Bais

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This article is an extract from

THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. By H.H. RISLEY, INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE, OFFICIER D'ACADÉMIE FRANÇAISE. Ethnographic Glossary. CALCUTTA: Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. .

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Bais

A, trading caste of North Bhagalpur, who claim to be the lineal descendants of the Vaisyas of early Aryan tradition, goes by this name. They disown all connexion with the Bais Baniyas mentioned below, and keep up elaborate genealogies for the purpose of preserving the purity of the stock and guarding against consanguineous marriages. They observe an intricate system of exogamy, in which regard is had to the following considerations:¬First, a man may not marry a woman who belongs to the same mttl as he himself, his mother, or his paternal grandmother. Secondly, he may not marry a woman whose mother or paternal grandmother belonged to any of the muls prohibited to him. For instance (vide table below), the question is whether Propositus may marry Proposita. The capital letters show the muls Proposita herself does not belonged to any of the three muls A, B, D, which are barred on the man's side. But her maternal grandmother belonged to D mul, which is barred for Propositus. Consequently the marriage cannot take place. The mul of Proposita's maternal grandfather is not taken into account :-

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The Bais marry their daughters as infants, prohibit the remarriage of widows, and do not recognise divorce. They rank high D2 socially, and their physical appearance lends some support to their claims to be of comparatively pure Aryan descent.