_Bahna, Pinjara, Dhunia._ [79]--The occupational caste of
cotton-cleaners. The Bahnas numbered 48,000 persons in the Central
Provinces and Berar in 1911. The large increase in the number
of ginning-factories has ruined the Bahna's trade of cleaning
hand-ginned cotton, and as no distinction attaches to the name of
Bahna it is possible that members of the caste who have taken to
other occupations may have abandoned it and returned themselves simply
as Muhammadans. The three names Bahna, Pinjara, Dhunia appear to be
used indifferently for the caste in this Province, though in other
parts of India they are distinguished. Pinjara is derived from the
word _pinjan_ used for a cotton-bow, and Dhunia is from _dhunna_,
to card cotton. The caste is also known as Dhunak Pathani. Though
professing the Muhammadan religion, they still have many Hindu
customs and ceremonies, and in the matter of inheritance our courts
have held that they are subject to Hindu and not Muhammadan law. [80]
In Raipur a girl receives half the share of a boy in the division of
inherited property. The caste appears to be a mixed occupational group,
and is split into many territorial subcastes named after the different
parts of the country from which its members have come, as Badharia from
Badhas in Mirzapur, Sarsutia from the Saraswati river, Berari of Berar,
Dakhni from the Deccan, Telangi from Madras, Pardeshi from northern
India, and so on. Two groups are occupational, the Newaris of Saugor,
who make the thick _newar_ tape used for the webbing of beds, and
the Kanderas, who make fireworks and generally constitute a separate
caste. There is considerable ground for supposing that the Bahnas
are mainly derived from the caste of Telis or oil-pressers. In the
Punjab Sir D. Ibbetson says [81] that the Penja or cotton-scutcher is
an occupational name applied to Telis who follow this profession; and
that the Penja, Kasai and Teli are all of the same caste. Similarly
in Nasik the Telis and Pinjaras are said to form one community,
under the government of a single _panchayat_. In cases of dispute
or misconduct the usual penalty is temporary excommunication, which
is known as the stopping of food and water. [82] The Telis are an
enterprising community of very low status, and would therefore be
naturally inclined to take to other occupations; many of them are
shopkeepers, cultivators and landholders, and it is quite probable
that in past times they took up the Bahna's profession and changed
their religion with the hope of improving their social status. The
Telis are generally considered to be quarrelsome and talkative,
and the Bahnas or Dhunias have the same characteristics. If one man
abusing another lapses into Billingsgate, the other will say to him,
'_Hamko Julaha Dhunia neh jano_,' or 'Don't talk to me as if I was
a Julaha or a Dhunia.'