s before Kabir.' Or
another rendering of the second line is, 'First he was a Panka,
and afterwards he became a disciple of Kabir,' Nevertheless the
Pankas have been successful in obtaining a somewhat higher position
than the Gandas, in that their touch is not considered to convey
impurity. This is therefore an instance of a body of persons from
a low caste embracing a new religion and thereby forming themselves
into a separate caste and obtaining an advance in social position.

2. Caste subdivisions

Of the whole caste 84 per cent are Kabirpanthis and these form
one subcaste; but there are a few others. The Manikpuria say that
their ancestors came from Manikpur in Darbhanga State about three
centuries ago; the Saktaha are those who profess to belong to the
Sakta sect, which simply means that they eat flesh and drink liquor,
being unwilling to submit to the restrictions imposed on Kabirpanthis;
the Bajania are those who play on musical instruments, an occupation
which tends to lower them in Hindu eyes; and the Dom Pankas are
probably a section of the Dom or sweeper caste who have somehow
managed to become Pankas. The main distinction is however between
the Kabirha, who have abjured flesh and liquor, and the Saktaha,
who indulge in them; and the Saktaha group is naturally recruited
from backsliding Kabirpanthis. Properly the Kabirha and Saktaha do
not intermarry, but if a girl from either section goes to a man of
the other she will be admitted into the community and recognised as
his wife, though the regular ceremony is not performed. The Saktaha
worship all the ordinary village deities, but some of the Kabirha at
any rate entirely refrain from doing so, and have no religious rites
except when a priest of their sect comes round, when he gives them
a discourse and they sing religious songs.

3. Endogamous divisions

The caste have a number of exogamous septs, many of which are named
after plants and animals: as Tandia an earthen pot, Chhura a razor,
Neora the mongoose, Parewa the wild pigeon, and others. Other septs
are Panaria the bringer of betel-leaf, Kuldip the lamp-lighter,
Pandwar the washer of feet, Ghughua one who eats the leavings of the
assembly, and Khetgarhia, one who watches the fields during religious
worship. The Sonwania or 'Gold-water' sept has among the Pankas, as
with several of the primitive tribes, the duty of readmitting persons
temporarily put out of caste; while the Naurang or nine-