Patwa
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(From People of India/ National Series Volume VIII. Readers who wish to share additional information/ photographs may please send them as messages to the Facebook community, Indpaedia.com. All information used will be gratefully acknowledged in your name.)
Patwa
Groups/subgroups: Gouria, Jurihar, Rewar [Bihar and/or Jharkhand] Groups/subgroups (kuri): Batere, Devwanshi, Gangapari, Kanoujia, Mara, Naraiwanshi, Tara, Tarkere [Madhya Pradesh and/or Chhattisgarh]
- Sub-divisions: Gausia, Rewar, Tanti in Bengal [H.H. Risley]
Agarwala, Barauniya, Channiyan (in Hamirpur), Deobansi, Gauriya (in Lucknow), Jeorahiya, Jogi Patwa, Kariya, Khadadewal, Khanrawa, Khara (genuine Deobansi), Kharewal, Kharwar, Lahua Nasaniyan, Ratha, Rewar, Sikarwar, Tanti, Torela in Oudh [W. Crooke] Surnames: Lai, Prasad, Ram [Bihar and/or Jharkhand] Patwa [Madhya Pradesh and/or Chhattisgarh] Exogamous units/clans: Aryana [Bihar and/or Jharkhand] Sawalankhi [Madhya Pradesh and/or Chhattisgarh] Gotra: Kashyap, Sandilya [Bihar and/or Jharkhand] Bharadwaj, Kashyap, Sandilya [Madhya Pradesh and/or Chhattisgarh]
Notes
This is the common name in Eastern Bengal for the Muhammadan who makes tapes and braids. In Hindustan, however, he is called by the Arabic names, Ilaqaband, or Bisati.
The Patwas are intelligent workmen and skilful dyers, who, in the days of the English factories, were famous for the manufacture of a lac dye, known as "Jhuri."1 The lac was first washed, mixed in a solution with Sajji-mati, an impure alkali, then heated, powdered Lodh bark (Symplocos racemosa) being added, and after boiling a short time poured into a copper vessel and allowed to cool.
At the present day they impart a fixed golden colour to silk by straining lime and fuller's earth, and boiling them with "Kamila" (Rottleria tinctoria); silk steeped in this, then washed and dried, acquires the above colour. Silk dipped in a solution of alum, and macerated in water in which chips of Jack-tree bark have been boiled, becomes yellow, and if afterwards immersed in indigo water, prepared by the Nilgar, it changes to a green colour.
The Patwa makes the Kardhani, or waist string, worn by natives of all ranks and religions, which consists of coloured cotton string. He also manufactures tassels (Jhabba) for caps,paijama strings, nets, fringes, and silken purses; and stringing beads he makes silk borders for bracelets, armlets, and charms.
In his shop are also procured the "Baddhi," or sash, worn during the Muharram, and the "Shamsa," or silken rosette, that adorns the gaudy wrappers of rich Muhammadans. The skilled Patwas, who are generally addressed as Karigar, form a small community, occupying not more than twenty-five houses in the city of Dacca.
1 "Indian Repertory," vol. ii, 579.
