Ghisadi: Deccan

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Ghisadi

This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees with the contents of this article. Secondly, this has been scanned from a book. You can help by sending the corrected version/ additional information to the Facebook page, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be duly acknowledged.

Ghisadi, Baiti ^Kamara {'Baiti' in Telugu meaning 'outside') — a wandering caste of iron-workers, polishers, tinkers and knife-grinders. The name 'Ghisadi' seems to be derived from the Urdu word ' ghaisna', meaning ' to rub.' Their origin is obscure. The Ghisadis themselve say that they were originally Marathas, and separated from the pMent caste by reason of their having adopted their present occupation. Others claim Gujerath to be their original habitat. Their traditions throw no light upon their original affinities. Their home tongue is Gujerathi, but they speak Marathi and Hindustani as well. As a class they are hardworking and robust, but quanelsome and fond of drinking. They generally live in hut?, or pals, of cloth, on the outskirts of villages, where they find work. They carry their clothing, utensils and other articles on asses, ponies or bullocks from place to place. Both males and females dress like the Maratha Kunbis. They generally wear top- knots and beards.

Internal Structure

The Ghisadis have no sub-divisions. Their exogamous sections are based upon family names which closely resemble those of the Maratha Kunbis. Marriages are regulated according to surnames.

Surnames (Marathawada), Surnames (Telingana).

Pawar Poshinarwaru

Chavan Paingantiwaru

Bhukya Palakadawaru

Rathor Heerapuramwaru

Salunke Badapolawaru

Katker Anvalikarwaru

Persons of the same surnames cannot intermarry. A man may marry two sisters but two brothers cannot marry two sisters. A niece may be taken in marriage. Outsiders are not admitted into the caste.

Marriage

Both infant and adult marriages are practised by the caste. A girl is sent to her husband's house immediately after the marriage ceremony. Cohabitation before puberty is tolerated. Girls are not dedicated to temples. A girl becoming pregnant before marriage is expelled from the caste. Polygamy is permitted theoreti- cally to any extent, but is limited in actual life to not more than two wives.

The marriage ceremony differs in different localities. The Maratha Ghisadis marry their daughters by the ceremony ,in vogue among the Maratha Kunbis. The ceremony among the Baiti Kamaras takes place in a wedding booth of nine pillars, and is attended with the killing of a pig and five sheep, cis a sacrifice to the patron deities of the caste. In other respects, it conforms to the usage current among the other Telugu castes.

In general, a widow is not allowed to marry again. But where the custom prevails, she may marry her late husband's younger brother.

Divorce

Divorce is recognised and is effected by driving the woman out of the house. No expenses are recovered. Adultery on the part of a woman with a member of a lower caste is punished by expulsion from her caste, but with a man of a higher caste it may be condoned by a small fine, or entirely overlooked.

Religion

The religion of the Ghisadis presents no features of special interest. They themselves profess to be Saivaits, and worship Balaji and Bhavani as their patron deities. They pay reverence to all the Hindu gods, and observe the Hindu festivals. They have a firm belief in ghosts, evil spirits and witchcraft. Maisamma is appeased by Telugu Ghisadis with offerings of flesh and wine. Brahmans are engaged for ceremonial and religious observances.

Disposal of the Dead

The dead are burnt, with the head to the north and the face downwards. The ashes and bones are collected on the 3rd day after death, and thrown into any stream that is close by. Mourning is observed, 10 days for Agnates, and 3 days for other re- latives. Among the Baiti Kamaras a singular custom ordains that the spot where the body is burnt be marked with a stone bearing the images of the sun and moon. Funeral rites are performed on the 10th, 11th and 12th days after death. Some of the Ghisadis do not mourn for their dead, and their women assume widowhood three days after the death of their husbands. This singular divergence from the orthodox usage may be due to the supposition that the spirit does not shake off its attachment to the dead body until three days after death. No Sradha is perforrned by the members of the caste. Rice and alms are offered to Brahmans in the name of the departed ancestors a the Pitra Amawasya, or the last day of Bhadrapad (Sept-Oct.).

Occupation

For eight months in the year they wander from village to village and work, especially in iron. They prepare all kinds of ironware, which they sell in the bazars.

Social Status

They eat the flesh of goats, fowls, pigs, and fish and drink wine and shendi. They do not eat the leavings of any caste. They eat kachi (uncooked food) from the hands of all castes, except Dhobis, Malas, Mangalas and Panchadayis, while only the Malas,. Madigas and Erakalas will eat from their hands.