us_ or priests of their own caste,
discarding Brahmans. Their names end in Deo. Their origin, however,
is still plainly discernible in their height, strength of body and
fair complexion. The notice continues: "Whatever may happen to other
classes the Raghvi will never give way to the moneylender. Though he
is fond of comfort he combines a good deal of thrift with it, and the
clannish spirit of the caste would prevent any oppression of Raghvi
tenants by a landlord or moneylender of their own body." In Chhindwara,
Mr. Montgomerie states, [455] they rank among the best cultivators,
and formerly lived in clans, holding villages on _bhaiachari_ or
communal tenure. As malguzars or village proprietors, they are very
prone to absorb tenant land into their home-farms.

2. Social customs

The Raghuvansis have now a set of exogamous groups of the usual
low-caste type, designated after titles, nicknames or natural
objects. They sometimes invest their sons with the sacred thread
at the time of marriage instead of performing the proper thread
ceremony. Some discard the cord after the wedding is over. At
a marriage the Raghuvansis of Chhindwara and Nagpur combine the
Hindustani custom of walking round the sacred pole with the Maratha one
of throwing coloured rice on the bridal couple. Sometimes they have
what is known as a _gankar_ wedding. At this, flour, sugar and _ghi_
[456] are the only kinds of food permissible, large cakes of flour
and sugar being boiled in pitchers full of _ghi_, and everybody being
given as much of this as he can eat. The guests generally over-eat
themselves, and as weddings are celebrated in the hot weather, one or
two may occasionally die of repletion. The neighbours of Raghuvansis
say that the host considers such an occurrence as evidence of the
complete success of his party, but this is probably a libel. Such a
wedding feast may cost two or three thousand rupees. After the wedding
the women of the bride's party attack those of the bridegroom's
with bamboo sticks, while these retaliate by throwing red powder
on them. The remarriage of widows is freely permitted, but a widow
must be taken from the house of her own parents or relatives, and
not from that of her first husband or his parents. In fact, if any
members of the dead husband's family meet the second husband on the
night of the wedding they will attack him and a serious affray may
follow. On reaching her new house the woman enters it by a back