Total Chero Kharwar Bhuiya Lohra I. Chero 24 67.79 8.50 4.40 17.51 1 2 3 4 5 6 2. Kharwar 7 82.31 905 2.54 6.10 1.26-50 21 13 6 2 3. Bhuiya 2 79.22 10.20 3.29 7.29 2. 51-75 7 5 1 1 4. Lohra 1 65.08 11.11 9.52 14.29 3.76-100 3 3 It is apparent that while there is no appreciable 4. 101 and above 3 3 difference in the pattern of expenditure on Total 34 24 7 2 1 account of the daily necessities of life, the Cheros spend much more than others in pursuit of their It is seen that more than two-thirds of the house profession namely cultivation. This is accounted holds have a monthly income of Rs. 26-50. for by their having adopted improved techniques Whilsd just over half of ,the Chero households of cultivation and the use of manures and fall in this income group, both the Bhuiya house fertilizers. holds and 6 out of 7 Kharwar households find place,in it. The remaining Kharwar households 10. Indebtedness and the only Lohra household come in the The following table shows the extent of irl;Come group of Rs. 51-75 per month. One- indebtedness in the village: TABLE XV Extent of indebtedness Serial Income group Xumber of households Number of households Percentage of Average indebted· no. in debt households in debt ness in rupees 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Less than 25 2 26 -50 21 8 38 95.00 3 51--75 7 2 28.57 150.00 4 76-100 3 2 66.67 70.00 5 lOI and above 3 2 66.67 152.00 Agricultural loans have been taken by 15 persons Mahajans or money-lenders Of Latehar lend from Ithe Community Development Block, of a money at rates of interest varying from 24 to 36 sum totalling Rs. 1,500. The figure represents per cent per annum. In their case no clocuments entire amount of loan taken from the year 1954 are registered but handnotes have to be executed onwards. Such loans are provided after bonds for large sums of loan~. The mahajans are are jointly executed, pledging agricultural lands. usually tradesmen. They are not registered The rate of interest is small, being about 6 per money-lenders and exercise no control over the cent. Repayments have not been prompt. affairs of the loanees of the village. CHAPTER IV SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 1. Population growth enumerated in the census. If the survey figures are taken into account, the population has risen The decade 1951-61 saw an inClease of by only 8 per cent. The population of the 19.63 per cent in the population of the village district has increased by 20.49 per cent during as recorded in census. At the time of the the decade. present survey, however, 176 persons were found in the village, as against 163 and 195 reported 2. Age and sex distribution in the Censuses of 1951 and 1961 respectively. No households were reported to have shifted from The following table gives the total popula the village and it is possible that visitors were tion of the village distributed by sex and age: TABLE XVI Age and sex distribution Number Percentage to total Tribe Age group _ ,------..... ------, r------..... ------~ Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chero .. 0-14 49 31 18 39.52 44.29 33.33 15-24 17 8 9 13.71 11.43 16.67 25--59 47 25 22 37.90 35.71 40.74 60 and over 11 6 5 8.87 8.57 9.26 All ages 124 70 54 100.00 100.00 100.00 Others .. 0-14 21 ~ 13 40.38 33.33 46.43 15-24 2 .. 2 3.85 7.14 25-59 27 14 13 51.92 58.34 46.43 60 and over 2 2 3.85 8.33 AU ages 52 24 2S 100,()0 100.00 100.00 It is peculiar that the sex ratio in the major About 40 per cent of the population is non community 'is so disproportionate. Against! ,70 adult, the ratio conforming to the general pattern. Chero males there are only 54 females, whereas Only 1 per cent of the people are aged 60 and against 16 Kharwar males the number of females above. is 22. Amongst the Cheros the adverse sex ratio is caused chiefly by a preponderance of males over females in the age group 0-14, the strength 3. Marital status of the sexes in the other age groups being almost equal. Similarly, amongst Kharwars, the higher The following table shows the marital status number of females is accounted for their pre per 100 for each sex and different age gro)lps, ponderance in the age group 0-14. for the total population of tlle village: TABLE XVII Marital status Persons • Males Females Serial Age group ,------"------, .. ----...",_,------~ ,..------"""------~ no. Total Never Married Widowed Total Never Married Widow- Total Never Married Widow- mar- mar- ed mar- ed ried ried ried 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 All ages .. 100 42 56 2 100 46 52 2 100 88 61 1 2 0-14 40 4 It is seen that not a single person in the age One of the diseases from which the villagers group 0-14 is married. These figvres have have been suffering is goitre. Obviously this is been arrived at on the basis of the data furnished caused by deficiency of iodine in the water supply by the villagers during the survey and relate to available to them. The disease is common the marital status at that time. They are to be almost throughout the anchal. As a matter of distinguished from the ages of minimum fact, the people of Ghutua are less afflicted than marriages discussed in Chapter II. Thus, a girl those of villages further north where the position who got married at the age of 12 years a decade regarding supply of water is not as happy. ago, will now be 22 years old and be placed in 5. Education and literacy the age group 15-24. The figures show that there has been some rise in the minimum ages The drawbacks of the lack of school in. of marriage for either sex. On the other hand. Ghutua become evident from the almost negli no female above 14 years has remained un gible rise in the number of literate persons in married, nor any male over 25 years of age. It the village in the last decade. According to the is only amongst the Cheros that 4 out of 8 males Census of 1951 there were 26 literates in the in the age group 15-24 have remained un village and the number rose to 28 according to married. It thus appears that marriage is a the Census of 1961. A rather sad feature of the universal social obligation. It is also seen that number of literates is that not even a single although divorce is permissible by social custom female Of any community is able to read and (in cases of adultery) not a single divorce or write. However, the percentage of literacy separation has taken place among any community works out to 16 which is more than double the in the village. percentage of literacy amongJ the scheduled tribes of the district and well-nigh approaching 4. Disease and medical care the State average. But only 8 persons, or less than a third of the literates have read up to the ~he peopl~ .of Ghutua appear to be in a primary standard. A disturbing factor is that in pecuhar )tranSitIOnal state when they neither the age group 0-14 which has 70 boys and girls, avail of the modern medical facilities at Latehar there are only 3 boys who can read and. write, Hospital to any appreciable extent, nor have and these include the two Chero boys attending any elah'orate system of indigenous medicine school, of whom one goes to the high school at which, in many tribal societies, includes the Latehar. exhortion of spiritual influences. Cases of child-birth are hardly ever referred to Latehar 6. Family structure Hospital. A household usually consists of hmband and wife with their children. it being the normal The coming up of the Community Develop practice for a son of the family to fend for him ment Block has yielded some beneficial results sO self soon after he gets married. In many cases, far as the prevention of disease is concerned. although the family hut is shared, separate yaccination against the epidemic of small-pox kitchens begin to function. IS almost compulsory and acquiesced to. The Table XVIII gives the distribution of house ~ources of water supply arc periodically dis holds by the number of members and Table XIX mfected. by the type of families constituting households. TABLE XVIII Distribution of households by the number of members HOUSEHOLDS WITH Total ---.... Community number 2·3 members 4-6 members 7-9 members 10 members and above of house. ,---___..A.. __-.... ~-..A.-- ...... holds r- ----"- --..... r---..A.-....._~ ~umber of Number of Number of Number of r------"-----. r-----...... ----.... - -A..---.... ,... __..... __ House. Males Females House· Males Females House- Males Females House· Males Femal' holds holds ~~ ~~ w 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 I) 10 II 12 13 14 1. Chero 24 7 12 8 13 37 26 a 14 10 J 2. Kharwar 7 2 4 2 3 7 10 G 8 1 2 6 1 5 3. Bhuiya 2 2 5 6 4. Lohra 4 1 1 3 2 Total 8~ 9 16 10 19 50 40 4 16 16 2 12 16 24 GHUTUA TABLE -'XIX In this connection, the family of Dcochatan Households by type of falmily Singh (a Chero) may be cited. His household consists of himself a's the head, his wife, a son and Type of j'am}hes Total' a daughter. Deoch(J_ran is a cultivator with an Commumty numbel' of r------..J...___-----..., am"Qition to see his son better placed in life. house, His sop, Ramautar, is a student of chs,5 IX in holds Su;nple IntermedIate JOInt Latehar High S~hool which he attend& on foot 1 2 4 5 every day. He has not, however, developed any ;,:tirs from going to school. He was found to be 1. Chero 24 23 1 , 2. Kharwar - 7 5 2 fixing fences on his Qllri land . in which some 3. BhUlya 2 2 "egetq.bles had J?een plante 2. A Chero father and son-profile. Ghuiua 3. A C]wJ'o father and son-front. 4. A ,vell·dressed Chcl'o woman. G. Growing potatoeS'. ,- o. Ploughin-g tho field. 7. A diotant Vlew of the village. 8. A Chero house. 9. The Vhenl.i lS used tv clehush grains. 10. Besido the hearth. 11. OJ'nament,; u,;ed by the people illcludo haftsuIi, hanth(£, haikal, hara, bala and baugles. 12. Dlying grams In the sun. .13. ; Some ... hOll sehold ui ell sih. 14. Carrying water fro111 the village well. 15. The house of a well-to-do CheJ'o of the village. 16. A village street. 17. Village lands. 18. The village well. .iQ 10. Tho Shivasthan. :Ohutua 20. A viow or j-he onh-:ide of :l Chom hOURO. 21. Tho bullock cart-wheels havo no Fpakos. SOCL\L AND CUL rURAL LIFE 25 on thcmsdvcs as the people arc, they have to Hindus, was 1atking. Npr was any .awareness attend to quite, a few duties in their spare time. exhibited of the fondness that Lord Shiva has for Repairs to hQuscs are necessitated quite often bel-palra (leaves of ~he 'bel tree).. The devi,.,tlzan since they ate .all mud-walled and have' tiled simply contains· a small mud platfm;m anointed roofs. Pro~uring 01 firewood (cow-dung is with vermiliun mal·ks. Goats are saGrificed to mainly applie9- as manure in the fields) is a job the deity. The devi is held -to be more a preven from which females are tending to dissociate tor of evil than a conferer of blessings and is, themselves. Finally, there are the frequent accordingly, more feared than revered and loved. visits. one has to make to the weeklv markets for The absence of deities of the l'aislmava school IS purchasing 'cven the merest of s·undries. Yet quite. undentandahle in .a society almost wholly \'isits to the market are looked forward to by the non-vegetarian in dietary habits. men and women and their well-groomed appear: 3nces in the markets testify to the care which 'Vhilst the Brahmin p'riest lives in another they bestow on personal adornment. Friends village (Sakhui, 3 miles off), there is a local Batga and relatives meet in the market place; old bonds (priest). who i1> virtually a jack-of-all-trades. are renewe.d and new ones forged. The Brahmin priest serves the Chero and Kharwar communities. The Baiga's services 111 the village itself, Kzrlans (religious are for all, jncluding Bbuiyas and Lohras. hymns) are sung to the accompaniment of dhol (drum) and malljlra (cymbals). Without any 11. Festivals elaboratc musical notations and far froIlL com plex in phraseology, the kirtans seem to embody '1 he religion of the people, as reflected by the simplicity which characterizes the life of a the religious institutions in the village, might villager. The texts of two hymns and a folk justifiably give the impression of a well-nigh €ompjpte dissociation from the tribal religious son~ are given ill AnnexlIre V. The place for the congregational singing of kirta'ls is the philosophy. That such is, not the case, however. centrally located Shivasthan. Folk songs are also becomes evident from the various festivals sung. observed in the village. 'rhe list includes the celebration of SarllulJ Karma and Sohrai which Formalized games, either outdoor or indoor, arc regarrled as the main festivals of the majority of the scheduled tribes in the State. are virtually unknown among the YOllth, nor is , there any institutional training imparted to The following calendar indicates the period them. floys arc often adept at spinning wooden of holding of the main festivals: tops but kite-flying is foreign to them. There did not appear to be any kinds of games for the Month r----- . --' . . _._ - --. Festival girls. V~rnaculltr English The villagers find sustenance in the frequent verbal exchanges for which any time is good Falgun February·:\farch Holi time. rhe minutest details of everyday occur Chait Mar('h·April . . Devi·puja rences are broached and dilated upon. Personal .. April·May Sarhul lives of the people are any thing hUl closed Ba'Bakh citadels, and the knowledge that few secrets can Bhado . . August.Sep temlwr ](arma really be kept secret prevents the people from Aawin .. Septemuer.October (i) Jilia dedating from the nartow and straight path so (iiI Dashahra zealously guarded by the collective village ](artik O('tober·NoYember (i) Sohrai{Diwali conscience. (ii) Chhath Dancing is on the wav out and such meets (1) The H oli festival is obsCjved on' the are now reportedly few and far :~etwcen. full-moon day of Falgun. It ushers ill the new year, the first (lay of which is marked _by gaiety 10. Religion and colour, feasting and merrymaking. In Every person in Ghutua returned his religion addilion to community religious worship and as Hindu. Thus, in spite of 'denominational festivities in which all villagers participate, differences in caste or tribe. there is a basic unity Satyanarain Puja is occasionally held in individual in religious thought and practice. The Shiv households of Cheros and Kharwars onh·. The asthan is the main centre of worship. The god Brahmin priest is invited to recite th; katha is embodied in the form of a linga (phallus), (stury) in verses which, though largely unintelli \\hich is its usual svmbol. However. constant gible, are listened to with great veneration. oblations of water,' customarily enjoinp.d by Indeed, the entire recitation merely n;counts the 26 GHUTUA good fortune that awaits reverential listeners and are cleaned and illuminated. Cattle are cere the calamities ,which non-believers may be moniously bathed and their horns oiled (as on subject to. The person who sits with the priest the occasion of Gopasthami elsewhere). They for the puja has to be on fast for the day, which are specially fed on that day. The Goddess is broken with prasad. It is customary to extend Lakshmi is venerated. invitations to all relatives and friends on this day and since such invitations are customarily never (8) Chhath is observed six days after Diwali. tun1ed down, good crowds usually congregate Offerings are made by persons of either sex and disperse after the distribution of prasad. (who have remained 'On fast) to the sun-god at sunset and sunrise, on the banks of the Panbhari. (2) Just as the Goddess Durga is worshipped This festival is widespread throughout Bihar and bi-annually in Chait and Aswin, the Devi in the eastern Uttar Pradesh. village Devisthan is worshipped also on Chait navami day by offering sacrificial he-goats. This 12. Intra-village relations is done under the aegis of the Baiga. One goat It has been seen that there are no wide is first sacrificed on behalf of the_ entire village differences in the incomes and occupations of the after which individua:ls are also free to do so. villagers. The existence of two hamlets is . Tl).e sacrifices are witnessed by large gatherings merely" a matter of convenience. Even in which include most of the womenfolk. Ghutua proper some of the houses are widely (3) There is no rigidly fixed date for observ separated having been constructed so simply to ing the Sarhul festival. -It is held on any con enable the owners to live in greater proximity venient day as decided by the village elders, with their-agricultural lands. Uper-Ghutua was generally in the month of Baisakh. On that founded for the same reason. There was no da te all villagers congregate in the sacred grove. inkling of any kind of fissiparous tendencies, The Baiga is the master of ceremomes. He which might have led to the disintegration of the offers a fowl on behalf of the entire village. original village _ settlements, Even now the This is followed by individual offerings by Sarhtil festival is held jointly. The village different families. The day assumes the character blacksmith caters to both parts of the village. of a holiday-cum-picnic since all the people B()th Cheros and Kharwars now claim to be bring their rations to the grove and rook and Rajputs and as such are at par in their social have their food there. Cheering beverages are contacts. It is only the Bhuiyas (who eat pigs) much in evidence and, as the day draws to a close, that are really looked down upon. Kharwars the buoyant spirits of the people find expression. and Cheros may and do inter-dine. But both in singing and dancing. Lohras and Bhuiyas are denied this privilege. (4) The Karma festival is observed on the Separate Panchayats do not exist for the eleventh day of Bhado. The ceremonial part different communities_ Group of elders irres consists of the planting of a sapling of the karam pective Of their community, suffice to adjudicate tree in the Akhara. The sapling is fetched and on the internal disputes of the village relating planted by a group of virgins and bachelors. to social custom and law. People gather at the Akhara at dusk and ihdulge in feasting and dancing. Somewhat peculiarly. 13. Organs of democratic decentralization all kinds of meat, fish and -liquors are taboo on The statutory Gram Panchayat was . estab this day. lished in July, 1950 and the first elec.tions were (5) Jitia is a day of religious fast undertaken held in September of the same year. On expiry by married women for the well-being of their of the term of the elected members re-elections husbands and children. were held in 1953, 1957 and the last in February, 1961. According to its present constitution the (6) The Dashahra festival is celebrated by Panchayat consists of 6 villages and hamlets worshipping the Devi. Sacrificial I()fferings of distributed into 4 wards as follows: goats are made on this occasion as well. In Wardwise list of ,constituent villages of Monger addition, the festival is a time Qf soci?-l re·unions Gram Panchayai' and purcha~e of new clothes for all. No images of the Durga are, however, installed in the village. Ward no. 1- 'But the image at Latehar is seen and worshipped Monger (Khas). by all but the infirm. Ward no. II- (7), Dzwali-cum-Sohrai is celebrated on the (1) Tetritanr (hamlet of Monger) last day of the d~rk fortnight of Kartik. HOllses (2) Ghutua. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 27 Ward no. III complications of which details could not be Kendru. elaborated by the villagers. Thus no dispute had come up for adjudicatioon by the Panchayat Ward no. IV- till the time of survey (1961). (1) Purana Kendru. The Gram Panchayat has lately been (2) Harkha. entrusted with the work of collection of revenue For every Panchayat there is an executive from the tenants on, behalf of the State: It gets head, known as the M ukhia and a judicial head a commission for the work. called Sarpanch, both of whom are elected by an A co-operativ,e society is yet to be set up. electorate consisting of all adult members (of There are no voluntary organisations in the ~oth sexes) of the constituent villages. In addi village. tlOn there are 8 panches or advisers too the Sar panch andJ 8 members of the executive to assist 14. Impact of development schemes the Mukhia. Every ward elects a panch and The Community Development Block has executive from amongst its inhabitants. A been in existence for 3 years. The general panch and a member of the executive are impact of the various schemes has been discussed nominated from each ward. earlier in the appropriate sections. Wlmt the villagers themselv,es had to say on the subject is The Mukhia of Monger Panchayat is one now being tliscussed. Gopichand Sahu, of village Monger. He was the unanimous choice Of the people. He belongs Improved methods of cultivation of paddy too the Sunri caste which is( not a scheduled (known as Japanese method) were adopted by community. The Sarpanch, also elected without 1,4 households and the same number averred contes~ is a Rajput of the same village as the having received improved quality seeds. Pesti Mukhza. The only contribution of the people cides were used by 11 households. Only 3 house of Ghutua to the body of working members of the holds had procured improved agricultural imple ments. Thus less than half of the families in Panchayat consists of a panchA Baleshwar Singh, a Chero of the villag~. He 'was elected from the village (by their own report) have been his ward unaQimously. Both nominated mem directly benefited by the development schemes. mers as also the other elected members from Even so, all except one Bhuiya family claimed Ward II belong to Tetritanr Tola of Monger to be aware of the existence of tht' C. D. Block village. and as many as 19 to have derived benefit from it. The benefits derived included supply of The judicial ~ing,of the Panchayat could improved seeds, medical facilities, supply of not transact any busmess due to some technical pesticideS', and grant Of loans. CHAPTER V CONCLUSION 1. Level of sooial awareness of the changes made in the Hindu Law III matters of succession and adoption. Family planning is Though they are largely unlettered, the still unheard of. villagers of Ghutua no longe~ live in a closed shell. The head of every household codd specify 2. Conclusion the names of the administrative headquarters of One leaves Ghutua with the innate sense of the Panchayat, Anchal, Police Station, Subdivision feeling that the leviathan that is village India is and District. The location of the Anchal, Police no longer slumbering indolently. Even flicker Station and Subdi.visional headquarters at Latehar of activity, breaking of a small link in the chain itself, a place frequented b)' the' people, IS confining the people to traditional ways of living, no doubt responsible for the encouraging response symbolizes the heralding of a renascent society: on the subject. None of the people had any idea the hope for the future. Monograph on Village OREA (In Latellar Subdivision District Palamau) Field Investigatiol1 and First Draft BINDESHWARI PRASAD SINGH, M. A. AND RAJENDRA PRASAD, M. A. l~VESTIGATORS Supervisiotl, Guidance and Final Draft R. N. MISRA OF THE BIHAR CIVIL SERVICE Deputy Superintendent of Censlls Operations, Bihar Editor S. D. PRASAD OF THE INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE Superintendent of Census Operations, Bihar PIlfHOGRAPHS S. D. Prasad. Shyamlanand. Public Relations DepaItment, Patna. K. Tigga, Cameraman, Bihar Tribal Research Institute, Ranchi. MAPS M. Abbas. Shafi Ahmad. Period of field survey-July, 1962. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I : THE VILLAGE Introducing the village 35 Location 35 Physical aspects, flora and fauna 35 Size and number of households 36 Residential pattern 36 Communications 36 Important public places .. 37 Sources of water 37 History of the village .. ' 37 Legends 38 CHAPTER II : THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATEiRIAL EQUIPMENTS Ethnic composition 39 Language 41 Housetype 41 Dress 42 Ornaments 43 Household goods 44 Food and drink 45 Beliefs and practices relating to birth, marriage and death- Birth .. 46 Marriage 47 Death 50 CHAPTER III : ECONOM;iY Land 52 Distribution of households by the size of agricultural holding 52 Forest 52 Livestock 53 Factors influencing economic life of the village 53 Livelihood classes 53 Description of different occupation 54 Animal husbandry 56 Fishing 57 Forestry 57 Village industry 57 Trade and commerce 58 Other occupations 58 Income and expenditure 58 Indebtedness •• 59 PAGE CHAPTER IV : SOCIA.L AND CULTURAL LIFE Age and sex distribution 60 Marital status .. 61 Disease and medical care .. 61 Literacy and education .. 62 Composition of households 62 Family structure 62 Intra-family relationship 62 Inheritance of property 63 Leisure and recreation 63 Religious association 63 Festivals 63 Village organisation 66 Impact of developm.ent programme 68 Legend and folklore 68 ClI,A.PTER V : CONCLUSION Level of social awareness 69 Concluding remarks 69 INSET TABLES: 1. Households by community and tah 36 2. Communitywise distribution of households and persons 39 3. Houses by types of walls 41 4. Households classified-by number of rooms occupied 42 5. Distribution of households according to the use of ornaments 43 6. Age at marriage 47 7. Ditltance of place of marriage from the village 48 8. Distribution of households by the size of agricultural holdings 52 9. Livestock 53 10. Livelihood classes 54 11. Distribution of workers and non-workers by communities, sex and age groups 54 12. Agricultural produce and their disposal 55 13. Households classified by monthly income group 58 '14. Pattern of monthly expenditure 58 15. Indebtedness by income groups 59 16. Loans incurred by the villagers from Sarju grain-gola 59 17. Loans taken from Block Office at Bishunpur 59 18. Age and sex distribution 60 19. Marital status by age·group 61 20. Households classified by members and size 62 21. Family structure 62 FACING PAGE MAP AND DIAGRAM: 1. Layout of the village Orea 35 2. House Plan 42 PHOTOPRAEHS (BETwEEN PAGES 61 AND 65) : 1. View from the Latehar-Sarju Road of the hills to the south of Orea. 2. A village street. Note the fenced bari lands. 3. The Dhora flows in the southern part of the village in the foothills. 4. The De'IJisthan to which people of all communities congregate on festive occasions. 5. Fences around homes are also made of wattled bamboos. 6. A group of women outside a Kharwar house. 7. A view of the ceiling of a Parhaiya house. S. A Kharwar woman. 9. A newly married Kharwar woman wearing her ornaments. 10. A Kharwar male Wearing a dhoti and vest. 11. Kharwar girls. 12. A group of Kharwar women. 13. An elderly Kharwar woman. She is wearing a blouse. Her ornaments include chain of coins and hansuli. 14. A Kharwar male. 15. Ornaments used include 8ikri, bala, baju and karnaful. 16. Some household utensils. 17. A machafrom which wild animals are warded off from the ripening grains. 18. Agricultural implements including kori, tangi, juath and hal. 19. A bullock beside a wattled bamboo screen. 20. Ploughing the field. LAY - OUT OF THE VILLAGE OREA / (NOT TO SCALE) N eee t THEKAHA ee o HETH TOLA u. o ~ > 0:: ill V) e ill ot: ~HIV" llNGA REFERENCES ~ 0 KHARWAFl EB «. PARHAIYA e Q HOUSEHOLDS «.. OMON 0 ~ ~ «.. SUNRI e S' '"> 0 «.. WELL 0 ~~ ~ TEMPLE tit -<{ -i> "\ «.. RIVER ...... ____------~ 0 ROAO = GRAVE YARD ~ CHAPTER I THE VILLAGE 1. Introducing the village lies Nareshgarh, inhabited largely by Kharwars and Parhaiyas. Village Sonwar in Garu anc~al In regard to population, the Kharw~rs are lies to the south of Orea while to its wes.t lIes one of the seven major Scheduled Tnbe~ of Patratu also in the same anchal. Latehar I~ the .Bihar of which there are more than one lakh nearest place where postal, .telegraph, . raIlway members each. Yet they constitute only 2.6 per and roadway facilities are avaIlable .. BeSIdes .the cent of the tribal population of the State.. T~e State Hospital at Latehar, there IS ~ medIcal Kharwars are largely confined to Palamau dIstrIct sub-centre at Tarwadih, about fom mIle5 north which contain 60 per cent of the total Kharwar of Orea, which I~ periodically visited by t}le population of 109,357 penons, according to the Medical Officer of the Latehar Commumty Census of 1961. Development Block. The village level w~rker of Thus, the district of Palamau is the strong the Community Development Block has. hIS head hold of the Kharwars. But significant numbers quarters at Baraini which lies three mIles north are also found in the adjoining plateau regions of Orea. Though people often '.'isit Latehar of Shahabad district (11.1 per cent). In the market which lies at no near a dIstance, they also frequently visit the mark~t h~ld in village population Census of 1961, apl?re~iable nll:m~ers of Kharwars have been returned III the dIstrIcts Sarju on every Tuesday. SarJu 1~ only three of the San tal Parganas, Bhagalpur and Purnea. miles south from Orea, though sItuated in a However the Kharwars of Palamau are not different anchal (Garu anchal). generally' widespread. In all probability, some 3. Physical aspects) flora and fauna Santals in these areas also returned themselves as Kharwars. Kharwars are also a section. of the Orea is situated at an average height of Santa Is, many of whom like to be called by that about 1,500 'feet above mean sea level. Hills name. surround it on all sides except the north. To the west is Khatti Pahar (2,502 feet), to t?e Within Palalllau, the Kharwars are distri south lies Dhajwa Pahar (3,262 feet) whlle buted throughout the distrkt. They arc 'found Badamghat Pahar (2,106 feet) is .situat~d to the in every anchal excepting Hussainabad and north-east of the village. The hIlls rIse fror_n Hariharganj, both of which lie on the northern within the limits of Orea revenue mauza. TheIr border of the district adjoining Gaya and whose characteristic formation is gneiss. characteristics largely conform to those of the Gaya district. There are five anchals containing A stream, named Orea and locally known as over 5,000 Khar~ars each. Among them, . Dhorha runs along the southern end of the Latehar contains 5,578 persons of the Kharwar village.' It flows westwards and joins. the river tribe. Village Orea (in Latehar anchal) which Kane at a distance of about four mlles from has a predominantly Kharwar population, was Orea. The stream constitutes an important selected for the present survey for a study of the soutce of water-supply for the village. Kharwars. The nearest place at which rainfall is recorded is Latehar. Fig~1Tes of average monthly 2. LOcation rainfall have been given in the Introduction. The annual precipitation is about 1,500 mm. Situated at Latitude 23° 40' North and Longitude 84° 25' East, village Orea lies about The cold weather sets.in early November and twelve miles to the south of Latehar town. It lasts till March, . December and January being lies on the unmetalled road constructed by the the coldest montbS'. April to June are the Forest Department, going from Latehar to summer months characterized by intense beat and hot winds, though not as severe as in Banari (in Ranchi district). The village, thert: forc, docs not have a difficult approach. Orea IS Latehar which is further north. Rains set in towards the end of June and continue till bounded on the north by villages Baheratanr and Kone in which Parhaiya and Oraon tribes September. There is some rain in December and January which is very valuable 'cor rabi and Bhuiy'.l caste are predominant. To the east uops. 36 OREA The surrounding hills are covered with houses. In spite of the general diffusion of the dense vegetation. Sal trees form almost a pure houses, most of the Kharwar houses are located belt along the foot of the hills and the cool in two distinct groups whilst those or the shady ravines intersecting them. Kend trees and Parhaiyas are separated. There are two hamlets bamboos are found in large numbers. Some or tolas in the village viz., Upar-tola and Heth other trees that arc found are asan, bija, sissoJ tala, the former signifying higher elevation and karam, siris, gamhm', jJiar, amla and bahera. the latter, lower elevation. In Heth-tala there Shooting is permitted in the forest area only is a sub-hamlet known as Thekaha which under proper licence. Deer of various kinds, contains 5 of the 14 Parhaiya households in the viz., sambhar, chitra (spotted deer), kotra (plain village. deer); leopards, bears and wild boars. abound III The following table shows the distribution the forests. In fact, in the course of the present of household in the village by community and survey, the field-staff posted at Baraini (three LOla: miles north of Orea) were found to be hesitant TABLE I to come to Orea by road in the night. A bear Households by community and tola had waylaid and mauled a pedestrian only some Number of households time back, giving rise to the understandable Tola .Jo-_ -. reluctance on their part for performing night Kharwar Par- Sunri Oraon Total haiya journeys. Wild elephants are known to appear il1 herds and sometimes to cause depredations to 1 2 3 4 5 6 the standing crops. (i) Upar-tola 12 1 13 4. Size and number of ho'Usehold~ (ii) (a) Heth-tola 6 8 1 1 16 (b) Thekaha .. 5 ., 5 According to the thana jurisdiction lists, the Total .. 18 14 1 1 84 revenue mauza Orea (bearing thana no. 199 It is seen that Upar-tol~ -is almost exclusively of Latehar revenue thana) has an area of 534 inhabited by Kharwars. The lone Parhaiya acres. This is exclusive of the area of reserved household in this tala lives in a house a little forests which lie heyond the limits of the revenue away from the Kharwar households on the mauza and spread over an area of 638 acres opposite side of the road. In Heth-tola, on the according to the records of the Forest Guard of other hand, the Parhaiyas predo!Ilinate, this tala the area. According to the vilIagewise statistical also containing one household each of Sunris records maintained in Latehar Al'lchal-cum and Oraons. The Kharwar households in this Community Development Block, however, the tala, along with the Oraon household have total area of Orea village is 908 acres. These houses to the west of the road. The Parhaiyas figur.es h~ve been used in this report as the here are distributed on either side. The sketch classificatlOn of land area, the area under culti map on the facing page 35 may be seen. vation and the like are all based gn these figures. 6. Communicatioms With an area of 908 acres or 1.42 sq. miles, Orea contains 34 households with 141 persons The Latehar-Sarju Road was constructed (84 males and 57 females). The crude density towards the close 01: the last century. It used to of population, therefore, works out to 100 pass along the west of the settlements iri Orea. persons per sq. mi}e which is considerably lower Later, it was found that the alignment of the than the ~ubdivisional average of 173 persons original road ran over a steep gradient. It was, per s9' mIle. The households in the village therefore, unsuited to modern vehicular traffic con tam, on an average, only 4 persons each. that ~as. introduced in the wake' of systematic 5. Residential patler.,n explOitatIOn of forest produce. Accordingly, spme ten years back, a new alignment was made The houses in the village are rather to overcome the above drawbacks. The present scattered about and there are no distinct clusters road passes along the east of the bulk of the of closely built houses. The cultivated lands in village settlements. Excepting during the rains the. village consist largely of up-lands known as (when the forests are closed) trucks carrying bhzt, and the houses are generally constructed in tImber ply frequently on the road. Villagers a corner of such lands. These are fenced with can usually secure 'lifts' on these, mostly free of split bamboos, fencing being necessary in order cost, or for payment of only trifling sums. Due to. secure the crops against depredation by to the terrain being undulating, bullock carts ~mmals. T~e fences are .usually rather sturdy c~nnot ?e used. Bicycles are used, though not a m constructIOn, some speCImens of these may be slt:?gle village.r of Orea possesses one. During the seen in the background of the photographs of rams, there IS no alternative but to walk to THE VILLAGE 37 one's destination. The markets at Latehar ilnd Chatnahi-Nala, on the eastern side, on the bank Sarju arc visited by gTOUpS of people, both rnen of the Dhorha stream. The cremation ground and women, who usually walk their way. Goods for Parhaiyas named Gijan Klzanr, is situated taken for sale and those that are purchased are towards the north-east of the village. Oraon carried in bundles. Bhars are used whenever performs cremation at Kol-jhari, lying north necessary. These consist of two shallow baskets wcst of Tamras-dhora. There is 'no separate sllspended from either end of a split bamboo crennlion ground for Slim-is or which there is piece. ollly one household ill th-e village, ~he head of which himseH h~d miglated to the village. 7. IrnjJOrlant Imblic jJlaces There are no welfare or administratiH' A temple dedicated to Rati Devi is situilted instiltrtions i.n the village. at the approach to th, main settlements at l'par-tola. It consists of a single-roomed struc 8. SouYces ()f water ture with mud walls and a tiled roof (H is The. Dhorha stream is the main source of depicted in its photograph). It has a make-t>hift door a t its entrance, made of wattled bamboos. water supply for the village, though it is not a perennial stream. Even after the stream dries Inside, there is a vermilion-marked mud plat form about six inches above the gFOund level. up in .summer,. the water level under the sandy Rati Devi is the village deity. Women-folk co b"'i-.k'l> '.'1> Tel:Y high. hI 'I>'u'LT. tin:.'C'i. the h'O'u'l>'Cwi'vtl operate in keeping the inside freshly plastered (who ~enerally fetch water) have merely to dig with mud; the general repairs and upkeep of out a lIttle sand and take out their requirements the temple being the responsibility of the Jnen. of water.. Clothes and utensils are generally Sacrificial offerings of fowls are made to the taken to Its banks by the women-folk (or washincr Devi during Sarhul festival. While the temple and cleaning. The stream is used for bathing~ is a place of worship, its adjuncts sene as a venue Even during the rains, the muddy water from (or social meets. th~ st.ream is collected in earthen pitch~rs for dnnkmg purposes. Such water is allowed to An even less ostentatious plac e of worship stand for sometime when the denser particles of consists of an open Shivflsthan on the cast of the sand and mud settle down at the bottom leav Latehar-.Sarju Road, near Upar-tola. It is made ing relatively clear water for consumption.' of a, r~ISe? mud platform upon which there IS a ShlValtnga. Congregational or community There are two pllcca wells in front 01' the w~rship is n~t done here. But the religioWl ~orest Guard's residence. towards its east. One mmded occaslOnally offer oblations of water and IS ve~y old, being in a state 01: complete disrepair flowers to the deity. and IS not us~able. The other had lately been constructed WIth the help of a subsidy received The Sarhul Sarna (sacred grove for the from. the Community Development Block. The Sarhul 'festival), is also located near U par-tola. well IS, however, used very seldom. Durino the . Close to the Devi temple lies the officiai course of investigation, it was found thar the resIde?ce of th~ Forest Guard, the only hOH~e in w~ll was not ~isited at all. Only when the first the VIllage whIch has its walls whitewashed and rams had set m and the stream carried a lot of also has a tiled roor. The Forest Guard is an dry lea.ves and other dry vegetable matter for impo~tant personality among the villagers; he is some tIme, was recourse had to the well. the dlsJ?enser. of a. good many' temporary jobs in . The. pr~valence of goitre among many conneXIOn WIth hIS official duties. ~Illagers mchcates that the water from the stream A primary school was started in the yillaO'e IS largely deficient in iodine. in 1963 under the E. 1. P. scheme, under the 9. History of the village name of B~heratanr-Orea Lower Primary School. However, It has no building of its own, The Orea us~d to be a Khalsa village, being held clas:-es are held in the verandah of a villager, u.ndcr the dIrect management of Government Shn Rup Chand Singh, a Kharwar of Upar-tola. smce the Britishers resumed the estate of the successors of Gopal Rai. the landlord. in 1818. The dead of all communities are cremated. In the Final Report on the Survey and Settle For each of the tribes 01' Kharwar, Parhaiya ,md ment of the Palamau ~overnment Estate (1898) Oraon, separate places have been assicrned 'for Orea (spelt Ooreya) IS rcferred to as a village cremation of the dead. For the Khan:ars, there rather than mallza" apparently to differentiate are two such places. On(' is Tamras-dhora in between the village area and the area under the northern part of the village and the other, protected forests. The report also mentions 38 OREA that the acreage under cultivation in the village awhile. His sweat trickled down on the khar increased from 36 in 1864 to 163 in 1896. grass on which he was sitting. These drops of sweat, energised by sunlight, gave birth to the Information given by the villagers, on the Kharwars. Their name Suryabanshi Kharwar point indicates that the Kharwars, Parhaiyas is thus derived from the role of the Sun (Surya) and Oraons have been settled in the village for and khar gras') in their evolution. more than 5 generations. One Kharwar house hold came to the'village in the present genera tion. The head of this household was formerly Thf:! tradition continues that tbe Kharwars living in Chatam village of Barwadih police did not find the environments of Khairagarh s.tation (also in Latehar subdivision). His agri. witable as they had to contend with many cultural lands were near dense 'forests containing enemies. Hence they migrated further south herds of wild elephants. The standing crops in and settled in Palamau along with the Cheros. his lands would often be trampled and destroyed The Chero kings were well-disposed towards by the elephants, and when his a\lnt (who was them and bestowed them with lands to cultivate. guarding the crops) was also killed, he thought that it was time to quit. He came to Orea as Parhaiyas-The Parhaiyas aver to be descen- he had married in the village. dants of Nakul, one of the five Pandava brothers (These, however, have names different to thOse The single Oraon household in th~ village, in the epic of the Mahabharata, the five brothers though settled over 5 generations back, still being named, Nakul, Sahdeva, Jhumeli, Arjun maintaIns close connections. with the tribesmen and Sibalak). Tradition has it that a boon and relatives in village Jer, from which it origi granted to Nakul had ensured that he could not nally came. The members of this household be killed by any means. Once there was some have reciprocal contacts on social occasions such disagreement among the brothers in regard to as births, deaths and marriages. sharing of a piece of family property. His four The Sunri household came to the village brother accused Nakul of intransigence caused only three years earlier (in 1959). The head by the boon granted to him. Nakul thereupon of this household came to the village as he requested his brothers to do away, with him. considered that it afforded good scope for' run Infuriated as they were, they asked Nakul to sit ning a grocery shop. He is satisfied with his on a large firewood pyre which they set to flames. decision. But Nakul survived unhurt from this ordeal getting, in addition, piec~s of lac from the bum~ Current views in the village indicate that firewood. By then Nakul was directed by celes according to tradition, the Parhaiyas were the tial voices to 'forsake his brothers and got to live original inhabitants of the village Orea. They in the forest and produce lac. He acted accord had little to do with settled agriculture which ingly and went to settle in the forested areas of was introduced in the village by the Kharwars S~uth Palamau. From him sprang the Parhaiya who came later. Now the Parhaiyas have .also tnbe who yet claim to be the first to have pro become settled agriculturists. duced lac. 10. Legends The Parhaiyas first lived on hill-tops, whence "Orai" in the local dialect means the slope their name (Parhaiya literally means 'dweller of a hill. Shri Ramautar Singh, a Kharwar of of t?e ~ills'). ~riginally they practised shifting -the neighbouring village of Nareshgarh sugggest· cultIvatIOn, clearmg off the forests, burning the ed that the Orea village derived its name from fallen trees and broadcasting seeds on the cleared Orai since the first settlers in the village had patches. Simultaneously they also produced lac. built their houses on the hill-slopes. It was in the reign of Medni Rai, king of Palamau (1662-74) that they descended from the tops of The local traditions about th€ various the hills. Medni Rai was a benevolent ruler tribes, as recounted in the village, are and afforded all facilities to the Parhaiyas to summari~ed below: come down since he was moved by the accounts of their impoverished condition. Only males Kharwar-Once the epicaJ Lord Ramchandra came down to the initially. They were given a went .for a hunting expedition inl the THE PEOPLE AND 'tHEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 1. Ethnic composition recounted by Dalton (Descriptive Ethnology of Ore.a is inhabited almost exclusively by Bengal, 1872, page 123) as follows: members of the scheduled tribes who comj)rise "They declare their original seat to have 97.06 per cent of the village population. Among been Rohtas, so called 'from its them the majority are Kharwars (58.16 per c(:nt). having been the chosen abode of The following table gives the distribution of the Rohitaswa, son 01 King Haris persons and households by community: chandra of the family of the Sun, and they, considering themselves to TABLE II be entitled as subjects of his Communitywise distribution of households and persolls paternal Government to claim to be of the same family as their father Name ofTrib'li Number of Percentl%?e Number PerceI)tage Caste house· of house· of ot ana dud; caI( tnemse{ves Surfa holds holds persons persl)ns bangsas, and wear the poita. or caste 1 2 3 4 ..'- string, as good Kshetryas;" Kharwar .. 18 52.94 82 58'16 According to a Sub-Deputy Collector 01 Palamau, "Kharwars, originally aboriginals, have Parhaiya .. 14 41.18 45 31,91 started wearing their sacred t~reads from the last Oraon 1 2.94 10 7'09 25 years but at present they are very active 'for Sund 1 2.94 4 2,84 cow-worship under the two leaders of the Tanas and Bengali Brahmin priests or Kurn in Ranchi". Total 3, 100.00 141 tOO·ao (Census of India 1931, Volume VIII, Part 1- Report, page 26~). Kharwar (or Kherwar) is a scheduled tribe III the State of Bihar. They also go by the name An all-India body known as the of A tharah-hazari (eigh teen thousand), the "Akhil Bharatbarshiya Kharagbansi (Kharwar) number representing the strength of the Khal'war Kshatriya Mahasabha" was formed in the thirties army which, together with twelve thou~and and has its registered office in Calcutta. The Cheros, is said to have subjugated Palamal! in secretary of the Mahasabha wrote to the Superin the eighteenth century. As noted earlier, the tendent of Census Operations, Bihar on the eve Khanvars now style themselves as Surajhansi of the 1961 Census. According to him, "The Rajputs. members of this community were previously known as Kharwar-Kahar in different districts According to Dalton, "the low Kharwal's in throughout India. But it transpires . :fr~m features strongly resemble the Santals. 'they historical evidence and statements of dlstnct are very dark with pyramidal shaped noses, thick .gazetteers of India that Kharwars are direct protuberant lips; and cheekbones or zygomata descendants or Suryabansh (sun) the foremost that project so as to make the temples hollow". Rajput Community .... Members belonging to Quoting this, Risley further observes, "the land the Kharwar community have somewhere been holding classes on the other hand, have refined wrongly placed in the list of scheduled tribes and qle type with inter-marriages with higher c Besides the community described above, number of households shown against each: some Santals also apparently returned themselves Sept Number of as Kharwars in the Census' of 1961. This may households be accounted for by the 'fact that a religious group was formed among them towards the close (1) Kauriyar 6 of the last century. Subscribers to the new reli (2) Samdoar, 4 gious school were known as Kharwar or Sapha (3). Baherwar 3 HOT (the latter literally meaning "clean man" in Santali). (4) Kansi 2 (5) Besarwar C}... The etymology of the term Kharwar suggests (6) Chardeyal 1 an occupational group, the Kharwars being manufacturers of Khair (catechu). It has been Total 18 suggested (Land and People of Tribal Bihar) that "the group of people once residing in the The Kharwars used to have vanous sur- Sone Valley were called Kharwar only became names. Risley has mentioned the following Khair used to grow in consid'erabJe quantity and eleven: they were using it in many ways and due to (1) Bhakat, (2) Bhogta, (3) Das, (4) which the whole group was known as the Gaunju, (5) Kapri, (6) Mahto, (7) Kharwars. In course of the historical period the Mandar, (8) Manjhi, (9) Ohdar, comQ:1Unity lert the Sone Valley and went on (10) Panjiara, and (11) Pradhan. splitting into many groups who are the contem porary Mundari speaking tribes." The Kharwars of Orea, however, all have the surname "Singh". It was reported that only Kharwars are socially divided into endoga follqwers of the Tan~ Bhagat school could be mous sub-tribes and also into exogamous septs. known as Bhagat. Similarly, the title of Manjhi Risley (lS95) has listed three sub-tribes in was' restricted to the zamindars of the past. They Palamau and four in Ranchi. They are: were also termed GauansJ a term which now signifies respect and is used ror the elderly 'folk. . In Palamau Patb::mdh, Daulbandh and A myth relating to the adoption of the' Khairi. surname "Singh" by the Kharwars was recounted by Shri Manhori Bhagat, a Tana Bhagat Kharwar In Ranchi: Deswari-Kharwar, Bhogta, Raut of Hesla village also in Latehar anchal. Accord and Man jhia. ing to this, once a Kharwar chief became afflicted by the growth of a pair of horns on his head. Sunder (l tl9S) Jis ted six clans or sub-castes Such an affliction caused the c,hief much worw amo!lg the Kharwars, viz., (i) Surujbansi, (ii) and he resolved that information about it should Dualbandi, (iii) Patbandi, (iv) Kheri, (v) Bhogti not leak out. Only the barber who shaved him or Gouniu, and (vi) Manjhia. every day was in the know of the 'Secret and he had been strictly enjoined upon, at the risk of According to Risley there are 79 septs among his life, not to divulge the guarded secret. The the Kharwars. These septs are largely similar barber was faithful enough and died with the to the totemistic septs existing among the other secret still intact. He was duly buried. In the M unda tribes. course of time a Gamhar tree sprang up on the grave. Its wood was used to make a stringed The villagers of Orea . ~ave a three-fold musical instrument called Sarangi. But when classifications of Kharwars mto the following this instrument was played upon, the secret at three sections: (i) Surajbansi, (it) Nagbansi, last was out. Tl).e tunes proclaimed to all (iii) Dogalbansi' or Bhogta. The legend of origin hearers the secret of horn's (Singh) on the of Surajbansis (recounted earlier) describes them Kharwar chief's head. Thus, it came about that as offsprings of the Sun. The Nagbansis were the Kharwars came to adopt the surname of the ruling chieftains. Dogalbansis are those who "Singh". rear and eat pigs and fowls and take intoxicating The Parhaiyas have no sub-tribes among liquors. The IS Kharwar households or Orea them and their entire population in the village (~11 of the Surajbansi section) are divided into is of Pandu gotra, a sept which however, does the following six septs (called gotras), with ,the not find place among the 9 septs for Parhaiyas THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 41 listed by Risley, viz., (i) Bag (tiger), (ii) Gachai) family at dusk. He visits the site again at dawn. (iii) Gidh (vulture), (iv) Faniga (Grass-hopper), Any disturbance in the rice grains or their dis (v) Maina (a bird), (vi) Nag (Cobra), (vii) appearance indicates that the site is unsuitable Kaua (crow), (viii) Ophia and (ix) Tetenga and probably under the influence of malign (bloodsucker). spirits. The lone Oraon household of the village Another method of site selection is by follows the traditional religion and is of Tirkey getting the approval of the Granthkar. This sept. functionary is a Kharwar of a neighbouring village adept at divining the suitability or tht: The Sunri family belongs to Kansi golra of site provisionally chosen. the Sagauta sub-caste among them. During the period of the present survey, 2. Language Shri Rudan Singh and Shri Bhawaneshwar Both the Kharwars and Parhaiyas speak the Singh, both Khan,var, were building new houses. local dialect of Sadari as their mother-tongue. The former consulted the Granthkar only while This is a dialect influence mainly Magahi (a the latter, in addition to consulting the Bihari dialect) and every household of these Granthkar) made "assurance doubtedly sure" by two tribes also returned Magahi as a known testing the site with rice grains as well. language. Magahi was also returned as mother tongue by the one Sunri household. Shri Rudan Singh was constructing a new house only to escape from the harm that his Only the single Oraon household has its earlier house had supposedly caused him. He mother-tongue as Kurukh (or Oraon) but the had two children from a former wife (then· household also knows Sadari. deceased) and two living children from his 3. H ouselyjJe second wife. However, as many as nine children The houses in the village are mostly made were born to the latter but did not survive, of mud walls as the following table will show: whence Ithe urge to build a new house. At the time Qf construction the plan is first TABLE III marked on the ground. The mud walls are Houses by types of wall then built layer by layer and are usually a foot in thickness. In case or bamboo walls, however, Number of households living the lattice work is prepared at a time and walls Houses with walls fixed accordingly. After the walls have come made of r------_ -- -..A.._------"\ Kharwar Parhaiyn, Oraon Sunri up the roof is fixed. Wooden poles and beams 1 2 3 4 5 provide the framework for placing of tiles. Mud 18 10 1 Mutual aid in house construction is happily Bamboos and 4 taken and given. Thus when Jogi Singh (a twigs Kharwar) had to place tiles on his roof, he asked Total 14 1 1 for help from Howra (an Oraon) who was adept in the art. The latter was only given a meal in There is not a single brick-walled structure return for his labours. in the village, even the residential quarters provided to the Forest Guard, as noted earlier, Timber and logs required for house cons being made of mud walls. All the mud-walled tructions are available hom the "forest free of houses are fitted with wooden doors with lock cost. Tiles have got to be specially prepared by ing devices. The bamboo-walled houses, how potters who charge at the rate of Rs. 8 per ever, have doors made of this strips or bamboo thousand tiles. Khar grass for roofing also is without any arrangement for fastening them available in the forests. • securely. Windows or other means for ventila tion are not provided in any of the houses. The completion of house construction is usually marked by givin~ a feast to friends and The seJection of the site for constructing a relatives. house is invariably done after observing the omens. There are two systems prevalent in the Ground plans of some hQuses are gIven m village for evaluating the omens. According to the three illustrations on facing page 42. In one method, grains of rice are kept at the {our Illustration I is the house of Rupchand Singh corners and centre of the site by the head of the (Kharwar). He lives in his house with four OREA married sons, each having children and running house has a verandah on one side only. Its walls separate kitchens, though living in the same were made ·of. wattled bamboos_ liouse. The two bedrooms in the south-west ~long with the bedroom-cum-kitchen are used None of the, houses in the village have ~y the eldest son and his family. The three latrines or bathrooms, and all persons go to other sons have a room each on the eastern side adjoining fields whenever necessary. There is no df the house. The room south of the maUl system of drainag_e in the village but there are entrance is for Rupchand himself. The spot no puddles formed in the sandy terrain of thf~ Mua makes the space allotted to the spirits of village. Garbage and sweeping are thrown out the deceased ancestors: side the houses in the bari lands. The insicle~ Illustration II shows the singie-rQomed of the houses are kept clean and the floor and 1.)0use of Jado Singh (Kharwar) with enclosed part of the walls are plastered w~th mud at fre verandah on two sides. M ua is located in a quent periodic intervals. corner of the verandah. He keeps his cattle in a temporary structure outside the house. The following table gives Ithe households Illustration III shows the plan of the house classified by the number of rooms they occupy 'Of a poor Parhaiya widow. Her single-room and number of members: TABLE IV' Households Classified by num ber of rooms occupied Household with Household with Household with Household with one room two rooms three roome four Or Total Total Total, more rooms number number number ,------"----""'\ r---""___-~ r----'---""'\ r---.A----, Community of • of of Total Total Total Total house· rooms family Number number Number number Number number Number number holds members of of of of of of of of h01)stl- family. house- family house- family hO)lse- family bolds members holds members holds members holds members 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kharwar 18 37 82 6 22 10 36 1 6 1 18 Parhaiya 14 15 45 13 42 1 3 Qraon 1 '2 10 I. 1 10 .8unri 1 1 4 'I 4 Total 84 ~ 55 141 20 68 12 49 1 6 1 18 It is seen that more than half of the house The traditional dress of the men-folk is a ~olds having 68, members in all live in only short loincloth known as b,hagai. It is still in 1 room each, 12 households have 2 rooms each use, particularly among the elderly folk. One and only 2 households more than 2 rooms each. Jodha Singh (a Kharwar) was found wearing a bhagai) but along with it he also had a vest The only Sunri household lives in a single and a white turban on his head. The wearing roomed structures as alS"o do 13 out of 14 of turbans, is considered essen~ial on all· festive Parhaiya households. Thus- out of 14 house and ceremonial occasions, though sometimes it holds living in two rooms or more, 12 are of is a mere form 0'£ ornamentation. The men Kharwars and one each or Parhaiya and Oraon. usually wear dhotis with shirts or kurtas (collar less, loose, full-sleeved shirts). Thus, the 4. Dress Kharwar Baiga of the village usually wear a dhoti and short-sleeved shirt both at home and There IS no spinning or weaving industry when he goes out of the village. However, he in the village or the neighbourhood. Articles must wear a turban while attending a social meet 0'£ clothing nave, therefore, to be obtained from or while on an errand to negotiate a marriage. the w~ekly :rhar~ets. T,he c;lothes purchased are Caps or other headgear are not used by the often handloom products which are generally villag.er~ while at work, a dhoti is all that one cheaper 'than mill:made ones and 'yet eqmilly wears. The younger .boys have taken to the lasting. use, of shorts and pyjamas. ILLUSTRATION I HOUSE OF SRI RUPCHAND SINGH ~------S6'------~ ~'-r-"'--- 20' ----I~------24'---~F-12'~ J MAIN ENTRANCE L • P. SCHOOL II' 1 1 18ED ROOM I ~_~~:~:J:I BED ,- ___ ROOM : I 24' CUM I I I STORE I 4--.1-... I I . ~.~ C::.:T \. -"-~f.:I!------l- - t-1-!'1-,-C-;-~-~-~-E--j L------f 1 BED 34' VA RAN 0 A H 8 ROOM 1 25' ';:::...._ 11'--+ f--d-3' ~ i ' CATTLE SHED BED ROOM I 108 I ~ ______~ ____J__ OMUA CATTLE i , 1+-I------33'----~ r __S_H~~ __ j r 8E 0 I ILLUSTRATION II 18' ROOM : MUA·1 1- DHENkl I STORE COURT 1 i YARD JATA. r H'_' L 19' 1 BED ROOM CUM 1 ,,' :':0'. ! 48' II' STORE I I I..------I- J_19'----4I~~r~ f 28' VARANDAH 7' 12' ----:l 1 ILLUSTRATION III r BED ROOM CUM eMUA • 12' KITCHEN 1 .r "TC HE H "",._1 ~------30'------~ 1~14'----+ r-Il'~ (Fuc lt7g page 42) THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 43 Saris and loose fitting blouses (known as silver coins known as haikal are some of the Jhola) aTe used by the women. Elderly women, orn,llnents worn round the neck. however, often do without any upper garment, Anallt and baju are worn on the arms; the upper folds of the sari sufficing for coverage. kankna) pachhua) thel and pahulnchi in the fhey seldom \\lear pellitoats. Othe.r women, wrists. Ankles are adorned by pairis. hOv\CVL'r, usually wear both pcttltOats and blouses. Penollal adornment i~ n..tturally more Rings a1 e not often worn either on the f;l\()llrcd by the young among whom the use of fingels or otl the toes. gail y (Ol011red 1 ibbons and variollsly assorted rhe 'following table lis1b the (ammon hail pins are more common. ornaments and indicates the metal of which each Youngsters lip to tue age of 5 yeals often kind i., made, the part Of body which it adorns remain naked. and the approximate price: Blankets and quilts are used in winter by Matf'rial Part of the ApprOXImate affiuent minority only. Cotton sheets serve the Nama of ornaments ulled body on which price used purpo~e for others. Woollen garments were not Ra. being llsed at all. (1) Tarkul SlIver Ear 10 to 15.00 Leather shoe~ arc not used. Some of the (2) Hasuli \ illagen, however, own sandals made of wnTn " Neck 40 to 60.00 out mOitor-vchide tyres. These are produced by (3) Sikri " 10 to 25.00 ~hoemJJ...en and cost as littlc as half .1 rULll rupee (4) LlJlari Glass peT pair. The use of leaf umbrellas is common. 1 to 2.50 (5) IIaikal Co IllS strInged , , Price depends 5. 01 namenfs with thread upon number of coins used. 'r he me of Oln,lments is \\ ell-nigh universal among the women of the village. But the (6) Baju SIlver Arms 30 to 50.00 Khal war and Parhaiy.l femdles did not appear to (7) Anant 15 to 25.00 he very fastidious about their appearance, un (8) Kankna like. say the well-groomed Santals. Wrist (9) Pachhua TrillJ...ets or (haim for adorning the hair 1 " ~ 10 to 35.00 are not used at all, cheap hairpins serving the (10) Thel 1 purpose of :lee ping the hair in position. (11) Pahunchi J Ornamented ring~ :lnown as tm hul are worn (12) Pairi 'I Ankles 4 to 6.00 in the ears. ,\zhri, or chains, [aim; or garlands of glass rl he tdble below give'> the e}Qtent of use of beJ.cls or (oral, hasuli] and necklaces made uf ornaments : TABLE V Distribution of households according to the use of ornaments Income groups Total r------.A..--. ____~ ____~ DIstrIbutIon of households aecordlDg to the use of numbcr ornampnts of house· Less Ra. 25 Rs.50 Ea. 75 Above holds than to to to ES.IOO Rs.25 Ea . .50 Es. 75 • Es. 100 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 To1 al number of households in the community- (t) Kharwar 18 11 4 2 1 (ii) Others 16 1 13 1 Total number of households wearIng ornaments-- (i) Kharwars 18 11 4 2 1 (ii) Others 16 1 13 1 1 44 OREA TABLE V-oonclcl. Income groups ~ __wA. ___- ______~ Total r----. Distribntion of households according to the use of number orLlaments of house Less Rs.25 Rs. 50 Rs. 75 Above holds than to to to Rs.IOO Es.25 Rs.50 Rs. 75 Rs. 100 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Households in which males and females are wearing ornaments- (i) Kharwars 12 7 2 2 1 (ii) Others 6 5 1 Households in which males only are wearing ornaments (i) Kharwars (i,,) Others 1 1 Households in which females only are wearing ornaments- (i) Kharwars 6 4 2 (ii) Others 9 1 7 1 Households using no ornaments (i) Kharwars (ii) Others It appears from the above table that the Every household DwnS vessels for cooking. use of ornaments is equally strong among the Earthen H a,ndia (pots) are generally used for people of all communities. Ornaments are found cooking rice and pulses. Vegetables are prepared among households of all income groups; though in vessels made of Bunda clay and known as there has to be some limitation .in the quality Tawa. Iron pan for preparation of unleavened and number of ornaments used. Both males bread is known as Tai. Aluminiumware is and females use some Ol7naments except in the finding way in the households of the people be lone household Df Parhaiyas where only a male capse of its cheapness and durability. Brass and uses ornament. bell metal utensils were found in only 4 house holds among whom those of Rupchand Singh 6. Household goods and Rudan Singh, both Kharwars, were found to have good number of such utensils. Food is People in the village poss~ss only small quantities of furniture. Thus while string cots eaten in Thali (dish), lata and tumblers. These, known as Khatias were found in every household are made of bell metal and found in every house only two Kharwar and Parhaiya househ,olds had hold, though the number is not always enough to cater to each family member simultaneously. Chowkis or "Yooden bedsteads. Chairs, tables, Water is stored in earthen pitchers (Chara) but benches, stools and shelves or almirahs were not a ~ew households own Ballanies (pitchers made found even in a single household. Thus even in of iron) while Charas are jointly used 'for fetch the period of five years preceding the survey, no ing water by the women-folk, buckets are owned furniture was acquired by any household. by a few. Earthen lamps known as Dhibris are used by some of the households for lighting purposes but the uSe of Hurricane lantern has also come Most households own Jatas (grinding into practice. Only two Kharwar and one .sunri implement made of stone) and Dhenki (pound- households possessed battery torchlights 'among ing implement). , whom one Kharwar household had acquired it Besides the agricultural implements, axes within the preceping five years. None of the and saws are owned by many households. Short households owned petromaxes, kerosene stoves, axes known as T angi are often carried by the bicycles or radios. None of the household used men-folk when they go to the forests. mosquito curtains or toilet soaps. Only two households of Oraon and the lone Sunri sent Although no umbrella was found in the their clothes 'for washing to washerman. This village, most households owned chhopis which practice is not prevalent among the Kharwars are -indigenously manufacturecf umbrellas made and Parhaiyas. o'{ leaves. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 45 7. Food and drink Fruits, roots and leave§. constit~te an important element in .the ~iet .of the vlllagers. All the households In the ·village reported to be taking two meals everyday. The meal It was found during mvestlgatlOn that a group taken in the day is known as Kaleba and that of fifteen women had come to Orea forest to taken in the night as Biari. Although all the collect Konair and Pu'tkul leaves for being used as vecretables from a distance 0"£ as much as ten households reported taking only two meals per b day it was found at the time of investigation miles. that a little breakfast is often taken early in the The tender leaves oE Putkul) Konair) Tetar morning. This meal is known as Lukme and is and Gendhari are cooked and eaten as vegetables. partaken generally by persons going to collect Leaves of the first two kinds are also dried up roots, fruits or leaves 'from forests. The staple and kept for use later. food df the villagers is maize and Gondli. Mahua forms an important part of the diet and rice is Some.of the roots and their method of pre taken only occasionally. paration as food are given below: Maize and rice are cooked with water and (i) GeLhi-The roots are kept in Row the gruel separated. Vegetables are cooked with ing water for twenty-four hours to a little mustard oil and salt and spices added. remove bitter taste and then An the households are non-vegetarian but meat cooked as vegetable. and fish are consumed only once a while. Only three housenolds in the village took milk (ii) Kulu-This is also prepared like regularly as they had cows yielding sufficient Gethi. Khaneya) Dura) Bernai and milk for the purpose. Tea is not taken by any Dhengo are some other roots taken, villagers at home, but it is often had when the found in the forest and eaten after villagers go to markets. None of the households boiling. were taking sugar regularly. Sweetmeats are some The roots are available in the forest after times purchase& from the markets particularly the onset of rains in the month of Asarh. for the younger children. Smoking bidis and Immediately after the rain fall small leaves chewing 0'( tobacco is common. Most males sprout from the roots and are thereby easy to keep a small metal like containers known as IGcate and identify. Roots can be extracted Chunouti, in which lime is kept for mixing till the end of Sravan, and again between Poush with tobacco which is ground on the palm and' and Chait. Mango, Jamun> Kend) Piar) KU5um, sucked by being placed between lower lip and Kathal> Poro) Aunra> Bhelwa> Tetar and Mahua gum. Some women also were found addicted to are among the different fruits which are found the habit of chewing tobacco. Stalks of tobacco in the area and consumed by the villagers. The are purchased from ,the markets. Mahua tree has multifarious uses as the follow Alooholic drinks are often used by the ing will indicate: villagers. Bottle drinks are available at markets at Latehar and according to casual information (i) Fresh mahua flowers are boiled with collected on the point, home distillation is also water and 'consumed, the prepara not unknown. As mahua is available in abun tion being known as Ihila. dance in the area, home disti1lation is not so (it') Fresh mahua flowers are cooked with di.fficul t. Only Oraon household in the village stIll prepares Handia> by fermenting rice or a little water till the resultant other corns. Drinking provides both stimulant forms a paste. Condiments and and relaxation and no festival or ceremony is flour are mixed with this and complete without it. Even the spirits and Gods cooked, the preparation being known as C hara, and Goddesses are propitiated with sacrificial I offerings of liquor. (iii) Dried flowers of mahua are soaked The entire village is non-vegetarian but with water and then cooked in wild goats, rowls, pigs and wild animals some steam.' This preparation is known times hunted can be eaten. Beef is strictly pro as Ralspukta. It is. a savpury to be hibited among the members of all communities, partaken with the staple food. Among the persons who wear Janeo (belonging Mahun oil is used as a cooking medium in to the Kharwar tribe), liquor and meat is prohi addition to oil extracted from Dori> K usum. bited except when they are remnants 0'£ sacrifi Dori is also used as a cooking medium. Oil cial offerings made to spirits. extracted from Munjani) Karanj and Kusum 46 OREA seeds are used for massaging the body and light extra precautions are taken at the time of a ing purposes. woman's second pregnancy to ward 'Off the mis fortune of her earlier pregnancy. The ancestral 8. Be)iefs and practices relating to birth) spirits of the household are given offerings 01 marrzage and death fowls and liquor through the Ojha. The pros Kharwars- pective mother is enjoined not to witness any funeral procession, solar or lunar eclipse. It is Birth-The advent of conception is generally feared that on seeing them, the child in the discerned by the simple symptom of cessati'On at womb may be affected and be born maimed. menstruation. This test fails very rarely when No social or ceremonial restncuons ale in spite of being pregnant the woman continue~ to have the monthly periods. A few months inforced on any other member o( the house after conception the abdomen begins to bulge. hold including the prospective father. Many pregnant women develop oedema of the The birth 0'1: a child usually takes place in feet and acquire a paleness in their countenance. the father's house since a woman lives in her Morning-sickness and the onset of a peculiar husband's home after marnage. There is no hankering for special or other special varieties custom prevalent for a woman to go to her of food are also indicative or pregnancy. falther's house for confinement. However, there A. pregnant woman is not given any pre is no injunction against it either. ferential treatment in the J]1atter of diet but has Delivery takes place in a room inside the to share the common family meals. In ca~e there house even in a one-roomed house. In such a is no other grown-up female member in the case the household goods are removed to the household she cannot even have any respite flom verandah or to a neighbour'S house sometime in the chores of everyday household duties of fetch advance of the confinement and kept there until ing water, cooking the meals and keeping the the period of polluttion consequent upon child house clean. It is only in the last months of Ihc birth is over. In case the house is commodious pregnancy that physical work is reduced and pre enough to enable a room to be spared, no extra cautions taken against any heavy exertions which botheration is entailed. might have a deleterious effect on the pregnancy. A Ghasi woman (known locally as Kamin) Sexual-intercourse is generally continued is called to attend at the 't,ime of childbiI1th. up to six months after pregnancy but strictly Such midwives live in the neighbouring village of avoided thereafter in the fear of a miscarriage Lunri and N areshgarh those 'from either village taking place. having equally adept in their skill. The Kamin serves member of all communities. She assists Though no specific ceremonies are enjoined in the delivery by adjusting the postllr\:' of the after conception, the good news is often conveyed parturient woman according to the need~ of the to the women's parents. The terms to indicate case and applying the requisite physical pressure the happy event are that the woman has become at the places indicated to enable safe and quick of 'two souls' (Do-jivi) or that 'her body has expulsion of the child from the 'Womb. grown heavier'. The news is greeted by her Accouchement usually takes place with the parents who send presents 'for their daughter, woman in sitting. The umbilical cord is severed consisting chiefly of savouries cooked at home. with a knife. The after birth !Ind placenta are Women are believed to be particularly buried in a corner of the room in which the susceptible to the influence of malign spirits ;1nd ~onfinement took place and a fire is kept burn evil eyes. Thus the wife of Rupchand had be mg on the spor for the entire period of pollution come ill on the occasion of her first pregnancy. lasting six days. This is believed to aid the The illness was ascribed to malign spirits ,Vllich recovery of the mother. Scorpions and bhelwa were propitiated by the offering of fowls and fruits are burnt in the fire so that these may liquor render the aegis of the Ojhm. This, cause no harm to tIle newly born in the course fortunately, helped her to tide over the illness of his life. The Kamin's ministrations are and later give birth to a heal1thy child. To ward generally effective though her skill is born off the evil spirits, pregnant women are seldom SOlely of experience which, albeit, has come down permitted to go out-of-doors unaccompanied and from generations. No Kamin is aware of the certainly never so after dark. mo~en: meth?~s of inducing delivery or the hygIenIC condItIOns that are a prerequisite; mUfh In spite of everything, if a miscarriage does less has she had the advantarre of any training in take place on the occasion of the first pregnancy, modern midwifery. b THE PEOPLE A;'IJD rHEIR MATFRIAL EQUIPMENTS 47 Thc Kamm attclld5 to the mother and child their nomendatme lor thc mode of me. for SIX days. 5he is gIven six ~eers of grains and AbortIOn If: practIsed 3t all, I~ donc only in one rupec in cash as her remuneration in case SCll ct. An ordmg tu somc inlormants, physical the child is a buy but the sum in cash is reduced mampulatwn by mas~agmg the abdomen often to half in the lase of a girl. The Kamzn is abo ~ufhle to mduce abortIOn. Medicmal method5 given the old rlothes of the mother which she for abortIOn includc ordl admll1i:,tration of mix had worn at the tIme of childbirth. ture ~uch as 5'C'eds of jJaws tree and flowers of thc pldlltall1 and kafahal (jdck fruIt) trees. Au.Olding to the custom prevalent in the village if: two cluldrcn are hOlD within a period Bal renness is con~idcred to be a curse for of six days, that if' a Ilecon~l child is born III the \\ Olllen and a L,lrren ,\ oman IS held in contempt village herUlc thc pCllod of pollution (or the by ot her~, dnd the lOn jugal lclations or surh a first child ill over, the ll1othl!rs of the two ehikhcn \\ oman are seldom happy. A mdn is free to avoid seeing calh other. It is believed that of dl\on e IllS ,\ifc in C It is seen that among Kharwars the minimum age for searching a suitable mate for him. The of marriage for girls is as low as ten years, the willingness of the parent to get their son m;uried lowest among the different communities in the is conveyed to friends and relations who keep on village. Similarly, Kharwar males can also marry the look out for a -suitable bride. When a suit at a lower age. However, the maximum age of able girl is located a date is fixed on which the marriage among Kharwars is relatively higher groom's parent go to see the girl. The groom's both for males and females. In regard to average father accomp~nied by a few villagers and rela age of marriage, ho",-:eve1', it is seen that there is tives visit the girl's place on the appointed day. hardly any difference among Kharwars and They begin their journey in such a manner that Parhaiyas who are the two major tribes 11l the they should reach at the girl's place in the tvt'n village. ing. The party is warmly received, fed and kept as guests for the night. No talks about the Before proceeding on a discussion of the purpose of visit are held in the evening or in the customs of marriage among the Kharwars, night. The discussions about marriage pro reference may be made to the single Sunri posals take place only in the morning. How household in the village. The head of this ever, the discussions take place only if evil omens household had married in the Sagai form. His are not encountered earlier. The barking of wife had formerly been married elsewhere and deer, howling of jackals and chirping of neglected her since her first husband also kept a Cudgudi (a bird) are believed to be evil concubine. Tne woman had a son {rom her omens. But the roar of a tiger and the chatter· first husband whom she brought along to the ing of monkey are considered to be good omens. village after leaving her first husband and began to settle with her existing husband in the village. The talks about marnage are begun in The woman had to pay eighty rupees to her a circumlocutory manner. The boy's father says first husband as a compensation in order that "you have enough land please spare some for me their marital ties may be severed. also". The girl's father 'having agreement with the proposals replies that all his lands are for the Marriages are generally settled close to the guest and he may take as much as he desires. vil1ag~. The 'following ~able lipdicates the The more sordid details are then discussed. In distance to the marital alliance: case the girl's father is not willing he makes an excuse about having to consult his relative first. TA,BLE VII This is a sign of disapproval by the girl's father. Distance of place of m.arriage fro III the village After negotiations have been finalised a date is Distance Kharwar Par· Oraon Sunri Per- again fixed for the boy's 'father to go to the girl's haiya cent age home for the ceremony known as Panbandhi·. The groom's father goes accompanied with rela 1 2 3 4 - 5 6 tives and with presents of some money and gur Same village .. 2 2 9.76 (molasses). He gives five rupees to the girl's 0-3 miles ., 5 3 19.51 father, the presentation being made in a Thali 4--6 miles .. • 9 1 . . 24.39 7-9 miles .. 4 2 3 21.95 containing Arwa rice, Dub grass and tamarind . 10-12 miles .. 3 2 12.19 This ceremony symbolises the final settktnent 13-15 miles .. 2 4.88 16 and above .. 2- 1 7.32 of the marriage and after this the girl's father cannot negotiate with anybody else for the Total 27 10 3 1 100.00 marriage of his daughter. As soon as the present It is seen that over 75 per cent of the marriages has been delivered, the bride comes with a Lota in the village have been contra~ted within the of water and offers to her future father-in-law. distance 0'£ 0 to 9 miles. The advantages in The latter accepts the drink and pays a rupee to fixing up marriages not too far off lie fintly in her. This is called Muhdekhai (seeing the face the fact that one does not have to travel f3r but of the bride). Cur brought by the groom's more important is the fact that the details about father is used for preparing sweet drinks which the prospective bride or groom are apt to be are s~rved to all persons present. The guests are known better in regard to persons livin~ not fed by the girl's father and on this occasion a very far from the village. It is seen that fcur goat is provided 'for the hear~y meal. Before marriag:es took place in the village itself. returning a date is fixed for girl's father to see the boy. The girl's father goes and performs Negotiations for marriage are initiated by the same ceremonies as the boy's father, making the parents of the groom. When a boy attains a presents equal in value to what the boy's father marriageable age, his parents become anxious had made earlier. lIIE PEOPLE 1-\:-';D 1l1.EIR ;\L\TERL\L EQUIP:\lENrS 49 The date lor marriagl' is fixed in consulta .\t the time of marriage, the groom first tion with the Brahmin priest. "\11 the marriages take~ his scat in the marriage bower and is subse in the vilb~'e WLTe pel10rmed at the home of the quently joilled by the bride. They fiyst off-er groom \",hich i~ locally known as Dol-karhi. The worship to the lHfl11riatJ and sticking Kalyani uther form of marriage in which the ceremony K h Ilnta by off e1 ing .e,lu>(' eluring which 'the take~ place at the house o[ the bride is kn(~\\n Brahmin PUl1dits chant the requisite l'vTrl1llra.l. as Dol-charhi. Dol-charhi ha~ not taken place in The marri3ge is solenmised by application of the vilbge am()ng any community. The fint \'·ermilion by the groom on the bride',) fore l1lC'thod i~ preferred became it is cheaper [or head, dl1ring which ceremony the couple are girl's father and the marriage expenses are segregated b} drawing up a temporary (urtain. largely borne by the groom's father. The brother of the bride throws parched paddy The girl i~ brought to the gro()m's \ il~age (Lawa) on the couple uuring this ceremony. nne day before the installation of the marna~r:: Finally the couple mO\'C5 round the hurning fire ,)1 mulal'. fhe party that g()C~ to fetch the bride seven timcs and the ceremony i., complete. cdrries 1>\\ eetro-eatl'> ano one ba<;ket KflMlr (flour A function kno'wn as "Chm1'llzm-i" IS per made from rit e Inixed with gur) and sari('s 'for formed <1ftcr marriage l1e<1r the ~tre3m. The bride and her mother. They come back \\ ith couple talc (lff their coloured clothes and wear the bride by c\'ening. Occasionally the bride is old one for thi5 leremony. They go to the hrought almost a week before the marriage stream accompaniec1 bv the women folk and ceremony, and much depends on the convenienu:, bathe in the stream. They take out some mud of either party. and make five ball~ each, which they throw on The lUrmda[} is made from log'> of the sidhrz each other by way of mock fight, but the bride's tree which arc brought from the fOlest by male hrother ancl sister o'f the groom intervene. 'Fonr membcrr. 01 the village. '\Then the log., are mud balls are shielded up()n a sont} (winnowing III ough t they are puri nco by ~praying of coloured fan) and only one mud ball i5 actually used as ril e powder. The Afmulat) is made of nine logs. :1 mis~ile. On ilk way back the groom shoots On the central pole leaves of bamboo, semnr, some ar1"<),ws whit h are collected by the bride mango and dllmar trees are fixed along with one and brought bac k. On returning home the betel-nut. The Mandap is provided with a roof couple again sit in the ]\fandnfJ. They unfasten Hl.Hle of K har grass. After the Man drl p has been the Knnkl.nn of mango lea\'e~ from the v.Tist of erected a short pole is fixed, also made of sidha each other. They ;]~ain pllt on coloured (lothes logs and known as Kalyani Khuta. It is situated and usually set out for the hou"e of the bride's a little away from thc .Uaruia/J near a verandah. father Oil the ~ame clay, an'ompanied hy the The bric1t:groolll, hi~ mother, and village groOll1'~ hrother. On reat hinll; there the bride's " .. omen along with the village Baiga (who i~ a father givc~ thclll cordbl reception and after Khar\\'ar in Orea) set out for the cerernon), availing of hospitality 'for the night the couple known as .'\1atknr. They go to the Bari land 01 return home, to the groom's house. This cmtom the Baign'~ house where the Baiga digs some is known a~ Bah1l111a. earth while his eyes are closed by the glOom's l\Iarriages amon~ each of the communities mother. The Baiga then offen ghee. s,,'e('t are restricted to penons of clifferent Cotras. meats, flours and sandalwood to propitiate the However, among the Payhaiya~, :Ill averred to be earth. Some of the soil dug i., given to the of the same Gnlra known a~ Pandu. In thdr ~r()om'<; mother ",hi(h she collecls in hey anrhal case marria~s arc prohibitcc1 among pcrsons (eml of wri). From the !'oil thus obtained, related lip to three generations but permissible a small platform is made on the side or the otherwise. central part o[ the l'l'TnndajJ. A pitcher full of ~Ionogamy is the general rule but instances water ill kept on this mud platform. The pitcher of polyg:lmy arc there. thongh 110 cases of has some mango leaves kept on its mouth on polyandry were found. Tn the case of which is kept the actual co\,er o( the pitchel remarriage by the widows th(! ceremony is filled with paddy. On top of the paddy an observed in the sagai form. Tn thi~ form much edrthen lamp with four wkks is 1.ept. The I)il of the ceremony parta1.en in marriage is done used in the lamp is mustard oil in which a few ,\ ith, hut no lIfandap is comtructecl. Ewn the ~rains of mid pulse <1re mixed. application of vermilion on the bride by the The marriage generally takes place in day groom takes place outside the village while the light. For a few days preceding the m3rriage, party i5 on it5 way. Marriage wi th younger both the bricle and the groom are anointed with sister (Jf olle's 'wifc i~ permissible but not with mustard oil mixed with turmeric powder. 'wife's elder sister. 50 OREA Some of the case studies recorded in the it is decreed by God. Deaths from epidemic village may be of interest in regard to throwing like cholera and small pox and accidents such further light on the kinds of marriage prevalent as 'falling from trees, or being killed by wild _in it. animals are placed in the category of unnatural deaths. Persons dying from drowning or b (i) Ramnath Singh, a Kharwar has two Z attacks or wild animals are referred to as I Pand1lbt wives. His first wife is from village Piri in Garo and Baghaut respectively. Pregnant women on Police Station and Ramnath has children 'from their death are believed to be turned into her. However, since the first wife was quite lazy Churails or evil s~irits. he married again. His second wife is from village Bhainsmara. She had married earlier in The dead are cremated among all communi village Manjar but had been forsaken by her ties. However, burial is resorted to in excep first husband and hence she agreed to come and tional cases. Even young children are buried as live with Ramnath. The second wife had three also those who die from epidemic diseases, sons f~E>m her first husband out of whom two drowning or, in the case of women, while in had died and the third was living with his mother pregnant state. in the house of Ramnath Singh. News of death soon spreads in the village (ii) Jainath Singh (Kharwar) also has two as the mourning family wails loudly for wives. His first wife belongs to Piri village departed. Villagers and relative collect to offer while the second is of the village itself. The their condolence and made arrangements for the second wi'fe was first marrIed at village Kuku in last rites. Barwadih Police Station but she became widow soon after her marriage and returned to the After death the person is removed flom ·the village. Since they had mutual attraction for cot and laid to rest on the ground. A bamboo each other she married Jainath Singh. Jainath bier is prepared to carry the deceased but o'xa Singh had three children from his first wife and sionally the cot on which 'the person died s('rves four from second wife'. to carry him to the cremation ground. The (iii) Dukhan Singh has two wives. The corpse is ahointed with mustard oil and turmeric first wife is 'from village Nareshgarh and bore powder and covered with a new pie<-e of wbite three children. The second wife belongs to the cloth. Four persons carry the bier at a time, same village. She was married originally in changing places whenever required. One of the Piri village but she 'fell in love with Dukhan persons carries burning fire. On reaching the Singh and left her first husband. On marrying cremation ground, bier is kept on the ground. the second wife Dukhan Singh had to pay Rs. 125 Four small logs are - fixed on the ground in the as compensation to her prior husband. form of an square with' sides about 1 ft. each. These logs are known as Kuanri Khunta. Fire· (iv) Howrah Oraon, married at Godna had wood is then arranged and pyre is m,ade to a four children. He then fell in love with the height of about 3 ft. Dead body is then kept younger sister of his wife though she was already on the pyre and on it are placed five bundles of married i~ village Haror. But since she re.cip- khar grass. The bundles are set on fire one by roeated Howrah's feelings she came to Orea and one and every time the person who sets fire (the began to live with Howrah. Howrah had to son or a near agnate of the deceased) touches the repay bride price to the first h'usband 0'£ his mouth of the deceased with a burning piece of wife's younger sister. wood. Inter-tribe marriage is generally avoided but such cases are hot entirely unknown. Thus After the body is cortsumed in fire, people a Kharwar of village Orwai, adjacent to. Orea bathe in the river and return to their houses had 'fallen in love with a Parhaiya girl bf the each going to his own house for eating. No food same village. The girl 'vas, however, already is prepared in the family of the deceased but married and had a son. The girl, therefore, left neighbours give them. some cooked food to rat. her first" husband and came to live with her Later the people again assemble at the house of Kharwar lover Sukaran, Teaving the son with the deceased where they collect milk, curd, his father. Sukaran did not pay any cotnpensa· barley, teel, honey -and bread made from urid, tion to the firSt husband of the Parhaiya girl as from the house of _the deceased and go to cncma they belonged to another tribe. tion place. If the corpse has not been fully bumt a pyre is again built and lit. From the Death-People recognise inevital:5ility of ashes a few bones are collected and emersed in death and believed that death comes only when the river. THE PEOPLE AND TIIEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 51 Then the KlIanri Khllnta is uprooted and a field at some di~tance from the house. This the holes in the ground filled with pieces of distance is progre~sively shortcned until the oread of uricl brought from the decea~ed's hom,e. tenth day, the offering is made very close to the People again takr:- bath and return to the villdgc. house. 011 that day, after sunset a few persons They tOtH h their feet with ground turmeric five go in the fidd where [ood had been offered on tiJlle~ and wa~h them with w,lter III order to that clay. They tJke with thcm sume khar grass remoyc the cff'e('t~ of poll II lion ca llsed by visiting and a fowl. A ~mJlI hut is made from the Idwr the C1(,11I(11io11 ground. After that a cefemony n(lrass anel the 'fuwl tied to the hut which is set known a~ "Dudhmukh" is performed. Milk i~ on fire in the name of the deceased. On return- kept in a leaf cup 'while water in another. The ing the suul of the deceased is said to have pcrson~ hrst touch the milk and then the ,~al.er taken a place among the mua~ in the honse. olle by one. .\fter this they take me.!i in the Later a function knmnl a~ Kamapani is house uf the dCl'c(l!.ed. perfurmed ill urder to arrive at a some short of indication regarding the calise of death. A thali Cremation tak.es place only Juring the day of lwnsa is brought and sOl1le water kept in it. timt'. If a lllan dies in the night, the funeral Grains or Kllrtlti pulse are then droppecl into takes place next morning. In the case of the it. 1f somebody among those present happens death o'f a child the Sradh takes place on the to become possessed ,of ~pirit he can indicate the third, fifth or seventh day according to the (:lllse 01 death. The Parhaiyas, however, do not convenience but when an adult dies the Smtih uL~en'C the function of KlInsapani. They spreaa CCll'llHJl1Y is ubsen ed on the t.enth day. On the a~hes on the ground while going out for bring 12th day barber and Dhabi arc called. The ing the soul of the departed. The ashes are fmmer shaves the head~ uf the kinsmen and covered by a basket under which a burning lamp family members of the deceased and pares the is kept. When the party retnrns from the field nails of the women 'fulk. The washerman takes they look for certain ~igns on the ashes and try away clothes for washing. The Brahmin. to find out the cause of death. 'I he Oraol1 also Jl,IllhajJlllra priest comes from village Bishunpur follows the similar practice. On the ell" enth on the day of the Sradh and olliciates at the day the family priest is (':tiled as ab'.) the function of Pind-dan (offering of rice balls to Blaluuill and ,\lallllpatm. The former gi\ es a the suul or the deceased) which is the main part janeo to the head of the family for ·which he is of the Srlldh ceremony. paid a small amount. The head of the family The ceremony known as Ghhanh-Bhitirana offen some sweets and smlillt and then returns is abu performed on the day of Sradh at night the janea to' the prie~t along lNith a small sum. time. The person who had applied fire to the On the l~th day a feast is given to the relations month of the deceased has to maintain certain and kinsmen. it being given on the thirteenth restrictions. He cannot sleep on a cot or taKe day in the case of the death of a female. salt or mix freely with the 'family members. Services of the Brahmin prie~t~ and Brahmin This person canies food for being offered to the 1Uahapatra are restricted only among Kharwars soul uf the departed. The offering is made in and Sunris. (:I-IAPTER III ECONOMY t Land According to the local terminology, how ever, there is another class of land known as Land constitutes the most importil~t Bari. This usually indicates Tanr I class of economic resource of the villagers whose m am lands situated in the neighbourhood of the occupation is cultivation. The agricultural houses in the village. holdings of the villagers are confined to ~he Tanr III class of lands are not cultivated limits of the revenue mauza. The 'followmg annually but only by -rotation. table gives the classification of land in various categories as in 1951-61 : 2. Distribution of households by the size of agri cultural holding Classification of land in the village The following table gives the distribution 01 'householas 01 each communIty accorumg to (I) Dhan the size of agricultural holdings. It has to be noted that quality of land has not been taken (a) Dhan I Nil into account and the 'following distribution (b) Dhan II 5.65 Nill methods need to be kept in mind while making (c) Dhan III 5.65- an appraisal of the data: (2) Tanr TABtE VIII (a) Tanr I 26.66 } (b) Tanr II 47.39 167.11 Distribution of households by the size of agricultural holding (c) Tam III 93.06 Number of households having Extent of land r------'------___ U~) Forests including waste land 735.31 Kharwar Parhaiya Omon Sunri --'-- 1 2 3 4 5 07 - Total 908. No land 1 3 1 It is seen that over half the area of the 0.51-1 I .. Nil 1 Nil Nil village is cove:red by forests. Over 100 ~cres 1-+-2.4 Nil 4 Nil Nil are unfit for cultivation and leaving aside the land put to non-agricultural use, cultivable 2.5-4.9 6 1 1 waste and fallow land, the net area under crop 5-10 6 4 was only 79.06 acres. Tpe cultivated area and More than 10 5 1 fallow lands together comprise about 170 acres. acres According to the prevalent classification in the Tbtal .. 18 14 1 1 area, the cultivated lands are classified into two categories, viz., Dhan and Tanr) each category Thus only 6 out of 34 households in the village being further classified into three classes depend own more than 10 acres of land. There are as ing on the productivity of land. According to many as 5 landless households among whom 3 this classification, there is no land classifieo as are Parhaiyas. The table indicates that the Dhfiln I and II and only 5.65 acres are und~r Kharwar households are better off in the matter Dhan III. The remaining cultivable lanO IS of ownership of land than the Parhaiya Tanr which consists of uplands. Class III predo household. minates as the 'following statement showins the 3. Forest extent of the area under each class of Tanr land As noted earlier there are 570 acres under will 'indicate; : 'forest in the village. They provide edible fruits Tam I 26.66 which hav~ been referred to in the ]ast chapter, fuel for VIllager,S and timber for construction of Tam II 47.39 their houses. The villagers are permitted to Tam III 93.06 utilise forest produ'ce free of cost from areas It is seen that the bulk of the agricultural land apportioned to them for the purpose. The forests in the village consists of Tanr III which is the provide good scope to villagers for working as least productive category. labourers. As noted earlier the 'forests are ECONOMY divided into C01lPS with felling series and pro t Livcsfvck duction o[ timher is done under the sllpervhioll of the torest guard. "\ Khan\ar of the villa~e, The following table gives for ealh commu Rudan Singh was employed as a clerk (Munshi) nity the number or c1ome~tic animals and birds under a contractor of lJidi leaves' to look after 1m lwd by the people o[ the \ illage : the ellg:lgcl1ll'tl t and payment to labollrt:'l~. TABLE IX Livestock Milch Cattlo Draught B ullnC'k Uu.d Pig Fowl ,..--- .A. - , , .A. - ---. ,-- .A. - "-. r __ 4-"0.._ ~ ____ ~ r- .A. -. Community Number Total Numbor Total Xumber Tot,al XlImb,'r 'l'otwl Numher 'l'()ial of house- number of house- number of house- number "fho.lse- number of house- numbf'r holds holds holds hoi '18 hold" owning uwning owning owuillg (lwring 1 2 :1 .t :; (\ 7 Il () 10 II KharwlLr 18 72 17 11 lR 71 III iiI Parhaiya 14 OR II 24 14 40 4 }I) 14 4!J Or'.LIln 4 1 2 4 1 3 Sura'i 2 4 Total 34 146 29 67 34 125 4 10 :13 103 The t:lblc indicates that all 11Omeholds keep 5, FII( tors injluenrin!!, ecollornir lif{' oj the 'uillage cattle ai}(l gO:1b .1Ilel t''Xlcpt the SlIllli homeholds 1. Laud r(,forms-Orea wa<; a Kha<; Mahal all keep poultry as well. I {uwe\ er, pigs are kept village undcr the direct management of Govern only by 1 out at 14 Parhaiya homeholds. As ment and hence' the land Tdorm measures noted earlier it is only the Parhaiyas in the abolishing intermediary 'Tights on lands have v ill age that they eat pig meats. had no effects on the villagers. 2, Land itnj,rovement-';\,n ~(hcme~ of I:1nc1 Cattle are kept mainly for hreeding pur improvement either 'for bringing neW areas P()~('s. C()W~ yield little milk eXlept during the nnder cultivation or for improving the produc rains anel arc, therefore, not milked. However, tivity of the existing Tanr lands have been some households OW11 she-buffaloes which yield undertaken in the villa!_5t'. Even soil conserva good quantities of milk which are consumed by tion measures "'hich appear to be necessary in the households c( mcerlled. Bullocks ar-e owned the village which is suffering from considerable by most households. The Sunri how,cholds diu extent of soil erosion had not been undertaken not have any bullocks since they did not own any till the time of survey. c.n1ti\'able land. The same applies to 3 Parhaiya househollis and 1 Kharwar household not 3, Industrialisation -The entire ,illage posse~sing allY land. economy is agriculture oriented and the village lacks even such homchold industries as black Goats are reared by all households since smithy and pottery. There has Leen no change they do not cost much in their upkeep, and in the occupational pattern of the village, which afford food for (eremonial and sacrificial pur may cause a gradual shift to industry. puses. The average number of goats per house The village has good communications in the hold is about 4. sense that it is readily approachable by fair ·we , TABLE XI Distribution of workers and non-workers by communities, sex and age groups Kharwar Parhaiya Oraon Sunri Age group r------"------.. ~---.... ----""" ,.--__A--L-.---.. r---.-.-"------~ M F 'P M F P M F P M F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1. Total Population- All ages 82 51 • 31 45 24 21 10 7 3 4 2 2 0-14 years 27 23 4 12 6 6 5 5 0 2 1 1 15 years and over 55 28 27 33 18 15 5 2 3 2 1 2. Workers- All ages 28 28 0 27 18 9 2 2 0 1 1 0 0-14 years 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 years and over 28 28 0 27 18 9 2 2 0 1 1 0 3. Non·workers- All ages 54 23 31 18 6 12 8 5 3 3 1 2 0-·14 years 27 23 4 12 6 6 5 5 0 2 1 15 years and over 27 .0 27 6 0 6 3 0 3 1 0 4. Percentage of 'workers to total population- Altages 34.15 54.90 0 60.00 75.00 42.86 20.00 28.57 0 25.00 50.00 v 0-14 years 0 0 0 O· 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 years and over 50.1n ioo.oo 0 81.82 100.00 60.00 40.00 100.00 0 50.00 100.00 0 O-denotes nil figures. I 7. Description of q,ifJer.ent occupation following gives a calendar of agricultural operations. Agriculture-It has been seen before that the bulk of the agricultural lands in the village Calendar of agricultural operations-The are Tanr III. The soil is generally mixed with agricultural activities commence in the month sand and locally known as Balsundari. The of Jeth after the onset of rains when ploughing ECONOMY 55 o'f fields starts. People are fully busy in their price of raw lac, lac production was no longer cultivation work till the month of Sawan as an attractive profession and has dwindled to after ploughing sowing of seeds, transplantations negligible proportions. , are necessary and weeding is done. When seeds are broadcast the sowing operation known as The following table gives the annual agri 'Bodara bihan' takes place. If the seeds are cultural production during the year 1961 : applied to weed the land the process is knowIl TABLE XII as Lewa. Sowing starts from the Baiga's fields. Agricultural produce and their disposal Some time 'after the Sarhul festival the Baiga ploughs his :(ields and he is the first to put seeds Annllal Quantity Quantity in them. In case of paddy transplantation, ~ arne of produce quantity consumed sold a ceremony known as Pachati is undergone. This cerem,ony is also performed first in the field of Mds. Mds. Mds. the Baiga. The seedlings are extracted and are Paddy 189.00 189.00 can;-ied out to the field. The Baiga comes there Whoat 75.00 75.00 with sandal wood, Urid7 bread, varieties of corns and fowls. A small hole is made in the corner Maizo 192.00 192.00 of the field into which the grains are poured and Oondli 146.00 146.00 th·e hole covered. Sandal wood is burnt to appease the spirits. The Baiga himself Pulse 70.00 70.00 transplants a few seedlings after which it is COnti Vegotables 13.00 13.00 nued by the village women-folk. This function is known as 'Bangari'. Fruits 84.00 84.00 Another function known as 'Kudu' is per Oilseods 10.00 10.00 formed before harvesting the Aghani crops. 'the Lar 20.00 20.00 Baiga first reaps a handful of corn from the Others 87.00 fields of each household of the village irrespective 87.00 of community. From the paddy thus collected It was mentioned by the villagers that the entire 'Chura' is prepared and distributed among the quantity which is produced is consumed and villagers. Fowls are sacrificed on the occasion. that th'cre was no surplus left for sale. Only lacs are sold in the market. Before commencing threshing 'Operation Khalihan is performed where reaped corns are' The crops grown in the village may be stored. Offerings and sacrifice of fowl are made clas~ified according to seasonal production as to appease the spirits. BhadaiJ Aghalli and Rab~. The following figures give the classification of cultivated area accord The agricultural operations continued to be ing to seasonal crops grown : performed largely by the same method as prac tised by the forefathers of the villagers. Manures Seasonal em p A rea in acres of cowdung. are applied to some extent and Bhadai 34.52 potash is added by burning firewood in the field, Aghani 35.57 the process being known as Dahdhosana. After Rabi 22.71 the opening of the Communi,ty Devel0plUent Block at Latehar a few households have under It is seen that Bhadai and Aghani crops are more taken the Japanese method of cultivation of important than the Rabi crop. Due to lack of paddy which entails the use of chemical irrigational facilities the crop production in fertilisels. However, the small extent of paddy evitably suffers. Vegetables are grown in very land in the village is a bar to further pro~ess small quantities the variety generally being in this direction. l\Ioreover, many of the creepers which do not rdJuire much irrigation. villagers disclaim partiality towards innovation on account of high cost involved and the absence Description of some of the important crops of provision of adequate credit facilities. IS given bel'Ow : I The production of lac by the villagers used Paddy-Paddy is grown by two methods-· to be an important part of their economic (i) Boona and (ii) Ropa. Accord engagement which used to render suitable ing to the first method the fields returns. At the time of survey, however, it was are ploughed and seeds broadcast. reported that due to unprecedented 'fall in the According to the second method 56 OREA seedlings are first prepared and (2) Hal (Plough): It is a triangular wooden transplanted into the fields. Hathia piece with a hole through which rains in October are necessary for the San'y passes. The ploughshare Aghani paddy crop. Among the is fixed at the time of ploughing different varieties the Tewan the field. variety of paddy is broadcast in February-March and harvested in (3) Phal (Ploughshare) : It is made of iron and fixed in the plough. May-June. It is grown along the banks of the stream which mam (4) Lagna : Made of wood, this is fixed tains moisture in the summer to the plough and is used for apply months. Cora paddy is grown in ing pressure while ploughing. Tanr lands. Bhadai paddy is sown in the month, of June and harvested (5) Chandila : This is fixed on the top of the Lagna to facilitate having a in Octo~er. grip of the plough. Maize-Maize is a Bhadai crop grown specially in Bari lands which are (6) Pat : It is a wooden piece used for Tanr lands situated near (the houses tightening qp the Sanr in its joint and well manured both with cow with the parts or plough. dung and household rubbish. (7) Juath : It is a wooden log about 6 ft. Sowing is do:g.e with the onset ?f long used for yoking the bullocks monsoon in June and harvested m at the time of ploughing. The August-September. The maize crop middle point of the yoke is called has to be constantly watched Mahadeo. against deprerlations by bird& and wild animals. Serials (1) to (6) are jointly called Hat. Manta-Like paddy Marua is both broad The levelling instrument is known as cast and transplanted. H enga. Sickles are used for harvesting the crops. Condli-This Bhadai crop is ,cultivated Spade and Kori are used for spading the fields, by broadcasting s·eeds in May-June cutting the ridges or rooting out thorny hedges. and reaping the harvest in July August. Some of t)1e diseases to which the crops are subjected to and the means 'for preventing or Wheal-Wheat is a Rabi crop grown in • eradicating them as adopt·ed in the village are low lands. It is sown in the month noted below: of October-November and harvest ed in February-March. The extent (i) Danghi...:... This is a disease affecting of wheat cultivation, however, is paddy plants in which insects attach small in absence 0'£ enough themselves to the plants and pre quantltles of suitabie land and vents formation of corns. Branches lack of irrigational facilities. of Sinduar tree are fixed in the Agricultural operations are generally plots affected by this disease and carried out by the members of the are held to be efficacious. hous·enold but reciprocal aid in (ii) Banki-This is also a disea~e for agricultural practice takes place paddy plants. As a remedial measure particularly at the time of sowing a bupdle of gondli straw is kept in and harvesting. Thus out of 27 the plots at the point where households in the village practjsing irrigational water intercept. agriculture all took aid from, their friends and neighbours at the time (iii) Harda-This is a disease affecting of liarvesting operations. wheat crops. No remedial measures are known in the village. Agricultural impleme,nls-The vilIagers continue to use traditional implements and tools. Pesticides were not being found to be used The plough is the most important implement. by the villagers at the time of the survey. The various parts of which are as 'fullow : 8. A nimal husbandry (1) Sanr (Beam): It is a wooden log about 7 ft. long which connects It has been observed froni the statistics on the plough with the yoke. livestock that the villagers keep a good number ECONOMY 57 of animals and birds. The cattle are reared 9. Fishing chiefly for draught purposes and not much regard is kept for their proper feeding. Stall Breeding of fish is not possible in the shallow feeding is rarely done. The animals have to streams which have strong currents dUl ing the fed far themselves in the undergrowth oE the rains. Fishes of inferior quality are found in forest areas, though during the rains and for the tanks and ponds and shallow ditches. Dhanha, some months thereafter, there is abundance of pothahiJ khijriJ balevaJ gorloJ getuaJ jhora and grass. For the summer months, some straw is bichlera are the local names of the varieties generally provided since the ploughing activities usually met with. being towards the end of summer. Various kinds of net, fashioned by the All the animals in the village are of indi villagers themselves, are used for fishing. They genous breed. No cattle of improved breed has are locally known as gurdi jaiJ chargori and gira. been supplied in or near the village. Artificial Fishing tackles are also used. A good catch is insemination of cows for better progeny can be facilitated if the fishes are exposed to the fruits done at Latehar, but no villagers have availed of such as beriphaiJ maunaphal or barks of arar and the facility. kumbhi trees. When these are thrown into the water, the fishes in it become affected and com_e The goats, fowls and pigs are also of local to the surface whence they are easily caught. breeds. The fowls of better breeds are reportedly delicate and have to be provided with better Fishing does not provide much of an occupa food. On the other hand, local birds feed on tion to anybody. Quantities found are so waste food and are not as susceptible to diseases meagre that fish does not constitute an important and epidemics. part of the diet of the people. Communal fish ing is not done. Individuals with a taste for it The cattle are kept inside the houses during engaged in the activity in their leisure hours. night, not so much on account of providing comfort to them as for preventing their being "Thatever fish i~ caught i~ consumed locally. carried off or devoured by wild animals. there being no surplus for sale in the markets. 10. Forestry Among the various diseases occasionally \ prevalent among the cattle are the following: The importance of forests to the village economy needs hardly to be reiterated. They Sitla (pox)-This disease causes the (1) provide various fruits, tubers and leaves for food; animal to defecate continuously. timber for house construction; and fuel for the Eruptions also come up over the home. Though hunting is strictly prohibited, body. There is no cure for the cases do occur when poachi...ng is resorted to. disease. Sambhars are a great favourite for hunters. (ii) Khurha (foot and mouth disease)-This People go for hunting in groups of two or three affects the hooves and mouth of the persons, with bows and arrows designed and animals which become incapable of constructed by themselves. walking and eating. Phenyle and Timber and fuel are obtained free of cost water are given as a remedy. from the forest areas apportioned for the .. illagers. (iii) Pilhi-This is a disease of the liver in Nothing has to be paid for fruits, tuben, leaves which the abdomen becomes dis and grass. The Parhaiyas also collect honey. tended. Ca u terizing the affected The forests, being reserved, do not provide animal with red hot iron is a cure. much scope for full-time employment to the (iv) Tangarphulwa and galgatia are diseases villagers. in which the legs and neck respec tively swell up. Cauterization of the II. Village industry affected parts is done as a cure. The village lacks even the usual families of There is a field veterinary dispensary at blacksmiths and carpenters. The only semblance Latehar but villagers do not take their cattle to any village industry is provided by two there. One of the :reasons ascribed to this is the Parhaiya households who manufacture bamboo distance entailed. ware. Bamboos are obtained On nominal pay ment of five paise each from the forest. The Animals can be bought and sold in Latehar bamboos are split with knives. Split bamboos market. are woven into winnowing fans and baskets or 58 OREA various sizes. They are sold both in the village following distribution of households by monthly itself and in the weekly markets at La tehar and income groups: Sarju. 'TABLE XIII 12. Trade and commerce Households classified by monthly income group The Sunri household in the vil1age, as Monthly income Number of household observed earlier, is engaged in running a shop. group ,-______---A-- ______--. He -deals mainly in grocery such as rice, pulses, Kharwar Parhaiya Oraon Sunri Total oil, salt and condiments. He brings these from Latehar market by bullock cart -or truck and 1 2 3 4 5 6 sells them on a very moderate profit. He also Below Rs. 25 1 1 sells his goods in the market at Sarju. Rs.26-50 11 13 24 Transactions are often made on the barter R_s. 51-75 4 1 5 system. Villagers with surplus grains of any Rs.76-100 2 1 3 kind exchange them for oil or condiments, etc. Rs. 100 and 1 1 The grocer often sells goods on credit as well. aoove. Total 18 14 1 1 34 13. Other occupations There is only 1 Parhaiya. household earning Production of lac is undertaken by some less than Rs. 25 per- month. The bulk of the families only since the price of raw lac had fallen households in the village have earnings of greatly. Bair, palas and kusum trees are used Rs. 26-50 per month, Over 70 per cent of them for rearing the lac seeds. The lac is collected falling in this income group. N one of the in the months of Chait and ]eth. Parhaiya households earn more than R'i. 50 per Many of the villagers find employment on month. In the higher income groups the Khar daily wages in works undertaken by the Forest wars predominate though the single households Department. of Oraon and Sunri are. rather well placed 14. Income and expendi,ture economically in the context of lack of affiuence in the village as a whole. (i) Income-The average monthly income of each household was' canvassed in the house (ii) Expenditure-The following table hold schedules. Statistics collected indicate the indicates the pattern of expenditure: TABLE XIV Pattern of monthly expenditure E.x:tent of expenditurl) on Community Occupation No. of r------....__------"""\ Pursuit Average housB. Food and drink Clothing and Miscellaneous ofocoopation per household holds lighting 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kharwar Cultivation 16 599.84 64.16 21.92 80.96 47.93 (78.22) (8.37) (2.84) (10.56) Sa.laryand wages 2 85.24 9.86 3.24 49.17 (86.~5) (10.03) (3.22) Parhaiy'a. Cultivation .. 8 297.20 41.20 20.48 53.36 5I.33 (72.09) (9.99) (4.97) (12.94) Salary and wages 6 292·08 35.16 10.08 6.66 56.93 (~5.47) (9.59) (2.95) (1.98) Ors.on Cultivation 1 67.00 8.37 1.19 5.00 81.56 (82.15) (IO.~6) (1.46) (6.13) S1Jllri Business 1 30.00 4.62 2.25 40.00 76.87 (38.90) (5.99) (3.24) (67.87) , NOTE : Figu res in the bracket indics.te the perc entage of expenditure. Food and drink take up the bulk of monthly occupation accounts for less than 13 per cent of expenditure among all communities. Except the 'Overall monthly expenditure. Clothing and the Sunri household, expenditure on pursuit of lighting account for between 6 and II per cent. ECONOMY 59 15. Indebtedness TABLE XVI-concld. Indebtedness is common and hardly merits Year No. Dues Interest of ,.-__-...A-_~~ _ _. r---A ---- any disapprobation by society. According to tlie loanees Mds. Seers Chha. Mds. Seers Chha· information furnished by the villagers, 14 out of tak tak 34 households were in debt. The following 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 table give~ the relevant data: 1951-52 1 2 o o 2 38 o TABLE XV 1956·57 1 1 0 o o 31 8 Indebtedness by income groups 1957-58 8 12 12 8 8 4 11 Total no. No. of Percentage Average 11 6 Income groups of house· house· of house· indebted· 1960·61 3 2 30 o 1 holds holdsm holds In ness debts debt to 1961·62 2 3 0 o 1 17 o the total .. 9 6 no.of 1962·63 14 24 30 o 7 households 1 2 3 4 5 Total 37 57 18 8 36 26 15 Below Rs. 25 1 The grain.gata is meant primarily to cater 45.58 to the needs of the villagers in the matter of Rs. 26-50 24 12 50 seeds. But, as reported by the Kalyan Grain Rs. 51-75 6 1 16.7 100.00 gala Sewak, the paddy taken 'On loan is more Rs.76-100 2 often than not simply consumed. The table indicates that 14 persons took paddy on loan Rs. 100 and over 1 1 100 200.00 during 1962-63. The amount of interest charged Total 34 14 41.18 6005 is 25 per cent per annum, returnable in land. It is seen that the bulk of the indebted Loans have been taken from the Block households are from the income gTOUp of Development Office as follows: Rs. 26-50 peT month. The extent of indebted ness is, however, only Rs. 45 per household on TABLE XVII the average. The extent of indebtedness is comparatively much higher in the two house· Loans taken from Block omce at Latehar holds in the higher income groups. No. of Dues outstanding to be realised The purpose of taking loans was mentioned Year in whirh persons loan taken r------~-----~ as meeting expenses of cultivation and for the Principal Interest daily requirements as well. r------"------Rs. PaIse Rs. PaIse The following table gives data about taking of loans of paddy from !the grain-gala at SarJu : 1951·52 5 120 00 103 13 TABLE XVI 1955·56 13 169 00 103 06 Loans incurred by the v.illagers from Sarju grain·gala 1957-58 19 600 00 290 62 Year No. Dues Interest of r-----...... __---,,... __--A. ___ ...... 10anees Mds. Seers Chha. Mds. Seers Chha. 1958·59 5 50 00 21 09 tak tak 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total 939 00 517 90 1948.49 1 o 35 o o 18 13 The table indicates that loans have been 1949·50 4 4 30 o 6 9 o long overdue though the a~erage indebtedness 1950·51 3 6 1 o 6 9 3 is not very high. CHAPTER IV SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 1. Age and sex distribution community in the viliage, the overall sex ratio is also adverse for the village as a whole. The Kharwars have a rather adverse sf!x-ratio, The table below gives the communitywise there being only 60 females for every hundred population of the village distributed by age and males. As the Kharwars are the predominant sex: TABLE XVIII Age .,nd sex distribution' Number Percentage to total Community Age group ,.-~------'------, r------"'------, Persons Males Females Persons Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kharwar 0-14 27 23 4 32.93 45.10 12.90 15-24 10 4 6 12.19 7.840 19.36 25-59 43 22 21 52.44 43.14, 60 and over 2 2 2.44 3.92 97.74 All ages 82 51 31 100.00 100.00 100.00 Parhaiya, 0-14 12 6 6 26.67 25.00 28.57 15-24 9 5 4 20.00 20.83 19.05 25-59 22 12 10 48.89 50.00 47.62 60 and over 2 1 1 4.44 4.17 4.76 All ages 45 24 21 100.00 100.00 100.00 Oraon 0-14 5 5 50.00 71.43 15-24 25-59 5 2 3 50.00 28.57 100.00 60 and over All ages 10 7 3 100.00 100.00 100.00 Sunri ., 0-14 2 1 50.00 50.00 50.00 15_24 25-~9 2 1 1 50.00 50.00 50.00 60and over All ages 4 2 2 100.00 100.00 100.00 • It is seen that the adverse sex-ratio among whole in Bihar IS 996 females per 1,000 males the Kharwars is accounted for mainly by a pre (according to the Census of 1961). ponderance of males in the age group 0-14. The sex-ratio among Parhaiyas is more even Migration plays no part in this age group and the though also slightly adverse. excess of males is due to differences in sex at the The age distribution shows that only 32.93 per time of birth. It is worthy to note, however, cent of Kharwars and 26.67 per cent of Parhaiyas that the sex-ratio for the Kharwar tribe as a belong to the age group 0-14. For a progressive SOCIAL A~D CULTURAL LIFE 61 community (from the point of view of population 2. Marital status. growth) the percentage in the age group 0 14 should be about 40. The ratios among the two The marital status of the people in the tribes in the village appear to indicate that their , illage by age group is given in the following populations are not growing progressively. table: TABLE XIX Marital status by age group Total populo.l.tion ~"vor married 'Marrieu Widowod • _. __• _ __ • .A._ _ ..!o-____ _..._...... 4-'. .- .. _- ...... _ r- .-.- ...... r- - --"------~ ,.. _-- r----- Age group Perl:lons Malos Fomalos Males Fomales Malos Femalos Ma.les Fema.les 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 All ages 141 84 57 311 11 44 45 1 0-14 46 35 11 3!i 11 15- 24 I!' ~t 10 4 [; 10 25 5!J 72 37 3;; 36 35 60 and abovl3 4 3 1 3 No males or females below the age of 15 (h) Fe-oer-Roots of dwlhia grass and were married in the \ illagc. Howevcr, all the parjhi lwreya are ground and given 'women aged 15 or (n er were married or widowed. as an oral medicines. Among males 1- in the age group 15 21 were (c) Dyst'ntery-Powdered bamboo·shoots unmarried while all ahove 2! }ears of In the village population of 141 persons, Oraon 1 1 only 5 males and 1 female are literate. 3 out of [, literate m:!lc~ are Kharwars, I Sunri and I a Sunri I 1 PaThaiya boy. The only literate female in the Total 34 25 9 village is a Kharwar woman. As the composition of households by num Of the total literates, two are in the age group ber of members may have indicated, the bulk of 0-14, two in the age group 15-24 and two in the the households comprise of simple families age group of 25-59. One Kharwar hal) passed consisting of husband and wife with unmarried the primary standard; the othen arc literates children. All households except one of the without educational level. Parhaiya and the single Sunri household com A heartening feature, however, IS that a prise of simple families. The remaining house school was opened in the village in 1963 (when holds are made up of joint families consi~ting of the village was revisited for the survey). The a married couple with married sons/ daughters school, known as Orea-Baheratanr Lower Prj mary or married brothers I sisters. School was started in the house of Rupchand 7. Intra-family relationship' Singh, a Kharw;}r, in the ab 3. The Dhora flows lU the southern part of ,the village in the foothills. _. 4. Tlie J)cvi8than to ,\·hich pBor1e ' ~f : a:tr ci)rmnui1i~iefrcoi;'gr~gat6 '0]1 J'e~h\;,; occa,sions., 5. Fences around homes are also made of wattled bamboos. 6. A group of women outsido a Kltanvar house. 7. A view of the ceiling of a Parhaiya house. 8. A Kha1'\\"a1' "·oman. 9. A Ilt'wly married Kllanra1' \roman wearing her ornamenis. 10. A Kha1'wat male ,,"earing a dltofj and ve.it. 11. K.hal'war girls. '. 12. A group of Kharwar women. 13, An l:ldcrly }\lJal'\\ a!' WorW11J. t:;lJO I'; wearing a blou::le, Her ornaments include cllain of coins and hansilli. 14. A Kharwar male. 15. Ornaments used include si7cri, bala, baju and TzarnaJul. 16. SOUle household utensils. J7 . .!\ mqcha from wh~ch wild animals al'e warded off fl'om the ripening grainf:l, 18. Agricultur!ll implemonts including kOl'i, tangi, juath and hal. 19. A bullock beside a wattled bamboo screen. 20. Ploughing the field. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 65 (v) A rnawasya~ This festival is also per remembered by p'Qst~rity. The for~cd il;l the month of Bhado, on the last day. old woman, a,ssured ,him that it The head of -rhe family rises early in the morning would be so and f_roIl1 that day all and before even attending to nature's call brings women desirous . of ensuring the and fixes twigs. of the Bhelwa tree in !Iis agricul well-being of th:eiF; c,hildren perform tural ~lands, barj lands and corners of his house. the jitia festival a!1d thus COIll After that he', ta\<.es his bath in the river and memorate valiant and unselfish act makes offering of_ water t~ the ancestral spirits of th'e, Jitbahall. ' . with his_ palms while wearing a ring made of (vii) Dnsahara-The Dasahara 'festival is kush grass ih ,his ring-finger on the right hand. ob~erved in the nwnth of Aswin by the Hindus. Gn' returning to the house he again offers water However, no image of Goddess .Dur.ga is cons to- die spirits 'of thc' deceased ancestors known as 'Muas'. tructed or installed in the village. The villagers usually visit Tarwadih and Latehar and attend .(vi) Jitia-This festival is pClfurmed all to the celebrations in those places. . The festival, the eighth. day. of the dark fortnight in the month is marked by the purchase of new cl-oths for the of' Aswin by women-folk. The woman who family members. obser..ves tliis'Jestival'remains on fast for the whole day and takes bath in the river in the evening. (viii) Sohrai-This f<;stival is performed in Aftc..r taking the bath, they obtiJ.in small fish of the month of Kartika and corresponds' to the the variety locally known as Gotila one of which fesitival. The housewives get j:)Usy in cleaning is swallowed whole. On return to her house and tiding up their houses. The men-folk take the woman offers prayer to a bundle of serorn care to carry out the urg~nt repair work necessary gTass kept in the courtyard. Afcxt morning the in their houses. Oh the day prior to the perfor bundle of grass is immerscd in the riYcr. manCe of the fClstival an earthen lamp. is lit on the lands in' front of the houses .. This lamp, The celebration of jilia is conncded with known as 'Jam ha diya' is lit only after all persons a leg~nd prevalent in Hindu society. It was of the family have taken their meal at night. recounted in the village as follow~ : Sohrai is a festival of lights. An earthen lamp is first lit and kept in the courtyard, another kept Jitbahan was thc name of a per~on who at the place of the ancestral spirits and then a lived in a village. An old lady lamp in each room and cattleshed. Eal then also lived in the village along with lamps are lit for decoration purposes as well. her only son. A demon known as The cattle are bathed and cleaned on this day. 'Yama' used to VlSIt the village regularly and satisfy his hunger The next morning the .animals are fed with with human flesh taking one person a mixture known as kohri consisting of kurthi ''from a family on everyday of his pulse, maize and' the bodi .vegetable all mixed visit. In the course of time the together ahd boiled. The cattleshed IS WO[ day came when it was the turn of shipped and sacrifices of two fowls and some the old lady to send her son to liquor are made to propitiate -the spirit. The 'Yama'. She wept feelingly at the cattle are then coll~cted in a [jcld near the village prospect of losing her only son. and collective offering .of some. fowls and liquor Noticing her in distress Jitbahan is again made by t~e villagers. Next a pig offe·red t@ go to the -demon in place securely fastened widl a long rope is thrown in the of the old lady's son. When Jit herd of cattIc. Incensed at the enclosure the bahan went to the demon the latter animals become furious 'and gore the pig to became the Mohammedans. At survey the official appeared to have been got that stage even the Mohammedans embroiled in some village feud as a result of used to eat pig's meat. But one which aspersions were cast on his mor:tl life in day it so happened that a roasted the village. pig ran away. From that day the Mohammedans pledged that they The existence of two hamlets is not the would not take pig's meat. The caUSe of any feud or difference between the two groaning of a pig to death in main communities of the village. In fact the Dar Khelana is resorted in the hope relations between the members of the two that since the cattle have gore the hamlets appea~ed to be most cordial and they are pig to death no Mohammedan fully co-operatIve at the time of social and reli woul9- like to eat the cattle. ?i?uS funct~0!ls. All community activities are Jomtly partIcIpated in by villagers froIU either (ix) Deothan~This is performed in the tola. month of Karlik and marks .the period of commencement of ploughing operations a"fter the It is significant that Rupchand Singh harvesting of Aghani crops. The agricultural (Kh~rwar) c.ombines the offic~s of religious head implements are brought out and kept in the (Bazga) , socIal head (m'l!khlya of the tribe and courtyard. They are venerated by the members even the village) and also representative of the of the household after the housewife has put village in the Statutory Gram Panahayat. marks oof vermilion and Arwa rice On the imple Except that Parhaiya women do not eat food ments. The housewife offers cash and food to cooked by others, there is no restriction on the ploughman if any such person is employed commensality. oy the family. (x) Chauth-This is performed in the The good relations between the minor month of Magh either by males or females. communities and o~hers are evidenced by the Observance of this festival is generally a sequel members of the Sunn and Oraon communities to the grant of some prayer made earlier. It is rep?rtedly approaching the village headman fo; performed on the third and fourth nights of the a~vlce on purely personal matters of social first fortnight of the month. On the first day etIquette. the person who observes this festival remains. on Village Orea is a constituent village of the fast and offers milk and sweets to an earthen Nareshgarh Statutory Gram Panchayat with its mound built to represent Lord Ganesh. Similar headquarters at Tarwadih, established in 1957. worship is made the next night, the ceremony being performed after the nioon come,s up. The first election to the Pan chay a,t took (xi) Barhati-This festival is performed in place in ~ 958. Three p;rsons, namely, Abdul the month of Magh on the conclusion of thrash Gaffar Mlan, Dukhan Mlan and Ramautar Singh ing operation. The village B.aiga sacrifices some ha? filed nomination for election of M ukhiya fowls in the Khalihans where harvested crops are ShIp and after contest Ramautar Singh became collected for threshing and offers some liquor. the .Mukhiya of the Panchayat. The second From that day khar grass and firewood are electIOn took place in 1962. Abdul Gaffar Mian gathered from the forest for construction became Mukhiya 'Yithout conltest. Ram Padarath purposes and as fuel respectively. Sa.hu became the Sarpanch in both the elections w~thout any co~test. From village Orea, only 12. Village organisation Sn Rupchand Smgh is a member of judicial wing The residents of Orea are mostly agricul of ·the Panc,hayat. turists and there is hardly any occupational The following 22 villages form the Naresh diversification which may lead to tensions. The garh Gram Panchayat : capacity to perform hard physical labour .is a Serial N arne of the Ward Thana Total great asset and no job is held to be low or no. village no. no. population degrading. Nor is there any appreciable differ 1 2 3 4 5 ence in the way of living and income of the 1 Tarwadih I 218 731 different families which might have given rise to conflicts. Land disputes are rare. But altera 2 Baraini .. I 209 65 tions often take place' in regard to Tights of the 3 Mankeri Khas I 214 88 villagers on trees. The Forest Guard is an 4 important person. Besides -controlling the forest Mankeri "Jagir I 208 62 area, h.e plays a dominant role ~n settling disputes 5 Rehrahi .. I 215 regardmg land or trees. Durmg the period of } Depopu. '6 Pachamba I 205 Iated. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 67 Seria.l Name of the Ward Thana Total Name Designation Village Ward no. no. village no. no. population 1 2 3 4 5 3. Rupchand Singh Pano.h Orea ., IV 7 Gurgu II 212 237 4. Chammar Mian Panch Tarwadih I 8 Hartua II 211 141 5. Manpuran Singh Panch Lundi IV 46 9 Dubiyahi II 21.0 6. Abdul Sattar Mian Panch Tarwadih I 10 Khairakhas II 206 38 1. Chamaru Singh Panch Hartua II 11 Khaira Jagir II 207 180 8. Jangi Parhaiya Panch Baheratanr III 12 Tarwatanr II 213 Nil 9. Karam Mistry Panch Gurgu .. II 13 Murgidih II 204- 114 Village Orea is not ever represented in the 14 Salaiya .. II 203 145 Statutory Gram Pa,~lchayat. 15 Nareshgarh III 201. 492 A few cases of village Orea adjudicated upon 16 Gha.ghri .. III 202 113 by the P~nchayat are given below: 17 Orea III 199 171 (1) Case no. 23, dated the 1st September 18 Baheratanr III 198 30 1959: Hawra Oraon cultivated lac on the trees belonging to Daso Oraon, a widow, on 'adhbatai' 19 Bingara IV 1.97 223 (sharecropping) system. Conflict arose between 20 Orwai IV 195 249 them regarding returns and consequently Hawra Oraon did not give her share. She filed a case 21. Lundi IV 196 186 in the Gram PanchayatJ under sections 379, 323, 22 Kane IV 200 235 1. P. C. The case was compromised and the trees were restored to Daso Oraon. Total 3,64~ The Gram Pdnchayat covers 14,837.73 acres (2) Case no. 3, dated the 14th February of area with a total population of 3,646 persons. 1960: Indranath Sao, a Sunri, had given small 8 villages fall in ward no. II, 6 in ward no. I loan in cash to Sigan Oraon. But Sigan Oraon and only 4 villages each in ward nos. III and IV. was not repaying the amount. One day his son Village Orea faIts in ward no. IV of the Gram was coming with some money which; was snatched Panchayat. away by Indranath Sao. Sigan Oraon filed a case under section 323, 1. P. C. against Indranath The following is the list of members and Sao. The case was compromised on 28th March panches of the executive and judiciary sections [960. of the Panchayat : (3) Case no. 9, dated the 18th April 1960: Name Designation Village Ward no. A conflict arose between Haricharan Parhaiya and Halkan Oraon for lac grown on Pams trees A. Executive in which the former blamed the latter for his illegal possession over the Itrees. A case was 1. Abdul Gaffar Mian Mukhit/a Tarwadih I filed in the Panchayat by Haricharan. But as 2. Mathura Oraon Vice-Mukhiya Salaiya II Haricharan did nat appear on the dates fixed, 3. Jumrati Mian Member Tarwadih I the case was dismissed on 14th July 19f.O. 4. Sita Sao Member Tarwadih I (4) Sigan Oraon and Hawra Oraon are own brothers. One day, due to some family conflicts, 5. Pandar Oraon Member Gurgu .. II Hawra had beaten the wife and the children of 6. Shivnandan Sao Member Nareshgarh III Sigan Oraon. Sigan Oraon complained the matter in the Gram Pancfzayat and a case under 7. Hiru Parhaiya Member Kane IV section 323, I. P. C. was instituted. The case 8. Deo Sahai Singh Member Orwai IV was compromised on the 24th April 1961. 9. Halkan Singh Member Ghaghri III It would thus appear that cases reported to B. JUdiciary the Panchayat are usually trivial in natural and invariably ended in compromise. 1. Ram Padarath Sao Sarpanch Tarwadih I ~. :Bishwanath Singh Vice- Orwai .. IV There is no other voluntary organisation, S'1.'I"panch club or library in the village. 68 OREA 13. Impact of development programmes Wh;ile Hanuman was transporting the Dhatlla' giri, portions disintegrated and fell on th.e way. The existence of the Community Develop giving rise to assorted hills and moun tams at ment Block at Latehar has produced only various places on the way. nominal impact on area village. The function "- ing of a health sub-centre at Tarwadih has (iii) Origin of dancing and singing brought modern medical aid close to the villagers, In the hoary past only the Ahirs would but as noted earlier, attendance of patients from dance and sing as evidenced from the famous Ore a has not been sighificant. A pucca well has dances of Lord Shri Krishna and the Gopis. been constructed with State subsidy but it is u.sed But a party of Kharwar and Parhaiyas. once only rarely. The most significant assistance that witnessed the famous dances accompamed by the villagers have received appears to be in the melodious songs and learnt the act. The Ahirs advancing of various kinds of monetary loans at supplied them with musical instruments in low intere~t, as also loans in kind from the grain return for cattle. Thenceforth dancing and galas. The starting of a Lower Primary School singing found place in Kharwar and Parhaiya augurs well for the spread of literacy in -the society. vitlage. (iv) Regarding death The fair weather road constructed by the In the days goneby, people would go to Forest Depal1tment provides the only artery of heaven with' their earthly human bodies. As vehicular communications and area ha!> been messenger' would come from heaven and escort greatly benefited by it. the person wq_ose days on the earth were done. Once, however, a carpenter played a trick. He 14. Legend and folklore built a hollow room in a semur tree and fixed it Some of the legends and tales recounted in with a door. When the messenger from heaven the village about the origin of the sun and maori, came to take him along, he was induced into hills and mountains, dancing and singing and the room and locked up. When the messenger others are re~ounted below i did not return as scheduled, God became anxious. (i) Origin of the sun and the moon He then took help of the lahar hhod1J.la bird (woodpecker) ,whom he gave a nectar drawn God created the world, but there was no from the sea. This bird ultimately located the day or night. So he created the sun and its missing messenger and pointed out his place of sixteen offsprings. The$e gave light and heat concealment. God thereupon came down and to the earth. God then' created the moon and rescued him. In anger, he decreed that thence-. its innumerable offsprings, the stars. forth, persons would go to heaven leaving their Rivalry developed between the sun and the' earthly bodies behind. moon, and the moon decided to play a trick on the sun. The moon gathered ,yl its offsprings (7) Distribution of qualities among creatures of (consisting of the stars) and hid them. It then the world chewed some prepared betel leaves and went to After the world and its creatures had been the sun. The moon showed its red lipe; to the created, God called an assembly at which He sun and conveyed the grIm news that it (the would dispense qualities to them as asked for but moon) had devoured all its offsprings. The sun in order of their reaching the place of assembly. also did likewise and that' is why we see only one The lion reached first. He asked for and was sun in the sky. Later the - moon brought its given physical strength as a result of which the offsprings from their place of hiding and the lion is the strongest creature today. Man stars are visible to this day. reached next. But the quality of physical strength had already been given away and Man (ii) Origin of hills and mountains expressed his misgivings about his future exis When the valiant Lakshman, brother of tence. God also took pity on Man and as He Lord Ramchandra, was wounded by the poison loved Man more than other creations of His, He ous arrow of Meghnath, the Sanjiwan booti was endowed Man with intelligence. Man was told prescribed for a cure. Hanuman went to fetch that he would survive and prosper by using his the herbal plant from Dhaulagiri mountain, but intelligence. Thus it is that today Man can since he was not able to identify the plant, he kill and entrap the lion which has infinitely carried off the entire Dhaulagiri mountain. greater strength. CI-IAPTER V CONCLUSION 1. Lf'vei of sorial awnrelll'Ss 2. Conclllding remarks Although there are no scheduled castes in Not even ten miles distant from the sub the village as many as 27 heads of households divisional headquarters town of Latehar, Orea are aware that :the practice of untouchability is lies nestled in the valley of surrounding hills. an offence. Few are, however, aware of legisla The villagers have to struggle hard for their tions like the Hindu Succession and Adoption sustenance. placed as they are in surroundings Act'). hardly conducive to production of great wealth. They are industrious al1d hardy but their labour All the heads of households are aware of the do not give adequate returns. Anchal and Sll bdivisional headq lIarters since Illiteracy is still a scourage among people they frequently VISIt the weekly market at in the village. But it does not necessarily stand Latchar. Not only are the people aware of the in the way of normal transactions of local bodies existence of the Statutory Gram Panchaynt, but like the Community Development Block or the some have even referred cases to it. Statutory Gram Ponchnyat. There is no marked urge among the villager In an as~essment made by the Kharwar for economic progress as would appear from a headman, signs of progress were there. Thus complete lack of any desire for occupational the village had fewer houses with roof<; of khar mobility. grass than before; mill-made cloth had largely Family planning is unheard of. Moreover, replaced hand-woven cloth and more people there is no de'iire or impetus among the villagers owned brass and other metal utensils. Even in for restricting the size of the family. I t is the social field, the wearing of the sacred thread doubtful, therefore, if family planning schemes by Kharwars was a development of only short will he properly received in the village. period. Monogra ph on Village NARESHGARH (In Latehar Subdivision : District Palamau) Field Investigation and First Draft BINDESHWARI PRASAD SINGH; M. A. AND RAJENDRA PRASAD, M. A. INVESTIGATORS Supervision, Guidance and Final Draft R. N. MISRA OF THE BIHAR CIVIL SERVICE Deruty Superintendent of Census Operations, Bihar Editor s. D. PRASAD OF TIm INDIAN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE Superintendent oJ Census Operations, Bihar PHOTOGRAPHS S. D. Prasad. Shyamlana?d. Public Relations Department. Patna. K. Tigga, Cameraman, Bihar Tribal Research Institute. Ranchi. MAPS M. Abbas. Sq.afi Ahmad. Period of field survey-August, 1962. CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER I : THE VILLAGE Introducing the village 77 Location 77 Physical aspectb, flora [md fauna 77 Size and number of households 79 Residential pattern 79 Communications 79 Important public places SO Sources of water 81 History of the village including history of settlement of different sections of the 81 population of the village. Legends 82 CHAPTJm II : THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMl!lNTS Ethnic compo&ition 84 Housetype 86 Dress 88 Ornaments 8H Household goods 1)0 Food and drink 90 Beliefs and practices connected with birth, marriage and death - Birth 92 Marriage 94 Death 98 ClIAPTER III : ECONOMY Land 100 LiveRtock 101 Other resources 102 Factors influencing economic life in the "Village 102 Livelihood classes 102 Primary and secondary occupations 103 Description of diffPl'ent occupations 103 Animal husbandry, fishing and forestry i07 Village industry 108 Commerce 109 Income and expenditure 109 Indebtedness •• , . , , llO PAGE CHAPTElt IV: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LliJl':E! Age and sex distribution 112 Marital status .. 112 Disease and medical care 113 Literacy and education 115 Migration .. 115 Family structure 115 lntra-family relationship 116 Inheritance of property 116 Leisure and recreation 116 Religious institutions .. 116 Festivals and ceremonies .. l_l7 Intra-village relationship 119 Village organisation .. 120 Measures for development .. 120 CHAPTElt V : CONOLUSION Level of social aWfl>reness 122 Concluding remarks 122 INSET TABLES: 1. Households by tola and community 79 2. Settlement history 81 3. Households and popUlation classified by community 84 4. Houses olassified by material of wall 86 5. Households classified by the number of rooms occupied 88 6. Ornaments 89 7. Distribution of households by the use of ornaments 89 8. Age at marriage 95 9. Distance of place of marriage from the village 95 10. Classification of land in the village 100 11. Livestock .. 101 12. LiveJihood classes 102 13. Primary and secondary occupations 103 14. Distribution of households by the size of agricultural holdings 103 15. Communitywise distribution of agricultural land 104 16. Agrioultural produce and their disposal 104 17. Monthly income by oommunity and incom_e-group" 109 18. Percentr.ge expenditure on ditferent items .. 109 19. Indebtedness 110 20. Loanees of paddy from grain-gola 110 21. Age and sex distribution 112 22. Marital status by age groups 113 23. Medical attendance at health sub-oentre 114 24. Literacy and education by sex and age group 115 25. Types of families • ~ 115 FACING PAGE MAP AND DIAGRAM: 1. Lay-out of the village Nareshgarh 77 2. House Plan 88 PHOTOGRAPHS (BETWEEN PAGES 120 AND 121): 1. Vill~gers at the Dhardhari river in summer. 2. Two views round the village. 3. A Parhaiya house with mud walls and tiled roofs. 4. Parhaiya houses with walls of wattled bamboos and partly tiled roofs. 5. A Parhaiya couple show their mandar (drum). 6. A Parhaiya in the traditional form of dress. 7. Parhaiya women at the khaZihan 8. Two Parhaiya elderly women. 9. Parhaiya girls. 10. Setting out for hunting. 11. Goitre is a common disease in the area. 12. Ghhopi made of bamboo splinters and leaves protects from rain. 13. Water pots are stored on macha.'3 in front of the houses. 14. Ready for threshing. Grains are guarded from the hut temporarily constructed for the purpos~. 15. A macha from which wild animals are warded off from the ripening grains. LAY - OUT OF THE VILLAGE N NARESHGARH <) (NOT TO SCALE) V ------... ~ / )- "1 / 1 .. SINDUR TIKI R A NARESHGARH EAST EBEBEB KHUTHAN HANGHARI ORE A REFERENCES KHA!l.WAR G1 PARHAIYA e GHASI CD 8HUIYA HOUSEHOLDS~ BANIA e lELi ~ LOHAR ... Q RIVER ~ ROAD FOREST ¥-"YII - HILLS ~ BVLBUL DARI GRAVE YARD CIL\PTER I THE VILLAGE 1. Introducing the village ::[\;areshgarh is a constituent village of Halka no. {i or Latehar aneha1, the headquarters of The Parhaiyas afe one o[ the less numerous whidl is located at Tanvadih, 3 miles distant scheduled tribes of Bihar' with a rotal population from the village. Besides containing the Halka or 12,268 persons according to the Census of office (headquarters of the revenue of~cial known 19t1l, compri5ing just under ~ per cent of the as Karmachari and development offiCIal known total tribal popu1 4. Size and number of households Thus, the average population of a village in Latehar anchal is only 309 per inhabited village. The total area of the village (l'omprising Revenue Mauza no. 201 'Of Latehar revenue 5. Residentt'al pattern thana) is 3,274.96 acres, i.e., a little over 5 square The Kharwars are the predominant commu miles. As noted earlier, however, the greater nity in the village, the settlements in which lie part to the south of the village (covering an area scattered in 6 hamlets other than the main tola of 2,279.38 acres) is entirely comprised of hills (spread on either side of the Dhardhari river) and forests. The settlements are confined to the which contains 40 Kharwar households out of the northern part. :'-Jareshgarh contains RI house total of 45 in the village. The sole Lohra house holds with 352 persons. The density of popula hold and 3 Bania households also live in the tion works out to 69 persons per sq. mile, and is main tola. much lower than even the sub divisional density The following table indicates the commu of 173 persons per sq. mile. :'-Jareshgarh is nitywise distribution of households by tola. medium-sized village, in the context or the Separate figures have been given for the number average population 'Of such units in Latehar. of households in either part or the main tola: TABLE I Households by tala and community Number of households Xamo of tala r---- _ - __.A. ______~ ______~------.. Kharwar Parhaiya Gltllsi Bhuiyd, Bania Teli Lohra Total 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 S 9 1. Nareshgarh, E~Et .. Hi 1 1 18 2. Naroshgarh, West :!! 1 3 28 3. Kundpani 11 11 4. Bhuiyutola 2 4 3 1 10 5. Khutgari 7 7 6. Jhankara 3 3 7. Khuthan 3 3 8. Baghmari 1 1 Total 45 24 4 3 3 1 1 81 The Parhaiyas are the second largest commu however, Bhuiyatola also contains the single Teli nity in the villilge with 24 households. Four of household and 2 Kharwar households. the tolas, viz., Kundpani, Khutgari, ]hankara and Baghmari collectively contain 22 Parhaiya house 6. Communications holds. These tolas comprise the southern part There are no internal roads in the village of the inhabited area of the "illage. They are linking one tola with., another. The hamlets are all near each other: three on the west of the connected with narrow footpaths. Sometimes, Dhardhari and one (]hankara) to its east. Two specially during the rainy season, the ridges of Parhaiya households live in the Kharwar main fields are used as footpaths and they are at a tola of ~areshgarh. higher level. Bhuiyatola, lying in the north of the residen During 1959-60 a road was constructed tial part of the village, lontains all the house connecting village Kone to ~areshgarh. It was holds of Bhuiyas (3) and Ghasis (4), both of constructed by the ~areshgarh Gram Panchayat which are scheduled castes. In addition to these, by voluntary labour. The unmetalled road 80 NARESHGARH ., (constructed by the Forest Department) running This is done even now. Rice is cooked with hom Latehar to Sarju touches village Kone. milk and olIered also at the Devi mandap in the After the construction of road from Kone to name of "Randi Mai". Besides this, a fowl is N areshgarh, the village is nOW connected by road sacrificed at the Sitrhul-Sarna in the name of with Latehar and Sarju. "Randi Mai" once in a year on the occasion of the Sarhul festival. As the 'Randi Mai' is located From October to June these roads remain on the top of the hill nobody can go there easily open to truck-traffic. Trucks regularly come for and consequently the offering .is alternatively transporting timber from the forest coupes. made either at the Devi molndap or at the Sarhul These trucks ofteQ. carry villagers after charging Sarna. only nominal tips. However, villagers generally avoid journeying by truck and usually trek to 2. Ghatwaria-Ghatwaria implies the orderly the markets at Sarju and Latehar in groups. of 'Randi Mai'. There are two places of worship But when an individual has to go to these in the village 'known as such Ghatwarias. One places, he generally prefers to go by truck. is located in the east and the other in the western Trucks cease to ply on tqese roads in the rainy part of village. The Ghatwaria located in the season when working of 'forest coupes stops. west near Kundpani tola is also known as However, bullock carts may be seen struggling 'Kukurcharhi' (literally meaning 'riding on hard in the rain drenched roads with essential lion's back' the lion being known as Kukur by commodities such. as foodgrains and fuel. Parhaiyas). The second Ghatwaria (located in the east) is also known as 'Sindurtiki' since it is The Latehar RailwaY' Station is located at a worshipped by applying vermilion. distance of 8 miles and the bus route is a further 4 miles away, at Latehar town. Despite the 3. Panchparwa-This is a sacred grove availability of trucks for three-fourths of the year, located in the west of Nareshgarh. Panchparwa the villagers do not derive much benefit 'from is believed to be the ancestor of Parhaiyas. It is them. Generally they set out on foot and walk worshipped only once i_n a year on the occasion across the short-cuts. of Sarhul festival. Seven 'fowls are sacrificed at Panchparwa. 7. Important public places 4. M ua marai-The M ua marai is located in Nareshgarh has many religious institutions the north-west of the village and consists of a spread over the village. They are as follows: cluster of trees. Worship is done here once annually on the occasion of the Sarhul festival. 1. Randi Mai-This is located on the top 0'£ Five fowls are offered to the ancestral spirits, a hill in the south-wes,t of the village. It has a whence the name. legend behind it, according to which about 150 years ago, the Korwas were living at Kundpani, a 5. Dharti-marai-Dharti-marai is located near hamlet of N areshgarh. Among them was a widow the Mua matai at its west. The earth goddess is living there with her children. Once, she a long worshipped here. It also consists or a duster with some other women went to the hill for of trees. It is worshipped only once in a year bringing firewood. Just then heavy rain fell on at the time or SarhulJ by offering five fowls. the hill and most of the women ran dOWh to Every third year, however, a goat is sacrificed. sarety. The widow, locally known as "Randi", 6. Sarhul marai-The Sarhul marai is located was unable to come down as she was accompanied in the North of Nareshgarh near Bhuiyatola and with her children whom she had taken along as consists of a cluster of trees. The Sarhul festival there was none at her house ro look after them. is performed here between the months of Chait She concealed herself and the children under a And Jeth. Many fowls and goats are sacrificed huge stone slab. But rain swept away Mle soil on behalf of the village as a whole and also by beJ?cath th(} stone slab and consequently it fell villagers individually. on her and the children, killing them all. 7. Devi Chhapar-The Devi Chhapar is located When the villagers learnt about the demise on the western bank 'Or the Dhardhari river to of the 'Randi Mai' they became very much afraid wards the north of the village. It is a temple of h~r spir.it. So th.ey began to worship her by of the village deity known as 'Devi'. Several flags offenng milk and nee every quarter in a year. are always flying on the Devi Chhapar. The Devi Thdse . possessing milch cattle, offered milk and is worshipped on all religious and festive occa the village headman brought rice from his hOl.\se. sions. It is thus seen that among the religious TIU: VILL,\GE 81 institutions in the village, there is nne temple at Khuthan in the homestead land of one Gujar of Devi. There are als'O six spots m.nked by Singh. It has been constructed through the help dusters of trees, at which worship and offering of the Community Development Block at 01 sacrifices are also done. Latehar. The lower primary school at Nareshgarh is There are eleven places in the Dhardhari one of the important public places. But the river from where water is brought. They are school was shifted to village K'Dne in 1963. There (i) Marhu chuan; (ii) Thiru Panghat; (iii) are two crematoria in the village. One is loratccl DOlll'0han; (iv) Haghmari Degan; (1J) Dhaba; at 'Kuru Serang' just below the Sllrllkbed, the (vi) Khukur Kat,,'a; (vii) B All the commumtles except the Banias and A legend recounted in the village and can -Telis have been settled at Nareshgarh since be nected with the origin af Kharwar runs as fore 5 generations. The Banias and Telis whose fallows: , traditional occupation is business, settled in the Once, upan a time Lard Ramchandra was village between 2 and 4 generations earlier in hunting in the forests of Khairigarh. But despite evnnection with their business. Only one Parhaiya difficult chases, he could not get any game. He household came to settle in the village in the was very tired and sweating profusely. As he was present generation: Four households comprising sorely tired he sat under a tree. Drops of his twv of Parhaiyas and one each of Kharwar and sweat 'fell upon the Khar grass growing around Ghasi came to the village one generation ago. the tree. The sunrays also fell on the spot and a human being taak birth fram the grass. He Regarding the settlement of diffe_rent tolas was the first 'Of the suryabansi Kharwars. West Nareshgarh is the oldest, and then sprang After some time ,when outsiders began to up Bhuiyatola. After that Kundpani was estab dist-urb them, they left the place and shifted to' lished, followed by East N areshgarh, Jhankara, south. They came to the district of Palamau, Khutgari, Khuthan and Baghmari in the same and finding large uninhabited areas, they cleared order. New houses were constructed as the the jungles and began to live there and cultivate population grew. the lands with the plaugh. The Palamau Raja helped them by giving livestock to be used in 10. Legends agriculture. They were called Khutkattidars) i.e., people who themselves cleared the forests. The name of the village owes its ongm to Regarding the origin of_ Kharwars, Sunder the existence of the palace of a Bhuiya King. writes as follows: Mounds representing its remains are still £'uund in the village. As averred by 'Sri Ramautar "They are Dravidian tribe, and their Singh (a Kharwar and ex-Mukhiya 01' the Statutory legend is that they came to Gram Panchayat), in days gone by, a Bhuiya was Palamau originally from Kheri the Raja o'f the locality and his capital was jhar, whence the name Kherwar. located at Nareshgarh. He was a cruel king and Some, however, allege that they a terror for his subjects who were not happy came 'from Ramghar, but none und-er him. Popular resentment grew against are able to give even an approxi him until a body of Kharwars led by Bhikhari mate date as t'O their emigration, Singh rose up in arms and killed the Bhuiya and nothing is known by them as King. Sri Churaman Rai, the then Raja of to', their past histary. In Palamau, Palamau was happy at the death of the Bhuiya they are found chiefly in the Raja and so he thougJ:lt of giving the zamindari southern tappas. They are a dark of the Bhuiya Raja to the Kharwar leader, skinned, . hardy people, but ex Bhikhari Singh. tremely lazy. Although their pur suits are purely agricultural, they are mare • fond of remammo-0 at But Bhikhari _Singh, the Kharwar, had close hame and af an idle life, than of 'friendship with a Chero of the same name. He working in the fields and imprav disclosed ijIe matter to his Chero friend who went ing their lands. 'iF" to the palace or Palamau Raja before Sri Bhikhari Singh 'could g'O there. Finding similarity in the Risley writes: "Same Kharwars declare their name, the Raja offered zamindari to the Chero original seat to have been the fort 0'1 Rohtas, SQ who was returning home back happily. When called as having been the chosen abade of Bhikhari Singh (Khanvar) reached tIfe "King's Rohitaswa, son af Harischandra af the family palace and requested for the zamindari as pro of ~he s~n. Fram this ancient house, they also mised, the King replied that he had already given claim dlsc~nt, call themselves surjabansis) and the zamindari to' Bhikhari Kuanr, sa the we~r the Janeo ar caste thread distinguishing the Kharwar returned quickly and overtook his RaJputs. A less flattering tradition makes them Chero -friend and namesa:ke on the .way. Instead aut to. be tpe offspring of marriage between a of fighting, however, they came tQ an agreement Kshatnya man and a Bhar woman contracted in whereby the Kharwar gave 7 annas 3 pies share the days of·king Ben, when distinctions af caste to the Chero. From that day the· Kharwar * Sundf>r, D. H. E.: Final report on settlement of :.amindari came to' be knawn alsO' as Manjnis. Pll~amau Got~rument estate, 1898, p. ccxxiii. 'THE VILLAGE 8.3 ,\ere 'let aside and men might marry whom they Ihe on the top 01 hills, they "\\ere called would. *" P,trhaiya. The ("hasis of Nare'ihgarh were unable to [he le~encl 01 origin of Par hai ya~ as a\'-cn ed rC(Ollllt anything about their origin. They could in the vill.lge, is a~ folhm~ : not C\t'n tell as to fpdm whith plate they came The P.nhdiy.ts are the (ks( endants of tht' a]](1 settled in the village. J ~ (;ha<;is are cuIti epic al Prwriava.., of the ~r.ll1clbh,lr,lt (')",1. [hey vatOl~ and l"boLller:-.. I heir femclles work ciS arc the off~prlllg~ of r\ akool, one of the fi v'(' \ tll.loe midwi, es. rhe Bhuiya., 01 l'\areshgarh brothel'i, the other [OUl Iwing "'ahdco, Jhumell, aho ~\Trt' unable to trd( e their origi1l. However, Al jUl1 and .'-lib"lcIL Once a dispute arose relat the Investigator comulteu :-,ome Bhuiya families ing to shdre in agri( ultuldl land among the five at Chatn::thi, a \illdge near the Latehar town. bruthers. All \\ ere against :\' akool who Wd'i Sri "enra Rliga, a Bhuiya of Chatnahl gave the bestowed with a honn that he ,\ould not die fnlluwing dltOUl1t regarding the origin of the from .mything. They wanted to get riel of him Bhui),ls: and 'iO all the [our Inuthel'i began In bC:lt hlln In clay,> gone by :l. fairy 01 the (ourt of Lord to death, but in vain. At b~t he '\,IS thrown Imlra ~at un the brdlH h 01 neem tree. She was on a lJlIrnin~ lac lllrn::tce. I hi~ al~o cOllld lIot extn:mcly beautiful. Her beatlty attr,H teel ~.ord kill ~bkool. lIe orne nul of lrom the furnace BrahlllJ who tell in love with her at fil~t SIght. ,\ith a hdmlflll 01 lac in eddt h"ml. As God was He requested her tor her hand in marriage, but pleased ·with him, He .ldvi'ied J'\,tkool to lea\e she refmed. This made Lord Brahma angry. his original home anel shIft to the jungle. He He applIed a stlOng scent to the root<; of the made him adept in the art of lac {'ultivatiun. Her 111 tree. 'I he 'iweet and charming udour of r\akool on the ddvice uf (,mI, (amt' tn the jllngles the ~cent infmed a pa",ionate de~ile in the heart or P,llamau "ith hi~ men ,mel began to Ii\e there u1 the biry who perEon e had La inhale the into by glowing be ,mel pr:1( tic in!; ~hl1ting cultiva xicatin~ odour. A.'i soon a~ she did sn, she be tion. They would 1101 II',C animab lor plongh came pI e~n.lll t. In due cnune <;he gave birth ing. "leecl~ '\'0 c ~illlpi Y 'iO" 11 ;Jfter ~p,!cling the to a child ,\110 \\.IS called Bhuiya. All the earth. (Fyen nnw it i~ (llimcd hy the Parhaiyas Bltlliya'i originated (rom him. that they ,\ ere the onginatol'> of lac culti-..atioll Regarding the Bhuiyas, the following is in the di'itrict o·F Palamau.) mentioned in the Palamau District Gazetteer Coming- in the jUllgles, the P,lrhJiyas began (1 (56). "Bhuiyas are sc.lttereu all over the to live un lile top oi the hills (Pah(l/ l), le,n ing district and they daim to he the original clearers the plain lands (Ahll). They alwdy~ li\ed on of the jungles and claim to be the first <;ettlers. thc hil].,. When ~1edilli Rdi bt'lame the R,lja "I hey are dark hrown people with black 'itraight of PJ.lamau, he made an in\('~tigat ion lL'g.lrdmg luil on he.ld, middle si7ed and capable of the ~tandarcI of living of hi~ people. fIe learnt that en(ILl1111g great Llti~ue. They re~ard Rlkhmuni thc I'arhaiya~ living 'On the top of hills ,\ele as their pJtnm deity and l!aim their discellt from very poor and were just 'existing on the roots, lum. '1 hey form usually the landless labour fruit~ and le,lves found in the jun~le~. So, he FOll e lor the field." brought them dm\'ll hom the hill top~ ,mel gave Thcle is only one Lohra household in them a fea~t. This was prcp,l1 cd by Kharw31s. ='Jare<;hgarh villdge whi( h is unable too trace the lle11(c e,en 110W only the male member'> of the Oli~in of his tribe. The Lnhras regard Vi~hwa Parhaiya tribe at( ept the food cooked by karm.l as their patron deity and He is also Khal \\ alS and no Pal haiya fell1ak can partake of l)('lieveel to be the anc e~tor of the Lohras. a 111e:11 prepared by :1 non-Parhaiya. After taking Re~'lrding the iml1li~rati()n of Lohras to Naresh their meal, the Palhdiyas were returning to their gdrh, the Lollra a\elled that his ancestDr, who homes on the top of the hills but they were ,\ a'> an Orph:111, \\ ellt to Simaria Tupu from his det:linecl by the Raja "ho g.lVC them liveslX)(k anel 01 i{~inal ,illdge named Kdrnapura in the Bahla agri( ultural implement') and ad, i~ed to practice math polite st,ltio11. He maniecl there and began agI ie III ture 011 the plain Ianel in the valleys. to live with his father-in-law as a "Ghardlzinjua". FlOm that clay the Parhaiya'i be~:l.11 to ~ettle nn II j" grandson (arne tn Nareshg;arh and the the plain land and practice settled cultivation. pl['~ent Lohr:1 i~ a descendent of his. It is said that in the heginning; the tille of The B.mi,l and Teli who are the business Parhaiyas wa'i Baiga, but when they beg,m to m<:l1 came from oubide in connecti'On with bll.,iness. They came from a village near Rani * ni~llY, II. TI. Tulle" ant1 ('U'teb tit D',j~[(l 1'"1)1, V(\]. I, pp. 172··173. ganj in the di~trict of Gaya. CflAPTER It THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 1. Ethnic composition (v) Bhogti or Gounju and (vi) Manjhia, all of these also being collectively known as the Nareshgarh is a multi-ethnic _ village with eighteen thousand or A tharahazar Kharwars. The persons or seven differept castesltribes residing in Kharwars of N areshgarh are of Surajbansis. it. The following table gives the community wise break-up of households and population: According to Risley, the Kharwars, are divided into 79 exogamous septs and are known TABLE III by 11 different titles or surnames. All Kharwars of the village, however, have the surname Singh, Households and population classified by community about the origin of which the following legend Number Percentage Number Percentage was recounted in the village: Community of of of of households households persons persons Once upon a time a Kharwar Raja was 1 2 3 4 5 afflicted wi th the growth of two norns on his head. This had naturally to be kept a top secret. 1. Kharwar .. 45 55.7 214 60.8 But the barber who shaved him everyday had to be in the know of the fact. He was, however, 94 26.7 2. parhaiya 24 29.6 warned not to disclose the Raja's affliction to .3. Ghasi 4 4.9 18 5.1 the public and he kept the secret as long as he lived. However, arter the barber's death, a tree 4. Bhuiya 3 3.7 9 2.6 sprouted up from his grave. When a musical 5. Lohra 1 1.2 4' l.1 instrument was made from the wood of this tree, 6. Bania 3 3.7 Il 3.1 its tunes gave out the secret. From that day, the Kharwars began to use the surname Singh which 7. Teli 1 1.2 2 0.6 also means a horn. Total 81 100.00 3.52 100.00 Prior to the abolition of zamindarisJ the Although the village was selected primarily Kharwar zamindars were called Manjhi. But Ifor a study of Parhaiyas, the Kharwars are the now-a-days they are called Singh. The respected dominant tribe in the village comprising over persons of a village used to be referred to as 60 per cent of the village population. After Gauan also, but at present it has become a them come the Parhaiyas, who constitute about custom in the locality to call the village elders 27 per cent of the total population. as Gauan and thus to indicate respect. The use The remaining five castes and tribes have small of Bhagat title is restricted among those Kharwars populations and comprise of only 1-4 households who have been converted to the Tana-Bhagat each. religious school. Similarly Mahto is another respected word prevalent in the area and used for The Kharwars, Parhaiyas and Lohras are the richer people in the manner of Seth else scheduled tribes. The Ghasis and Bhuiyas are where. scheduled castes while the Banias and T elis are non-scheduled. According to the villagers, the Kharwars are divided into only three sections, viz., (i) Surya: Kharwar-The Kharwars are gen~rally bansi, (ii) Nagbansi and (iii) Dogalbansi or robust in built and dark skinned. Of medium Bhogta. It is rurther stated that primarily all structure, with black hair and black eyes, the Kharw ~ Hami and Nirasi were all Kharwars who subse According to Sunder, the Kharwars are quently 1:iecame Rajputs of the Nagbansi section. divid~d into six sub-tribes, viz., (i) Surajbansi; The Dogalbansi or Bhogtas are those Kharwars (ii) Daulbandi; (iii) Patbandi; (iv) Kheri; who began to keep pigs. THE PEOPLE A~D THEIR MATERIAL EQlJIPMENTS 85 The Kharwars of Nareshg;lfh arc divided According to Dhinga Parhaiya of ~hutgari into six gOfms or septs. which, along with the hamlet of Nareshgarh \ 2. Housetype An idea of the, houses, classified by material of wall, can be had from the following table: There is no brick-walled house in the village. TABLE IV Houses classified by material of w,all Number of househol d s of- Living in h')uses with wall made of- r------..... -----·------, Kharwar Parhaiya Ghasi Bhuiya, Lohra Bania Teli Total 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mud 45 20 4 3 I 3 I 77 Wattled bamboos 4 4 Total 45 24 4 3 1 3 1 ' 81 Most of the hOllses in the village have mud is counted. The rice is left on the site over walls. Only "four houses of Parhaiyas have walls night. The head of the household goes to the made of wattled bainboos. site early in the next morning and examines the rice kept at the five spots. If the rice is dis The ro'Ofs are generally tiled. Those made turbed or the grains reduced in number, the site of straw are the nature of exc;eptions, as are the is held to be unsuitable and discarded. Another wattled bamboo walls. , I site is tested and the process continued till a Wooden doors are provided in the m~jority favourable result is obtained. of houses. In some cases, however, the doors are Wood and bamboos used for building a made of split bamboo. These are known as house are obtained from the local forest. No tattars. Locking devices are usually provided in payment has to be made for them. Tiles are the wooden d.oors though not ~very house is generally manufactured by the villagers locally. locked in the absence of its inmates. Securing Those who do not know to make· tiles have to the door or taltar with a piece of string often seek help from their neighbours. Potters are suffices. Windows are not constructed in the sometimes also employed for the purpose. walls. However, small openings are provide<;l During investigation it was found that a potter rather higher in the walls of some houses 'for was making tiles at the rate of eight rupees per ventilation and to enable some sunlight to thousand jn the adjoining village of Orea., stream in. Straw-roofs are thatched with khar grass which is The site 'for the construction of a house also available in abundance in the local forests. must be propitious and suited to the omens. Help from the neighbours IS taken from Before a new construction is taken up, the time to time for building a new house. In proposed site is subjected to testing in accordance return a feast is generally given in which liquor with traditional customs of the locality. Nobody is an essential item. If the help is for some can ever think of constructing a house on un major type of work, meat is also served in the tested land since, by doing so, there is always feast. Sometimes help is obtained on payment the fear of some evi! befalling its inmates. of wages. The rate of payment of wages fluc Despite proper examination, if something bad tuates round on average of Rs. 1.25 per day "for actually does happen, the villagers seldom hesi men. tate to leave the evil house quickly and copstruct a new one for residence. The influence of the The construction of a house is begun by abode on the everyday lives of its dwellers is, raising the walls. The ground site is first marked therefore, believed to be great. Selection of the with the plan of the walls. Earth is dug up, site is done by placing some grains of fine rice soaked with water and mixed up thoroughly with on th~ proposed site. The head of the house the feet. The wall is made from this mud, layer hold goes there in the evening with a handful of by layer. - The first layer is left to dry under fine rice. He places them at five places in the sun for some days. It then becomes strong pl'Ot: at each of the four corners and in the enough to permit another layer being laid. This centre. The 'number of grains kept at each spot process is continued until the walls are completed THF PEOI'Ll<. AND 1 HEIR MAlERIAL ~QUIPMFJ\'T'" 87 up to the leqUl~lte height. Rafters and pole~ The dhenki is used by both. The plaLe of the are then fixed to fJl 0\ ide fOl the frame of the M uas is located in the north-east corner of the rooL '1 he roof h made accOlding to the choi<.e loom which lies in the portion in the shal e of and financial reSOUHes uf the family concerned the son. The father uses the eastern door as with tile~ or wIth h lim gra ... ~. ~ 0 cel cmOnIes al e entrance. Thele arc separate dnimal-~heds but performed at the time of begillnll1g d nc\\ (om tlJe cah es and goats are kept imide the verandah. truction or till comtl uction is in progH''>S. But Hearths al e located in the edstern and western a feast is given to the kinsmen and reldtives on velandahs. the day when the fdmily first enters the !lew Illustration III indicates the plan of a Lohra hOll"e. Thi~ oCLasi\)ll i~ locally known as grzha hou~e. It IS built on the same pattern as the praveslt \\ hich i" "ans"krit term abo used by (a~te Khanvar and Parhdiya houses desLfibed abo\e. Hilldus. '1 his lUn( tIOtl i~ omerved by all com Fndosed \ cland '1 he IlIll~tlatlUns between pages 88 and S!) [or sleeplllg and for 1>torage. The \erandah in give ~ome idl' Illustration II shows the plan of a Parhaiya fhel e i~ no house in the village ha\ ing a house. Again there IS 'Only one room and latrine or a bathro·om. The villagels are accus tomed to go to the fields for answering natures endo~ed verandah~ on three ~ides. To the south cdll. 'I he houses usually :,tand .1t some distance there is an open "crandah III which a dhenki is apart. Thelc is no plOvision of drains. But no kept. Pdndu Pdlhdiya, the owner of the home • dnd hi~ wn live sepalately so the innel room IS pools 'Vf dil ty "ater ale found in the village :;,iuce the glOund is porous dnd the land undutlt di\ided into two parts by d pal titian \\all. The nm them part is used by the son and the southern ing. Even rain water dlies up quickly to the one by the father. The verandah in the ea~t and sandy nature or the soil. hdH or that in the noIth is utilised by the father. C,lre is alw.1Ys taken to leep the room and The \ erandah in the west and the 1 emaining half courtyard neat and dean by regular btooming. of the northern ,erandah is used by the ::.on. Once a while, the noon and pall of the walls ale 88 NARESHGARH plastered with mud. The houses are kept III The tables below shows the households good state of repairs. classified by the number of rooms and per~ons living in them. TABLE V Households cJassined by the number of rooms occupied Households living in houses with- ..A-. ___ r- One rOOm Two rOomS Three rOOQns r----.A..--~----..A..---r...... - ~r----_"__~-, Community· No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of households rooms family households family households family households family members members members members 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1. Kharwar 45 64 214 28 123 15 74 2 17 2. Parhaiya 24 25 94 23 90 1 4 3. Ghasi 4 5 18 3 13 1 5 4. Bhuiya 3 3 9 3 9 5. Lohra 1 1 4 1 4 6. Bania 3 4 11 2 8 1 3 7. Te1i 1 2 2 1 2 Total 81 104 352 60 247 19 88 2 1'7 For the village as a whole there are 104 Yet change in the pattern of dress, like most rooms for 352 persons or an average of 3.5 other changes, is largely related to the economic persons per room. The average is better for 'factor. The poor, in the absence of means, are Parhaiyas simply because their households (as unable to adopt new patterns which the will be seen subsequently) have fewer members comparatively more affluent section of popula on an average. Over 75 per cent of the house tion can do. The Parhaiyas are generally the holds live in single-roomed structures 'and the poorer group in the village. Hence their pattern bulk of the remaining in two-roomed houses. 01 dress has changed but little. The old folk Houses with three rooms are owned by only and the children in particular are the least two Kharwar households. Such houses are the affected by innovations. Even the young men largest in the village. wear only a loin-cloth locally known as bhagai. They pass their days without a kurta (shirt) or 3. Dress vest. During the winter season they keep them Marked changes appear to have taken place selves warm at the fireside. Only few Parhaiyas in the matter 0'£ clElthes worn by the villagers. own blankets for protecti'0n from the cold. Contact with the' outside world has resulted in Those youngmen who can afford to do so, use ·the villagers having largely discarded the use of dhotis and vests. their traditional .articles of wear. In this regard the females appear to have been affected even Children below the age of eight years often more than the males. remain naked. Only tattered clothes are seen . Formerly the villagers usually used l1and on' their bodies. The women use saris. Those who are advanc~d in age keep two pieces of loom cloth. But sinc~ the introduction of mill made ,cloth and its ready availability in the cloth. Of them one is wrapped round the waist and the other round the torso. Blouses, locally local mark~ts, the.y began to purchase them in preference to handl'0om products. Mill-made known as jhula are rarely used by them. Jhulas cloth is sometimes cheaper and invariably less are generally used at festive occasions such as coarse. Ready-made garments . like-, blouses, marriages and other social ceremonies. shirts, shorts and trQusers are also used. by the The Kharwars who are- somewhat better off villagers. than the Parhaiyas use dhoti and kurta or vest, ILLUSTRA nON I 'HOUSE OF SRI BUTAN SINGH KITCHEN KITCHEN lrHI!NK',...... _ •.,..-- .7' 'I" 'I . ------~I CATTL! SHEO BED ROOM CUM STORE. ROOM STOllE '- Ie" -r-- 9'---+ H----- 1 5 "-----iI l ILLUSTRA TION " HOUSE OF SRI PANDU PARHAIVA 27'~-----_ JANT... "1 I I CATTLE SHED I I MUA I I 1 CATTLE SHED 8EO ROOM 20' I 1 I'i CUM 1 STORE lIOOM r- I I H-"'--,I I I I l~lI~-- IS'---~)j 1 CATTLE SHED I20' i 8£0 ROOM I I" CUM I I KITCHEN lSTOAE ROOM I KITCHEN I I +-- 8'--+ I-Il'--+ 1 15'----" +-- "45'J ~",:~K~ _j r ILLUSTRA nON III HOUSE OF SRI MAHRANG LOHRA r-- ILLUSTRATION IV ILLUSfRA TION V I , HOUSE OF SRI SIVALALL GHASI HOUSE OF SRI PHAGU 8HUIVA I .... ATER 6HED I Ii CATTLE SHED 1, r OHENKI I IIIUA KITCHEN 1 !.IU'" ---, WORKSHOP I:-!O AOO'" CUM #STORE ROOIIA 8ED ROOM CUM 12" ~'i'OIlE B: (F'acHl9 y>nlJe R8\ THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERTAL F.QlJTPMENTS 89 Shirts and shorts are also owned by sume of them. the finger and kanallsis in the ears. Unmarried The women wear sal is and some wear blouses women generally do not use many ornaments. also. Bhaglli is used only by the old people. Ornaments are purchased from the market at Like Parhaiya children the Kharwar children Latehar and sometimes also from that at Sarju. below 7 or 8 years or age usual1y remain naked, though some clothes are given to them during The kinds of ornaments, material of manu winter. These are llSually ready-made shorts facture, part or the body on which used and and shirts. their approximate prices are given in the table Among the Lohra, C~hasi and Bhuiya who below: arc also among the poorer section, men wear blillgai and the wumen use saris. ()ne Sheolall TABLE VI Ghasi was seen with dhoti and vest at the lime of the village survey. '1 he Bhuiya was weanng Ornaments a lungi, the ,upper purtioll of I1is body ueing bare. l\Iatnrial of part of tho Name of manufacture body on Approximate The Bania and Teli are economitally better ornament which WOr·U price off and all of them invariably lise dllOli, vest, 1. Tal'kul Silvor Ear Rs. 10 to Rs. 15. shirt and k Ilrla. Their wOlllen wear saris and 2. Hansllli Silver blollses and the children wear shorts. vests aud Neck Rs. 40 to Ra. 60. shirts. 3. Sikri Silver Neck Rs. 10 to Rs. 25. 4. Lalari In regard to footwear, some usc the klwrJIII Glass Neck Re. I to Rs. 2.110. ~al1dal which is a kind of rubber maue locally 5. Haikul Coins stringed Xeck Price dePends from med motor car tyres. It is llsed both by wilh thread upon the num males and females. Only a few households OWl! ber of cOins USed. doth urn))] elIas. Those made of leaves (hxally 6. Baju Silver known as rlzhojJi) or bamboos (known as chllala) Arms Es. 30 to Rs. 50. are owned by many. TOiJfl (made of uambu" 7. Anant Silver Arms Rs. 15 to R,. 25. and leaves) is also kept by some households for R. Kakna SilVt,r Wrist protection against rain. 1 D. Pachhua The dress worn at the ti111e of marriage i~ Silver Wrist diftcrent. Coloured and new clothes arC' ~ Ea. 10 to Hs.35. necessarily to be worn on the uccasion. The 10, Thel Silv~r Wrist persons other than the blide and ?riclc5-,rrOolll I 1 I. Palluchi SilVl'r Wrist j may wear aIel clothes, but these must, 111 any Gl It is -seen that only 40 per cent of the palm leaves are kept respectively for fencing and Kharwar households and 50 per cent of the sleeping '0n. Cots (locally known as khatia) are Parhaiya households use ornaments. There are possessed by few households. Axes, used- 'for some h'0useholds even in the higher income cutting wood an,d also for personal protection in groups which do not USe ornaments. the forests are found in all households. Fishing implements like fishing nets, and balua are also The poorer families who cannot afford silver kept by most households. ornaments satisfy their hankering for ornamen~s merely by getting themselves tattooed. But tius The Kharwars have mostly aluminium does n'0t mean that tattooing is restricted among utensils for cooking food. Earthen pitchers are the poorer families only. On the other hand, kept for storage of water, but some persons tattooing is practised by all commumtles and keep gagras made of brass and basni made of irrespective of their relative afRuence since. a iron for storing water. Mats of date palm leaves tattoo mark is like an ever-worn ornament whIch are used for sleeping on and cots are also cannot be separa.ted from the body even in death. possessed by some of them. Dhenki for dehusk Other '0rnaments may have to be sold at the time ing and jata fur grinding flour are also found. of adversity, but a tattoo mark never leaves the Those who practice agriculture, own -agricul body. tural implements and also tools for harvesting. Fi5hing nets and tangi (axe) are also kept. . Tattooing is done by an itinerant Malar woman. It is done by pricking the design' with The Bania and Teli households have metal needles. Soot and milk of a woman or goat's vessels for cooking, eating and storage. milk are used as the - dyeing ingredients. The Lamps (locally known as dhibri) are desigrts for tatt'0oing are traditional and consist possessed by almost all the hous'cholds for light of imitations of jewellery. To dull the pain, a ing. Kerosene oil is used. Some also possess song is sung q_y the tattooer while she is perform hmricane lanterns for lighting. As reported by ing her operation. The charges paid vary the Parhaiyas, in the past, animal's fat obtained according to the design tattooed, but average at from the hunted animals was used for lighting Rs. 1.50. Out at present, due ro restriction in hunting, animal 'fat was difficult to procure and people 5. Household goods use kerosene oil instead. Oil extracted from dori On account of their poor economic condi (seed of mahua). jetangi, a.nd karanj are also tion the villagers used to have only a rather used for ligh ting purposes. limited number of household goods. C'00~ing Keeping of agricultural tools and imple utensils generally consisted of earthenware. ments is limited only to th'0se households who Earthen pitcherS' were used for storage of water. practice agriculture. Umbrellas made of doth ~ For taking meals metal plates were used, but are ,also kept by some of them: Generally for many plates made locally from the leaves umbrellas made of bamboo and leaves are kept. av'ailable in the forest served the purpose just as For storing corns, villagers keep dalla (containers well. made from bamboo), The earthen moking utensils have to some Statistics collected in the village reveal that €xtent been replaced by aluminium utensils in khatia -is possessed mostly by the Kharwars, many households. Somt:_ women fetch water in Bania and Teli, and a few households of buckets made of iron and almost all take their Parhaiyas 'and 'chauki only by seven households. meals in plates made of bell-metal. Mirror is kept by many households. No house The 'Parhafyas keep luindias for cooking hold in the village possesses bicycle, battery torch food, gharas for storing water and waterpolS light, kerosene stove, radio set or petromax. (lucally known as lota and made of metal) to 6. Food and drink drlnk water from. Meals are taken· in thalis but some use leaf plates. The leavei of palas and Makai (maize), marua (a millet) and mahua sal are used for the purpose. They keep liarahi (fruit) are the usual staple foods in the district of iron to cook vegetables, and tai for preparing of Palamau. Marua is rarely grown in Nareshgarh bread. These are made ot iron. They keep a village bu! paddy is grown in a large acreage. stohe slab for grinding condiments and dhenki Hence, makai, mahua and rice are the s-taple ror dehusking paddy. Jata is kept for preparing foods for the villagers here. They usually take fi'0ur. Mats made of bamboo splinte.rs and date '0111y two meals a day, viz., the morning -meal THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 91 known as kalava and the eve.ning meal called chief varieties of roots (kanda) consumed by the beym·i. Lukma (breakfast) IS taken on1)' villagers are as 'follows: seasonally. They take lukma in the summer 1. Gethi-It is found in abundant quanti season when they go to the forests for collecting ties in the nearby forests. Although bidi leaves. tastes bitter in the raw, it is con sumed in greater quantltIes than The method 01 preparation of meals is the the other roots. To remove the same for all the communities in the village. bitterness, the ooiled roots are kept Rice is cooked with water and the gruel is in a current of flowing water for generany separated, though some people do not several hours. After that they are separate the gruel. Vegetables are cooked with eaten with salt. oil and salt and spices are added for taste. Meat and fish are occasionally cooked, alld the method 2. KlIlll-It is found in small quantities. is same as for vegetables, only more oil and spices It is also bitter in taste and pre- being used. Milk is hardly consumed by any in pared like gethi. the absence o[ high yielding milch cattle. The 3. Khaneya-rt is boiled and consumed habit of taking sllgar has not found its way in with salt. Among other roots, the village, its use with tea being very occasional. dura, beruai and dhengo are found Betel chewing is limited to a few and generally in rather small quantities and confined to occasions when villagers visit some hence eaten only rarely. market place. But bidi smoking is comm'On as also chewing of khaini mixed with lime. Guests, The roots are dug out after the onset of the friends and outsiders are welcomed by offerings monsoon. When rains 'fall, leaves spring out or bidi and khaini. They arc purchased from from the roots enabling them to be easily identi the local markets, but a few households also grow fied. Digging starts in the month 0'[ Asarh and tobacco fnr their own consumption. clmes by the end of Sawan. Again it starts in the month of Paus or Magh and continues till Home brewed alcoholic drinks and bottled Chait. coqntry liquor are the favourite drinks for all The mahua tree is of great benefit to the the sections and the only limit to drinking is the villagers. Its fruits are taken when ripe and oil means fur it. The liquor shops present peculiar is extracted from the seeds. Mahua flowers scenes where some are loitering, some abusing constitute an important item of food. Liquor and some are (!lIan-eIling with bottles in theil is also prepared from it. Variolls kinds of pre hands. A husband offers litluor to his wife and parations, as described below, are made 'from sometimes even a father to his son. There "as rnahlla flowers: reported to be some illicit distillation being carried out secretly. Liquor is used for appeas 1. Jhila-The fresh flowers are boiled with ing the deities and ance~~tral spirits at the time 'Of water and taken without the addi festive occasions. tion of any other material. 2. Chara-·Fresh flowers are boiled with All peopl-e are non-vegetarians. They keep water till dry. Then the boiled goats, fowls and pigs for meat. They never flowers are ground in a mortar. pure ha~e it from the market. Sometimes For taste saunf and other condi hunted animals are eaten. But due to restric ments are added. Small balls are tions placed in hunting in the forests, the scope made from the ground paste of for hunting hardly exists. Only a few Kharwars flowers and kept under the cover in the village who have hegun to wear janeo do of sal leaves. 4fter being thus not take win€, pig and Jowl, but goat meat is stored for a month or more, they not Itabooed even to them. are consumed with boiled rice or saltoo. rhe forest is a very important source of food 3. Rasputka-The dry mahua flowers are and thus of great help to the villagers. Varieties thoroughly w-etted with water and of roots, fruits and leaves are obtained in the after being tied up in a piece of proper seasons. The tender leaves of koinar, cloth, kept on the mouth of a pot amI put/wi a1 e used as vegetables. Mango, piar, in which water is boiling. When jam un and katahal trees give edible fruits. The the flowers have been thus boiled 92 NARESHCARH with steam, they are left to cool. The Bhuiya, Ghasi and Lohra household~ Then the water and juice are also take meals twice a day. They depend .on separated by rubbing the boiled roots and fruits to a large extent. Country wme flowers on a stringed cot. Th.e and liquor are used regularly. Bhuiyas accept water is then boiled and when It food from the Lohras, Khanvars, Parhaiyas and becomes thick with juice the Banias but not from Ghasi. Ghasis alro accept boiled flowers are added to it. This food f;om all except 'Lohras and Bhuiyas. Lohras preparati'Dn, known as rasputka is do not take food cooked by Ghasis and Bhuiyas. consumed witl) other grains. 7. Beliefs and practices connected with birth, 4. Latha-Dry flowers are boiled i~ ste~m marriage and death and pounded in a dhenkz. wIth some fried grains like maIze or Birth-Beliefs and practices relating to birth manta. Small balls, called latha are essentially the same fur all the communities are made from the mixture. in the village. Differences are marked only in the manner of making offerings to the malevolent 5. Usahar-Dry flowers are washed pro spirits which m;:ty influence the prospective perly with water. Then they are mother. Some appease them by offering goats, mixed with some grain and pound some offer only liquor, others sacrifice fowls, ed in the dhenki. The mixture is and S'O on. boiled with steam.. This prepara tion is known as usahar mahua. It is known to all that sexual union of a male and 'female causes -pregnancy. There are 6. The dry flowers are fried in a pan and various methods for ascertaining and identifying consumed with boiled gram pregnancy. The best and the easiest method is (locally known as kohri). ~his by the symptom of cessation of menstruation. preparation is particularly chensh When a woman ceases to menstruate, it is pre ed in the rainy season. sumed that sh~ has conceived~ But rometimes, The number of meals taken may now be in exceptional cases, even when menstruation is examined further. The Parhaiyas are not so r-egular, a woman becomes pregnant. Bulging well·to-do and so they take only two meals a day. out of the abdomen is of q)Urse a sure sign of Roots and fruits furm an important part of then pregnancy. Pregnancy is also marked by the diet. They are repu ted as expert honey collec development of a taste for particular items of tors. They climb even the highest trees and f'Ood. Oedema of the feet also affects some collect honey from inaccessible spots at night. pregnant women but this symptom develops The InvestigatQr saw tnat some Parhaiyas 'had quite sometime after conception. Some preg climbed up a semar tree about 80 feet high to' nant women suffer from moming'sickness. collect honey, by tying bam1?oos to the tree. No special observance, in regard to diet, The Parhaiya males take meals prepared by work or other matters is made f'Or the prospective Kharwars and Banias, but not the females. No mother. She shares the same dishes as prepared Parhaiya will take food cooked by a Lohra, for the rest 0'£ the family members. .No separate Ghasi or Bhuiya. meal is prepared for her. She also continues to The Kharwars are economically better off look after the household affairs with patience. than the Parhaiyas, Lohras, Bhuiyas and Ghasis. In a family in which there is no other lady, the They also take 'Only two meals. But some of pregnant woman has to prepare food for the them also take lukma (breakfast). In the days family members even in an advanced stage of of hardship they also collect roots from the local pregnancy. But the pressure of work IS gene forest~. They take meals prepared by Bania rally reduced as the period of confinement draws only. • near. She' is not allowed to draw water 'from wells or to carry heavy loads. She does not go Bania and T eli, though reported to be to the forest for collecting firewood. In regard taking only two meals a day, alro take breakfast to sexual life, it was reported that there is no occasionally. They mostly consume rice. Roots hard and fast rule about the period after which are eaten by them very occasionally and that top abstinence should be practised. Some observe fof the sake of a change in taste only. They do restrictions after five to six months' pregnancy n'Ot accept food cooked by any community in the while few have sexual contact with their wives villagf. till later. 'rHt PEOPLE A:N'D ntEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 93 No special ceremony is performed after con· in case of a female child. The sari which the ception and before the birth of a child. But care parturient lady wears at t~e time of the delivery is always taken to protect the pregnant woman is also taken by the kamm. Those who can from malevolent spirits. She is not all'Qwed to afford to do so give new cl'Othes to the kamin. go outside the house alone at night. A dead The navel cord is cut with a knife or some body or funeral-procession is not to he seen by her. She also scrupulously avoids witnessing an other sharp iron implement. The after-birth and eclipse 'Of the Sun or the Moon. It is believed placenta are buried inside the delivery ro~m, on that if she sees an eclipse,' the child in her wbmb which spot a fire is kept burning contmu?sly will be harmed and may be maimed at birth. for six days. This is believed to be efficaCl'0us The rather and the other family members are in curing and restoring the health of t~e mot~er quickly. As pollution engulfs the ent~re famIly not affected by a pregnancy. They continue to live as usual. The restrictions and taboos apply after delivery, nobody except the kamzn ent~rs to the prospective mother. the delivery room. Scorpions and bhelwa frUlts are burnt in the delivery room in~ the belief that the child will not l)e harmed by these objects in After marriage, a woman generally lives at her husband's house and child birth usually takes his future life. place at the house of the husband. But when The period of confinement of the mother in the family is faced with some difficulties such as the delivery room is limited to six days and no lack 'Of adequate accommodation, the pregnant pollution exists in the family after this. period. woman goes to her parents' house for delivery. No auspicious work can be started dunng the When she happens to be at her parents' house in period of pollution and none can accept cooked an advanced stage of pregnancy and child birth food from the family till the observance of the is imminent, it is not necessary for her to shift chhathi ceremony. This is performed on the to her husband's home. sixth day of birth among all the sections of people in the village. The barber and washer Generally a portion of the r'Oom is seques man are called on the occasion to shave the tered [or the de Ii very to take place in. If one family members and take the dirty clothes 'for can manage to do so, separate room is spared. washing. The hair of the new child is also However, since most houses have only one room shaved and collected and kept in a leaf-cup full each, a corner of the room is allotted to the of grains. It is not allowed to fall on the pregnant woman and arrangements for cooking ground. The hair is then thrown away in a and sleeping are made in the enclosed verandahs. clump of tall sabai grass in the belief that the S'':::Hn_eti~es the assistance of a neighbouring family of the child will also grow as luxuriantly famIly IS obtained for temporarily keeping stores as the sabai grass. The grains in the cup are an? goods in its house. mixed with the seed which are sown in the fields at the onset of the monsoon. On the sixth day, An indigenous dai (locally known as kamin) both the mother and child take a ceremonial who belongs to the Ghasi caste, attends the bath and put on- new clothes. The m'0ther also delivery. She lives in the same village. She puts vermilion marks on the bank of stream or serves all the communities not only in the village on the sides ot a well. A name is given to the but in the entire l'Ocality. She assists the pros child on the occasion of chhathi. The Kharwar, pective mother at the time of delivery by keep Bania and Teli households consult the Brahmin ing her in the right posture to e.nable trouble als'0, but the other communities do not consult free and quick delivery. She has got no formal the Brahmin but give the names themselves. training .for her job and her skill is derived only Kinsmen and friends are invited on the occasion. from tradition and experience. Sometimes, in They are served with a good repast and they in the absence of the kamin) an elderly woman '0f turn give some presents to the child according to the same community as the pregnant woman their capacity. comes to attend to the delivery. The service of After delivery, the mother is given halwa the k~min continues for six day~, during which prepared from molas~es, turmeric and ginger to pollutIOn engulfs the family. During this period eat. This is the 'Only food given to her for three she massages the b'Ody of child and the mother d~ys .. After t~at rice is given to her. No special wit? oil. She charges one rupee and six seers of dIet IS prescnbed for recouping health. She grams as her remuneration in the case of a male takes the same food as prepared for the family child, but only fifty paise and six seers of grains- members. 94 NARESHGARH The Parhaiyas observe pollution for twer:lty develop in the child spontaneously, as he grows days. The others observe only for six days. up. There is no specific date on which the ch~ld The children 'are treated with fond, care and is taken out from the house for the first tinle. affection. Generally the old people and the It can be brought outside the house on any d;ly, youngsters look after infants. However, the but care is taken when two children take biith mother remains quite vigilant about the well· within the interval of six days (i.e., before the bei11g of her child. Often she keeps her child performance of the chhathi ceremony of the first on her back (tied with napkin) even while at child). In such a case, the mothers of the tWO work. children do not see each other informally. It is believed that the breast of the mother who IS Contraceptives are reportedly used very seen first may dry up. Hence a provision is m3de rarely though the villagers were secretive about to bring them face to face at a fixed place so it. The kamin is believed to be well up in her th"'t th~'j m",'i '{;'~'I{ ~"".:h ~tt\.~'i: ..,;'m\lltan~QuJ_'J knowledQ:eOJ of contraceptives.• Herbs and roots Two other elderly women close their eyes and are used for contraception and abortion. Often escort them to the place. Their eyes are oper:ted massaging the abdomen induces abortion. at the same time so that_both can see each other Excessive use of liquor and partaking at the same time. Instance of such case was, of mixture of palas seeds, plantain flowers and however, not found in the village since a few katahal fruit are also said to induce abortion. years back. Cases of barrenness are viewed with serious ness and gravity in the society among all the Maternity services are available at Latenar sections of people. After a few years of marriage, at a distance of 12 miles 'from Nareshgarh. if the woman does not give birth to a child, alt Trained da{ has also been posted at the health the family members become anxious, Herbs and sub-centres at Tarwadih and Sarju at distances roots are given to her. The ojha is also con of 3 and 8 miles respectively, but no villagers' sulted. Advice .from the medical authorities is care to go to consult them. Even the. intricate seldom taken. In the course of field study it was cases are confined at home under the care of the said that Sri Ramkrit Singh, a Kharwar of local kamiJl.. Nareshgarh had consulted an allopathic doctor The durations of suckling fluctuates. It for the treatment of his wife's barrenness. depends upon the persons concerned. But gene No reason was ascribed by the villagers for rally breast feeding is stopped when the mother still births and infant deaths. Instances of such conceives again. -Weening is done by applying happenings are very rare in the village. Twins some bitter paste on the nipples. Ground chillies are sometimes born. Sri Ghansham Singh (a or leaves of the neem tree are used for -this Kharwar) has twin sons, both living. Sons are purpose. always preferred to tl,le daughters since while the The mo_ther generally avoids spicy foqd lest 4 former live with their parents the latter leave such food affect, the child. The first solid food their parents and go to their husbands' homes is given to a child when it is about four mor:tths after marriage. in the case of a g_irl and when it is about five , Marriage-The marriage customs are almost months _if a boy. - After a year, when teeth begin the same for all the sections of people. The Bania to come out an attempt is made to regularise the and the Teli do not payor receive bride price. e'ating habits of the child. The other habits like In other sections of people payment of bride micturition defecation and general cleanliness price is prevalent. THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPMENTS 95 An idea of the age of marriage for boys and had from the table below: girl~ among the different c<'mmunities can be TABLE VIII Age at marriage Community Maximum age at Minimum age at Average age at ml.rl'iage marriage marriage - ___.A. ______--., r"- - -- _..A._ - __ -"0 r- r----~---...._------...... -, Males Females Males Females Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 L Kharwar 20 18 16 12 18 14 2. Parhaiya 18 17 15 12 16 15 3. BhuiYa 20 16 16 13 17 14 4. Ghasi 20 18 16 14 18 16 5. Lohra 17 12 17 12 17 12 6. Bania 20 18 17 16 18 17 7. Tali 18 16 18 16 18 16 Boys are usually married at 18 years of age are contracted n TABLE IX Distance of place of marriage fll'om the village Ma.rriages contracted among- Distance from the village r---______------___..A.------. Kharwar Parhaiya Bhuiya Ghasi Lohra Bania Teli 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Same village 1 2 0-3 miles 2 4-6 miles 13 5 1 2 1 7-9 miles 12 7 2 2 2 1 10-12 miles 9 3 1 13-15 miles 19 5 16 miles and above 3 3 Except the Banias and the Telis, negotia The bulk 'Of the marriages has been con7 tions for marriages ar~ initiated from the bride tracted within a distance of 4-15 miles 'from the groom's side. The Banias and the Telis have to village. Only 3 marriages have been settled in find 'Out bridegroom for their daughtel-s. In their the same village and .6 have been contracted at case, the bride's father has to take the initiative a distance of more than 16 miles. Only 2 and he has to pay a price for the groom. Among Parhaiyas are reported to have married within other communities, when a son attains marriage the distance of 3 miles from the village. able age in the opinion o"f his parents, the fatlIer 96 NARESHGARH tries his best to search out a suitable girl 'for Muhdekhai (fee for seeing the face of the bride). hi-m, in k-eeping with the social and economic Sharbat)s made from molasses brought both by status of the boy's family. The parents of the the parties and distributed among the assembled son cpmmunicate their desire about get'ting their persons. The girl's father kills a goat to enter son married to their friends and relatives. They tain the guests. After taking their meal, they also spare no pains in their quest for a suitable return. A date is then fixed for girl's father tQ bride. When they come to know about some visit the boy's house. The girl's father, accom . eligible girl, information is sent to the boy's panied with a few villagers, comes to the boy's father. A day is then fixed for visiting the house house where he is warmly welcomed. He offers 0'£ the bride. The 'father of the boy accompanied a 'few clothes to the boy and returns after taking by some other villagers Qr relatives, goes to the his meal. house of the bride. They reach there in the Then a day is fixed for the marriage cere evening and are warmly received by the host. mony according txJ the convenience of both the No talk about marriage takes place that night, parties. The Banias, Telis and Kharwars consult the guests only taking their meals and relaxing. the Brahmin for the fixation Qf the date of Discussions about marriage starts the next morn marr,iage, while the other communities fix the date ing if no bad omens were met with in the pre themselves, Two types of marriages are in vogue. 'viQUS night. Howlings of deer, jackals and the viz., (i) Dolkarhi and (ii) Dolchar·hi. The first gudgudi bird are believed tu be inauspicious. type is usually preferred as it costs very littte to If any of them is heard at night, negotiations for the marriage do not take place since both parties the girl's father. In this type of marriage the ceremony takes place at the house of bridegroom fear that some misfortune may await the pro by taking the bride there. In the second type posed union. But the roaring of tigers and the chattering of monkeys are regarded as auspicious (Dolcharhi) the marriage is arranged at the house of bride and great expenditure has to be borne signs and when these are heard negotiations for marriage may proceed. But the night in which by the bride's father. no animal sounds are heard is believed to augur best for the proposed marriage. If the omens The girl is brollght to the groom's house are favourable, the negotiation commences. The a day before the erection of the mandap. At the boy's "father says that he has come f..or shelter. time Qf setting out for bringing the bride, two baskets of sweets, one of kasar (rice-flour mixed If the girl's father js agreeable to proceed, . he politely asks the boy's father to take as much as with molasses) and some cloth are carried shelter he needs. But if he is disinclined to there. The . brid~ is invariably brought at even marry his daughter to the guest's sort, he says ing time. Sometimes the bride is brought even a week or more earlier. Among the Parhaiyas that he will consult his family members prior tv giving him his word. The guests understand particularly, the marriage ceremony may take the indication and return without taking food at place after a man th, a year or even after the delivery 01 a child. Some case studies are given the house of the host. ~ut when there is agree ment the guests are entertained with good food below: after which they go back. (1) Pandu Parhaiya got his son cere At the time of bidding farewell 'to the gqest, moniously married just prior to the a date is fixed on which the boy's father would marriage ceremony of his grand again come to the house of the girl for Faun son. Sohrai Parhaiya, the son of bandhi ceremony with his kinsmen and relatives. Pandu Parhaiya brought a girl for marriage. But due to poverty he The groom's father receives a warm welcome could not complete the ceremonies. when he goes again. He offers some cuins to the Meanwhile, he was blessed with girl's father in a dish containing aroa lice and several children. When his son dub grass. This function is called Paunbandhi. Phuldeo Parhaiya attained marriage This ceremony binds the girl's father to the able age, he brought a girl for groom's father and the former may not hence himself. But as averred by the forth negotiate with others. After the Faun villagers, Phuldeo could not be bandhi ceremony, the girl presents herself before married until his parents them the guest with a lola full of water. She offers the selves went through the marriao-e water to the boy's father who drinks it. In return ceremony. So his parents got the~ he gives some money to her which is called selves married first in the mwndap THE PEOPLE AND THEIR MATERIAL EQUIPME~TS 97 prepared fDr Phuldeo's marriage. couple by offering of ghee. Marriage is per· After sometime, Phuldeo was also [mmed by applying vermilion on the head of married in the same marriage bride by the bridegroom. The bride also applies bower. vermilion on the ears of the groom. A curtain is raised at the time of applying vermilion. The (2) Ramchandra Parhaiya has three sons brother or the bride throws parched paddy all but he is yet to be (eremoniously the couple who make seven turns IDund the married. lIe will undergo the burning fire. ceremony at the time of the marriagc of his eldest son. But if he can After marriage a function known as afford to do so, he may be formally chalilltm i IS performed. The married couple married even earlier. and the village ladies go to the local stream, singing songs. As soon as they reach the stream, (3) Dhiru l'arhaiya got his ~on and the couple take off their new clothes and take a daughter married when they had bath in the river. After thi~ they put on same given birth to two children each. 'old clothes. Each of them makes five earthen balls from the mud and affectionately throws Logs of Sidha are brought for the marriagc them on the other. This function is known as bower by some males. The females venerate chauthari. the logs by spraying coloured rice on them. Nine poles are erected in the courtyard. On the When they return to their hOllse, the bride central pole are fixed leaves of bambo(), semar, groom shoots arrows aimlessly over the shoulder malllSo, dumar and some betel nuts. The roof h 'Of the bride. The bride brings back these made with khar grass. Alter compieting marriage arrows and hands them over to her husband. He bower, a separate log is fixed to the ground, again shoots the arrows which the wife obedient known as kalyani khllnla. ly brings hack. Thus they reach the house 01 the bridegroom. The kangans which the couple The bridegroom, his mnther, the villagc had earlier tied to each other's wrists are un women and the Baiga then go to bring some fastened. After that the couple set out fur the earth from the field. This 'function is known as house or bride's parents. They reach there in lIlatkor. The place for digging the earth for the the evening and are warmly welcomed. Staying marriage ceremony is fixed and accessible to all there overnight, they return again to the bride the communities. \Vhen thcy rcach the place, groom's house and start their married lifc the mother of the groom close~ the eyes of Baiga proper. This function is known as bahurna. who ~igs out s~me soil and gives it to her by The mallr (headgear) worn at the time of throwmg the soIl from behind. She takes it in marriage by the bridegroom is made over to the her anchal (free part of the sari). Prior to village Baiga who throws it in the bamboo grove digging the earth the Baiga worships the earth in the belief that the couple's family will grow goddess with offerings of gheeJ sweetmeats, flowers as quickly and luxuriantly as bamboo shoots. and sandal wood. All the marriages arc contracted outside the The earth is brought to the mandap and a sept. The Parhaiyas who reported having only platform is raised near the central pole of the one gotra known as Pandu avoid marriage bet bower. An earthen pitcher filled with water is ween persons related up to four generations. kept on the platform and some mango-leaves are kept on the pitcher. Then the pitcher is covered \.., ith a lid containing paddy, upon which an Monogamy is found to be in practice gene earthen lamp is kept. Th" lamp has four wicks. rally and is also preferred by the people, but instances of polygamy are also in vogue. Polyandry is not recognized by society ,md no The marriage ICTem ..Jny is generally PCI sllch ca~e w,:s met with in the village. Widow formed. during .the day time. Prior to marriage remarnagc In the sagai form is prevalent among turmenc and OIl are ma~saged on the entire :l.ll the coml_l1unities and divorce is The following caSe studies will indic:at~ accounted for by the following anecdote, some of the types or marriages performed in the reported in the village: village: (i) In ancient times, the Bhuiyas used to (1) Kail Parhaiya's first wife died af.ter bring the bride 'On a palanquin for giving birth to four children. He then marf1ed marriage. On one occasion, while a widow from village Asnachuan who had two doincr so, they came across a stream children from her first husband. No child was and °set the palanquin down. As born to her after her marriage with J{ail soon as the palanquin was kept on Parhaiya. The marriage was performed on the the ground the bride came out road outside the village simply by applicatior1 ?[ from it and strayed into the forest to eat bair (zizyphus jlljuba) fruits. vermilion and unaccompanied by ceremonies. III the sagai form. The two children of the wU10w The party became anxious about live with their mother and step-father. her whereabouts and search was made. She was round eating fruits. (2) Budhan Bhuiya married a ,second l~ife From that very day, the Bhniyas when he lost all hope of issues from his first vl~!~. made a vow not to carry the bride But the second wife also did not bear any c}111~ in a palanquin. reno In due course the first wife died and be IS living with his second wife, still childless. (ii) Another anecdote relates to the poverty of the Bhuiyas and their (3) Gujar Singh (a Kharwar) has four wives greed for drinks. Once, when the and all are alive. From his first wife he ha, no Bhuiyas were going to bring a bride issue. Though she delivered several children, for marriage, they sold the pal an all died. The second wife belongs to the same q uin to purchase liquor. When the village. From her he has one son and one owner of the palanquin ash-ed for daughter. The third is a case of love marriage. it a guarrel ensued. From that She was formerly married at Orea, a neighbour very day no body loaned palanquins ing village. She fell in love with Gujar- singb to the Bhuiyas and being poor they and began to live with him leaving her hus})a_nd were unable to have their own. at Orea. In due course, Gujar Singh mar'fled Hence they gave up the custom 'Of her and paid Rs. 125 to her first husband as. a bringing the bride on palanquin. compensation. The fourth is none but the Wife of his elder brother. She has two issues from h~r (d) Ghasis do not use the maur at the time first husband. She also began to love Gujar of marriage. They only tie mango leaves on the Singh and at last got married to him. forehead of the groom. Shivlall Ghasi said that all the Ghasis or Nareshgarh were of Sonwani (4) Ramautar Singh (a Kharwar and sect who worship a spirit named Thutha chandz mukhia) has two wives. The second rhar:eiage who is a Dusadh by caste. That is why they do was a love marriage. The second wife belongs not wear the maur. to the same village. She was unmarried and loved by Sri Ramautar Singh. The second Death-Beliefs regarding death are essentially marriage took place with all associated rites and the same among all the sections of people in the ceremonies. village. Death occurs at the will of the Almighty. The main differences in the celebration 01 Not even an ant can be disturbed without His marriages among the different communities are will. Sometimes unn~tural deaths are caused by as follows: some malevolent spirits which are also supposed to be motivated by the Supreme Being. Death from (a) The services of Brahmins are sou_ght £?I small-pox, cholera, falling from tree, or by wild only by Kharwars, :relis and Banias. H'rallmlll animals such as tigers are said to be unnatural. priests are not employed by- other communities. The spirit of a person killed by wild animals (b) Bride price is prevalent in all the becomes baghaut. and that of a pregnant woman rommunities 'except Bania and Teli. a churatl. (i:) All the comml}nities bring the bride on The dead are cremated by all the communi palanquin, but the 'Bhuiyas do not bring the ties. But the children are buried as also those bride in this manner. She has to walk. Tflis is who die from cholera, small-pox and drowning. THE PEOPLE A~D THEIR MATE;RIAL EQVIPME~TS 99 Persons dying 'from snake bites and pregnant Two leaf-cups, one containing milk and other women also are invariably buried. water, are kept at the entrance of the house. These .are touched by the members of the 'fune News of death in any family spreads like ral party one by one. After that they take some wild fire due to the louel wails of the family food in the hOllse of the deceased. members. "illagen quickly as~emble at the hOllse of the bel eaved family anel arrange for the rhe last 1 ites, locally known as shradh take funeral rites. A person is not c1istUl bed from his place according to' the age of the deceased.' In cot when he is dying. But _after death, the body the case of a child, it takes place on the third, is placed on the ground and a bier is prepared. fifth or seventh day o'f death, according to the Oil ,mel ground turmeric -are mas~aged on the convenience of the family concerned. But when body of the deceased and then a new white an adult dies. the last rites are performed on the tenth day. The barber comes and shaves the ~hroud is wrapped. head and beards of the kinsmen and relations. Four persons (aHY the bier and proceed to He also pares the nails of the females. The wards the cremation gronnd. Others also accom washerman LO~e~ and takes away the clothes for pany them amI assist in the way. When dley wa~hing. Finally a least is given to relatives and ,e.ach. the. (xemati.cm ~\'Gunct the biex i& kept on hi.enub on 'lhe 'twe'Jhh U".'l)l in C"cl'!>e 1.)1 uet:e:7t'!>eU the ground. Persons coUe( t wood from the males or on the thirteenth day in case of forest. Four logs arc first erected on the oToLllld dcceased females. in a Sf}llare with the distan( e between b them being equal to the measurement of a hu]J1an A function known as chhah bhitarna is foot. These logs are called kuanri khllnta. "fhe observed by all the sections of people on the logs of firewood are arranged and a pyre is made tenth day. The person who lit the funeral pyre u~ to the height of the waist. The corpse is tIl en observes strict continence 'for ten days. He takes saltless fO'od and sleeps on the ground separately laId '011 the pyre. The pyre is lit by the son or other cognate of the deceased with hhar orass from the other family members. He never touches bundle tied with vel leaves. The proces~ is lhe household goods other than those he must repeated five time~ and each time a fresh bundle use. On each of the ten clays he goes to offer is taken which is thrown into the pyre after food t'O the son1 of the deceased in the field. On c~mpleting the ·round. Then the person puts a the tenth day he i.s accompanied by some persons, pIece of wood on the pyre which is repeated by and goes there WIth a bundle of khar grass and all the assembled persons. a f'Owi. They make a temporary hut and keep the fowl in it. The hut is burnt and they cry After pyre is set aflame the people bathe in lJy the name of the deceased and request his soul the st~eam and return to the ,iIlage. They g'O to come and extinglli~h the fire of the hut. Then to theIr own houses and take their meals. The they return and worship the .Neua at which the m~mhers of the bereaved family are supplied S'onl of the deceased is believed to have found its WIth foo~ by the neighbours on that day since horne. no food IS prepared at their house. On the same day another function is After t(lking their meal the villagers again observed to ascertain the reason of death. The assemhle at the hOllse of the d'eceased and ECONOMIC RESOURCES 1. Land to the details maiutained in the village records is as follows: The total area of Nareshgarh reveuue mauza Acreage IS 3,274.96 acres or 5.12 square miles. The area Dhan of the village is classified as follows: (I) Dhan I Nil (II) Dhan II 5.85 TABLE X (III) Dhan III 49.36 Classification of land In the village Sub-total 55.21 Tanr Nature of land Area in Percen- atlres tage to (IV) Tanr 1 61.86 total (V) Tam: II 84.15 1. Forest 2,400.50 73.30 (VI) Tanr III 318:79 2. Land not fit for cultivation 200.67 6.13 Sub-total 46~.80 3. Land put to non-agricultural uses 107.28 3.27 4. Cultivable waste 46.50 1.42 Grand Total 520.01 5. Fallow lands- It will be noticed that the classified area includes the net area under crops and current (a) 1 to 5 years 50.00 1.53 and old fallows, details of which have been given (b) Current fallows 175.00 5.34 earlier. The above classification shows that the agricultural lands of the village are not very 6. Net area under crops 295.01 9.0~ productive. Class I dhani land does not exist Total 3,274.98 100.00 at all, and even under class _II, the acreage is quite negligible. The bulk of the dhani lands The above statistics are Oased on the land is class III. Similarly, among tanr lands, the utilisation reporn for 1963-64. It is seen that maximum acreage is again under class III. Most about three-fourths of the Itotal area is covered of the tanr III and tanr II classes of land have to with forests. In the remaining, again, about be l.eft fallow for a year or more depending upon one-fourth area is not fit for cultivation and thus their relative fertility. Dhan lands are the low remains barren, and nearly one-eighth has been lands in which water accumulates during the put to non agricultural u~e. A large area also rainy season. As the very name indicates, paddy remains fallow since cultivation is not carried is grown in dhan land. Its fertility is augm~nted out continuously every year on most plots. The by the natural manuring provided by rotten net area sown is thus less than a tenth of the total leaves, etc., that accumulate in the land along geographical area' of the village. with the rain water. The tanr lands are uplands in which coarse grains are cultivated. The agricultural lands are being tlivided Irrigational schemes are very difficult to into two classes, viz., dhan and tanr which are execute in the village because of the undulating again categorised into three categories according nature of terrairi. Moreover, the area is rocky to the extent of their fertility. There is another and irrigational wells are difficult to bore . .kind of land called bari which comprises the tanr Irrigation is possible only in the low larrds by lands situated close to the 'homes of the villagers. storing water within artificial embankments. Sometimes such embankments are built in the The distribution of the agricultural lands river beds for checking and changing the direc into various classes of dhan and tanr according tion of the flow of the river. ECONOMY 101 The vartetIes o~ crops raised in the various wood for fuel and timber for making agricultural types of land are indicated below: implements, constructing houses and manufac Class of land Crops cultivated turing some of the household goods. Ani,mals in the wild state are also found in the forests but 1. Dhan I & II Aghani paddy. shooting and hunting is strictly prohibited by 2. Dhan III Karhani and Bakar paddy. the Forest Department. Hunting is done very 3. Tanr I Maize and bodi. rarely since it must he done stealthily and without the knowledge of the vigilant Forest Guard. 4. Tanr 11 Kodo, gondli and gora. 5. Tanr III Kurthi, Urid and Til. 2. Livestock The forests are situated within the limits of the revenue mauza engirdling the village settle The following table gives for each commu m.ents o~ a.1l sides. They supply the villagers nity thel number of domestic birds and animals with "anetlcs of roots, fruits. and leaves as also owned by the villagers: TABLE XI Livestoc~ Milch cattle Draught bullocks Goat'! Pigs Fowls Co~munity r----..... ----., r-----...... --., .-----'-----, r---- "--~---, ,-----"------, Number Total Number Total Number Total Number Total Number Total of number of number of number of number of number hOll~eholds households households households households owning owning owning owning owning 2 3 4 fi 6 7 8 9 10 11 1. Kharwar 39 86 37 84 40 80 42 213 2. Parhaiya 13 27 16 32 19 36 21 49 23 98 3. Ghasi 3 4 2 4 2 2 4 22 4. Bhuiya 2 4 . 3 6 2 3 '2 12 5. Lohra 1 1 1 1 1 6. Bania 2 5 3 6 2 4, '7. Teli 1 1 1 1 Total 61 128 62 133 6'1 12'1 21 49 '11 345 It is seen that fowls, which are used as and give no milk. Draught bullocks are owned sacrificial birds, are kept by most of the house by the same number of households as own ,milch holds and in rather adequate numbers. It is cattle. These either have their own cultivable only the Bania and T eli households that do not lands or take lands from others for cultivation. keep fowls. They averred that this was not Goats are kept both for providing meat and for permissible for them. Although a Lohra can sacrificial purposes on the occasion of religious and usually does keep fowls, the single Lohra festi ... als. They are found in households of all household in the village did not passess any fowl communitie'i. Pigs are owned only by the at the time of the survey. Cows are kept Parhaiyas. • primarily for getting calves to produce' bullocks for being used for ploughing. Milk is seldom The animals and birds of the "illage are extracted from them. Only a few homeholds all of indigenous breeds. No cattle of improved own she-buffaloes for milking. Milk from cows breed was found in the village. Though animals is generally obtained during the rainy season. are of immense help to them, little care is taken Tn nther seasons the cows are not properly fed by the villagers to feed them properly. Shelter 102 NARESHGARH has to be provided for them mainly for fear of There is no major industry in the entire their being carried away by wild animals. subdivision. Latehar is, however, known for its St~ll-feeding of cattle is not practised, so that the export of timber and 'bamboos. animals have largely to fend for themselves by grazing. During summer months only, when 5. -Livelihood classes ploughing is about to commence, straw is gjyen to the draught bullocks. The villagers are engaged in the following principal occupations for their livelihood: 3. Other resources 'l:ABLE XII Although agriculture is the main source of, income to the village, many persons supplement LI velihood classes their earnings by working f.or wages as agricul tural labourers and by working in the forest Total Households'Households House number engaged engaged holds coupes. The latter provides very welcome Community of in in engaged opportunity of employment to the villagers. households cultiva- industry in busi- tion ness I and cultivation 4. Factors z1nfluencing economic life in the village 1 2 3 4 5 Land reforms-The village is known as a Khutkatti village. This -implies that the original l~ Kharwar .. 45 45 settlers' of the village had cleared the forests in the area and thus made the place worth habitable 2. Parhaiya .. 24 24 and fit for cultivation. The villagers ,retain their 3. Ghasi 4 4 occupancy rights even after the abolition of the 4. Bhuiya 3 3 Zamindari system. Now they' have to pay revenue " direct to Government instead of through inter 5. Bania 3 3 mediaries. The villagers did not aver to have 6. Lohra derived any benefit by the abolition of Zami'ndari. 7. Teli 1 Land improvemei'll -A'£ter the opening of the Total 81 77 1 3 Community Development Block at Latehar '(under the jurisdiction of which villag~ Nareshc It is seen that more than 95 per- cent garh lies) so~e initiative has been taken by the staff of the Block for developmen_t 0'£ land. Several of the households in the village are engaged in cultivation as their principal occupation. How embankments have been ronstructed to control ever, members of these households also work as soil erosion. Embankments have also been cons labourers to supplement their earnings. Village tructed to retain water in the plots at higher industry as the main occupation is confined to elevations. Contour farming has been intro the Lohra household, members of which also duced a~ a check against soil erosion. work as labourers occasior{ally. The Lohra's services are more or less limited to the village Village Industries-There are twO types of only. Though Parhaiyas practise €ultivation as village industries in the village. The first is the their main occupation, working as labourers is blacksmithy unit run by the simple household of very common among them. Some of them also Lohras. The second is bas]<.et making, practised manufacture bamboo-goods mo~tly for their own by a few Parhaiyas households, though only as a use, and also for sale within the village for value subsidiary occupation. The Parhaiyas • bring in kind. ' bamboos from the village forests on payment of vVorking as forest labourers in the forest 5 paise per piece. They manu'facture baskets, flat coupes provides daily wages of about Re. I per basket and 'fans which are mostly used by them day per male labourer. Work is available in selves. The Lahra manufactures materials like most parts of the year except during rains. sickles, spades, knives and ploughshares for the Women find a very profitable part-time employ village. He sells these things in the local markets ment in collecting leaves (used in the manufac only rarely. ture of bidis) for sale. ECONOMY 103 6. Primary and secondary occupations It is seen that 147 males and 110 females have 'I'he following table gives an idea of the cultivation as their principal occupation and only primary and secondary occupations of the 1 male and 1 female work principally at black villagers: smithy. Out of 148 males and III female work ers in the village as many as 108 males and 77 TABLE XIII females have secondary occupations as well, Primary and secondary occupation's comprising chiefly of working as labourers. Primary occupation Subsidiary occupation r------"""-----~,..__----'-----_. No person in the village reported having Com Cultivation Blacksmithy Labour Business munity changed the occupation of his father. There is r----....A...-~ r-._,_.l._-__ r--__:'_"--~ ,..-__..A._~ cyen lack of aspiration, the villagers being content M F M F M F M F to practise their age old professions, 1 2 3 4 5 6 789 1. Khar 88 69 57 45 war. 2. Par, 43 28 40 25 7. Dr-sc} i/}tion of diffel'(,1l1 occllpalions haiya. 3. Ghasi 7 4 5 3 4. Bllnia 4 4 3 Agriculture-The following table gives the 5. Bhuiya 4 4 2 3 distribution \)f households 0'£ each community according to the size or agricultural holding. It 6. Lohra may be noted that the quality of land has not 7. Teli 1 . 1 b't'en taken into account, but, as observed earlier, Total 147 110 1 1 105 77 3 the bulk is tanr III. TABLE XIV Distribution of households by the size of agricultural holdings Number of households with- Community r------"------... -----~------._ Xo land Below 5 to 49 50 '1ents l'l-~'4 2,:;-~'9 5 -10 Above Total 5 cent>t Cl"nts to 1 acrf' Ilcres aC'res acres ]0 al:lres number of house. holds 1 2 3 4, 5 6 7 8 9 10 1. Kharwar •• 1 1 6 6 0 15 7 45 2. Parhaiya , . 2 5 I 4 3 2 7 24 3. Ghasi 1 3 4 4. Bhuiya 1 I 3 5. BanIa 1 I 3 6. Teli 1 7. Lohra I Total .. 3 5 3 13 15 12 23 7 81 It is seen that only 7 Kharwar household<; p"ar. As such. many persons have to do work possess more than 10 acres of lanu to cultivate. other than at cultiyation. They work either as The bulk of the households (36 in number) labourers or in the forests. The 3 landless posses~ less than 2.5 acres of land ,\·hich is quite households cultivate lands taken from others. As inadeq uate for their sustenance throughout the share-croppers they get only 50 per cent of the 104 NARESHGARH yield. There are 5 households possessing less the reservation and protection of the forests. than 5 cents of land and they also are practically Lac used to be an, important cash crop for the landless and work also as share-croppers. villagers and they have suffered much as a result The distribution of agricultural land in the of lower lac production, another factor for which village, as! reported by the various households, is is the fall in the price of raw lac. given in the following, table, separately for each The following figures indicate the annual community: yield of agricultural products and the quantity of each consumed and sold: TABLE XV oommunltywise distribution of agricultural ~and TABLE XVI Total Extent of Percentage Percen- Agricultural produce and their disposal numb,er land in of house· tage of -Community of house acres holds to land owned Annual quan- Quantity Quantity holds total to total Name of tity produced consumed in sold in produce in maunds maunds maunds 2 3 4 5 1. Kharwar " 45 269.50 55.57 77.35 1. Paddy 1,580 1,250 330 2. Parhaiya .. 24 53.04 29.63 15.22 2. Marua .. 66 56 10 3. Ghasi 4 1l.75 4.94 2.80 3. Pull!es, 748 560 188 maize, etc. 4. Bania 3 - 11.00 3.70 3.16 5. Bbuiya 3 3.10 3.70 0.89 It is cleaI1 that a greater portion of the 6. Teli 1 1.00 1.23 produce is consumed by the people themselves 0.29 and a very small portion is taken to the local 7. Lohra 1 1.00 1.23 0.29 markets 'for cash sale.' It is noteworthy that often sale is necessary in order to have _the necessary Total 81 348.39 100.00 100.00 cash for purchasing other essential commodities of daily life. Sale does not necessarily imply a The total acreage of 348.39 acres reported surplus. Paddy constitutes the main crop and by the villagers is lower than the 520.01 acres as after that comes maize. maintained in the village reoords. It is seen that bulk of the village land is owned by the The crops are produced III the bhadai, Kharwars. Though oonstituting only 55.57 per aghani and rabi seasons. Villagers do not grow cent of total households, they own 77.35 of the summer (garrna) crops. Though a special variety village agricultural land. Other communities of paddy, locally known as terna, is abundantly suffer in contrast in this respect. grown in summer in the neighbourhood, village Nareshgarh is an exception in this regard. The soil in the village is classified into three kinds locally termed as khari, balathi and lal. The jinswar report of the village, prepared The classifications of land into dhan and tanr has by the Block staff shows the acreage under been discussed earlier in this chapter. differe~t seasonal crops as follows for three succeSSive years: The method of cultivation largely follows, the traditional pattern. The practice of shifting Seasonal crops 1961·62 1962.63 1963.64 cultivation has, of course, died out. The method Acr. Dec. Aer. Dec. Aer. Dec· of cultivation locally known. as dah-dhosna, in I. Bhadai 61 94 51 73 which sowing is done after dry twigs, leaves and 119 10 cowdung have been burnt On the plots of land is 2. Agh':tni 106 30 107 81 122 11 reminiscent of the old practice. The use of 3. Rabi .. 58 92 4'6 37 75 55 modern chemical fertilisers has now been started in the -village. Ammonium sulphate and calcium 4. Garma .. Nil Nil Nil superphosphate fertilizers are used by cultivators Total .. 227 16 2-05 91 S16 76 who have adopted the Japanese method of grow ing paddy. They have been initiated into this It is seen that aghani crops (mainly paddy) by the Village. Level Workers of the Latehar account for the greatest acreage followed by the Community Development Block. There has bhadai (chiefly maize) and the rabi (mostly pulses). been little change in the nature of produce but Vegetables are nob grown in the village as irriga. production of lac is on the wane chiefly due to tional wells do not exist. ECONOMY 105 Agricultural implements-The viIlagers use and seedlings are not transplanted but left to traditional and indigenous tools and implements mature in the same plot in which they were sown. for cultivation. The plough and yoke are the In the rapa method the seedlings are prepared important implements, the various parts of which separa.tely and when they grow upto the desired are: height, they are uprooted and transplanted into the puddled agricultural field. Three to four 1. Sanr (beam)-lt is a wooden log, about blades of seedlings are transplanted together. seven feet in length, which connects The latter method, though requiring greater the plou_gh with the yoke. labour, is the more efficacious. But the method is successful only in plots in which there is 2. Hal (plough)-It is a triangular piece abundant water~ of wood, and the most important part of the plough. It contains a hole through which the sanr passes. 2. Maize-This crop is grown, on tanr lands, The ploughshare is fixed at the specially in tanr class I which is heavily manured. time of ploughing a field. It is sown at the onset of the monsoon in the month of June/July and harvested in August/ 3. Phal (ploughshare)-It i; made of iron September. The seeds are sown after ploughing and fixed in the front of the plough. and cross-ploughing the land several times. The crop requires proper spading and weeding for 4. Lagna-It is also made of wood anq is luxuriant growth. Care has always to be taken used for keeping the plough in for protecting the crops from wild animals and proper position while ploughil1g. crows. For this the ripening crops have to be guarded from raised platforms known as machans. 5. Chandila-This is a handle fixed on the top of the 'la/{na to facilitate 3. Marua-Marua is a coar-se millet grown in having a. grip of the plough. the locality. Like paddy, it is also cultivated by two methods. In first method the seeds are 6. Pat-IfJ is a little piece of wood used for tightening the beam in its joint broadcast and crop harvested after maturity. In with the parts of the plough. the second method. seed beds are prepared and the seedlings are transplanted in wet lands after 7. Juath (yoke)-It is a wooden log, about the onset of the monsoon. six feet long used for yoking the bullocks at the time of ploughing 4. Gonrlli-It is a bhadai crop sown in the the land. The middle point of the month of May /J une on the village uplands. yoke is locally called M ahadeva. Lands are ploughed 2 te 3 times and seeds are sown in the dry lands. It is harvested in the The levelling implement is known as henga. months 0'£ July/August. Sickles are used for harvesting the crops. Spades and kori are used for spading the fields, cutting the ridges and weeding the grass. No change has taken place in the organisa tion of manpower for agricultural operations. The technique of ploughing varies according , Generally, cultivation is carried by the indivi to the nature of soil and the seed used. Land dual household with its own livestock and man infested. with weeds requires more ploughing power. But occasionally help of the neighbours than that which is comparatively free from weeds. is taken when the pressure of work increases. Often the ploughing is inadequate due to haste This type of help is reciprocal. The source of in the operation or short supply of bullocks and finance is derived from the sale of agricultural agricultural implements. The technique of produce. Sometimes loans are also taken froth ploughing is traditional and practically no change different sources to meett the expenditure on the has taken place in this regard. A brief descrip agricultural operations. These are discussed tion of the technique of cultivation of various subsequently. kinds of crops is given below: The expenditure on cultivation is spread 1. Paddy-Paddy is the most important crop over a period. \\Then it is done by the family grown in the village. There are two methods of membets only, the expenditure is not so high, paddy cultivation loc~lly known as (a) buna and but when labourers have to bo engaged the cost (b) rapa. In the first metlr0d seeds are broadcast of cultivation naturally rises. 106 NARESHGARH The performance of Sarhul festival provides of seeds and weeding. etc., can be done only green signal for starting the agricultural opera subsequently. The calendar below shows the tions. Though ploughing of lands is done prior agricultural activities of the village: to the performance of the Sarhul festival, sowing Calendar 01 Agricultural activities CROPS r------~----' Vernacular name English equivalent For which ploughing 'Sown Weeded Harvested or gathered takes place 1 2 3 4, 5 6 Jetk May-June After rains for all crops. Asarh June-July / .. Makai, gondli, gora, Makai,gondli, yora, rahar, marua, kodo, rahar, marua, kodo, sawan, bodi and 8awan, bQdi and paddy paddy. Sawan July-August Paddy, til, urid Paddy, kusum, t~l, Makai, -yora, KUBum. urid. paddy. BhadO August-September Kurthi, jetalYloi, Kurthi, jetangi Gara, paddy, gondli,sawan. burhia, gondli. A8win September-Octo ber Latani, boot, java, Makai, bodi. sarson. Ka'I'tik October-November Lac on pa1as and bair PaddY· trees Aghan November-.Decernber Paddy, kU8Um, lac. December-.Tanuary Kurthi, burhia, gondli; Jptangi, kodo . Maqh .Tanua.ry,February Phalgun February-March KU8um, lac .. / Rabi crops, rahar. Ohait March-April Mahua, lac on palas and bair trees, rahar. Baisakh ApriI-Ma.y Lac onpalaB andbair trees. Agricultural activities start in the month of Sowing invariably starts from the fields of Jeth' after onset 'of rains. Ploughing of the fields the village Baiga. After the performance of the starts for all kinds of crops. Agricultural work Sarhul festival, the Baiga ploughs his field and _is carried extensively tin Sawan and the people sows the seeds, to be immediately followed by the remain engaged in ploughing, sowing, uprootmg villagers. The work of transplantation is also the. seedlings and transplanting them into the initiated by the village Baiga after performing fields and weeding. a ceremony locally known as Pllchati. No seed ling can be uprooted from the seed-bed before Lac is grown on the palas~ bair ana kusum performing the Pachati ceremony. A field is trees. On the bair and palas trees the seed lac ~ept ready by puddling the soil with plough and is spread in the month of Kartik (September / levelling it up properly with henga. A person October) and it is harvested between the months pulls out the seedlings from the seed-bed and of March and May. On the kusum trees, the lac carries the bundles of seedlings to the puddled seeds are applied in the beginning of Magh field in which transplantation is to be done. Oan'uary). In the month of Asarh they are The Baiga reaches there with sandal-wood, urid ,spre 3. Pilhi-It is a disease of the liver. The agricultural implements, -villagers have to abdomen of the affected animal purchase it on cash payment. swells up and tpe animal dies Though hunting is strictl~ prohibited. in the quickly. No me-dicine is given for village forest, vil_lagers. sometimes s.tealthily get cure, but the body of the animal is inside the forests and kIll some wlld ~ammals. cauterized with heated iron. Instances were recounted by the villagers when 4. Tangarphulwa-This affects the feet of they had killed some sambhars> manjoorsJ etc. the animals and causes swelling. For hunting they keep bows and arrows. ,!,he It is also cured by the method of axe is also utilized at the! time of huntmg. cauterization. Hunting is generally done in a group and the game is equally distributed ~mong the hunt.ers. 5. Galgat-ia:-The neck swells in this "Honey is collected by Parhatyas from bee-hIves disease which is cured by cauteriz in the forests. ing the ,affected parts of the body. No medicine is prescribed for this The villagers find employment, in the f?re~t disease. coupes in cutting the trees. They are paId III cash on the extertt of work done. Average .The selling and purchasing of· the animals earnings are Re. I per day . are largely done in the local m 'fhe only tools used in basket making are profit. They also VISlt the local markets to sell the knife and tangi. Tangi is used to cut the their goods and make purchases. bamboos whereas knives are used to split them 'rransactions are made both through the up. '1 he produced goods are sup, nachu, pauti, barter system and on cash payment. Advance dhol i and ch hoPi which are generally used by the villagers themselves. The bamboo is obtained payment is also made occasionally when some locally from the village forest on payment of one needs a thing which is not stocked by shop 5 paise per piece. Whell the bamboo is brought keeper. Sometimes the goods are delivered on to the house. it is split. The pieces are then credit also and payment is made later on. There spread in the sun for drying. Then the desired is a nominally higher charge for goods sold on goods are prepared by latticing the split bamboos. credit. The standard weights of maunds, seers, chhataks and kilograms are used in the transac 10. Commerce tions. Only three households of Banias arc engaged 11. Income and expenditure in commerce, but they alS\J practise cultivation. They are shopkeepers and deal in all the essential The monthly income of the households was commodities of daily life such as rice, pulses, salt. canvassed in the household schedules. The oil and other grocery goods. They bring these following table gives the dommunitywise classi things from the Latehar market and supply them fication of households into five broad monthly to the villagers on a very moderate margin of mcome-grollps: TABLE XVII Monthly income by cMnmunity and incOilne-group Numbpr of households of Income.gruup I ... --~------...... -- ______J... _____~ ___ ----.. - .. -----..--~ Kharwar Parhaiya Ghasi Bania nhui~ a Tdi J"oitra Total 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 I3elow Rs. 25 3 1 4 It",. 21i to Rs. 50 24 14 2 2 1 46 Hl:I. 51 to R~. 75 9 10 2 2 R". 7G to Hs. 100 8 8 Rs. 101 and ovt'r I 1 Total 45 24 4 3 3 1 1 81 It is seen that the bulk of the households There is only one household of each Lohra (55 pet cent) have monthly incomes of Rs. 25- and reli. Both arc in the monthly income 50 only. Only 3 Kharwar and I Bhuiya house group of Rs. 25-50. holds ha\ e monthly income below Rs. 25. Similarly, there is only one household of Kharwar The following table gives the percentages of (the head of which is a former landlord of the . the total household expenditure in various items area) with a monthly income of oyer R.,. 100. separately for each comm.unity: TABLE XVIII Percentage of expenditure on different iie;llls PprcC'ntage of expCI,diture on Community Occupation r---- -.------...... --. ------~ Food Clothing Misco· Percentage No. of and and llaneous of house. drink lightillg occupation holds 1 2 3 4 5 (; 7 1. Kharwar Cuitivatioh 67.47 11.20 10.30 11.03 45 2. Parhaiya Ditto 75.28 9.61 4.85 10.26 24 3. GhaRi Dltto 70.82 12.75 7.71 8.72 4 4. Bania Ditto 7254 11.7.'; G.63 9.08 3 5. BhlJiya Ditto 71. 74- 12.43 IUH 9.R2 3 6. Teli DiLto 76.60 10.64 4.26 8.50 1 7. Lohra Industry 76.14 10.46 4.48 8.92 1 110 NARESHGARH The largest part of the income of the villagers by the Information given. This appears to be a is spent on food and drink by all the communities. direct result of the social disapprobation attached The proportion on this account varies from 67 to heavy indebtedness. The figures show that to 77 per cent. The lowest proportion is spent indebtedness is more widely prevalent and also on miscellaneous items. Expenditure on clothing of grea'ter amount in the lowest income-groups. Year Numher ,------...... ----~ Loans are taken from various sources. But of the mahajam are first approached ,though they loanees Principal Interest charge high rates of interest. This is done only because the mahajans are easily approachable Md.sr.ch. Md.sr.ch. and there is no difficulty in tak,ing loan. More 1948.49 1 0 0 2 9 0 over, there is no time-limit for repayment. The 1949-50 2 o 30 0 1 2 4 Government agencies are also approached for loans. The villagers get paddy from the grain 1950-51 2 2 0 o· 2 38 o· gola and also agricultural, co-operative and 1957-58 1 2 0 o· 1 18 O· Taccavi loans from the Community Development Block. 1962,63 6 6 20 0 2 27 4 Total 12 12 10 0 10 14 8 The following table based on information given in the household schedules, giYes the distribution of the households by income-group In the five years from the setting up of the and also indicates the extent of their indebted grain-gola as listed above, 12 ~rsons took paddy ness: on loan, totalling 12 maunds and 10 seers_ The principal and interest marked by asterisks had TABLE XIX been repaid and the total quantity outst!lnding Indebtedness was about 10 maunds. Total Number Percen- Average Inoome-group number of of house. tag6 of indebted- Though the paddy from grain-gola is house- holds households ness in advanced to the people primarily for use as seeds holds in debt in debt rupees in cultivation, most of the loanees utilise the paddy for consumption. This was also the view Below Rs. 25 .. 4, 3 75 18 ,expressed by the Kalyan Grain-gola Sevak. Rs.26-50 45- 21 46.7 15 It is significant that although the Sarju grain. Rs. 51-75 23 3 13 3 gola falls under the jurisdiction of another Block, Rs. 76--100 .. 8 3 37.5 4 the villagers go there because it is nearer to the village than the Latehar grain-gola. No villager Rs.I01 and 1 above had taken loan from the Latehar grain-gola. Total 81 30 37.04 10 That the extent of indebted~ess as reported It appears that ·the extent of indebtedness by the villagers is a gross underestimate becomes among the households is only partially revealed evident from an examination of statistics relating ECONOMY III to outstanding loan amounts against the villagers For the same year, separate statistics are f:-om loans sanctioned oy the Latehar Subdivi given according to the nomenclature of the loan slOnal Office. The figures as obtained from Latehar Block Office are given below: advanced. The figures show that 32 persons took loans amounting to Rs. 700 in all, which, Number Dues outstanding to be not having been repaid over the years, have to be of reahsed pC\r::,oHs Y"ltr in whwlt loan _.A. ____ • __ __ _.... repaid with an accrued interest of Rs. 437. The who r- -- - taken took statistics indicate a general apathy of the villagers loa"ls Principal Interest to repay institutionalized loans' obtained through Rs. RR. State agencies. 1951-;:12 5 10.00 82.53 19.'il-1)2 I) 50.00 42.99 The loans are advanced on joint security 1955-56 5 215.00 130.95 after pledging agricultural land at a nominal 19:;7 -58 7 125.00 60.56 interest of fit per cenl. The three statements 1957 -58 5 250.00 99.25 regarding exterit of indebtedness in the village 19.58-59 underline the basic poverty of the villagers which 5 50.00 21.09 is further emphasised by the apparent lack of Total 32 700.00 437.37 repaying capacity. CHAPTER IV SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE Before discussing the various .social and 1. Age and sex distribution cultural asp~cts of village life, it will be useful to consider some of the demogra phic charac The following table gives the age and sex teristics of the different communities in the village distribution of the population separately for which influence their social behaviour. each community in the village: TABLE XXI Age and sex distribution Totai Population Age group r-----.... ----~ ~------=----..,).. -... ------.------~ Community Persons l\:[~les Female's 0_14 15-24 25-59 60 and above ,-- __A_--, r- ---'----~ ,.---.,4.----- r----A - -."""" M F M F M F M F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1. Kharwar 214 II4 100 44 36 11 8 58 54 1 2 2. Parhaiya 94 56 38 16 11 13 3 27 23 1 3. Ghasi 18 8 10 2 6 2 3 4 1 4. Bania 11 7 4 3 1 3 3 5. Bhuiya. 9 4 5 1 1 3 4 6. Teli 2 1 1 1 1 7. Lohra 4 3 1 2 1 1 Total 352 193 159 68 55 26 13 96 88 3 3 As against 193 males there are 159 'females per cent. The village has only 6 persons who in the village. Thus the sex ratio. or number are over 60 years 'Of age and comprise less than of females per COOO males, is only 824, and 2 per cent of the total population. Thus over hence rather adverse while this holds good for 60 per cent of the population is 'VI the active both the major communities, the sex ratio is working age group of 15-59 years. more adverse among Parhaiyas (680) than among the Ghasis. The other communities are Statistics relating to annual birth and small in number and their sex ratios are of -deaths were n6t available at the time of survey little consequence. Telis in the village are in the village. represented by a single household consisting of husband and wife without any children. The distribution by four broad age groups 2. Marital-status indicafes that only 35 per cent of the popula- r tion is in the age group 0-14. This relatively 4s noted before, marriages among all small proportion is not indicative of a pro communities are contracted as a matter of gressive population in which the proportion of course. Few people remain unmarried for their young persons up to 14 is of the order of 40 whole lives. - The table below shows th~ marital SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LlFF, 113 status of the village population dassified by four broad age glOups TABLE XXII Marital status by age groups Total Population Nevel Marrl('d MarrIed Widowed - __.._ _,_ ...A. Age group r------~ r- - ...... r- ...... ,..... -----..... ----. Persons Males Females M F M F M F 2 3 4 .1 6 7 8 9 10 All ages .. 352 193 159 104 61 87 92 2 6 0-14 years 123 68 55 6S 55 15-24 years .. 3U 26 13 23 6 3 7 2;;_59 yeals .. 184 96 88 13 \:ll 85 2 3 60 yoars alJd above .. 6 3 3 3 3 That there are 110 mal ried persons in the '[ re,ltment of these diseases is usually done age group 0-14 yean. indicates that child in the village itself by the ojha or some experl marriages had not taken place in the rcc ent ell( ctl person in the know 'O[ herbal remedies. past. In the next age group (15-24 ycal~) Thongh the Heal th Sub-centre at Tarwadih is only 3 'Out of 26 males and 7 OLlt or B f('male~ easily approachdble, villagers seldom consult the are married. That there are 13 unmarried medkal personnel there. This is mainly due to males in the age group 25-59 shows that late the lack of appreciation of the benefits likely to marriages among males are not uncommon. accrue from treatment at the sub-centre. Usually, the inability to provide for marriage expenses results in delayed marriages. According Some of the common diseases and their to the communitywise break-up of the 13 method of indigenous treatment are indildtcd bachelors aged above 24, 5 are Parhaiyas. below: 7 Kharwars and the remaining 1, a Bania. Gaul-This affiiltion is treated by oral administration 0"£ the roots of Grihabad which The bulk of married penons is of the age group 25-59. are ground and taken in the form of a powder or paste. Widows outnumber the widowers by three Fever-Roots of Dudhia grass and Parghi times. There was no divorced or separated Koreya are pulverised and the mixed taken orally person in the village at the time of survey. by the patient for effecting a cure. Monogamy is the general rule of marriage, Dysenle1y-Bamboo shoots are thoroughly but polygamy is also in vogue, as noted earlier powdered after drying in the sun. This powder in Chapter II. POlyandry is ~trictly prohibited is given to. the patient along with gruel made among all the communities as also are con from old nrc. sanguineous marriages. Inter-caste or inter tribe marriages are not socially permissible. Headache-The cure is the application of tejpat (cassia) or gaelic paste on the forehead. j. Disease and medical care Burm-Coconut oil mixed with camphor is Sinle adequate attention is not given to applied on the affected part. Raw eggs are also used. personal and environmental ,hygiene, abdominal ailments like diarrhoea and dysentery are common Child fever-When a breast-fed child suffers as al~o various kinds of skin diseases. Some from fever the root of Nanltjnria is tied to his villagers were found afflkted with a painful skin neck. The same root is also given to the mother disease locally termed as Sabai-ghao. for eating. 114 NARESHGARH Eye-diseases-A cloth is wetted with hot a hut with khar grass and bam:t>oo near th~ house gTound turmeric tied over the eyes in the form of the guru. This hut is called patwandhz. A'fte~ of a oandage. taking beyari (dinner) he sits in this patbandhz and repeats the mantras taught by the guru. After Cholera-Ground bark of Jamun tree mixed he has committed the mantras to memory, he with water is given to the patient fur drinking. goes to some tanr land fur attaining perfection. For nagmatia ojha (who can cure only snake Sabai-ghao-This is a ,kind of sore which . bites) perfection can be obtained by offering may affect the entire body, and an attack may only' a few fowls and some wine. But 'for deo last 'for ·three to five years. An oirrttn~nt is pre matia ojha (who can cure all the diseases). per pared from burnt thorns of the Semar tree. and ft!ction is obtained by offering goats, fowls and castor-oil. It is applied on the sores. SometImes wine. The heads of the sacrificed animals and small balls are made of a powder obtained from birds are taken away by the guru while the rest the bark of Semar tree} Banarlaur castor seed, is cooked at the place of sacrifice and distributed and Khar grass. This medicine is chewed like among the persons assembled at the place as tobacco. visitors. Goitre-This is a very common disease not only'in the village but the entire neighbourhood. 'The statement below shows the number of Goitre is caused by a deficiency of iodine in the persons from Nareshgarh who visited the health di~t.' But the villagers ascribe its origin to a sub-centre at Tarwadih to consult the allopathic legendary tale recounted as 'follows: doctor there : In the not too remote past, some Kharwars and Parhaiyas used to sacrifice a TABLE xxm human being at tile altar of their family deity. They did this to Medical attendance at Health Sub-centre appease the diety and ward off its anger. It was believed that 'failure Year and number of visitors to bffer timely sacrifice would Month r------J-..------..... entail the deity's wrath. Once a person sacrificed his cow-boy when 1960 1961 1962 1963 19'64 he could not secure any other 1 2 3 4 5 6 vIctIm. Even he was allured January 3 15 Nil deceitfully. A few person con 5 cealed themselves in a bush and February 3 5 6 14 produced a twinkling sound from March 2 6 .7 7 tharky (bell) made of wood. The tow-boy thought that some cattle April 5 2 1 4 had been left behind so he went May 8 11 13 3 there. As soon as he reached the June 1 10 place, the hidden men caught hold 10 8 3 of, him and sacrificed him. At the July 5 5 7 2 1 time of his- death the cow-boy gave August 2 3 Nil 5 7 a curse that his captor would be victims of goitre and from that day September .. 4, 3 3 1 9 the disease spread in the locality. October 6 Nil 3 3 7 The role of the village ojha is veW signifi November .. 2 4, 3 6 5 cant in village society. He is consulted fur cur December 5 1 9 3 6 ing all kinds of diseases. Only in case of his 'failure to cure the patient the latter is forced to Total .. 25 47 74 55 71 consult the doctors at the health sub-centre at Tarawadih or at the hospital in Latehar town. It is seen that- the attendance, though meagre, has, by and large, increased progressively over the The art o'f the ojha is learnt from some guru who IS adept in it. The years. This indicates some growth of awareness person interested in learning the art builds of the efficacy of allopathic treatment. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFt 115 4. Literacy and education The statement below shows the extent of literacy and education in the village : TABLE XXIV Literacy and education by sex and age group Age group Population Ilhterate Llterate without educational sta, dards _..A. • -- - ...A.-___~ _ __,. ,..- ..A. __ ., ,-- --- ....., r- P M F M F M F 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 All ages 352 193 159 163 158 30 1 0-14 years .. 123 68 55 64 54 4 1 15-24 years 39 26 13 22 13 4 25-59 years 184 96 88 7;) 88 21 60 yeara and above 6 3 3 2 3 1 No person in the village has even passed the now living with his wife and primary or lower basic examination. There are children. He lives there by work only 31 persons out of a total of 352 in the ing as a labourer. He left Kundpani village who are literate, comprising only about 9 in 1963. per cent of the total population. Among the females only one girl is reading in the village (ii) Nanhoo Parhaiya was formerly living school and she is the lone representative of her at Baki Kona, a village in Bishun sex among literates. Though the literate persons pur police station of Ranchi are distributed in all the age groups their number district. He had to face many is the highest in the age group 25-59. This difficulties there and as such left the shows the little lee-way has been made in the place and came to Nareshgarh in eradication of illiteracy in the last decade or so. the year 1963. He is living near Baghmari in the village, where A Lower Primary School (under E. I. P. Bisu Parhaiya has spared a smalI Scheme) functioned in the village since 1961 portion of land for his cultivation. with a single middle trained teacher. The school has since been shifted to the adjoining village. 6. Family struature The types of families living in the village 5. Migration are indicated in the table below: An instance each of emigration from the TABLE xxv village and immigration to it was reported by Types of families Community Total Types of family the villagers. They are as follows: number of r:-----Jo..------__ h3useholds Slmple Interme- Joint (i) Ram Kishun Parhaiya was living In diate Kundpani hamlet of Nareshgarh in 1 2 3 4 5 the land of Kail Parhaiya for several 1. Kh'trwar .. 45 35 1 years. Kail Parhaiya had given him 9 land in which only two seers of 2. Parha1ya .. 24 22 2 maize could be sown. For this he 3. Ghasi 4 4 charged rupee one per year. For 15 4. Bania 3 3 years Ram Kishun did not pay the 5. Bhmya 3 2 1 stipulated amount. When Rail asked for the amount Ram Kishun 6. Lohra 1 left the pl.ace .and went to Bahagara. 7. Teb 1 1 a village in Loliardaga-where he is Total 81 68 2 11 11 Ii NAR.EsllGARlt It is seen that the simple type of family passes to the hearest cognate. ~£. her deceasrd (consisting of husband, wife and unmarried husband. If the widow remarrIes, she forfelts children) is pred9millant in the' village~ There even the life claim over her husband's property. are only two intermediate type families, one each Daughters can llave a share in their father's of the Kharwar and Bhuiya communities. This property only in one case. If the husb~nd comes type of family is comprised of a married coupl~ and lives, in the, house of his father-m-law as and unmarried brotherlsister, and one of the ghardhinjua then the daughter is entitled to get par~nts. T.here are. 11 joint families. A joint a share in property. famIly consI~ts marned couples, married sonst dau~~ters Or m,arried brotherslsisters. Simple 9. Leisure and recreation famIlIes account for all but 2 Parhaiya house Leisure hours are spent in different ways by holds and %- out of 45 Kharwar households. the people of various age groups. The children Joint 'fa~~lies are found only among these two commumtIes; a more so among the latter than keep themselves engaged in playing variou.s among the former. types of locaL games like, jhur, satgharba, gotl. ihalo-malo and guli-danda: 7. Intra-family relationship The adult males attend to repairs of the The father is the supreme head of the house and roof and their agricultural imple family, the chief bread-winner and arbiter of the ments. The females prepare mats from khajur leaves and go to the forest to collect 'fuel. fortunes of his 'family members. He arranges for al~o Market places are often visited during the all the expenditure fur the household. He is l~isure hours. Those who are interested in sports, set tacitly obeyed though seldom an autocrat. He out 'for the stream or river with fishing hooks or usu.ally invite~ sugg:estio!1s, Jrom the family fishing nets and bring some fish. Hunting in sorpe family m~m~fjrs,;~~'h5l1; .de~ision.~ on cr~cial the, forest is also done though very rarely and by maUers h'lve to be taken_ _, - ~ strictly avoiding the Forest Guard. Arranging Tile females participate actively in the daIJ..~es and consuming country liquor are also house~old c~ltivation and other work. They important aspects of the leisure hours. work m agrIcultural fields with the males, br-ing The younger persons, specially the unmarried fuot;~ from ror,ests, clean, ut,ensils, fetch water and co~k ~obd for the family members: To keep the gi1:,ls ,and bQYs wash their cl'O,thes with ash and those wfm can afford to, do so, with soap, The bUlldmg neat ~nd clean is the sole responsibility of the housewIves. They do all this and also old persons who are disabled spend most of their time in gossiping. They invite some of their br~I?-g up the children, Often the grown up contemporaries and discuss about social matters chllg«;~ a1il9 014 p~r~on~ .are. put in charge 'Of you~g children while their mothers go to work and oth~r things. outsIde t,he ho~se. The young girls assist their mothers m theIr househ?ld chores. Similarly tl].e 10. Re lig,ious institutions young sons lend a helpmg hand to their,fathers The religious institutions of the village have in cultivation, driving .the animals to the field been described in some detail under 'Important and grazing them. public places' in Chapter 1. The religious institutions of the village are 8. Inheritance of prope_rty commonly used by all communities. All of them The rules of inheritance of property are the share in the maintenance of these places. At the same for all the sections of the village population. time of the Sarhul festival it was found that The sons are the proper heirs to inherit the at least one lady of each household went to clean father's property which is divided equally among th~ sarna. Even the Bania household sent an the surviving. sons of the deceased. .. eight year old girl to the sarna since there was no Daughters are not entitled to any sl;1are of adult woman in the family at that time, the father's property. But they have to be main The animals. birds and other articles offered tained as long as they are unmarried. After as . ~acrifices a;e .arranged for by the villagers by marriage, they go to live with their husbands. raIsmg subscnptlOns. Thus the source of finance When a man dies leaving his widow only, is derived from the village itself. Moreover, the she is the 'Owner of her husband's property for influence of these institutions is limited to the her -life time-. But after her death the property village only. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 117 11. Festivals lAnd ceremonies does not 'fall on the ground. The persons below catch the falling branch before it falls on the The villagers observe several community ground. The party returns with the branch and festivals in the course 0'£ a year. These are goes to the Baiga's house near which the branch 'Observed with great eclat and zeal. Home-made is installed in his bari land. Straw which has earlier been collected from every household is liquor (handJia) and country spirits are freely then brought. Then the branch is set ablaze. and abundantly in evidence on such occasions. When the fire is extinguished an unmarried boy moves round the heap and after end of every The calendar of main festivals observed in round, cuts one sub-branch and in the fifth the village is given below: round, he als'O cuts the main branch. All the accumulated persons mark their foreheads with Calendar of festivals the ashes and after that anange a community dance at the house o'f the Baiga. After dancing Months Festivals and singing till late at night, they return to r------"------, their houses. English Vernacular Early in the next morning they bathe and play with coloured powder and coloured water. February-March Phalgun 1. pkag'Ua. Special fo'Od is cooked on the occasion. At night. March-AprIl Ohait 2. Ohaitnaumi. they again arrange community dances. Dancing continues as long as the people are inclined to April-May Baisakh . - 3. Mah1tjhili. continue the sport. May-June Jeth 4. Sarhul. June-July ABarh 2. Chaitnaumi-This festival is performed in the month of Chait. It is performed only by the July-August Sawan G. Kadleti. 6. Bangari. Bania and the gauan (ex-landlord who is a Kharwar). A flag is unfurled at the Devi Aygust-September. Bhado 7. Karma. 8. Amabasya. mandap at which a goat is sacrificed. Prasad (food offered to a deity) is distributed among September-October . , ASwin 9. Jitia. the gathering. 10. Dasahra. October.November Karlik II. Sohrai. 3. Mahujhili-This is performed in the month 12. Ohhath. 13. Deothan. of Baisakh by the village Bai'ga. This festival is a signal for the eating of the newly harvested ., Aghan November-December rabi crops. It is only after this festival that December-January .. PauB fried mahua flowers can be taken with sal too (powdered grain). J anuary-Februal'Y .. Magh 14. OhUf~th. 15. Kharbaj. The Baiga fries mahua flowers in a new pot. Wine is prepared from new flowers of the mahua. The salient features of the important festivals Worship is made at the Devi mandap by offering are described below : five 'fowls and wine. The sacrificed fowls are cooked and distributed among the villagers. l. Phagua,-This festival is performed in the month of Phalgun (February[March) on the 4. Sarhu l-This is a very important 'festival last day of the m'Onth. A few hours before the in the village. It is performed in the month 'Of actual time of burning of H oli a batch of young feliz, though in some villages it is also per'formed men go- to bring a Semar branch. Their journey in the month of Chai'l;'or Baisakh. In Naresh is accompanied by the beating of two drums garh the date is always fixed sometime in the (Mandars). They also sing songs and dance on month of felh. Being a very important festival, the way. As s'Oon as they reach the Semar tree many relatives and friends are invited on the an unmarried boy applies vermilion marks and occasion. Hence different dates are fixed for oil on its trunk. Then he cuts off such a branch various villages according to convenience, to from which five sub·branches emanate. Cat:e is ensure that the 'festival.is not held simultaneously_. taken at the time of cutting the branch- that it in two villages in the same locality. 118 NAREsttGARit A day before the actual performance of the The boys and girls darke and sing. songs festival, which is known as the Nem Sarhul day, throughout the entire day. The Karma twigs are all the places of 'worship including the sarnas are uprooted and thrown into the river in the cleared hy removing the _bushes and other wild evening. growth. In the morning at least one male member from each household in the village goes 5. Kadleti-This festival is performed in the to the sarna to make a thatch roof out of bamboo month of Sawan. Three 'Or five fowls are brought splinters. In the afternoon, likewise, a female from the contributions made by the villagers. from each and every family goes there to clean Wine is also an important commodity for the the place and weed out the grass, etc. occasion. Nebaj (bread made with ghee), is also essential. Fowls, wine and nebaj are offered at In the night of Nem Sarhul day, Beyari Puja the Devi-Chhapar. Transplantation of Marua is observed in Panch PariIJa by the offering of starts after this function: seven £.owls by the village Baiga. The Pujar and Dewar alsO) accompany the Baiga in this function. <6. Bangari-This festival (also known as After that they go back to their houses and go Panchati) is performed in the month of Sawan to sleep after taking supper. by individual families. Prior to this, the agricul tural field is completely puddled with water and :Ji:arly in the next morning, the Panbhara kept ready for transplantation. The Baiga up goes to the river with three new earthen pitchers. roots five bundles of paddy seedlings from the He carries a pitcher full of water to the Panch seed-bed and applies vermilion upon them. He Parwa) the Sarhul Sarna and the Mua Marai. also carries different types of corns with him and After that the Baiga offers worship in the Sarnas buries them separately in the corner of the field by offering fowls collected from the villagers. which is to be transplanted. After that a fowl The function continues till noon. Then the is sacrifi{:ed and some nebqj and wine are also wife of the Baiga draws water from a well and offered. Then the Baiga transplants a few seed distributes it among all the women present who lings in the field. encircle the well with their water pots. C'0oking, lighting qf fire and eating are prqhibit~d before 7 . Karma-This is performed in the month the conclusion of this function. of Bhado. The manner of celebrating the festi After the worship, food is prepared at Sarna val is the same as followed during Karma per, by mixing together all the grains and the sacri~ formed just after the Sarhul festival. ficed fowls. This food is distributed among all the persons present there. Thep they arrange 8. A mabasya-This is also performed in the dances and songs at the house of Baiga. Many month of Bhado on the moonless night. The head relatives and friends come to join the festivities. of the household rises very early in the morning Both male and female relations and friends come. and erects twigs of Bhelwa trees in all his fields, Males and females dance simultaneously but in the cattleshed, house and bari land t'0 keep away separate formations. Playing on the musical all kinds of diseases. Then he goes to take a instruments is the job of the male dancers. bath in the river where he offers oblations of Liquor is profusely used. The Sarhul dance water to the ancestral spirits through the hollow continues for the whole night. It ceases at dawn 'formed by joining the hands together. While when the people start the Karam dance. An un offering water, he wears a ring made of kus grass married boy goes and bring a few Karam twigs in the ring-finger. Then he comes to his house and installs them in the courtyard of the Baiga's and again offers water at the Muas. house. Then the, wife of the Baiga plas~efs the courtyard with mud mixed with cowdung. After 9. Jitia-This festival is -performed in the this the Baiga starts worship by burning ghee month of Aswin on the 8th day of the first fort and sandal-wood. Some of the villagers get night. Complete fasting is observed a day earlier possessed. A person gets possessed by the lion of and food is taken only in the evening.. On the Kukurcliandi. The Baiga offers him a fowl which 8th day again 'fasting is observed till noon. In he cuts with his teeth and severing the neck, the afternoon, the person observing Jilia goes to swallows the head. The men who are possessed the river to take bath. At about 2 P.M. worship demonstrate several miraculous feats such as is performed' by offering bread, etc. The head of sitting upon thorns, and piercing thorns in their the household offers water to the ancestral bodies without evincing any pain. spirits and this concludes the function. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 119 10. Dasahra~No statue of the D1lrga is fulfilled. It is performed on the 3rd and 4th installed in the village by any Lommunity. The night in the first fortnight. On the third day villagers go to Tarwadih or Latehar for offering they remain 011 "fast and at ,the night offer sweets prayers. Good food is prepared on the occasion. and milk to an idol representing Lord Ganesh. Shree Ramkrit Singh (a Kharwar) sacrifices a The image and materials of worship are kept goat to the Goddess Durga. and on the 4th day, the same function is repeat ed. On both nights, p1lja takes place only after 11. Sohrai-This festival is performed in the the moon has come up. month of Karlik. From a week earlier the housewives remain engaged in washing the court 15. Kharbaj-This [eslival is also celebrated yard, repairing the walls. etc. Animals arc also in the month of Magh when threshing is over. bathed daily. One day before the actual date 01 It is performed on any date in this month. performance of the festival an earthen lamp Worship is done by the village Baiga. The Uam-lw-diya) is lit outside every house, but villagers collect a few. fowls and goats which are only afler every member of the 'family has s;:lIrificed in the Devi Chhapor by the Baiga. finished his evening- meal. On the night of the Fowls are cooked there and shared by all the festival day, the entire house and cattleshed arc villagers present. But goat meat is distributed fully lit with numer0l!s earthen lamps. In the among all the families. morning Khichri (boiled mixture of kurthi, This festival is also known as Barheti. After maize, urid and bodi) is given to the cattle to this festival khar grass and fuel are collected eat. The cattleshed is worshipped by offel"ing two from the 'forests. fowls. But every third year a pig is also sacrificed. 12. Intra~village re1a.tiollZS Then a function locally known as Dnr There appeared to be no tension in the khelana is performed at noon. Five or six heads village with reference to occupation, income or of cattle are joined together in the field. Worship hamlet. In regard to occupation, most of the is performed there hy offering liquor and fowls. villagers are cultivators. Agricultural operations After that a pig which is tightly fastened to a draw much {rom reciprocal aid. Those who arc rope is thrown in the midst of the herd of economically better off do not look down upon animals. The cattle gore the pig to death with the poorer sections who have equal places in the their horns. The pig's meat is taken by the sOlial hieran hy. Similarly there is no inter low-hays. The cattle owners also give them new hamlet rivalry. Kharwars arc the dominant clothes on the Olcasion. community and Parhaiyas are also significant in number. The minor communities are not by 12. Chllat-Jf is performed in the lllimth of any means oppressed. Karlik only by the Khanvar ex-zamindar and the Tn regard to the history of the settlement of Bania by offering Argha to the Sun God. the different tolas, it is said that West Naresh Complete 'fast on the whole day and night is garh is the oldest hamlet. After that Bhuiya lola observed. came into being. Then the population increased up to Kundpani. Then came the settlements at B. Dcothan-It is performed in the month of Karlik before the start of ploughing. After East Nayeshg~rh,. Jhankara, Khuthan, Khutgari and Bag-hman. As the population went on harvesting Aghnlli paddy, ploughing is stoppt'd increasing people constructed new houses. With an~ recommenled only after performing Deothan West Nareshgarh as the nucleus, all the hamlets pUJa. The houses and courtyards are carefully fall within a radius of two fu.rlongs. The new cleaned. Before going to plough the field, the road passes through West >-Jareshgarh and Kund ploughman places the agricultural implements pani, which are approachable by truck or jeep. in the plastered courtyard. The housewife comes The other hamlets can be reached only by foot ~nd mar~s. the agricultural implements by apply or by hicycles. mg vermIlIon on the Chnndila of the plough. • She also offers some coins and grains to the The hamlets depend upon each other in ploughman in token or expression of satisfa( (" The intevcclste relationships are rather cor (i,) Case no. 13, dated 20th August 1960. dial in the village. Though commensality is not Ramautar Singh versus Doman prevalent among' aU' the communities, none of Sahu and otq.ers-Bq.ttlan Parhaiya them are looked down by others. The Bhuiya, of village Ghanghri had stolen some Ghasi and l!.ol1ra' constitute the lowest rung of household goods from the house of the social ladder~ but th((y are not Oppressed as J agan Singh, a Kharwar of village they have an important rdle to play in corporate Bingara-. ,He had sold tl;lese goods village life. There is no fajmani system in the to Doman Sahu, Jhabar Sahu and village. Bucha Parhai-ya. Ramautar Singh learnt of -this' <,lnd nled a case 13. Village organisation ~gainst them. The case ~as decided under section 411, -I.I~.C. and all Caste Panchlfya!s exist only among the the accused persons were fined Kharwars and Parhaiyas. The other communi Rs: 5 ~adi: ties have sma'll populations in the village and (iii) Case no. ,3, dated 17th FebtJIary 1964. hence they have .no caste Panchayals. They coq Hari MIstry, a teacher versus KIipal sult the Kharwar or Parhaiya leaders fo settle any Manjhi-Hari Mistry, (l teacher of disputes among themselves. the village sC!}.\Jol filed a case against Sri Kripal Singh of Naresh Village Nareshgarh falls in the jurisdiction garh that the ia1:ter wan!ed to beat of the Nareshgarh Gram -Panchayat with head him after a -minor dispu te bet quarters at Tarwadih. -The 'first~el~~tion to tlie weet them. The case was compro Panchayat tuo~ t placS! )n ,~ptem ber, ,1958 and mised on 13th April, '1.965. Sri Ramautar. Sil1gh, "a I)..harwar of yil,lage ~are1Yh 'The "'Statutory Gra'm P~nth{iyal has nothing garh was elected M ukhill. The second election to do with the traditional caste Panchayat. The was held in June, 1962 and Sri Abdul Gaffar social matters are always dealt with by the Mian of another village waS" elected Mukhia traditional caste Panchayat; but in case of con without contest. In both the elections Sri Ram flict over some land or other similar things, the Padarath Sao of ano~her village was elected matter is considered by the Gram Panchayat. Sarpanch without conte~t. Shivnandan Sao is the only person of village Nareshgarh among There are no voluntary organisation like the members of the executive branch of the clubs and libraries in the village. Panchayat. 14. Measures for development After the opening of the Community D~ve The Nareshgarh Gram Pafnchayal is compris Iopment Blotk at Latehar, some developmental ed of twenty-two vill~ges with a -total IX?pulation schemes have been executed in village Nareshgarh. of 3,646 persons. It covers an area of 14,837 A Health Sllb-centre has been started at Tarwadih acres. The 22 villages are divided into four where the villagers go to consult the doctor. But wards with the largest number of villages (8) in attendance there is not heavy, Grain-golas have the Ward No. II. There are only four villages been set up to advance paddy loans f(}r improved each in Ward Nos. III and IV. Ward No. I culti~ation 'but m~ny 16anees cons~me the paddy includes 'six villages. Nares_hgarp falls in Ward obtamed. A school has been started for improv- No. Ill. ing _lite!acy. ~ , The folfowipg -are among the cases from . Several othrer schemes have been 'implement village' N areshgarh referred to the Panchayat: ed m the :vlliage. A drinking well -'has been construeted .on '29 per cent publictbntrilJution. (i) Ramlmtar Singh versus I),inu Par'haiya. An irrigati(i)n~ ,B~ndh< has 'beerr repaired with 50 Case No.9, dated rOth February per .cent contnbutItln 'from the viUagers. Demons , 1g59-Seme stolen thalis and kaloras tratlOps of scll.e~es -for soH ~ mnserv;ltiol1" have w~re found in tIle -h(m~ of Dinu been he~ at Nareshgath entirely 2. Two views round the villa.ge. Nareshgarh 3 . . A Parhaiy~ hULlbe . with rrlLld waUl:> and tiled roofs. 4, Parhaiya. houses with walls of wa.tbled bamboos and partly tiled roofs. 5. A Parllai,Ya couple show their mandar (drum). 6. A Parbaiya in the traditional form of dress. 7. Parhaiya women at the khalihan. 8. Two Parhaiya elderly women. _, 9 . . Parhaiya girls. .' 10.· Scttin g O llt for hunting. , >_ . ' . 11. Goitl'e is :'iJ, Jomn;on ' di f; e'a-s-~' 'hI.: the arca. 12. Chhopi made of bamboo splinters and! leaves protects from rain. 13. ",Vater. pots are stored on machas in front of the houses. ]4. Ready for ILhreshing. Gl'~'ins . are guarded. from the hut temporal'ily constructed for the purpose. 15. A macha from which wild animals are wa,rded off from the ripening grains. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL LIFE 121 In regard to family planning, nothing at all the Sun. He began to dry up the Ganga. Then has been done in the village. None of the the Ganga prayed to Him for pity. He was moved villagers has any idea about family planning. and He became the moon. The payment of bride price still exists and has reportedly even increased to some extent. One day the Ganga thought that creation could not continue unless the power and heat of Village legends regarding the origin of the the sun was reduced. So, she provoked the universe, 'forests and mountains, the sun and the moon for this. The moon concealed all her moon, and others are given below: children (stars) behind her and. chewing betal, (i) Origin of the universe-In the beginning asked the sun also to kill his children as she had the world was full of water. God himself took done. She showed him her mouth which was His birth on the leaves of' lotus (Pumin). He reel with betel chewing. At this sun killed all his children and only he remained. then measured the depth of water and found the depth to be the same in all directions. He When the moon later showed all her child thought that this creation could not contillue ren to the sun he became very angry and ran to unless land was formed. So He changed I lis kill her. This is why the moon appears full only appearance and became genchua (tortoise). He one day in a month. It is mainly due to con then brought soil from the under surface of nict between sun and moon. 'When the sun water and created land. But the land was very shines in the east the moon remains in the west uneven. So He became a Barah (boar) and and when the sun reaches the west the moon levellerl up the undulating surface of the earth. appears in the east. (ii) Why the animals have leeth only in the The water took the shape of the river Ganga. lower jaw-In the beginning the animals also In due course King Dashrath got a wounrl. had teeth in both jaws. One day Lord Krishna Hanuman brought the Dhalliagiri hill with medi tied the animals beside a hut having straw roofs. cinal herbs to cure the wound. After curing The animals had just come from the fields after the wound, the hill was left in the distrit t of grazing. They began to eat the straw of the Palamau and thus it has hills and forests. roofs. Lord Krishna became angry and slapped them on their mouth with the result that the God created more people to live in the world teeth Dr the upper jaw 'fell down on the ground. but it so happened that when they went to the At this he had pity on them and granted t~em bank of river Ganga, they would be turned into a boon that they could chew even the hardest stone. Hence the population was decreasing day things with only teeth in the lower jaw. From by day. So God requested the Ganga not to that day, the animals have teeth only in their ruin His creation, but in vain. So. God became lower jaws. CHAPTER V CONCLUSION 1. Level of social awareness 2. Concluding remarks All the households of the village are aware that the practice of untouchability is an offence . ~ontact with outsi.ders has affected the way under law. But only 10 of them are in the know of hvmg and the dressmg pattern of the villagers has changed considerably. Fashionable garments 0'£ the 'functions of the P{]),nchayat though 64 ribbons, hair clips, and other cheap ornamel1t~ households could tell the period of existence of find favour among the women. the Panchayat correctly. 73 households are aware ot the function of the Gram Sewak and are also The village economy is stagnant. The villagers satisfied with his work. mostly eke out a bare living. Anchal and subdivisiortal headquarters are known to all heads of households. The efforts at developing the area must Family planning schemes are unknown to the necessarily take time. to yield results. But few villagers and nobody seemed desirous of restrict schemes of development are possible in an area ing the size of his family. on which nature seems to have 'frowned upon. [CONFIDENTIAL] ANNEXURE I C ENS U S, 1961 SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY OF VI L LAG E ...... •.... Household no ...... " PART I HOUSEHOLDS0.HEDULE 1. Head of Household : (a) Name ...... ••...... ••••••.....•...... -...... ~- (b) Caste or tribe, .' ...... '" .....•...... ~ ...... •...... • _ (c) Sub-caste or sub-tribe ...... I ...... _ ••• If ...... _ (d) Religion ...... (e) Sect ...... •...... •.., 2. (a) Oomposition of household including Head: S Age last Ageat first ~.lno. I Name Sex Relationship to birth- Marital status marriage Head day --- 2 3 4 6 7 J 5 I ------~----~----- I Description of work Language S:~i.al I--'-p-ri-n-ci-pa-l--- --SU-b-s-id-ia-ry-,-if-a-n-y- or dialect Any other language Literacyand education 8 9 10 11 12 J 124 ANNEXURE t (b) Workers at cultivation or household industry: Members ofthe family working Members including Head of family working, and hired workers, if any, kept wholetime or during current or last season Head Other Other Total Hired males I females workers 1 2 3 \ 4 5 6 I (i) Household cultivation only ...... I I (U) Household industry only ...... I (iii) Both in household cultivation and household I industry j A: DURATION -OF RESIDENCE- 3. (a) For how- many generations counting from the head of the household backwards, has the household been residing in the village ~ (b) If the head of the household has migrated to this village together with the household, (i) When was it 1 (ii) what were the reasons for it 1 (iii) where was the ancestral home? (Give the name of the-village, district and State.) B. RELIGION 4. (a) Is there a diety or object of worship or a sacred plant in the house? (Answer Yes/No .) (b) If 'Yes' where is the deity or object of worship located in the house ~ (0) What is the name of the deity or object of worship or sacred plant and what is the form of worship? 5. Do you know that untouchability in any form has been prohibited under law? (Answer Yes/No .) 6. (a) Do you observe any restriction in taking food or water with members of other castes, tribes or religions 1. If yes, indicate the nature of restrictions. (b) Do you believe in the caste system? If yes, what are your reasons for it 1 If no, do you think it ca.n be eradicated 1 If 1iI0, how 1 HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 125 C. MARRIAGE 7. (a) Has any marriage in contravention of caste or tribal law taken place in this household 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If such a marriage has taken place give details of such marriage. (c) With what other castes or tribes other than the caste or tribe of the household is marriage permissible? (d) With which of such castes or tribes would marriage be desirable? (e) Was dowry given or taken on the occasion of the marriage of the son? (Answer Yesl No.) If 'Yes' mention amount of both cash and kind separately, and also indicate whether the dowry was given or taken. (f) Was dowry given or taken on the occasion of the marriage of the daughter 1 (Answer Yes/No.) If 'Yes' mention the amount of both cash and kind separately, and also indicate whether the dowry was given or taken. 8. Do you know that there have been changes in recent years in Hindu Marriage Act 1 (Answer Yes/No.) If 'Yes' what do you think of the salient features of the Hindu Marriage Act 1 9. Have you any objection to contract marriage o~ persons of your household with persons of same social and economic status as yours but belongmg to other castes, tribes Or religions~ 10. Has there been any consanguineous marriage in the household 1 If so, what was the relationship between the parties to the marriage 1 11. Has there been any polygamous or polyandrous marriage in the household 1 If so, state how many wives or husbands. D. INHERITANCE 12. (a) Do you know that there have been changes in recent years in the Hindu Adoption Act 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, what do you think are the salient features of recent changes 1 13. (a) Do you know that there have been changes in recent years in the Hindu Succession Act f (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, what do you think are the salient features of such changes 1 14. ~a) 'Yhich. relatives, including male members and widows and daughters, married and unmarrled, mherIt property on the death of a married male person belonging to the same caste or tribe as your household 1 (b) What is the share of each suoh member 1 15. Are you in favour of inheritanoe of property by daughters equally WIth sons? 126 ANNEXURE I E.PRpPERTY 16. (a) If the household possesses la.nd, _give the following details A. Land under cuI tivation by the household Local name of righ t on ) Area. in acres land I I (i) Owned or held from "Government (ii) Held from private persons or institutions for payment in money, kind or share. - (iii) Totalof items (i) and (ii) - - --- B. Land given to private persons for cultivation for payment in money, kind or share. - (b) Also furnish the following pa.rticulars: Tota.lland possessed by Area irrigated Area not One cropped Two cropped More than two the hous-ehold irrigated area I area cropped area A c R E s _I ! r I I HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 127 (e) Area comprising homestead: Name of orop Quantity obtained last year Qualltitv Bold 1 2 3 (i) Paddy (ii) Wheat (iii) Maize, Jowar or Bajra (iv) Pulses, including gram (v) Sugarcane (vi) Barley (vii) Vegetables (viii) Jute (ix) Chillies (x) Tobacco (xi) Oilseeds (xii) Cotton (xiii) Ginger (xiv) Fodder or bamboo or cane (xv) Fruits (xvi) Other agricultural crops (specify) (d) What is t,he organic manure used 1 (e) Do you use chemical fertilisers 1 (f) Do you use any new agricultural implement which has been taught to you _for the first time in the last five years 1 - (g) Do you borrow agricultural implements from others at the time of cultivation 1 (h) Do you take help of neighbours at the time of sowing or harvesting 1 (i) Do you assist your neighbours and receive help at the time of cultivation in the shape of manual labour ~ (j) Have you adopted any land improvement measures like reclamation, soil conservation, consolidation, etc. 1 (k) Has there been any increase in the irrigated area during the last five years 1 (1) What improved seeds for crops did you use during the last agricultural year 1 Give quantities and sources of supply. (m) Did you use any pesticides 1 If so, for what crops 1 (n) Have you adopted any improved methods of cultivation, like Japanese method of paddy cultivation during the last five years 1 17. How' much did your father own at the time of his death: (a) Land in acres (b) Houses and other landed propl;)dy 18. (a) Do you own any cattle or poultry 1 (Give mUD;bers) : (i) Milch cattle (ii) Draught cattle (iii) Cows, buffaloes, goats, sheep, pigs, duck, geese and fowl 128 ANNEXURE I (b) How much milk or milk products do you get per day: (i) for consumption in the household (ii) for sale in the market or to others (c) If you keep poultry or rear goats/sheep/pigs, etc., indicate the amount of average inoome per year from these souroes. 19. Fishery: (a) Does the household own or hold on lease any tank or river 1 (b) If fish is reared, was any quantity sold last year 1 (Answer Yes/No. If 'Yes' mention quantity.) F. INDUSTRY 20. Do you or anyone else in the household conduct any industry ~ If yes (a) What are the products 1 (b) Which of them do you sell to neighbours or in the market 1 (c) Do Sou sell the products through a co-operative society or a Vikas MandaI? (d) Do you feel any difficulty due to unorganised market 1 (e) Have you taken up this industry for the first time in the course of last five years! (I) Have you adopted any new tools or instruments for running this industry r If so, name the details of the tools and instruments. 21. Name the art or craft in which you have earned proficiency. 22. When and how did you learn the art or craft concerned 1 (a) Do you consider further training nec~ssary 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, describe the kind of training you desire. 23. (a) What was your father's occupation 1 (b) If you have changed your father's occupation, why have you done so 1 (c) Were you forced for lack of choice into this occupation 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (d) If you were not forced for lack of choice, why did you ohoose this occupa,tion 1 24. (a) Have you yourself ohanged your oCSlupation from another kind to this one 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, explain why you have changed your own occupation 1 25. What kind of work would you like your son to do 1 • 26. (a) If you are engaged in trade or business, mention the comm,odities dealt in. (b) How do you get your finance 1 (c) What is your approximate profit 1 27. (a) Is the industry run on own capital 1 (b) Is the capital loaned 'by the Mahajan who takes the products in repayment of loan or any otlier source 1 HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 129 G. INDEBTEDNESS If the head of household is in debt: 28. (a) Mention the amount of debt outstanding (b) Source of credit (0) Rate of interest (d) Security given (e) Year in which the loan was taken (f) Purpose for which the loan was taken 29. (a) Are you content with the present occupation 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If No, what other work you want to do 1 H. EDUCATION 30. (a) How much did you spend last year on the education of your children 1 (b) How many of your children are reading, at school or college 1 School: Male/Female College: Male/Female (0) Does any member of the household: (i) Regularly read a newspaper/magazine'~ (ii) Listen to news broadcasts through radio 1 (d) If there is an adult literacy centre in the village, how many member!:! of this house hold have become literate through this centre 1 (If no centre, put a cross here.) (e) Are you a member of any library in the village or in a neighbouring village 1 (Answer Yes/No.) 1. COMMUNITY 31. Do you regularly get inuculated against cholera and vaccina.ted ttgainst smallpox? 32. (a) Does the head of the household know the name of the essential administration .units in which his village is situated 1 District/Subdivision/Police Station/Anchal/Panchayat/Thana no. of the village. (Tick for 'Yes', Cross for 'No'). (b) Does the head of the household know names of the principal rivers flowing through the district 1 33. (a) Do you think that abolition of Zamindari and intermediary rights has resulted in any good to you? (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, indicate how you have been benefited. (0) If No, why have you not been benefited 1 34. If you are a Bataidar : (a) Could you get yourself recorded as a Bataidar in the revisional settlement 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) Have you been evicted from your land as a result of recent land legislation 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (If Yes; give partioulars.) '. 130 ANNEXURE I 35. (a) Have you benefited from any scheme of land reclamation or land improvement of irrigation ~ (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, explain how have you benefited. 36. (To be answered if there is a co-operative society in the village or in the neighbouring village.) (a) Are you a member of the co-operative society ~ (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, have you derived any benefit 1 Give details, if you have. (0) If No, why are you not a member ~ 37. Is there a C.D. Block in your area ~ (The following questions will be answered only if reply to the above question is in the affirmative.) (0) Do you know what are the functions of V.L.WJ (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, describe his functions. (o) Has the Village Level Worker ever come and talked to you ~ (d) Has he demonstrated any of the improved agricultural practices mentioned above ¥ If so, did you follow his ad"'\Tice 1 If not, why not 1 3S. (a) Have you benefited from the C.D. Block ~ (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, how have you benefited 1 39. (a) What are the main functions of the Pallchayat 1 (b) Has there been any improvement in your village since the Panchayat was established 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (0) If yes, what has been the imprQvement 1 (d) Did you participate in these (by -contributing land, labour. cash or material, etc.) 1 If not, why not ~ (e) Have you benefited- from the Work/activity 1 (f) Do you think that collection of rent should be gi-v-en to the Gram Panchayat 1 40. (a) Has any caste or tribe of your village got a separate Panchayat of its own 1 (Answer Yes/No.) (b) If Yes, what are the main functions of this caste or tribal Panchayat 1 (0) Since the Statutory Panchayats -are functioning, why do you think these caste or tribal Panchayats should still continue 1 41. (a) Is there a family planning centre in your area 1 (Answer Yes/No.) • (b) Dd you know that man and wife can prevent conception of a child by deliberate means, if they wish to do so 1 (0) Does the head of the hous~hold wish that no more children were born to him ~ (d) Ha'Ve you ever been benefited from the family planning centre 1 (Answer Yes/No.} (e) lias a.ny member of your family ever been contaoted 'by the la.dy worker in this eonne<:tlon ~ (Answer YesfNo.) HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 131 J. DIET 4.2. ta) How many times a day do the members of the household tl\..ke their meah~ ~ (h) What are the foods or drihks prohibited ~ (0) What are the usual items of diet at each meal? (d) Does the hOllsehold regularly take: (i) Tea, (ii) Sugar, (iii) Milk, (iv) Butter, (v) Ghee, (vi) Fruits, (vii) V egetables ~ (e) Name commonly used oil/fat (j) How many time~ -a month is meat, fish, egg, consumed 1 (g) How many members of the household take: (i) Tobacco, (ii) Khaini, (iii) Ganja, (iv) Pan, (v) Betelnut (Kasaili), (vi) Bidi, (vii) Cigarette, (viii) Toddy, (ix) Bhang, or (x) Other drinks 1 K. UTENSILS 43. (a) Name the utensils used for -preparing food and for storage of drinking water. (b) Of what materials are important utensil~ made 1 L.FUEL 44. What fuel is ordinarily used for cooking ~ 132 ANNEXURE I M. FURNITURE AND ORNAMENTS 45. (a) Does the household possess a Bed-steadfKhatiafChaukifChairfTableJMirrorjBenchfStoolJ MachiafWall-shelP (Cross out those not found). - (b) Is the household using any new kind of furniture for the first time in the last five years ~ (c) Does the household use mosquito net. 46. List all the ornaments used by (a) men and (b) women. Give the local names and mention whether gold or silver or brass or any other material is mainly used. Give drawings. N. HOUSES 47. Give a plan of the house and 00mpound showing the main places, the material of the roof, walls and doors and the measurements of the bed-roOIp. NOTE: Give sketches and photographs wherever possible. 48. Is there a latrine in the house 1 If yes, indicate its type, e.g., Sandas, Service, Borehole, Trench, Septic. 49. Is there provision for a bathroom in the' house? If so, is it used by women only or by men only, or by both? 50. Does the house have a separate well or tube-well? Is it used for bathing only or for drinking only or for both 1 Is the well Pukka/Katcha? O. CONSUMER GOODS 51. (a) Does the household possess lantern/petromax or Hazak/battery torchlight/kerosene stove/wall clock or time-piece/gramophone/radio set ~ (Cross out those which do not apply.) (b) Has any of the items been acquired for the first time in the last five years? If yes, which are these articles? (G) Does the household use toilet soap/washing soap? (d) Does the household purchase cloth or use home spun cloth? (e) Are clothes sent to washerman to be cleaned? (f) Are shoes worn 1 If so, of what material and, by how many members? (Give figures separately for males/females.) P TRANSPORT FACILITIES 52. Does the household possess bullock cart/horse/elephantftom-tom/bicyclefrickshawjmotor. cycle/mctor-car,tractor 1 (Give the number of each item possessed. Cross out those which are not possessed.) HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 133 SUPPLEMENT TO HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE SOCIO-EcONOMIO SURVEY, BIHAR Household Expenditure: (A) F~)Od- 1. What is the expenditure of the household on the following: Monthly An nu 'tl VegetablE's (1) Potatoes (2) Onions (3) Other vegetables 2. Meat, etc. - (1) Beef (2) Mutton (3) Chicken, Duck, Bacon and other kinds of meat (4) Fish 3. Condiments- ( 1) Chilli es (2) Tamarind (3) Others 4. Ghee and oils 5. Salt 6. Sugar 7. Coffee and Tea 8. Liquor 9. Tobacco- (1) Smoking (2) Chewing 10. Other Foods- (1) Refreshments (2) Pansupari (3) Others Total annual expenditure (B) Clothing- What is the annual expenditure on clothing 1 134 ANNEXURE I (0) Housing, etc.- What is the expenditure 01L the following: Monthly Annulll 1. Housing (Rent) 2. Fuel 3. Light Total annual expenditure (D) Miscellaneous oxpenditure- What is the annual expenditure on the following: 1. Education 2. Dhabi or soap 3. Barber 4. Travelling 5. Medical fees and medicines 6. Religious observances 7. Amusements 8. Provident Fund, Insuranoe and other compulsory savings 9. Payment of debts 10. Remittance to dependants living elsewhere 11. Any other item Total annual expenditure (E) Expenditure on cultivation, industry, etc.- What is the ..annual expenditure of the household on : 1. Cultiv~tion run by the household 2. Industry run by the household 3. Business run by the household Total annual expenditure (F) GRAND TOTAL OF (A) TO tE}~ XJV. Income of the household- 1. What is the annual income of the household under the following items; (a) Salary or wages (0) Industry run by the household HOUSEHOLD SCHEDULE 135 (0) Business run by the household (d) Rent from land (e) Rent of houses (f) Pension (g) Dividends (h) Gifts and presents (i) Help from relatives, etc (j) Oth er sources TOTAL xv. Is the annual income of the household sufficient to cover the expenditure ~ XVI. How is the expenditure not covered by th~ income met ~ (To be answered only in respect of households the income of which is less than the expendi ture) XVII. Indebtedness: 1. Is the household in debt ~ If so, what is the extent of debt 1 How much of this WitS incurred during the last ten years 1 2. What is the extent of debt incurred for the following purposes': (a) Purchase of land (b) House construction or repairs to the existing building (c) MarrIages (d) Funerals (e) To give dowry (f) To clear old outstanding dellts (g) Sickness (Iz) Ordinary wants (i) Household cultivation (j)' Industry run by the household (k) Business run by the household 3. (a) Has the household cleared any debt which existed prior to 10 years and, if so, how much ~ (b) How was the debt cleared 1 Is it from the income of any property Or by borrowing Qf from any other sourea ~ 136. ANNEXURE I SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY PART II VILLAGE SCHEDULE Name of distriot ...... , Subdivision ...... " Police Station ...... , Anohal ...... , Village ...... I Thana number of village ...... , Area of village ...... , Number of Households ...... , What is the religion which majority of the villagers profess ...... 1. Topography of the village- ,_.- (a) Is the village situated' on a plain/on an undulating surface/on a plateau/on a hillock or at the bottom of a depression 1 (b) The system of grouping of houses-average distance between two olusters of houses reasons for such grouping, e.g., whether on account of special custom or on acoount of the nature of the surface of land. (c) Internal roads-tanks-village common -any stream or other extensive source of water proximity or otherwise of any jungle-approximate number of shade bearing trees and how they are arranged 1 2. Wha.t is the local legena about the ,village 1 3. Detailed description of average house of the members of each caste/tribe, religious group, occupational group in the village. 4. Name and distance of the nearest Railway Station and Bus route. 5. Name and distance of Hat or Hats to which surplus produce of the village is taken for sale. 6. Distance by road from Thana and Subdivisional Headquarters. 7. (a) Distance of the Post Office from the village. (b) Distance of the Telegraph Office from the village. (0) Can- money be sent through that Post Office 1 8. (a) Name and distance of the neareRt hospital or dispensary (giving details of facilities available). (b) Name of the diseases from which the villagers commonly suffer. 9. (a) Name and distance of th-e nearest veterinary hospital. (b) Name of the disease from which cattle usually suffer and the measures taken for their prevention and treatment. (0) Is there an Artifioial Insemination Centre in or near the village 1 Is the centre fully utilised by the villagers t (d) Is there any improved breed bull in the village ~ VIl.LAGE SCHEDUL~ 137 10. Religious practice followed 'Oy members of each oaste, tribe and religious group in the village. The description of the religious practice in each case shou1d begin with the name or names under which the Supreme Being is known and then proceed from ceremonies that might be observed in respect of a person from some time before he is born and end with the funeral rites after his death. I 11. Give details of places of common religious worship, it any. 12. Describe community festivals ifheld in the village. 13. Dress co'mmonly worn by the villagers with special reference to peculiarities on account of caste, tribe or religious sanction or economic status. (Give photographs and illustrations, wherever possible.) 14. Number and types of institutions in the viiIage: (i) School (ii) Adult Literaoy Centre (iii) Library (iv) Co-operative Society (v) Panchayat (vi) Mahila MandaI (vii) Farmers' Club (viii) Youths' Club (ix) Gram Raksha Dal (x) Kirtan MandaI (xi) Akhara (xii) Other institutions, if any 15. Describe social recreation centres, if any. 16. Give a brief account of Co-operative movement in the village, if there is a co-operative society. (Give number and names of co-operatives.) ... 17. Give a similar account of the wo~king of the Panchayat, if the village has a Statutory Panchayat. For Tribal villages only. 18. (a) Describe in detail the physical characteristic (like colour of the skin, stature, head, hair style, nose, etc.) and psychological traits and the bearings of the mambers of the tribe with special emphlltsis on dress commonly worn by the villagers (describe apparent peculiarities on account of tribes, sub-tribes and/or economic status, etc.) (Photo) (b) Does the tribe tattoo, if yes (1) whether males or females or both tattoo, and (2) at what part of the body; and (3) at what age ~ Any customs/belie~s connected with tattooing 1 What are the ceremonies performed at the time of tattooing ~ (c) Give the sketches of designs of tattooes. (Photo.) 138 ANNEXURE t (d) (i) At what age, -marriages are oontraoted ~ Write about marriage ceremonies and cere. monies tnat follow. (Give photographs of bride and bridegroom and ornaments; wherever possible.) (iiY Describe ornaments. (iii) Is polyandry practised in the village, Yes/No. If Yes, give a note. (iv) Is polygamy practised in the village, Yes/No. If Yes, give a hote. ('11) Is premarital sexual freedom allowed by the tribe ~ Yes/No. If Yes, give a note about it. (This questioI). should not be asked, but observation method is to be followed.} (vi) Is widow marriage allowed ~ If yes, describe in detail the rules and social customs connected with widow marriage, and is there any -special name for such a marriage . (e) Describe in detail the village rites and customs connected with conception. pregnancy and birth. What ceremonies are associated with conception and different methods of pregnancy ~ Describe birth ceremonies connected with a male and female child· separately. (f) Write notes on sacrifices made on different occasions like (1) Pregnancy, (2) Child birth, (3) Marriage, (4) Death, (5) Crops-(a)Sowing, (b) Harvesting, (c) Opening of a new Jhum land, (6) Construction of house, (7) Seleotion of a new site for the village and (8) in honour of V.I.Ps./Chiefs. (g) How a dead body is disposed 1 Describe funeral rHes and customs, death effigies, eto. t Do the oustoms vary for male R.nd female deoeased 1 VILLAGE SCHEDULE 139 ....<:> ...... ....<:> 00 00 1-1 .... r 140. .!!ll'N.EXJJllE l .. ., I-t :> '".... I-t -; 0 ~ \ I-t .... 8 I S '" Pi'" Pi ...0 ril ., ., t:!l be ...... O'1j ., 11 .S ., .... IQ < e';;,g bO H Ie t1e Pi o d· ...... $ H 4)il' I'z;l ~.~ 2 == 1.= ., ":':> ::I 00 ...:;so., C> > '1j ~ ... ., ...... : I'z;l .S bO'1j I'z;l 0"':0'" :> 0 II: ~ II:4) .S~'1j ~ 8 ~ 0 0 ...... 00£ ril .l» Z ~ ~o 0 I-t 0 I-t e ~ 00 l» ,.0 ~ "'g .... 00 I'z;l ""0 8 '1j ...: 00 ., 0 S =- ":' ~ '" 0 < :s 0 ril Pi'~ 0 8 ~ '1j 8 I~ I 8 ., ~ z 0 .~.~ ril 1- Pi ., t A bO· ... I'z;l ., ,.0 <> il'~ ~ ;, ~ o Po. j:Q 1II ~ 'e., The foHowing table shows the trees and tant articles of food almost throughout the year, shrubs common in Palamau. From many of - and to this chiefly is due the immunity of the them the people obtain a good supply of flowers, district from famine: fruit, bark, roots and tubers, which form impor- Serial Vernacular na;me Botanical na;me Re;marks no. 1 Agasth Flowers are eaten as a vegetables. 2 Aintni The bark is Used for fuses for oountry guns. 3 Akas bel A creeper that grows over ~el trees. Is ~sed for cure of anae;mia. 4- Akwan The mil,k of this tl."ee, mixed ~ith on, is used as a re;medy for rheu;matiem. 5 A;maltas,,Bandarlat i,Dhanras Cassia fistula Bunches of beautiful yellow flowers bloom on this tree --during the ·months of April and May. The wood is hard and is used for dhen'ki. The fruit is used as a purgative. It is also used for giving a nice odour to tobacco. Spondias Mangifera .. 'l'he ripe fruit is \lsed as wh~t to the. appetite. The leaves are ground and applied 8S a poultice over the forehead for cure of headaohe. The fruiu i~ eaten as a whet to the appeti~e. The bark is used for ,matches for country guns. 8 Aonra Phyllanthus E;mblica .. 'l'he ripe fruit is eaten as a whet to the appetite. Is also used with other articles as a purgative. Is fried, powdered, and used as a remedy for dysentery. 9 Arat· .• 'l'he wood is burnt for gunpowder charooal. The bark is used for killing fish. 10 Asan Terminalia toroentosa The tiTl\ber is valuable and. is used for ploughs bea;ms and other things. 'l'he bark is astringent' and is used by Chamar8 for curing leather. Tusse; silk worms are reared on leaves of this tree. The bark is burnt and 'lli,xed with til oil, and used for curing itch. 11 Asog The llowerll are eaten as a vegetable. 'l'he leaves are boiled, and the infusion is taken medicinally for curing jaundice. 12 Babul Aoacia arabica 'l'he fruit is ground and ;mixed with sugar and given in cases of weakn~ss. The leaves are orushed and given as a febrifuge. 'l'he gum is given in cases of dry cough. 13 Bagrera 'l'he twigs are used as toot,h brushes. The seed yif IrIs oil. 14 Baher or Bahera. Terminalia belerioa The ",)od is soft ar,a not muoh uled. The kE'rnel of the seed is grou:flll. nHxI'd with wllter and given as a remedy for wormF.. The seed is boiled with aonra and harre, and the infusion is taken as " purgative. Oil is expressed from the seed and USE>d on the body to cool it. 15 Bahuar Cordia Myxa. The fruit is ellten in Bysack and Jeyt. Thewood is used· for plougb bea;ms. The fruit is boUnd in ~e.ter. and the infusion, mixed with hone~. is given in cases of consll1l>ption. 142 ANNEXURE II Serial Vernaoular name Botanioal name Remarks no. 16 :Bakain Melia Azedarach •• The bark IS used for producmg a red dye. The seed and bark' are ground and gIven m cases of weakness and are also used for poultIce for ourlng paIn. 17 Bar .. • • FI:lUS hen3alellsis .. The branches are fodder for elephants during wmter. The berrIes are eaten m Bysack and Je/UI. IS Barhar 'the fruIt IS eaten In Jeyl and Assarh The seed 18 ground and gIVen to chtldren as a purgatIve. 19 Baroon Cratoeva religiosa .. ·The beI'rles are aaten In Bysac!c and Jeyt. 20 Belaonan A strong wood used fol' makIng legs of beds. 21 Ben The seeds are ground and used m stIll water for .kIllmg fish. 22 Bnaberung .. Embelia Rlbel:l The fruIt IS used as a purgatIve • 23 Bbarhul (""hlor01~ Jon SWIetenia The leaves are crushed And used for cure' of sores In cattle. 24 Bhel~ or Bhelwa Is frIed ln td 011. The oll IS used as remedy for rheumatlsm. The fleshy coverIng of the seed when ripe IS eaten. 25 Bbl'JO Used as fuel. 26 Bia or l'aisar or BJjaia Ptero081'l't.s"Marsupium A valuable wood used for furnIture The bark IS uSed for dyemg cloth red. 27 130kcbi Oil IS expressed from the seed and IS used for curing Itch and sores. 28 Chamar beri Used as fuel. 29 Chilb,d Ulmus i ntegrlfoha The wood IS used as fuel. The leaves are crushed and put m water to kIll fish. 30 Doodaol Used as fuel. 31 Dahial or Jal]'lmni A creeper. The roots are supposed to be a good antIdote for snakebIte. ~2 Dhao or Dhc,ot!) AnogeissU8 latIfoha Is used for ploughs and bUIldmg houses. 33 DhaW'ai .. A soft wood. The' Rower IS . steeped In warm water and the mfuslon IS gIVen to people suffermg from diarrhoea. It IS also dried and mIXed WIth bhang and IS SaId to be coolmg. 34 DheIn 01' Ak.ol ('1' Akula Alangium Lamllrckll Used as fuel. 35 Dbo~.Kh&ir or Kbol}f Acacia ferruginee .• trsed for OII·mIlls. A very strong wood. 36 Illiot'a The fruIt IS eaten In Bysack and J eye. 37 Uoomul' FIOUS hisplda The frUIt IS eaten all the year round. fs a kmd of fig. !S GaIDhar Omehna arborea The frUIt IS eaten In Bysack and Jeyt. The wood .IS lIght and IS used for furnIture. 39 Ghflto o/Ghant Schrebera SW'ietenioides Used for bUIldlng houses and for ploughs. 1l0' Ghor.karang The bark IS powdered and eaten for cure of rheuma tIsm. U ~iuhm ';' Used as fuel. A soft wood. 42 Gular FIOUS (Hvmerata The frult, a kInd of fl,g rIpens lU Jeyt. It IS eaten. 43 Galgul ,. ,. Coohl(JsptrlDuID GObE'Yl"lUDl •• The beautIful yellow Hower of thls tree appears In February and March, and IS eaten as a vegetable. Sh~kar~8 use the dry branches of thIS tree as bght. FLORA 143 Serial Vernacular name Bbtanical name Remarks no. 44 Guri A good wood for making furniture. 45 Hardi Adina cordifolia (?) A hud WOfld uf!led (or beams, dem's, eto. 46 Harre Terminalia ChebulB The frutr. is ground nnd uded e.s a purgative,. 4.7 lngun Barringto'IJia Acutffn~.ula The frl1H Is Pl.1t round the nt-cks cf nMldr"en to keep oft the evil e~e. Oil exprtssed trom t.he !!e<,d is u~en for lamps. The leaves and bark are u':!ed for killing fish. ,48 Jirhool Lagerstroemia regir1a plaorot The flower is oaten 8S a veget!lble from Magh to carpa. li'algun. 49 Kadam Amhooephalus Cadamba Used as fuel. 50 Kachnar Bauhinia to;mentoslL Tho flower is eaten in Bysack as a vegetable. 51 Kahua Terminalia glabra A large valuable tree, generally found on thp bank" of s~rea;ms. Wood hard and used for plough, beams and cart wheels. The fruit is· eaten in Magh. 52 Kaith " .. Feronia elephantuiD 53 Kaj orKajhi Briedelia retusa The gum is ground and mixed with water and given in cases of weakness. The wood is used for mak ing door-fra;mes. 54 Kakhi Used as fuel. 55 "K:ankar Z,izyphus Xylopyr~S The leaves are a good fodder for goats and sheep. The leaves are ground and used as a poultice for oure of swellings. 56 Karam Adina cordifolia The wood is close-grained, yellow in colour, and exceedingl~ beautiful. It is light and durable and good for furniture. A branch of this tree is' used by Oraons, Bhuiyas and others for celebrating the Karma Festival. 57 Karaunj or Kanoud .•. Carissa Carandas .' Oil is expressed from the seed, and is used as a rexnedy for itch. The fruit is eaten both ripe and green 8S a whet to the appetite. The green fruit is ground and ;mixed with salt, and taken as a rexnedy for dysentery. 5~, Karipati The root of this tree is ground and oooked in . ;mustard oil. This oil is rubbe'd on the bodies of people as a cure for cold and swellings. 5~ Katjaxnun Eugenia Heyneana ~he fruit is eaten in Jellt and I!Y8(Jck. 60 Katai A mediuxn siz3d tree. The tender leaves are eaten as a vegetable. The fruit is round, and is (laten in Bysack. 61 Katela Oil ~xpressed f'l'om the seed is nsed by Gar~ri8 for curmg sores on cattle. 62 Katmouli The bark of this tree provides string. The -ripe fruit is eaten, and is obtained in February. 63 Kenkar The wood is used as fuel.• 64 Keonji Sterculia urens .' T~e w?od is a good fuel. The gum called Katila is gIven In cases of dysentery and weakness. 65 Keoti The w~od is us~d for making bhang sticks. The seed YIelds an 011 . 66 Khair •-Aoaoia Cateohu Ka~h or catechu is obtai.ned fro;m the inner wood of .' thIS tree. The wood IS hard, and is used for plo,;!ghs, house-posts and other things. The. 'natIves say ·that there are two kinds of khair the juice of one being less astringent than the other Lac 1!1 growD on t,he If'l:!s astdnge.nt khair trees. • 144 ANNSXURE II Serial Vernacular name Botanical name Remarks no. 67 Khajur .. ., Phoenix Sylvest,is The juice is drunk. Oraons tnake matting of the leaves. 118 Karhar Gardenia turgida Green fruits are eaten as a vegetable. The ripe fruit is used for washing clothes. ,69 Kherna The-yvood is used for making cc.mbs for the natives. Is also used as fuel. 70 Koinar The tender leave", are eaten 8" a v<'getable all the year round. 71 Korea • • Holanhena antidysenterica Thf sellds are contained in long' steIl's oJJed indariao, and are given t'o people for killing wbrms. 72 Korkat Dillenia pentagyna '., Fruit ripens in Jtyt and is eaten by Parhaiyas. 73 Koto dumar The dHed fruit, mixed with sugar, is given in C9Bes of diarrhoea. 7~ Kumbhi Careya arborea 'l:he bark is used by 8hikanell for matches for country guns. 75 Kussum Schleichera trijuga The wood is hard, and is used for oil·mills. The bark is astringent. Rubbed with oil, the na.t,ives use H all 8 remedy for itch. The fruit is eaten. The kernel of the seed is also eaten. The best lao is obtained from kU8s'Um trees. 76 Madar Calotropis gigante The flower is ground and mixed with pepper and given as remedy for cough. Is said to be a good expectol·ant. 77 Mahua Bassia latifolia The flowers are dried and eaten. The calyx (called KoindlJ) of the f/fuit (Dori) is boiled and eaten. Oil is expressed from the seed and used for cook. ing food and also for burning. It is also rubbed on infants to warm them. 78 Mahulan The leaves of this creeper are used as plates for eating food on. They are also used for covering bamboo umbrellas. The bark is used for making string. The fruit, called Ohihor, is eaten. 79 Med eMMa) Tetranthera laurifolia The bark is crushed and used for curing pain. It is also dried and ground and given to weak cows to strengthon them. 80 Mendi The juice of the leaves of this tree is used for colouring hair, hands and feet. The seed is used M a medicine in cases of weakness. il Morabba Aloe Indica Is grown for fencing compounds. Strirg is made fro~ the fibre. 82 Mowan A thorny tree. The fruit is used for killing fish. 83 Nim Melia Azadirachta The ripe fruit is occasionally eaten. The leaves a.re boifed and used for curing pain. The twigs of branches are used as tooth.brush. 8'4 Palas or Para!! .• Buteo. frondosa Middle.silzed tree, which flowers in February and March. The insect COCCU8 lacca is put on this tree for producir,g lac. Strong ropes are made from the fibre of the roots used immediately aft€r the bark has been stripped o'ff. The flower is ground. and' used on castor-plant leaves as a remedy for swell" ings. The gum is used as a remedy for cough. The flower is boiled, and used for colouring clothings. The' roots of young trees are eaten as vegetable. 85 Pankar or Pakar Ficus cordifoliar .• The fruit ripens in Jeyt, and is eaten. The tender leaves called tu8a are eaten as a vegetable. 86 Papar Pongamia glabra •• The fruit is bored, and used on goats neck as a bell. The ripe fruit is eaten by the natives in By8ack and Jeyt. FLORA 145 Serial Vernacular name Botanical name Remarks no. 87 Phara.r Erythrina Indica .. Used as fuel. 88 Pinrar The green fruit is boiled and eaten as a vegetable between Sawan and KUanr. 89 Phalhad Erythrina Indica Used as fuel. 90 Pipal or Pipar Ficus religiosa Much respected by natives. The branches are useful as fodder for elephants. The berrios called pakua are eaten in RY8ack. 91 Pipri Ficus cortlifplia Used as-fuel. 92 Ramdathwan Twigs from this tree are used for tooth·brush. 93 Raten Combretum dccandrum During the rains the new leaves are rubbed over the feet. The juice blackcns the skin and renders it water.px:bof. 94 Raipan Rice eaten on the leaves of this plant for three d3Ys successively by people suffering Hom night blind. ness is said to effect a cure. 95 Rehri Ricinus communis •. The ·castor.oil plant. Oil expressed from the seed is used for lamps. 96 Sakua Shore a robu8i8 The gum called dhl.lan is used fof doing hoom (religious ceremony) at sylvan shrines. It is also used for cure of dysentery. Tnel fruit called 8erai is cflllected in By8ack and eaten by the natives. The leavel and bark are burnt ~'nd mbc<'(l with til oil and used for healing burns. . 97 Sale Salaia .• Boswellia thurifera A soft wood, used for making KathoulB fer keeping water in. The juice of the bark is used for curing ophthalmia. The gU'.D is given in cases of weak. ness. The bark. is ground and heated and mixed with pepper and salt. Is given as a remedy for fever. 98 Samsihar or Singarhar Nyctanthes Arbor.tri~1.i8 The flower is used by native dyers (rangree) for colouring cloth. 99 Sanan Populus alba Is a good woad, used for making plough.pokfand other th~ngs. AJltrong wood. 100 Sidha Lagerstroemil) parvif]ora W'ood is used by the natives for posts of marwa or wedding canopy in marriage ceremonies. The' bark is burnt, powdered and mixed with til oil, and is used for curing itch. Sikat 101 Breynia rhamnoidos Fruit ripens.in Sawafl and is eaten. 102 Sij •. Euphorbia N'iv'ulia The gum is used for killing fish. Sim .• 103 The juice of the sim leaf and dry tobacco- mixed together, is used in cases of ophthalmia, is said to effect a cure. 104 SimaI ., Bombax malabarieulll Cotton tree. A large tree, th·e wood of which is soft and spongy. The wool Qfthe pods is used for stuffing pillows and bullock pads. The tree flowers in February. The petals of the flower are dried, powdered and eaten with.1;narua flour. The gum is used for cure of dysentery. The leaves boiled and given with sugar in 'cases of anaemia. Sinduar or gandiar 105 .. Pogoliltemon Patchouli The leaves are boiled and applied to the body for curing dropsy and rheumatism. 'the odour of the leaves prevents insects attacking woollen clothing. The leaves are put in grain for preventing attack by moths and insects. 106 Siri6 Albizzia Lebbek The bark, leaves and fruit are boiled together and the infusion is given in caoes of anaemi~ pnq for ~uring itch. 146 ANNEXURE II Serial Vernacular name Botanical name Remarks no. 107 Sissu' Dalbergia latlfolia Is a good wood, but scarce and little used. The leaves are boiled and the infusion is drunk in cases of weakness. 108 Sonapata Oroxylumindicum The tree is found on the banks of streams. The leaves are burnt, powdered and mixed with wine taken as a remedy for cough. 109 Tal or Tar Borassus flabellifer Found chiefly in the northern part of Palamau. The juice is drunk by people. 110 Teak Tectona grand is .. Introduced intO' the district., and grows fairly well. The leaves are burnt, mixed ",ith til 011 and used as a remedy for curing itch. 111 Tetar Tamarindus indica The fruit is used as a whet to the appetite. An infusion of the lea.ves is used fo-r diooa.ses of eye. The seed of the ripe fruit is sometimes burnt, powdered and used for cleaning teeth. . 112 Tilo Used as fuel. 113 Toon Cedrela Tuna Found in places; -but generally rare. 114 Vihiyati babul Acacia Farnesiana A small tree, the yellow flowers of which are globular and very fragrant. The -following is a listof some or the roots staple food of Kherwars, Cheros, Bhuinas. and tubers found in waste lands and Reserved Parhaiyas and Oraons. There is seldom any forests throughout the year. They are relished difficulty in obtaining as much of them as may by the people, and may be counted among the be wanted: Serial Vernacular name of root or English name Bota~ical name Remarks no. tuber 1 2 3 4 5 1 Bernahi or beraini Is eaten either boiled or roasted. The fruit called koondari is eaten as a. vegetable. 2 Dura Is eaten" boiled. 3 Geti Ditto. 4 Gursikri Is boiled and eaten chiefly as a. tonic. The ripe fruit is also eaten. 5 Kenwa Is roasted and eaten. 6 'Khania or Kanda. Ditto. 7 Kulu or Kola. . Is said ·to have intoxicating properties. Is therefore boiled several times and then eaten. 8 Pathal Kohnra A kind of yam. Is eaten either roasted or boiled. 9 Saru or Sal'nath Is ea.ten boiled. The leaves and stems are also ea.ten. 10 Tikur Arrowrot1t Curcuma a.ngustifolia. In addition to wild.- roots and tubers, which obtained in sufficient quantIties all round are easily obtained, the people subsist qmsi~e~bly the year. A list of some of them is given below: on spinach (sag) and table vegeJables, which are Serial Vernacular name _ English name Botanica.l name Remarks no. 1 2 3 4 5 Bag8- 1 But Gram .... Cioor s.rietenum The tender lea.vs!! are sa.tau in Augha.n a.nd Paw. 2 Chakour FLORA 147 Serial Vernacular name English name Botanical name Remarks no. 1 2 3 4 5 3 Chirchiri 4 Dhai 5 Danta 6 Dhakhni 7 Gadarparron 8 Gendhari / 9 Karmi 10 Koinar 11 Kena 12 Mosiphul 13 Nuni .. 14 Pipal Tender leaves are eaten in Jeyt. 15 Puin Basella alba .. 16 Sanichiri 17 Sarson Brassica compestris Vegeiable- 18 Alu Potatoes Solanum tuberosum 19 Bhata Brinjal Solanum melongena 20 Ban-khira 21 Belati begun Tomato Loycopersic!lm esculentllm 22 Kudrum Roselle Hibiscus sabdariffa 23 Kanda 24 Karela Momordica charantica 25 KareH 26 Kheksa 27 Kundri 28 Kohnra Gourd Cucurbita maxima 29 Karil Young bamboo shoots Is cut up in slices, steeped In water for three days and then dried and eaten as wanted. Is called Bansjul. 30 Khokri Mushroom Found at roots of bamboo clumps. It is cooked as a cm;ry and also dried, 'powdered and eaten as wanted. 31 Khera. Cucumber Cucumis Sativus 32 Jhinga Luffa acu tangula 33 Laoka Gourd Lagonaria vulgaris 34 Murai Radish Raphanus sativus 35 Munga Moringa Pterygosperll"\a The flowers as well as the fruit are eaten. 36 Pekohi Arum Coloca.sia antiquorum 37 Ramtordi Ladies fingers .. Hibiseus esculentus 38 Sakarkand Sweet potatoees BatatuB edulis 39 'Sim Country beans Dolichol! Lablab 148 At~NEXURE II The 'fruit trees found m Palamau are mentioned below: , Serial Vernaoular name English name Botanical name ~emarks no. 5 1 2 3 4 Mangifera Indica Thero are several large groves 1 Am •• Mango of this tree aU over the district, ospeoially towards the north and the shade afforded by them makes good camping gr01.!nds. 2 Anal' Pomegranate •• Punica granatum 3 Bel Bengal quince Aegle marmelos 4 Jujube tree ., Zizyphus juguba The ripe fruit is eaten. It is Ber or baer also dried, pounded and stored for food. The branches of the tree are used for fencing fields. f) Damha Pumelo or shaddock Citrus decumana , 6 Jamun Blackberry (1) Engenia jambolana 7 Kanaud or Kanwad Karanda Darissa Uaraniias 8 Kela Plantain Musa sapientum 9 Kantal Indian Jack tree Artocarpus integrifolia Not common. 10 Lemo or Kagji Lemoo_ Lemon Citrus med ica, Varlimonum 11 Lemo Citron Citrus medica, var medica 12 Narangi Orange Citrus aurantium -I Piar or Peeyar - Buchanania latifolia The ripe fruit is eaten. The 13 .. kernel is a general substitute for almonds and is called chirool,ljee. 14 Sarifa Custard apple Anona squamosa 15 Tamrus GUQva Psidiufil Guava 16 Tend Dyospyros melano:x:ylon The pulp is eaten. 17 Tut Mulberry Morus alba. Although this list is a- long one, very few anyb?dy eating it i"n Adra (June-July) will not fruits are brought to markets. Mangoes are e3~en be bItten by snakes. green as a whet to the appetite, and wh~n ripe . The f?llowing t.able shows the time of year are eaten at once or the pulp is remo..;ed, durmg whIch the dIfferent varieties of flowers strained, and dried, in bamboo trays as ama7J)at, fruit, leaves, vegetables, and roots are obtained: which is eaten as wanted. Green mangoes a:r_:e and on which Kherwars, Bhuinyas, and abori 'Cut, dried, and eaten as amchur in curries. gine~ . subsist very largely, and particularly when makal, marua, or mahua crops are short. An Melons [(l)IKakri (C1lcumis Ulilissirn 11S), alarm of famine or scarcity in Palamau should (2) Phut (Cucumis momordica), (3) TarbuJa be received with the utmost caution. It is only (Citrulus vulgaris)] are obtained in ]eyt c~vIay when the supply of leaves and roots is insuffi· June), and are" grown on the banks of streams cient (this can scarcely happe.n, seeing the vast by Koiris and Kunjras. They are'much relished areas of reserved and protected. as well as by the n~tives. Bel) tend) and piar form impor private, 'forests in the district) and there is tant articles of food, while ripe be~ are e3~en general failure of crops and absolute famine whole as we1l as in the shape of flour into w]1IC~ that the people can be persuaded to attend relief they are pounded. The fruit of the Bagrtahl operations in anything approaching large creeper is eaten boiled. It IS believetl that numbers: Month in which o,btained .___...___-----. Nature of fooJ Nam~ of article Vernaoular English Cheyt • • Maroh.April Flowers G.u'gul (Oochlosperm'Jm G08sypium), mahua (Bf1.8B'ia ldei/olia). Fruit Pial' (Buchanal}-ia luti/olia); tend (Dyospyros mel anoxylol?); kanaud (OarM 8a carandas): bel, mango, kakri, kharbuja. Leaves (sag) Gendhari, pudina, batua, koinar. Vegetables Brinjal, kareli, bodi, laoka and semi. Roots .• Gonra! kesor, geti, kanda, khania and dura. FLORA 149 Month in which 0 btained .... _------.---'\ Nature of food Name of article Vernacular English Bysack April-May Flowers Of dhanras, korea, kachnar, mahua and jirhool iirees. Fruit Wild-bel, baher, pithoul, piar, ten, goolur, kyma (fruit of katmouli tree) katai, allorai, (fruit of sal tree ), pakua (fruit of pipul tree), pakar, khaJ:ar, kat ja.mun, kharbuja, kakri, bel, mango and kathal. Leaves (sag) Chakwar, koinar, tender leaves of pipul tree, gendhari. Vegetables Brinjal, kareli, bodi, laoka and semi. Roots Kesor, geti, kanda, dura, barnai and khania. Jeyt. May·June Fruit Ga:tnhar, sarai, tend, piar, pipul, baroon, pakar, bar, bel, barhar, kharar and kathjamun. Leaves (sag) Chakwar, koinar, gendhari, pipul. Vegetables Kareli, laoka and kohnra. Roots Khania, kanda, dUl'a, kulo and geq. Assar June·July Fruit Kussam. poro, dori (fruit o(mahua tree), bar, bel, khajur (date J and mango. Leaves (sag) Gandhari, kena, chakwar, nuni, chirchiri, sarhachhi, dhakui, dhain and karma. . Ste!Us .. Peckchi. Vegetables Kheksa, peckchi, kundri and bernai. Roots •. ~hania, kanda, dura, bernai, geti and palas. Savan J uly·August Flower Mosiphul. Fruit ., J amun, mosipbul, pinrar, bagnaha and tar. Leaves (sag) Chakwar, chirchiri, kena, gendhari, karmi, godarparan, dhakui' sarhachhi and -kudrum. Stems Peckchi: Vegetables Karela., kheksa., ban-khera, peckchi and khokri. Roots .. Geti, kanda. and bernai. Bhadon August·September Lea.ves (sag) Dhain. Vegetables Karela, khera (cucumber), kheksa, nenua or ghongra, ram torai, bans khukri (mushrooms) and peckchi. Stems .• Karil or khokus_ or'harna (young Shootil of bamboo). Roots Kanda, geti, bel'nai, patalkohnl'a, oolu, pit-aru and khania. Asin September-October. . Frllit Kainta •. singara and bhet. Leaves (sag) Palki and lasoon. Vegetables Brinjals, tomatos, ar (yams), jhingi, gongra, peokchi, khera, bodi, karela II-nd kundri. Seed Ori (seed of ori grass). noots ., Geti, dura, khania, pit-aru bernai and oolu. Fruit .. Baher, baer, sarifa, singara and bhet. Katik October-November .• Leaves (sag) Palki, soa, methi and sakhirt. Vegetables Brinjals, semi, tomatos, kohnra and raksa. Roots Khania, geti, kolo, kanda, patalkohnra, bernai, pitaru and oolu. Aghan November-December Fruit Baer, bar, phutkhera, dhatora or makor, gursikri tamras (guava), sarifa and kanwad. ' Leaves (sag) But, sarson, lotni, bathua, dhakui and murai. Vegetables Kohnra, loaka, carrots, radish and semi. Roots .. Sweet potatoes, obI, pota~oes, geti, khania, arukolo, bernai. kanda and pitaru. 150 ANNEXURE It' Month in which obtained ,.---. - ..... ~ ------",", Nature ot' food _Nallle of articles Vernacular English Pous December-January. .• Fruit.. Chihor (fruit ofmahulan tree) and singara. Leaves (sag) But, bathua, sarson and lotani. Vegetables Sem~, laoka, tomatos, sugua·batura, turnips, green plantains, radish and carrots. Roots •• Sweet potatoes, bernai, khania, geti, oolu, dura, kanda and potatoes. Magh ,J anuary-February Flower .• Gugul, Jirhul and kachnar. Fruit .. 'Datora, kyma (fruit of katmouli tree) bhelwa kanand and gursikri. ' Vegetables .Semi, batura, toma.tos,brinjals, carrots, turnips and radish. RO'ots ., Dura, kanda, geti,teona, bernai,oolu and gom·a. "~\I:)"'W'\)'I: •• Vr.~.ruV., In,'U\,lmnn. ·uut. '"Ilnlnw.. Fruit •• Donmur, plantains, ,bar and pipul. Vegetables Semi, batura, .gongra, brinjals and tomatoB. Roots .. "KeBor, bernai, oolu, geti, kanda and dura. The principal jungle grasses of Pal~mau are -mentioned below: Vernacular name Bota~ical name ·Time 'Of year Remarks . available Akti Winter .. Good as fodder when young. The Bood is eaten by people. Grows in rabi fields. Bans (bamhoo) Bambu~a stricta Always Used for roofing huts. The young shoots called karil are eaten. Kanai (bamboo) DendrocdZmUB BCrictuB Always Used for fencing fields. Basmati Rains •• Useful ~s fodder. Grows on oyle8 of paddy fields. Bherki Winter Grows in rabi fields. Good as fodder. The seed is eaten by the poor. Chapra, Barko. panicum colonum ,. Rains Good as fodder. Chap!a, Chotka Panicum Sp. .. Do. Ditto. Chora t or kher Hetllropogon cOntortUB Rains and winter Used for thatching houses when the awnes falloff. When young is eaten by cattle and is very nourishing. Daora Rains .. Useful 8fI fodder. Grows in paddy-fields. Dubh Oynodon dactylon Always The best grass of the district. It retains its succulence throughout the extreme heat of summer. Dubh Ujarka Ditto Ditto Good fodder. In cases -of itch this grass is I1lixed with mustard oil and rubbed on the effected part. In headache it is ground with gram- and made into a paste, which. is applied to the head. Dhimoi or Lepta or Latlatiya Setaria VerticiZlata Rains Useful as fodder. Grows in makai fields. Tl\e juice of the leaf is a remedy for itch. Dhunia or jungly sewan Panicum clus-calli Do. A broad-leaved. soft grass. Useful as fod . der. The seed is eaten by people. Grows in marua and other bhadoi crops. Fulhari Do. Good as fodder. Grows in paddy.fields. Gajra or Ratto. Do. The tender grass is eaten by cattle. FLORA 151 Vernacular name Botanical name Time of year Remarks available Garer Rains and winter ., Grows best in waste lands and is eaten by buffaloes. Good fodder for elephants. Hogla or Dheruka Typha elephantina Always Jamhar Ditto As fodder for both horses and cattle it is considered. to rank with dubh. Ditto Rains and winter.. Very good as fodder. Grows on ayles of rabi and p'addy lands. Jhirna Oyperu8 Iria .: Rains Good as fodder. Grows in wet places and paddy.fields. Kasi Saccarum spontancum Used for thatching houses. Khoksa Do. Grows in paddy lands. Very injurious to crops. Kus Erf1{/r08ti~ cynocuroides Always The sacred grass of the Hindus. On death of any person the nearest male relative of deceased has to pl:;mt a stalk of this grass in the ground and water it for ten days to satisfy tIre spirit of the deceased. 'rhe tender grass is good for fodder. Lahi SporoboluB orientalis Rains •. Good as fodder. Larjoka Rains and winter.. A very good grass for cattle. Lukhni or Lukua Ditto Good as fodder. The stalks are used for making brooms•. Makra. Eleusino Oegypticzca Rains •• Useful as fodder. The seed is eaten by people. Motha Oyperus rotundus Good fodder for goats and sheep. The tubers and 21 black pepper corns are ground and mixed with water and then burnt. The ashes are mixed with stale water and d!-'unk as a remedy for fever. Mironi or maren Rains .• Grows 'in paddy-fields and yields sead which is eaten by Bhuinas and other poor classes. A good fodder grass. Maona. Do. Is good as fodder. Grows in paddy and kodo fields. The seed is eaten by the poor. \ Narcha Winter .. The tender grass is eaten by cattle. Narar or· job Rains •. Good as fodder. -Grows in paddy· fields. Phulena Ohloris barbata Do. Good as t:odder. Grows in ayles of rice fields. Parsot Do. Grows in damp places. Women suffering from rheumatism bore a hole through the stalk of this grass and passsing a string through wear it on either arm or on neck. This is said to effect II. cure. Only Women can do t]\is. Sabe lIIohamum czngu,stifoZium: •• Rains and winter •• Good as fodder when tender. The ripe grasef is used for string. Siara Setari,l glatloa Rains •• Good as fodder. Seed eaten by poor people. Grows in kodo fields. Sik or jhur or khuekhus • • Andropogo1'l mu,lioatus Always The roots are used for tatties for cooling rooms in summer. The stalks are used for baskets and brooms. The grass is used for stuffing .elephant and bullock saddles o.ud also thatching houses. ANNEXURE III FAUNA Mammals The following IS a list of some of the larger animals found in Palamau : English name Native name. Scientific name Remarks The Hanuman Monkey Langur, Hanuman SemnopithecUB entellua Eaten by Birhors. The Bengal Monkey Bander Macacus rh1lsus The tiger Bagh Felis tigris Eaten by Oraons, B irhors and Birjeas. The Leopard Tendua or Garno. Felis Pardus The Panthor Chita or Lakra .. Felis Panthera The Leopard Cat -Koria Bagh or Sona Chits. .. Felis bengalensis The jungle cat .. Jangali billi or Bhanro Felis chaus The Indian civet Katas Viverra zibetha The common Indian Mongoose Neur Herpestes mungo Tho striped hyaena Hurha HYaena. striata Tho Indian wolf Hurar Canis pallipas. The jackal ,Siar (male), Phekar (female).. Canis aureus The Indian wild dog Koia CaniE! deccanonsis The Indian fox .• Lomri or Lomar or Khikhir Canis bengalensis Tho sloth bear .• Bhalu Melursus ursinus .. Eaten by Birjeas and Korwas. The hog badger .. Bajar bhal Arctonyx coUaris The Indian otter Ood Lutranair The gaur Gaur Bosgaurus Found only in Roserved Forest in tappa Seems. The Indian gazelle ., ' Chikara orBanbakri Gazelle -bennottii The black buck •. Harna or kala.gora Antolope cervi capra The four·horned antolope chowranga (male), Kotari (fo. Tetraceros quadricornis male). The nylgai Lil (male), Rojin (femalol Boselaphus tragocamelus The Indian spotted deer Chitra Corvus axis The sambar Sambar- Carvus unicolor The barking deer Bherra CervuluB muntjac The India.n mouse deer Nigwan or Rigwa Mominna Indica The Indian wild boar SUar Sus crista.tuB Tho common Indian squirrel Rukhi or chikhura Soiurus palmarum .. A great p'est when maka.i ilS ripening. The black rat Bhuis Musro.ttus The common house rat Chutia Mus nivieventar FAUNA 153 Engh~h namo NatIve namo SClOnhfic nnme Remarks Tho fiold r Tho common Iuclmn mou~o .. Chuha Mus musculus. Tho whito·tallou porcupine. . Sahi Hystrix cristata Eaton by Chews, Oraon8 and BUlnas. Tho common red.taIlod hare Khi1l'hll or Lamhha Lepus ruficaudatus. The amount IMld by (TO\ernmcnt dlliing or ebewhere dt goou profits. \Vhen a gualdntee each of the laH Ii, e yean on account of rewards i~ gn en that a bhin wIll not be plOd uced for a for hilling ,did BirdJ A 1illt of the game birds found III Palamau is gi\ en below: Sorlal Enghshname Nativenamo SClOntlfic name Romarks no. 1 2 3 4 5 1 Tho glOon plgoon Hard Crocopus PhoenlCopLerus 2 The blue rOGk pigoon Parewa Columba intermedla. 3 'rho painted ~ullli gr'JUbo Ptorocles fac i Ij The common poacock l\Illlljur (malo), lJaI.l'ar Pavo crlstatus. (female). II Tho rod jungal fowl .Tangh mU1'Sl Gallus ferrugineus. 7 The black partudgl) Kala tltur Francohnus Francolinus Common towalds Lat lahar and the southern Tappa!;!. 8 'l'h6 pal11tecl partrIdge Flancolinus pictus. n Tho Sley partrHi,fe C.orua htur OrtygOl'lllS Pontu,miano. 10 The jungle bush qU Serial no, English name Native name Scientifio namo Remarks 1 2 s 4 5 11 The large grey quail Teedla Coturnix communis. 12 The larger button quail Ghagur Turnix Dussumierrii • 13 The black breasted quail Bateyr" Coturnix cormandolica. 14 The button quail Gudri Turp.ix sykesii. 15 The lesser florikin Sypheotides auritus. 16 The common snipe Chaha Gallinago'scolopacinus Common in rice fields from December to Februa.ry. 17 Tho painted snipe Rhynchaea bengalensis. 18 The common wild goose Anser cinereus. 19 The cotton teal .. Dendrocygna major. 20 The Braminy duck Casarca rutila. 21 The pintail duck Dafila acu ta. 22 ~he bluo-wingod teal Querquedula. circia. 23 The red-crested pochard Branta. rufina. Of other birds I am told that over 140 and at end of the season are despatched to species have been collected in the district. The French traders in Dinapur, whence they are said naturalist will find abundant scope for work to be sent on to Paris for ladies' hats and other here. A variety of doves are found here, and ornaments. I ):)Cll'e see~any as 160 skins are eaten by Oraons whenever captured or shot. with a single- Mir Shikar. The slaughter of this I desire specially to invite attention of Govern beautiful bird is so great at present that there ment to some extraordinary cruelty that is will probably be no more kingfishers in Palamau practised in the district by Mir Shikars. They district within a short time. I would beg to set traps on the banks of streams for the common suggest that the killing of the bird may be Indian kingfisher (Alcede bengalensis), which stopped altogether. The Ind.ian Oriole (Oriolus are netted in, large number. The birds are lndicus) should also be protected. skinned as soon as possible. The skins are dried, ANNEXURE IV SCHEDULE OF RATES OF BAZAR TOLL AT LATEHAR Sorial Name of articlos From lellers From purchasers From sellers From purchasers no. (Wholesale) (Wholesa.le purcha-ser) (Retail) (Retail) 2 3 4 5 6 Rs. 11. p. Rs. a.p. Rs. a. p. Rs. a. p. 1 Rice, whoat, clal, UJ BarBon, 0 1 0 por bag o 8 4 por o 8 4 per o 12 6 per hundred eto., from rail. ' hundred hundrod. ort pice pel' rupee. 2 Rice, wheat, aul, til, BarBon, o 8 4 per 0 8 4 per 4 ehhs. per maund. o 12 6 per hundred etc., by other means such hundred. hundred. or! pice per as carts, bullocks,etc. rupee. 3 Brought in baskets 0 4 o per tin o 3 0 pertin o 6 0 per basket o 12 6 per hundred or i pice per rupee. 4 Gheo 0 4 o per tin o 2 0 per tin t pio per rupeo o 12 6 per hundred 01' i pice per rupee. /) Oil (Other than K. oil) 0 o portin o 2 0 per tin 6 Oil from rail, Gur from 0 1 o per bag o 12 6" per hundrod 0 12 6 per hundrod i pie per rupoe. rail or or 0 1 o per chakki 0 I o perchakki Our by othor means such as 0 1 o porbag o 12 6 per hundred 0 12 6 per hundred i pio per rupee. carts, etc. or or 0 1 o per chakki 0 o per chakki 7 Sugar plus misri o o per bag 0 4 0 per bag .. 0 2 0 por bag i pie per rupee. 8 (a) Haldi, dhania and other o 1 0 por bag 0 8 4 per hundred 0 8 4 por hundred maBala by rail. (b) Haldi dhania and others 4chhs. per maund by means of carts, baskets, etc. 9 Salt by rail 0 6 o por bag 0 1 o per bag o 1 0 per bag. 10 Mahua- (a) By rail 0 1 o por bag 0 8 4 per bag (b) By oart, bullock, eto. 0 8 4 per hundred 0 8 4 per bag 4 ohhs. per maund 11 Oil·cake- (a) Byrail 0 1 o porbag 0 8 4 per bag i pice per rupeJ (b) By cart, bullock, etc. 0 8 4 per 0 8 4 per bag i pice per rupee o 1 0 por bag. hundred. 12 Sweetmeat stalI_ (a) Big 0 2 o per shop per day. (b) Small. 0 1 Q. per shop por day. 13 Lac .. 0 8 4 per 0 8 4 per 4, chhs. per maund o 8 4 por hundred. hundred hundred. 14 Tobacco by rail o 4 0 per pattp, 0 8 4 per hundred 0 8 4 por hundred ! pico per rupee. 15 K. oil by rail o 3 0 por ti n 0 0 6 per tin .. 16 Vegetable (more than 4 bas,;"ets) o 8 4 per hundred 0 1 0 per hundred Vegetable (less than 4 baskets) o 0 6 per shop 156 ANNEXURE IV Seria Name 0 (articles From sellers From purchasers From sellers From purchasers no. (Wholesale) (Wholesale purchaser) (Retail) (Retail) 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rs.a.p. Rs.a.p. Rs.a.p. Rs. a. p. 17 Paisa,.i (grocer)- (a) Big 0 1 o per shop (b) Small 0 0 6 per shop 18 Cloth (mill) 0 4 o per gath 0 4 o per hundred 0 1 o per shop 19 Cloth (handloom local) 0 4 o per gath 0 4 o per hundrod 0 0 6 per shop, 20 Tailor and readymade seller 0 0 6 per shop 21 Betel leaves 0 0 6 per basket~ 0 0 6 per shop 22 Earthen pots 0 0 6 per shop 23 Thathera 0 1 o per shop 24 Basket and bamboo materials 0 0 6 per shop 25 Iron small shop (local) 0 0 6 per shop 26 Iron 0 8 4 per 0 8 4 per hundred. hundred. 27 . Bhusa/pual 0 0 3 per bundle 28 Bhu8(J by rail 0 1 o per bag 0 1 o per bag 29 Patua, Butri, Ban 0 3 4 per 0 8 4 per hundred 0 0 o per shop hundred. 30 Kath 0 3 4 per 0 8 4 per 0 8 4 per hundred hundred. hundred. 31 - Ohuri. glass 0 6 o per basket 0 0 6 per shop 32 Fish 0 0 6 per shop 33 Bullook cart 0 1 o per cart 34 Cow, bullock 0 4 o per- 35 Buffaloe 0 8 o per, 36 Calf .• 0 1 o per 37 Horse 0 8 o per 38 Goat 0 2 o per Other articles not mentioned above for whole- rate of toll is Re. 0-1-0 for big and Re. 0-0-6 for saler and purchaser is Re. 0-8-4 per hundred. small. Tolls shown in kinds will be realised For every shop other than mentioned above the beforehand. ANNEXURE V ' 'fiT~;:r ;:f() ~ I 'iiTrr lJ:rr~TI:[ ~orr~ f+r~ ~rl:fT :a;"fT I ;;for +f ~ffir ;;f~ 'fiT +r~f"<:l:fT, WCUf ~fiJ ~rrTrr, 'q"<:Uf ~+r qTGffiJ I:[ ~eTT I ;;for ~li ~TCfT Gfrr 'fiT liT("orT I 'liCUf:ifT 'f>"<:a-~;( lTr"<: ~~~ ;;fT c? qfT"lTCfT li '3"eff II ;;fq ~li ~mT q'~GfT c? tTTWT, 'li~;;fr qijl'Tq(j" ~"<:fvl:fTI ~~GfT +T" qfT' 'fiTcfrr ;:f 0 ~ I '+ri ~~ ii~rfv"T ~ I €r{ rrefr .,~1 ilfTrrTI:fT ff1 ~F"{, rr~T-rr;:~T CfH c?"<:T f'q'3"<:T ~~TGf~, ~ +r~rfv.rrT If ~~"GfT ~T :;:;rTrrTI:fT CIl~g, 3TFF'f \ifT~~ arT'Cfrr f'Cf3Tt?" ~~ +rQTfwifT ~ Q-{, 6)i +r<:i? 1JTCf i?)~, a:fT~CfT c? \;fTa-Gf iGf0T Wfl"<: ~~ l1~Tf~"T ~ ~~ I ~~rrT "ll t?" "3Cfl"<: 'ilm~, ~~-~~ ~i'fi 'CfT"{ 1 lJ:~ lTT~~I:fT, ~ +r~rf~T 'fiGf LIST OF VILLAGES ON WHICH MONOGRAPHS ARE PROI:OSED ,+0 BE PUBLISHED S erial Name of village Anchal/Block Subdivision District Special groups in the village no. 1 2 , 3 4 5 6 .1 Jojohatu Khunti Khunti Ranchi MundaTribe 2 Kujam Bishunpur Gumla Ditto Asur Tribe :l Harup Ditto Ditto Ditto Birjia Tribe 4 Bara Ghaghra Khijri Ranchi Sadar Ditto Lohra Tribe 5 Bergari Mandar Ditto Ditto Oraon Tribe 6 Humta Bundu Ditto Ditto Birhor Tribe 7 Kathgaon Dumri Gumln. Ditto Korwa Tribe t 8 Parba Kolebira Simdega Ditto Binjhia Tribe' • 9 Meromdega Thethai·Tangar Ditto Ditto Gond and Kharia Tribes po Orea Latehar Latehar Palamau Kharwar Trib" :1:11 Ghutua Ditto Ditto Ditto Chero Tribe :1:12 Nareshgarh Ditto Ditto Ditto Parhaiya Tribe 13 Orsapat Mahuadar Ditto Ditto Kisan Tribe 14 Hes"la Ramgarh Hazaribagh Sadal' Hazal'ibagh Bedia and Karmali Tribes 15 Upersole Dhalbhumgarh Dhalbhum Singhbhum Bhumij Tribe 16 Bharbharia Manjhari Singhbhum Sadar Ditto Ho Tribe *17 Jamkanali Amrap.1ra Pakur Santal Parganas Santal Trihe *18 Batbanga Taljhari Rajmahal Ditto Sauria Paharia Tribe .19 Kumarbhaja Litipara Pakur Ditto Mal Paharia Tribe 20 Palasi Jama Dumka Sadar Ditto J\{ahli Tribe 21 Khaspur Patna Sadar Patna Sadal' Patna Milkmen 22 Naipura Rajgir Bihar Do. Tassar Producers 23 Pareo Bihta Dinapur Do. Variegated population 24 Manjhauli Dumaria Gaya Sadar Gaya Toddy Tappers and Pottf'r!l 25 Maneri Bigha Arwal Jehanabad Do. Weavers 26 Hathauri Hussainganj Siwan Saran Potters 27 Dol;:hni Ramnagar Bettiah Champaran Dhangar (Oraon) Tribe 28 Jamunia Gaunaha Ditto Ditto Tharu • 29 Asauta Shambhuganj Banka Bhagalpur Variegated popUlation 30 Sabal Bigha Sikandra Jamui Monghyr Ditto 31 Manikpur Bakhl'i Bcgusarai Ditto Ditto 32 Hill Block Surajgarha Monghyr Sadar Ditto Kora Tribe ... Already printed. t In Press. t Present volume. BS~ (Census) 4-Lincr-750-22·7.1969-R. Narain and others.