It
is reported, however, that social distinctions may be purchased in
some of the Uriya States for comparatively small sums. A Bhatra or
member of a forest tribe was observed wearing the sacred thread,
and, on being questioned, stated that his grandfather had purchased
the right from the Raja for Rs. 50. The privileges of wearing gold
ear ornaments, carrying an umbrella, and riding on horseback were
obtainable in a similar manner. It is also related that when one
Raja imported the first pair of boots seen in his State, the local
landholders were allowed to wear them in turn for a few minutes on
payment of five rupees each, as a token of their right thereafter to
procure and wear boots of their own. In Damoh and Jubbulpore another
set of Paiks is to be found who also claim to be Rajputs, and are
commonly so called, though true Rajputs will not eat or intermarry
with them. These are quite distinct from the Sambalpur Paiks, but have
probably been formed into a caste in exactly the same manner. The
sept or family names of the Uriya Paiks sufficiently indicate their
mixed descent. Some of them are as follows: Dube (a Brahman title),
Chalak Bansi (of the Chalukya royal family), Chhit Karan (belonging
to the Karans or Uriya Kayasths), Sahani (a sais or groom), Sudh (the
name of an Uriya caste), Benet Uriya (a subdivision of the Uriya or Od
mason caste), and so on. It is clear that members of different castes
who became Paiks founded separate families, which in time developed
into exogamous septs. Some of the septs will not eat food cooked with
water in company with the rest of the caste, though they do not object
to intermarrying with them. After her marriage a girl may not take
food cooked by her parents nor will they accept it from her. And at a
marriage party each guest is supplied with grain and cooks it himself,
but everybody will eat with the bride and bridegroom as a special
concession to their position. Besides the exogamous clans the Paiks
have totemistic _gots_ or groups named after plants and animals, as
Harin (a deer), Kadamb (a tree), and so on. But these have no bearing
on marriage, and the bulk of the caste have the Nagesh or cobra as
their sept name. It is said that anybody who does not know his sept
considers himself to be a Nagesh, and if he does not know his clan,
he calls himself a Mahanti. Each family among the Paiks has also a
Sainga or title, of a high-sounding nature, as Naik (lord), Pujari
(worshipper