Gandhi
This article is an extract from
THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. Ethnographic Glossary. Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. . |
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Gandhi
The perfumer, who may belong to any caste, or religion, extracts the essences of flowers by maceration and subsequent distillation. The scents generally preferred are those of the "Champa " (Michelia champaca), "Bela" (Jasminum Zambac), "Vakula," or "Maulsari" (Mimusops Elengi), and "Juhi" (Jasminum auriculatum).
The 'Atr of roses and "Gulab," or roseewater, prepared in Dacca are inferior in quality to those made at Ghazipur.
GANRAR, GANDHA-KARA, GANDHA-ARA, GARWAL.
This caste, more generally known as Shikari, or hunters, is called by Bengalis Gandha Pal, Madhu Mayara, or Mayara Ganrar, while their villages bear the name of Shikari-tola, or Shikari-para.
In the census returns the Ganrar is correctly classified along with the Madak, or Mayara, among the castes engaged in preparing cooked food. In Bengal the caste consists of 14,843 persons, scattered in small numbers throughout the province, but grouped in the following districts: Murshidabad (2,384); Nadiya (2,268); twenty-four pergunnahs (1,847); and Dacca (1,611).
1 Sanskrit "Ghrita-Kumari."
There can be no doubt that the Ganrar caste is the same as the Madhya-deshi Kandus of Bihar. A tradition still survives, that, five generations ago, their ancestors were brought to Dacca by the Muhammadan government from Surya-garhi in Bhagalpur, to act as rowers on board the imperial dispatch boats (Chhip).
The caste is most numerous in Dacca, but they are also met with in Silhet, Tipperah, and Mymensingh, working as cultivators. Buchanan mentions that the Ganrar of Rangpur originally came from Dacca, two hundred families being in his time domiciled along the banks of the Brahmaputra.
In former days the Ganrar had the reputation of being the bravest of all boatmen, and the river Dakaits never dared to attack boats manned by them. Nowadays, they are great traders, carrying in their large cargo boats, called "Pawar," rice, cotton, and linseed, to Calcutta, Bhagwan-golah, and other centres of trade. They generally do business on their own account, and being honest and straightforward, obtain advances of money on most favourable terms from the bankers.
Ganrars use the three-pronged harpoon (Tenta) with wonderful dexterity, and rarely miss an object within forty yards. If an alligator takes to carrying off bathers from a "Ghat," the Ganrars are employed to kill it. When the brute is seen basking on a sandbank the sportsman crawls up, and strikes it with a harpoon, to the shaft of which a rope and a float are attached. As soon as the animal is hit, it takes to the water, the Ganrars following in a boat, and every time it rises for air spears are implanted, and it is rare for an alligator to escape from these active and persevering assailants.
Ganrars also kill a great many Gangetic porpoises (Sus) for the sake of the oil, which is in great repute for burning, and as an embrocation for rheumatism. It usually sells for three to five rupees a "man." Turtle are frequently harpooned for food, and turtle eggs are deemed a great delicacy by these sportsmen..
Ganrars work at almost any trade, but in Dacca nothing will induce them to cultivate the soil. The women are principally employed in parching grain, and selling it in bazars.
They all belong to one gotra, the Aliman, and the Purohit is a Patit Brahman. The caste is a Vaishnava one, but deities unknown to the Brahmanical Pantheon are worshipped. Like most of the low castes they set afloat the "Bera" in honour of Khwajah Khizr, and pay especial adoration to Sat Narayana. Moreover, on the last day of Sravan they sacrifice a turtle to Manasa Devi, the goddess of snakes, and make offerings in the month of Paush to Bura-Buri.
The Ganrars of Dacca, through Brahmanical influence, have relinquished the worship of Kaala-Kumari, who is regarded by the Ganrars of Rangpur as the Naiad of the river. This worship, a survival of an earlier cultus, is peculiar to the aboriginal races of Bengal, and like that of Bura-Buri is only found in the outlying districts, where Hinduism has always been least active and aggressive.
Ganrars rarely eat flesh, but they freely indulge in spirits, and often in Ganjha. At the present day widows do not marry and the Levirate marriage custom is unknown.1
