ion.

The caste worship Viswakarma, the celestial architect, and venerate
their trade implements on the Dasahra festival. They consider the
sight of a mongoose and of a light-grey pigeon or dove as lucky
omens. They burn the dead and throw the ashes into a river or tank,
employing a Maha-Brahman to receive the gifts for the dead.

5. Social position.

In social status the Barhais rank with the higher artisan
castes. Brahmans take water from them in some localities, perhaps
more especially in towns. In Betul for instance Hindustani Brahmans
do not accept water from the rural Barhais. In Damoh where both the
Barhai and Lohar are village menials, their status is said to be the
same, and Brahmans do not take water from Lohars. Mr. Nesfield says
that the Barhai is a village servant and ranks with the Kurmi, with
whom his interests are so closely allied. But there seems no special
reason why the interests of the carpenter should be more closely
allied with the cultivator than those of any other village menial,
and it may be offered as a surmise that carpentering as a distinct
trade is of comparatively late origin, and was adopted by Kurmis, to
which fact the connection noticed by Mr. Nesfield might be attributed;
hence the position of the Barhai among the castes from whom a Brahman
will take water. In some localities well-to-do members of the caste
have begun to wear the sacred thread.

6. Occupation.

In the northern Districts and the cotton tract the Barhai works as a
village menial. He makes and mends the plough and harrow (_bakhar_)
and other wooden implements of agriculture, and makes new ones when
supplied with the wood. In Wardha he receives an annual contribution
of 100 lbs. of grain from each cultivator. In Betul he gets 67 lbs. of
grain and other perquisites for each plough of four bullocks. For
making carts and building or repairing houses he must be separately
paid. At weddings the Barhai often supplies the sacred marriage-post
and is given from four annas to a rupee. At the Diwali festival he
prepares a wooden peg about six inches long, and drives it into the
cultivator's house inside the threshold, and receives half a pound
to a pound of grain.

In cities the carpenters are rapidly acquiring an increased degree
of skill as the demand for a better class of houses and furniture
becomes continually greater and more extensive. The carpenters
have been taught to make English furniture by such in