The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Part 49

_Morkul_.--A section of Komti. They do not use asafoetida (_hing_) nor the fruit of the _umar_ fig-tree.

_Motate_.--(From _mot_, water-bag.) A subcaste of Kapewar.

_Moujikul_.--A section of Komti. They do not use pepper.

_Mowar_.--Subcaste of Rajwar.

_Mowasi_.--A resident of the forests of Kalibhit and Melghat known as the Mowas. Subcaste of Korku.

_Muamin_.--Synonym of Cutchi.

_Muasi_.--t.i.tle of Korku; subcaste of Korwa.

_Muchi_.--Synonym of Mochi.

_Mudara_.--Subcaste of Parja.

_Mudgalia_.--(From _mudgal_, Indian club--an athlete.) A surname of Adi Gaur Brahmans in Saugor.

_Mudha_.--Synonym for Munda.

_Mudotia_.--(From _mudha_, a cheat.) A surname of Sanadhia Brahmans in Saugor.

_Mughal_.--A tribal division of Muhammadans. See article Muhammadan Religion.

_Muhammadan_.--Subcaste of Koli.

_Muhjaria_.--(Burnt mouth.) A section of Lodhi.

_Mukeri_.--Or Kasai, a small Muhammadan caste of traders in cattle and butchers. In 1891 more than 900 were returned from the Saugor District. Their former occupation was to trade in cattle like the Banjaras, but they have now adopted the more profitable trade of slaughtering them for the export of meat; and as this occupation is not considered very reputable, they have perhaps thought it desirable to abandon their caste name. The derivation of the term Mukeri is uncertain. According to one account they are a cla.s.s of Banjaras, and derive their name from Mecca, on the ground that one of their Naiks or headmen was camping in the neighbourhood of this town, at the time when Abraham was building it, and a.s.sisted him in the work. When they emigrated from Mecca their ill.u.s.trious name of Makkai was corrupted into Mukeri. [470] A variant of this story is that their ancestor was one Makka Banjara, who also a.s.sisted in the building of Mecca, and that they came to India with the early Muhammadan invaders. [471]

The Mukeris form a caste and marry among themselves. In their marriage ceremony they have adopted some Hindu observances, such as the anointing of the bride and bridegroom with turmeric and the erection of a marriage-shed. They take food from the higher Hindu castes, but will not eat with a Kayasth, though there is no objection to this on the score of their religion. They will admit an outsider, if he becomes a Muhammadan, but will not give their daughters to him in marriage, at any rate until he has been for some years a member of the caste. In other matters they follow Muhammadan law.

_Mullaji_.--t.i.tle of the priests of the Bohra caste.

_Multani_.--Subcaste and synonym of Banjara.

_Munda_.--(A village headman, from _munda_, the head.) t.i.tle and synonym of Kol. A subcaste of Kharia and Oraon.

_Mundela_.--(Bald-headed.) A surname of Jijhotia Brahmans in Saugor.

_Mundle_.--(Shaven ones.) Subcaste of Gujar.

_Munikul_.--A section of Komti. They do not use _munga_ beans.

_Munjia_.--Name of an Akhara or school of Bairagi religious mendicants. See Bairagi.

_Munurwar_.--Synonym of Kapewar.

_Murai, Murao_.--(From _muli_, or radish.) Subcaste of Kachhi.

_Murchulia_.--(One who puts rings on the fingers of the caste.) A section of Ganda and Panka in Raipur.

_Muria_.--A well-known subtribe of Gonds in Bastar and Chanda.

_Murli_.--Synonym of Waghya.

_Musabir_.--Synonym of Mochi.

_Musahar_.--(A rat-eater.) Subcaste and t.i.tle of Bhuiya.

_Musare_.--(_Musar_, a pestle.) A section of Mali.

_Mussali_.--t.i.tle of Mehtar.

_Mutracha_.--Synonym of Mutrasi.

_Mutrasa_.--Synonym of Mutrasi.

_Mutrasi_, _Mutrasa_, _Muthrasi_, _Mutracha_.--(From the Dravidian roots _mudi_, old, and _racha_, a king, or from Mutu Raja, a sovereign of some part of the Telugu country.) [472] A caste which is numerous in Hyderabad and Madras, and of which a few persons are found in the Chanda District of the Central Provinces. The Mutrasis are the village watchmen proper of Telingana or the Telugu country. [473] They were employed by the Vijayanagar kings to defend the frontier of their country, and were honoured with the t.i.tle of Paligar. Their usual honorific t.i.tles at present are Dora (Sahib or Lord) and Naidu. As servants they are considered very faithful and courageous. Some of them have taken to masonry in Chanda, and are considered good stone-carvers. They are a comparatively low caste, and eat fowls and drink liquor, but they do not eat beef or pork. It is compulsory among them to marry a girl before she arrives at adolescence, and if this is not done her parents are put out of caste, and only readmitted on payment of a penalty.

_Nabadia_.--(Boatman or sailor.) A synonym for Kewat.

_Naddaf_.--A synonym for Bahna or Pinjara.

_Nadha_.--(Those who live on the banks of streams.) Subcaste of Dhimar.

_Nadia_.--A clan of Dangi.

_Nag, Nagesh_.--(Cobra.) A sept of the Ahir or Rawat, Binjhal, Bhatia, Chasa, Hatwa, Halba, Khadal, Kawar, Khangar, Karan, Katia, Kolta, Lohar, Mahar, Mali, Mowar, Parja, Redka, Sulia, Sundi and Taonla castes. Most of these castes belong to Chhattisgarh and the Uriya country.

_Naga_.--A clan of Gosains or mendicants. See Gosain.

_Nagar_.--A subcaste of Brahmans belonging to Gujarat; a subcaste of Bania; a section of Teli.

_Nagarchi_.--(A drum-beater.) A cla.s.s of Gonds. A subcaste of Ganda and Ghasia.

_Nagarchi_.--The Nagarchis appear to be a cla.s.s of Gonds, whose special business was to beat the _nakkara_ or kettledrums at the gates of forts and palaces. In some Districts they now form a special community, marrying among themselves, and numbered about 6000 persons in 1911. The _nagara_ or _nakkara_ is known in Persia as well as in India. Here the drum is made of earthenware, of a tapering shape covered at both ends with camel-hide for the _zir_ or treble, and with cowhide for the _bam_ or ba.s.s. It is beaten at the broader end. In Persia the drums were played from the Nakkara-khana or gateway, which still exists as an appanage of royalty in the chief cities of Iran. They were beaten to greet the rising and to usher out the setting sun. During the months of mourning, Safar and Muharram, they were silent. [474]

In India the _nagara_ were a pair of large kettledrums bound with iron hoops and twice as large as those used in Europe. They were a mark of royalty and were carried on one of the state elephants, the royal animal, in the prince's _sowari_ or cavalcade, immediately preceding him on the line of march. The right of displaying a banner and beating kettledrums was one of the highest marks of distinction which could be conferred on a Rajput n.o.ble. When the t.i.tular Maratha Raja had retired to Satara and any of the Maratha princes entered his territory, all marks of royalty were laid aside by the latter and his _nagara_ or great drum of empire ceased to be beaten. [475]

The stick with which the kettledrum was struck was called _danka_, and the king's jurisdiction was metaphorically held to extend so far as his kettledrums were beaten. _Angrezi raj ka danka bajta hai_ or 'Where the English drum is beaten,' means 'So far as the English empire extends.' In Egypt the kettledrums were carried on camels. [476]

_Nagaria_.--(A drum-player.) A section of Jasondhi Bhat and Teli.

_Nagbans_.--(Descended from the cobra.) A totemistic sept of Gadba, Ghasia, and Gond.

_Nagla_.--(Naked.) Subcaste of Khond.

_Nagpure_.--(From Nagpur.) A section of Lodhi and Kohli.