subcastes of Dhimar. In some parts of India the Bhois
and Dhimars are considered as separate castes, but in the Central
Provinces they are not to be distinguished, both names being applied
indiscriminately to the same persons. The name of Bhoi perhaps belongs
more particularly to those who carry litters or palanquins, and that
of Dhimar to the fishermen. The word Dhimar is a corruption of the
Sanskrit Dhivara, a fisherman. Bhoi is a South Indian word (Telugu
and Malayalam _boyi_, Tamil _bovi_), and in the Konkan people of this
class are known as Kahar Bhui. Among the Gonds Bhoi is considered as
an honorific name or title; and this indicates that a large number of
Gonds have become enrolled in the Dhimar or Kahar caste, and consider
it a rise in status. Palewar is the name of the Telugu fishermen of
Chanda. Machhandar signifies one who catches fish.

2. Subcastes.

The caste has a large number of subdivisions of a local or occupational
nature; among occupational names may be mentioned the Singaria or those
who cultivate the _singara_ nut, the Nadha or those who live on the
banks of streams, the Tankiwalas or sharpeners of grindstones, the
Jhingas or prawn-catchers, the Bansias and Saraias or anglers (from
_bansi_ or _sarai_, a bamboo fishing-rod), the Bandhaiyas or those
who make ropes and sacking of hemp and fibre, and the Dhurias who sell
parched rice. These last say that their original ancestors were created
by Mahadeo out of a handful of dust (_dhur_) for carrying the palanquin
of Parvati when she was tired. They are probably the same people as
the Dhuris who also parch grain, and in Chhattisgarh are considered
as a separate caste. Similarly the Sonjhara Dhimars wash for gold,
the calling of the separate Sonjhara caste. The Kasdhonia Dhimars wash
the sands of the sacred rivers to find the coins which pious pilgrims
frequently drop or throw into the river as an offering when they bathe
in it. The Gondia subcaste is clearly an offshoot from the Gond tribe,
but a large proportion of the whole caste in the Central Provinces
is probably derived from the Gonds or Kols, members of this latter
tribe being especially proficient as palanquin-bearers. The Suvarha
subcaste is named after the _suar_ or pig, because members of this
subcaste breed and eat the unclean animal; they are looked down on
by the others. Similarly the Gadhewale Dhimars keep donkeys, and are
despised by the other subcastes who will not take food from