hman subsept is descended from Brahmans, it would
be only one of several probable cases of Rajput clans originating
from this caste. As regards the Bhat subcaste, the Charans or Bhats
of Rajputana are admittedly Rajputs, and there is therefore nothing
curious in finding a Bhat subsection in a Rajput clan. What the
real origin of the Chamar Gaurs was is difficult to surmise. The
Chamar Gaur is now a separate clan, and its members intermarry with
the other Gaur Rajputs, affording an instance of the subdivision of
clans. In the Central Provinces the greater number of the persons
returned as Gaur Rajputs really belong to a group known as Gorai, who
are considered to be the descendants of widows or kept women in the
Gaur clan, and marry among themselves. They should really therefore
be considered a separate caste, and not members of the Rajput caste
proper. In the United Provinces the Gaurs rank with the good Rajput
clans. In the Central Provinces the Gaur and Chamar-Gaur clans are
returned from most Districts of the Jubbulpore and Nerbudda divisions,
and also in considerable numbers from Bhandara.

Rajput, Haihaya

_Rajput, Haihaya, Haihaivansi, Kalaehuri_.--This well-known historical
clan of the Central Provinces is not included among the thirty-six
royal races, and Colonel Tod gives no information about them. The
name Haihaya is stated to be a corruption of Ahihaya, which means
snake-horse, the legend being that the first ancestor of the clan was
the issue of a snake and a mare. Haihaivansi signifies descendants
of the horse. Colonel Tod states that the first capital of the Indu
or lunar race was at Mahesvati on the Nerbudda, still existing
as Maheshwar, and was founded by Sahasra Arjuna of the Haihaya
tribe. [534] This Arjuna of the thousand arms was one of the Pandava
brothers, and it may be noted that the Ratanpur Haihaivansis still
have a story of their first ancestor stealing a horse from Arjuna,
and a consequent visit of Arjuna and Krishna to Ratanpur for its
recovery. Since the Haihayas also claim descent from a snake and are
of the lunar race, it seems not unlikely that they may have belonged
to one of the Scythian or Tartar tribes, the Sakas or Yueh-chi,
who invaded India shortly after the commencement of the Christian
era, as it has been conjectured that the other lunar Rajput clans
worshipping or claiming descent from a snake originated from these
tribes. The Haihaivansis or Kalachuris became dominant i