e does so, and the Bahna considers that the knife
has been sanctified and retains its virtue for a week. Others do not
think this necessary, but have a special knife, which having once been
consecrated is always kept for killing animals, and descends as an
heirloom in the family, the use of this sacred knife being considered
to make the repetition of the _kalma_ unnecessary. These customs are,
however, practised only by the ignorant members of the caste in Raipur
and Bilaspur, and are unknown in the more civilised tracts, where
the Bahnas are rapidly conforming to ordinary Muhammadan usage. Such
primitive Bahnas perform their marriages by walking round the sacred
post, keep the Hindu festivals, and feed Brahmans on the tenth day
after a death. They have a priest whom they call their Kazi, but elect
him themselves. In some places when a Bahna goes to the well to draw
water he first washes the parapet of the well to make it ceremonially
clean, and then draws his water. This custom can only be compared
with that of the Raj-Gonds who wash the firewood with which they are
about to cook their food, in order to make it more pure. Respectable
Muhammadans naturally look down on the Bahnas, and they retaliate
by refusing to take food or water from any Muhammadan who is not
a Bahna. By such strictness the more ignorant think that they will
enhance their ceremonial purity and hence their social consideration;
but the intelligent members of the caste know better and are glad to
improve themselves by learning from educated Muhammadans. The other
menial artisan castes among the Muhammadans have similar ideas, and
it is reported that a Rangrez boy who took food in the house of one
of the highest Muhammadan officers of Government in the Province was
temporarily put out of caste. Another saying about the Bahnas is--

Sheikhon ki Sheikhi,
Pathanon ki tarr,
Turkon ki Turkshahi,
Bahnon ki bharrr ...

or 'Proud as a Sheikh, obstinate as a Pathan, royal as a Turk, buzzing
like a Bahna.' This refers to the noise of the cotton-cleaning bow,
the twang of which as it is struck by the club is like a quail flying;
and at the same time to the Bahna's loquacity. Another story is that
a Bahna was once going through the forest with his cotton-cleaning bow
and club or mallet, when a jackal met him on the path. The jackal was
afraid that the Bahna would knock him on the head, s