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=Mang Garodi=
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This article is an extract from <br/>

THE CASTES AND TRIBES <br/>

OF <br/>

H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS <br/>

BY <br/>

SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN <br/>

Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and <br/>

Middle Temple, London. <br/>

One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court <br/>

of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. <br/>

BOMBAY <br/>

THE TlMES PRESS <br/>

1920<br/>
*****<br/>
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[[Category:India|M]]
[[Category:Communities|M]]
Mang Garodi, Rangidas Garodi, Firaste Mang, Pendhari 
Mang, Pahilwan — a wandering tribe of acrobats and mat-makers 
found in the Districts of Aurangabad, Bir, Parbhani, Usmanabad 
and Efidar. They profess to be a branch of the Mang caste of 
Maharashtra, but are disowned by the latter and, except in name, 
appear to have no connection with them. They move in gangs, 
from village to village, carrying their tents, goods and chatels on the 
backs of bullocks and barren cow-buffaloes. They generally encamp 
on the outskirts of villages, pitching their ' pals ' (huts) of bamboo 
mats with openings on all sides and with roofs covered with grass. 

==Physical Chasacteristics and Habits==

The men are strong and 
well set up and wear, like gymnasts, tight short drawers, a waist 
band and a carelessly folded rag as head gear. The women 
are very violent and quarrelsome. Their costume resembles that 
worn by Maratha females. They wear bangles on their wrists, 
brass ear-rings in their ears and bead necklaces round their necks. 
Their hair is never combed nor oiled and lies in dishevelled 
locks. Both men and women are dark in complexion and extremely 
ditty, not bathing for days together. They are considered to be 
habitual criminals and cattle-lifters and are, consequently, under the 
strict surveillcince of the police. Their home tongue is Marathi but, 
like other criminal tribes, they have a flash-slang of their own. It is 
customary among the males never to shave their heads after marriage 
but to allow the hair to grow on to the end of their lives. 

==Internal Structure==

Mang Garodis have several denomina- 
tions. They are called Rangidas Garodis, as they colour their bodies 
before exhibiting acrobatic feats. Their name ' Firaste ' indicates 
their roving habits and the name Pendhari refers to their criminal 
propensities ; being athletes, they are known as Pahilwans. 
[[File:saket.PNG ||frame|500px]]
The caste has no endogamous divisions. Their exogamous 
divisions are based upon family names, some ot which appear to 
resemble those of the Maratha Kunbis 
Excepting the Bodkes, all other families interdine and intermarry. The 
rule of exogamy is strictly observed, and a man is forbidden to marry 
a girl bearing his own surname. Two sisters may be married to the 
same man. In matters of prohibited degrees they follow the same 
laws as the other Mahratha castes. 

Mang Garodis admit into their community' members of other 
castes higher than themselves in social rank. No ceremony is observed 
on this occasion. 

Mang Garodis marry their daughters either as infants or as 
adults, between the ages of 2 and 20. Sexual intercourse before 
marriage is tolerated and if a girl become pregnant, her seducer is 
compelled to marry her. Polygamy is recognised and a man is 
allowed to have as many wives as he can afford to maintain. 

==Marriage==

The marriage ceremony is very simple. A sheep 
or a fowl is killed as a sacrifice to their patron deity and the bride, 
dressed in green, and wearing green bangles and a black bead necklace, 
is taken to the wedding 'pal.' There the couple are made to stand 
face to face in bamboo baskets, a cloth is held between them and they 
are wedded with the sprinkling of grains over their heads. No Brahman 
attends the ceremony, but the functions of the priest are discharged 
by the caste elders. A bride-price amounting to Rs. 10 is paid to 
the parents of the girl. 

==Widow-Marriage and Divorce==

Widows are allowed to marry 
again and divorce is recognised. A divorced wife may marry again 
by the same rite as widows ; but she forfeits the custody of all 
children she raay have had by her first husband. 

==Inheritance==
In point of inheritance, Mang Garodis follow 
their own« tribal usage. The price received for a girl becomes the 
property of her father and, failing him, it is divided equally among 
her brothers. 

==Religion==

Like other nomad tribes, Mang Garodis are still 
animistic in their beliefs and worship ghosts, evil spirits and the gods 
of diseases, the chief of whom is Mari Ai, or the goddess that presides 
over cjiolera. When an epidemic breaks out in the camp, the goddess 
is worshipped with great pomp by the members of the caste. Bull 
buffaloes are sacrificed at her altar. The heads are buried before 
the shrine of the goddess and the trunks and limbs are cooked and 
eaten by her votaries. Under the influence of Brahmanism their 
primitive beliefs are undergoing a change and they now pay devotion 
to the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Khandoba is regarded by the 
caste as their patron deity and the dog, the emblem of the god, is 
worshipped by eacn householder on the light 6th of Margashirsha, 
when onions, brinjals and molasses are offered to the god and the caste 
people are feasted in his name. They pay reverence also to deified 
Mohamedan saints and martyrs (Pirs). The tiger is held in special 
reverence and no member will either injure or kill this wild beast. 
An oath by the dog is deemed sacred and binding. 

==Disposal oi the Dead==

The dead are buried in a lying posture 
with the head pointing to the west. The grave is circular and at 
the bottom a niche is cut for the reception of the head and the chest. 
The body, after being smeared with oil and washed with water, is 
carried to the grave by two men in a cloth bag called a ' zoli. The 
body being lowered into the grave and the head and the chest of tlie 
corpse placed in the niche, the grave is filled in ; the mourners bathe, 
hold grass in their mouths and return home. On the 3rd day after 
death three wheaten cakes are deposited on the top of the grave, one 
just over the head of the corpse, a second over the middle part and 
the third over its feet. On the 9th day, jaggery is distributed and a 
funeral feast is provided for caste brethren. Ancestors in general 
are propitiated once a year, when a new earthen pot is set up to 
represent them and is worshipped with the sacrifice of a fowl. Mourn- 
ing is observed seven days by some and nine days «by others, no 
definite rule being prescribed on this point. 

==Social Status==

Mang Garodis occupy the lowest position in 
the Hindu social system, being only higher, in social rank, than 
Dakalwars, who are their genealogists and eat from their hands. 
Their touch is regarded as very impure and neither the village barber 
nor the village washerman will work for them. In matters of diet 
they have few scruples and eat beef, pork, mutton, fowl, wild cats, 
jackals, lizards and animals that have died a natural death. They 
eal the leavings of all castes, except the Dakalwars. They freely 
indulge in strong drinks. 

==Occupation==
As acrobats, Mang Garodis perform in the streets 
and entertain their audience by vaulting, tumbling, throwing summer- 
saults and exhibiting other physical feats. They also make bamboo 
mats, brooms and ropes and are occasionally engaged as farm 
labourers and in sinking wells. As already mentioned, they are 
looked upon by the police as cattle lifters and highway robbers and 
are not allowed to move from one place to another without a sur- 
veillance pass. This stringent measure seems to be producing the 
desired effect, as great numbers of them have repressed their criminal 
habits and are settling down to peaceful pursuits.