_Dumal._ [562]--An agricultural caste found in the Uriya country
and principally in the Sonpur State, recently transferred to Bihar
and Orissa. In 1901, 41,000 Dumals were enumerated in the Central
Provinces, but only a few persons now remain. The caste originally
came from Orissa. They themselves say that they were formerly a branch
of the Gaurs, with whom they now have no special connection. They
derive their name from a village called Dumba Hadap in the Athmalik
State, where they say that they lived. Another story is that Dumal
is derived from Duma, the name of a gateway in Baud town, near which
they dwelt. Sir H. Risley says: "The Dumals or Jadupuria Gaura seem to
be a group of local formation. They cherish the tradition that their
ancestors came to Orissa from Jadupur, but this appears to be nothing
more than the name of the Jadavas or Yadavas, the mythical progenitors
of the Goala caste transformed into the name of an imaginary town."

2. Subdivisions.

The Dumals have no subcastes, but they have a complicated system of
exogamy. This includes three kinds of divisions or sections, the _got_
or sept, the _barga_ or family title and the _mitti_ or earth from
which they sprang, that is, the name of the original village of the
clan. Marriage is prohibited only between persons who have the same
_got_, _barga_ and _mitti_; if any one of these is different it is
allowed. Thus a man of the Nag _got_, Padhan _barga_ and Hindolsai
_mitti_ may marry a girl of the Nag _got_, Padhan _barga_ and Kandhpada
_mitti_; or one of the Nag _got_, Karmi _barga_ and Hindolsai _mitti_;
or one of the Bud _got_, Padhan _barga_ and Hindolsai _mitti_. The
_bargas_ are very numerous, but the _gots_ and _mittis_ are few and
common to many _bargas_; and many people have forgotten the name
of their _mitti_ altogether. Marriage therefore usually depends on
the _bargas_ being different. The following table shows the _got_,
_barga_ and _mitti_ of a few families:

Got. Barga. Mitti.

Nag (cobra) Padhan (chief) Hindolsai
Nag Karmi (manager) Unda (a village in Athmalik)
Nag Behra (Palki-bearer) Kandhpada (a village in Athmalik)
Nag Mahakul (great family) Do. do.
Nag Mesua (shepherd) Dalpur (a village in Baud)
Nag Karan (writer) Kandhpada (a village in Athmalik)