Barhi
This article is an extract from
THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. Ethnographic Glossary. Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. . |
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Barhi
Barlzai, the carpenter caste of Behar, claiming descent !rom the celestial architect and artificer Viswakarma. The word barhi seems to be a corruption of the Sanskrit Badhik, !rom bardh, ' to bore,' and the caste may probably be regarded as a functional group composed of members of sevoral intermediAte castes, who have been drawn together by the attraction of a common ocoupation.
Internal structure
The Barrus of Behar are divided into six sub-castes, as shown in Appendix I, the members of which do not intermarry. I cannot ascertain the precise basis of these di visions. According to some, the distinction between the Kanaujia and Maghaya depends on the former working in wood only and the latter in both wood and iron; while others say that the Maghaya are house-carpenters and work on a larger and coarser scale than the Kanaujia, who are turners, cabinet¬makers, and the like. Again, the Lahar sub-caste in Bhagalpur work only in iron, but disclaim all connenon with the Lohars, whom they regard as people of a different race. The Kamar-Kalla sub-caste have no settled homes, but wander about, exhibiting marionettes (krit-putli) and doing odd jobs like gypsies.
Their sections (mitt or dih) are mostly of the territorial type, but a few of the Brahmanical got1'as have been borrowed of late years. Usually the prorubition of intermarriage extends only to women belonging to a ~an's own lIlut, and the rule is supplemented by the standard formula of degrees; but among Maghaya Barhis seven, or according to some accounts nine, muls are exoluded.• In the same sub-caste we also find the hypergamous divisions Thakur, Rai, and Kuar.
The Thakur oan take wives from the other two groul's as woll as their own, but will not give their daughters to mAn of a lower group. So also 1.1. man of the Rai group will marry a Kuar woman, while a man of the Kuar group cannot aspire to marry a Rai woman. Wherever the custom of hypergamy prevails, the preponderance of women in the higher groups and the consequent demand for husbands have necessarily led to the introduction of infant-marriage, which, again, has spread by imitation. Among the Maghaya Barhis of Darbhanga girls are married between the ages of three and five ; and so firmly has the fashion established itself, that it is difficult to find a husband for a girl who is more than five years old.
Marriage
Adult-marriage, however, is not entirely unknown among the other sub-castes, although all aver that infant¬marriage is the rule. The marriage ceremony differs little from the standard form for middle-class Hindus in Behar, which has been described by Mr. Grierson in Behal' Peasant Life, pages 362-73, except that instead of the parents or the parties exchanging paddy (dJuinbatti) when the marriage has been agreed upon, they exchange betel-nut.
This ceremony is called panbatti. Polygamy is permitted in the event of the first wife being barren or suffering from some serious physical defect. A widow may marry again by the sagai form. Although such marriages are supposed to be arranged entirely by the parents of the widow, she appears to have some liberty of choice in the matter, and may marry anyone outside the prohibited degrees. As is the case with other castes, it often happens that she marries her deceased husband's younger brother ; and this is considered a proper thing to do, but no special pressure appears to be exercised in order to compel her to do so. Divorce" is effected with the sanction of the caste council (prtnchayat) on the complaint of the husband in case of adultery, or on the application of both husband and wife on the ground of inability to agree. Divorced women may marry again by the sagai form. 'fhis privilege, however, does not extend to a woman taken in adultery with a man of another caste. In that caso no question of formal divorce arises: she is simply turned out of the caste, and usually ends by becoming a regular prostitute.
Religion
The religion of the Barhis is simply the average IIinduism Rer " of the middle classes of Behar, and calls for no special remark. The casto employ Tirhutia Brahmans for the " worship of the greater gods, and these Brahmans are not hold to incur any social degradation by pedorming these functions. 'rheir special god is Viswakarma, who is worshipped once a yoar, on the seventh of Sl'llwan, and when a son is apprenticed to the trade. On these occasions homage is done to the tools of the craft, -the adze (bosula), chisel (?'ukltani), and saw (cLm)" and a goat whose righ~ oar has been slit, and a new waist-cloth, 1.1.1.'0 offered to tho god and afterwards presented to a Brahman. In addition to Bandi, Goraiya, the Panch Pix, andtheother village gods common in Behar, Barhis also offer sweetmeats and g{l1~ja to Ugri Maharaj, a sort of patron saint, whose origin and hmciions I havo not been able to ascertain. They also worship the standard yard (kami or gaJ"),
Social status
In point of social standing Barhis rank with Goalas, Hajaml", Koil'is, eto., and Brahmans will take water from their hands. Their practioe in the matter of diet does not differ from that of other orthodox Hindus of the same olass. rrhey will smoke with Lohin•s. rrhey believe carpentry to be their original occupation, but outside the larger towns many of them are now engaged in agriculture, and hold lands as oocupancy and non-occupanoy raiyats.
T'he following statement shows the number and distribution of Bm'his in 1872 and 1881 :¬
Barhi
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Barhi
Subgroups: Maghaya [H.H. Risley] Titles: Arhasiya [H.H. Risley] Exogamous units/clans (mul): Bachberait, Balhati(mul) [H.H. Risley]
