The Mali and Saini
This article is an extract from PANJAB CASTES SIR DENZIL CHARLES JELF IBBETSON, K.C. S.I. Being a reprint of the chapter on Lahore : Printed by the Superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab, 1916. |
Caste Nos. 45 and 31
The Sainis would appear to be only a sub-division of the Malis. In Bijnor they are said to be identical, and I am informed that the two intermarry in many, but not in all,
parts of the North-West Provinces. It is probable that the Sainis are a Mali tribe, and that some of the higher tribes of the same caste will not marry with them. The Mali, the Mdlakdra or florist of the Purans, is generally a market or nursery gardener, and is most numerous In the vicinity of towns where manure is blentiful and there is a demand for his produce. He is perliaps the most skilful and industrious cultivator we possess, and does wonders with his land, producing three or even four crops within the year from the same plot. He is found under the name of Mali only in the Jamna zone, including the
' Mr. Wilson notes that the Gujars and the Bargujar tribe of Rajputs are often found together; and suggests that the latter may be to the Gujars what the Khanzadahs are to the Meos and what most Rajputs are to the Jats. eastern portions of Hissar, his place being taken by the Saini in the eastern sub-montane districts , and by the Arain or Baglibun in the remainder of the Province. He is almost always a Hindu. Most of the few Malis shown for the western districts were returned as Maliar, the Panjabi form of Mali ; and some of them as Phulara or Phulwara (but see section 485 for the inclusion of Maliar under Arain) .
The Sainis, who, as I have just explained, are probably a Mali tribe, are said to claim Rajput origin in Jalandhar ; but Mr. Barkley writes of the Sainis of that district : They consider themselves the same as the Malis of the North-West Provinces, and to be connected with the Arains, though the latter know nothing of the relationship. They are not found west of the Chanab, but are numerous In some parts of the Ambala district.They appear from our figures to be all along the foot of the hills between the valleys of the Jamna and Ravi ,but not to have reached the Chanab valley. Both they and the Mails are properly tribes of Hindustan rather than of the Panjali. About 10 per cent, of the Sainis are Sikhs, and the remainder Hindus. In Rawalpindi no fewer than 3,655 Mughals have returned their tribe or clan as Salnl ; but It Is probable that these have no connection with the caste under discussion, as It would not appear to have penetrated so far westwards. The Sainis of Rupar In Ambala are described •' an ill-conditioned set, first-rate cultivators, but refractory and Intriguing. The Mails and Sainis, like all vegetable growers, occupy a very Inferior position among the agricultural castes ; but of the two the Sainis are probably the higher, as they more often own land or even whole villages, and are less generally mere market gardeners than are the Malls.
The largest of the Mali sub-dlvlslons are the Phul with 11,646, and the BhagartI with 15,658 persons. The Sainis do not appear to have returned any large clans except In Hushyarpur, of which district some of the largest clans are shown In the margin, and In Gurdas pur where 1,541 Sainis showed their clans as Salahn. Mr. Barkley notes that some of the clans of Arains and of Sainis In Jalandhar bear the same names, and those not always merely names of other and dominant tribes.
