Lodhe: Deccan
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Lodhe
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 |
Lodhe, Lodhi — an agricultural caste supposed to have come from the United Provinces, Central India and Bundelkhand. According to Sir George Campbell, " they are cognate to the Kurma and to have, at one time, occupied a very considerable posibi&n in the Jabbalpur and Saugar Districts. The Lodhes are scarcely in- ferior to the Kurmi as agriculturists, are hardy and active, but are the opposite of the Kurmi in natural temperament, being turbulent, revengeful and ever ready to join in any disturbance. They make good soldiers and are generally excellent sportsmen. The Lodhe agriculturists of Upper India attained to some distinction as marau- ders in the Narbada country and some of their ohiefs still retain all the popular respect due to families which have forgotten' to live on their own industry" (Campbell P. 193). The Lodhes regard them- selves as Rajputs, but can give no account of their origin, nor are there any traditions current among them which will throw light upon the subject.
Internal Structure
The Lodhes are divided into the follow- ing sub-castes : Jariya, Patariya, Singor, Nathniya, Loniya, Nava Khandewale, Handeya, Noniye and Malgeshiya, who do not inter- marry. The origin of these names is obscure. The Jariyas claim to be of the highest dignity, deriving their name, as they say, from jar meaning ' gold ' . The Pataria take their name from patari, or leaf plates, and the Loniya from lona, or salt. Information is not available regarding the significance of these names. It may be that these are occupational groups, dealing in articles denoted by their names, and have consequently become separated into distinct sub- castes. The Nathniyais are so called because their women alone among the Lodhes wear nose-rings.
All the Lodhes belong only to one gotra, Kasyap, which is oi course inoperative for matrimonial purposes, since marriages between members of the same gotra are not forbidden. They profess to prohibit marriages between persons descended from the same ancestors within seven degrees on the male and three degrees on the female side, but the caste is illiterate and there is no machinery among them for guarding against consanguineous marriages.
Marriage
The Lodhes practise either infant or adult marriage, the tendency being, for those who can afford it, to marry their daughters as infants. Polygamy is permitted ; a man is allowed to have as many wives as f^e can afford to maintain.
The marriage ceremony of the Lodhes is of the type common among the Khatris and other castes of Upper Indi-. When a marriage is under consideration, the headman and Panchayat are consulted regarding prohibited degrees. Mutual visits of inspection follow, at which presents of jiew clothes and jewels are made to the girl, and of new clothes and five rupees in cash to the boy. After thi^, a Kanojia Brahman is called in to fix an auspicious date for the wedding. The binding portion of the ceremony is Kan\}adan, or the giving away of the bride by her father or guardian and the acceptance of her by the bridegroom. When this is done, the bridal pair, with their scarves knotted together, walk seven times round the mango post planted in the centre of the wedding booth. This is followed by Sindurdan, when the bridegroom smears vermilion on the parting of the bride's hair.
Widow Marriage and Divorce
Widows are allowed to marry again and are usually expected to marry their deceased husband's younger brother. The ceremony is simple. On a dark night, the bridegroom, accompanied by a widow, goes to the bride's house, presents her with a new sari, and puts mangahutra, or a string of black beads, round her neck. The bridal pair then return to the bridegroom's house, where a feast is given to the members of the caste. Divorce is recognised and divorced wives may marry agam by the same rite as widows.
Inheritance
In matters of inheritance and succession the Lodhes follow the Hindu law in force among the Hindus of Upper India ; the sons of one wife, how.ever, take a share equal to that of the sons, however many, of another.
Child-Birth
A women in child-birth is unclean for ten days. On the fiftih day after birth, a spot is plastered with cowdung and a pair of copper anklets, a piece of black cloth and a Baby's dress are placed on it and worshipped with offerings of flowers, boiled rice and curds. A feast is given to the relatives, after which the articles are put on the newly born child. At night, the doors and windows of the house are kept wide open and vigil is kept till daybreak. On the tenth day, a hole is dug in the courtyard of the house and on its edge are placed four pieces of firewood an^ an earthen pot of water. After the mother has worshipped the pot she is considered free from all impurity.
Religion
Most of the Lodhes are Vaishnawas and worship Balaji and Krishna. The festival of Gokulashtami is celebrated with some pomp. Their religious observances present no features of special interest. Kanojia Brahmans are usually engaged for reli- gious and ceremonial purposes, but no objection is taken to the em- ployment of Maratha Brahmans on these occasions. The members of the caste also pay reverence to Devi, under her forms Kalika and Tuljapuri of Tuljapur. Among their minor deities are Mari Ai and Sitala, who are worshipped with a variety of offerings.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are usually burned, but occasionally buried if the means of the family of the deceased are too limited to bear the cremation expenses. In the latter case, the corp'.e is laid in the grave face upwards, with the head pointing to the south, Mourning is. observed ten days for adults and three days for children. Sradba is performed on the 10th day after death and on the thirteenth a feast is given to the members of the caste in the name of tf e deceased. Libations of water are offered to the spirits of ancestors in general ip the month of Bhadrapad (September).
Social Status
The Lodhes will accppt cooked food only from the hands of Kanojia Brahmans and Khatris. They ^vilI, however, take water from the Bhois and castes equal to or higher than these in 'ocial standing. The members of the caste eat fish, mutton and venison, but refrain from fowl. All of them make free use of fermented and spirituou.s liquors. It is said that the Marathas, and inferior to there.will eat food cooked by a Lodhe.
Occupation
The caste, as a whole, may be described as agricultural, though many of them make their living as carters, labourers, charcoal and cowdung-cake sellers, petty traders and money lenders. Some have enlisted in the native army and a fev> have entered Government service.
