The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Part 52

_Panchghar_.--One of the three subdivisions of Kanaujia Brahmans in Hoshangabad.

_Panda_.--(A priest of Devi, a wise man.) A subcaste or t.i.tle of Mali. A subcaste and surname of Uriya Brahmans. A subcaste of Jasondhi Bhats.

_Pandaram_.--A cla.s.s of Brahman priests.

_Pande_.--(A wise man.) A surname of Kanaujia and Gaur Brahmans. A section of Agharia, Barhai, Kewat and Marar. A t.i.tle of Joshi and k.u.mhar.

_Pandhare_.--(White.) Subcaste of Sunar.

_Pandit_.--(A learned man.) A t.i.tle of Brahmans.

_Pandki_.--(Dove.) A totemistic sept of Bhatra, Kawar and Parja.

_Pandra_.--A small caste of cultivators in the Uriya country. It is said that one of the Rajas of Patna had an illegitimate son to whom he gave the village of Pandri. His descendants were the Pandras.

_Pandwar_ or _Padwar_.--A section of Panka in Raipur. They are said to be so named because they washed the feet of others.

_Pangal_.--Subcaste of Gopal. They make mats, but in addition to this they are mendicants begging from trees.

_Panhara_.--An occupational term meaning a seller of _pan_ or betel-leaf.

_Panibhar_.--(A waterman.) Subcaste of Dangri.

_Panigrahi_.--(Husband.) An honorific t.i.tle of Uriya Brahmans.

_Panjha_.--(Paw of an animal.) A sept of Gond.

_Panka_.--A weaver caste derived from the Gandas, being Gandas who follow the Kabirpanthi sect. See article. In Chhattisgarh Pankas sometimes call themselves Das, as servants of Kabir. Panka is also a subcaste of Ganda.

_Pansari_.--(A druggist.) Synonym for Barai.

_Panwar_.--A clan of Rajput. See article Panwar Rajput. A subcaste of Banjara and Bhoyar. A section of Ahir, Bhilala, Koshti, Maratha and Marori.

_Parasar, Parashar_.--(Name of a Brahmanical saint.) An eponymous section of Brahmans. A surname of Sanadhya and Gaur Brahmans. A section of Basdeva, Rangari, Sunar and Vidur.

_Parauha_.--(From _para_, a male buffalo calf.) A subcaste of Basdewa who deal in buffaloes.

_Parbat_.--Name of one of the ten orders of Gosain.

_Parbhu_.--Synonym of Prabhu.

_Pardeshi_.--(A foreigner.) The name is sometimes applied to immigrants from Malwa, and also to those coming from northern India. A subcaste of the Bahna, Barai, Barhai, Chamar, Dhimar, Dhobi, Garpagari, Kimbi, Kasar, k.u.mhar, Lohar, Nai, Rangari, Sunar and Teli castes.

_Pardhan_.--(A chief.) A caste who are priests of the Gonds. See article. A section of Chhattisgarhi Ahir or Rawat, Halba and Pabia. t.i.tle of caste headman of the Kharia tribe.

_Pardhi_.--(A hunter.) A caste. See article. A subcaste of Khatik. A section of Kunbi and Panwar Rajput.

_Parewa_.--(A pigeon.) A section of Chhattisgarhi Ahir or Rawat, and Panka.

_Parganiha_.--A synonym of Pardhan (Gond priests) in Kawardha.

_Parihar_.--An important clan of Rajputs. See Rajput Parihar. A section of Daharia and Daraiha, of Panwar Rajput and Pardhi.

_Parit_.--Synonym for Dhobi in the Maratha districts.

_Parka_. [482]--A small caste of labourers belonging to the Jubbulpore District and adjoining tracts, whose strength was something over 2000 persons in 1901. Sir B. Robertson wrote [483] in 1891 that the Parkas of the three northern Districts had been kept separate from the Panka caste in the census tables, but that they were in all probability the same. Mr. Hira Lal points out that several of the names of septs as Padwar, Sanwani, Gullia and Dharwa are the same in the two castes, and that in the Districts where Parkas are found there are no Pankas. The Panka caste was probably formed in Chhattisgarh by the separation of those Gandas or Pans who had embraced the doctrines of Kabir from their parent caste, and the name is a variant of Pan. In Jubbulpore the name Panka has no understood meaning, and it may have been corrupted into Pandka (a dove) and thence to Parka. Like the Pankas the Parkas often act as village watchmen. Many of the Parkas are also Kabirpanthis and, as with the Pankas, those who are not Kabirpanthis and do not abstain from flesh and liquor are called Saktahas. Intermarriage is not prohibited between the Parka Kabirpanthis and Saktahas. Some of the Parkas play on drums and act as village musicians, which is a regular occupation of the Pankas and Gandas. It may also be noted that the Parkas will take food cooked with water from a Gond and that they worship Bura Deo, the great G.o.d of the Gonds. Perhaps the most probable surmise as to their origin is that they are a small mixed group made up of Pankas and Gonds. A proverbial saying about the caste is '_Gond Raja, Parka Pardhan_,'

or 'The Gond is the master and the Parka the servant,' and this also points to their connection with the Gonds. Several of their section names indicate their mixed origin, as k.u.mharia from k.u.mhar a potter, Gullia From Gaolia or milkman, Bhullia from Bhulia an Uriya weaver, Andwan a subcaste of the Mahar caste, Tilasia a sept of the Kawars, and so on. If a Parka man forms a connection with any woman of higher caste she will be admitted into the community, and the same privilege is accorded to a man of any equal or higher caste who may desire to marry a Parka girl. A girl is only cast out when she is discovered to have been living with a man of lower caste than the Parkas. All these facts indicate their mixed origin. As already seen, the caste are labourers, village watchmen-and musicians, and their customs resemble those of low-caste Hindus, but they rank above the impure castes. They will eat food cooked with water from Lodhis, many of whom are landowners in Jubbulpore, and as such no doubt stand to the Parka in the relation of employer to servant. Every year on the second day of Bhadon (August) they worship a four-sided iron plate and a spear, which latter is perhaps the emblem of the village watchman. Fines imposed for caste offences are sometimes expended in the purchase of vessels which thereafter become common property and are lent to any one who requires them.

_Parnami_.--(A follower of Prannath of Panna.) Subcaste of Dangi.

_Parsai_.--(Village priest.) Synonym for Joshi.

_Parsoli_.--(_parsa_, an axe.) A section of Ahir or Rawat in Chhattisgarh.

_Parwar_.--A subcaste of Bania. See article Bania-Parwar. A subcaste of k.u.mhar.

_Pa.s.si_.--Synonym of Pasi.

_Patadhari_.--(One occupying the seat of instruction.) A section of celibate Manbhaos.

_Patane_.--A subcaste of Prabhu, so called on account of their living near Patan in Gujarat.

_Patbina_.--(From _patti_, sacking, and _binna_, to weave.) Synonym of k.u.mrawat. Subcaste of Jogi.

_Patel_.--(Headman of a village.) A subcaste and t.i.tle of Mali. A surname of Gaur Brahmans in Saugor and of Parsis. A surname or section of Agharia, Mahar and Kachhi. A t.i.tle of the Ahir and Bhoyar castes.

_Pathak_.--(Teacher.) A surname of Kanaujia and other cla.s.ses of Brahmans.

_Pathan_.--One of the four tribes of Muhammadans. See article Muhammadan Religion.

_Pathari_.--(A hillman.) Synonym of Pardhan. Subcaste of Katia.

_Patharia_.--A subcaste of Katia, Kurmi and Mahar. A section of Halba. A subcaste of Agaria, who place a stone on the mouth of the bellows to fix them in the ground for smelting iron.

_Pathmukh_.--A subsept of the Dhurwa Gonds in Betul. They offer a young goat to their G.o.ds and do not kill bears.

_Pathrot_, _Pathrawat_.--(One who makes and sharpens millstones and grindstones.) Synonym of Beldar.

_Pati_.--(Lord.) An honorific t.i.tle of Uriya Brahmans.

_Patkar_.--(From _pat_, widow-marriage.) A subcaste of Sunar in Wardha. A section of Rangari.

_Patlia_.--(From _patel_.) t.i.tle of Panwar Rajput.

_Patnaik_.--A surname of Karan or Mahanti, the Uriya writer caste.

_Patra_.--(An Uriya word meaning councillor.) A subcaste of Kolta and Chasa, and t.i.tle of several Uriya castes. Also a synonym for the Patwa caste.

_Patti_.--(A thread-seller.) Subcaste of Kaikari.