d Jadon-Bhatti
clans of Rajputs. The probability of a historical connection between
the Abhiras and Yadavas has already been noticed. The Nandvansi
consider their first ancestor to have been Nand, the cowherd, the
foster-father of Krishna; while the name of the Gowalvansi is simply
Goala or Gauli, a milkman, a common synonym for the caste. The Kaonra
Ahirs of Mandla and the Kamarias of Jubbulpore are considered to belong
to the Nandvansi group. Other subcastes in the northern Districts are
the Jijhotia, who, like the Jijhotia Brahmans, take their name from
Jajhoti, the classical term for Bundelkhand; the Bharotia; and the
Narwaria from Narwar. The Rawats of Chhattisgarh are divided into the
Jhadia, Kosaria and Kanaujia groups. Of these the Jhadia or 'jungly,'
and Kosaria from Kosala, the ancient name of the Chhattisgarh country,
are the oldest settlers, while the Kanaujia are largely employed as
personal servants in Chhattisgarh, and all castes will take water
from their hands. The superior class of them, however, refuse to
clean household cooking vessels, and are hence known as Thethwar,
or exact or pure, as distinguished from the other Rawats, who will
perform this somewhat derogatory work.

7. The Dauwa or wet-nurse Ahirs. Fosterage.

The Dauwa or wet-nurse Ahirs are descended from the illegitimate
offspring of Bundela Rajput fathers by Ahir mothers who were employed
in this capacity in their families. An Ahir woman kept by a Bundela
was known as Pardwarin, or one coming from another house. This is
not considered a disgraceful origin; though the Dauwa Ahirs are not
recognised by the Ahirs proper, they form a separate section of the
caste, and Brahmans will take water from them. The children of such
mothers stood in the relation of foster-brothers to the Rajputs,
whom their mothers had nursed. The giving of milk, in accordance with
the common primitive belief in the virtue attaching to an action
in itself, was held to constitute a relation of quasi-maternity
between the nurse and infant, and hence of fraternity between her own
children and her foster-children. The former were called Dhai-bhais
or foster-brothers by the Rajputs; they were often given permanent
grants of land and employed on confidential missions, as for the
arrangement of marriages. The minister of a Raja of Karauli was
his Dauwa or foster-father, the husband of his nurse. Similarly,
Colonel Tod says that the Dhai-bhai or foster-brother of the