The following seven subdivisions or subtribes are recognised: Binjhwar,
Bharotia, Narotia or Nahar, Raibhaina, Kathbhaina, Kondwan or Kundi,
and Gondwaina. Of these the Binjhwar, Bharotia and Narotia are the
best-known. The name of the Binjhwars is probably derived from the
Vindhyan range, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit _vindhya_,
a hunter. The rule of exogamy is by no means strictly observed,
and in Kawardha it is said that these three subcastes intermarry
though they do not eat together, while in Balaghat the Bharotias
and Narotias both eat together and intermarry. In both places the
Binjhwars occupy the highest position, and the other two subtribes
will take food from them. The Binjhwars consider themselves as Hindus
and abjure the consumption of buffalo's and cow's flesh and rats,
while the other Baigas will eat almost anything. The Bharotias
partially shave their heads, and in Mandla are apparently known as
Mundia or Mudia, or "shaven." The Gondwainas eat both cow's flesh
and monkeys, and are regarded as the lowest subcaste. As shown by
their name they are probably the offspring of unions between Baigas
and Gonds. Similarly the Kondwans apparently derive their name from
the tract south of the Mahanadi which is named after the Khond tribe,
and was formerly owned by them.
Each subtribe is divided into a number of exogamous septs, the names of
which are identical in many cases with those of the Gonds, as Markam,
Maravi, Netam, Tekam and others. Gond names are found most frequently
among the Gondwainas and Narotias, and these have adopted from the
Gonds the prohibition of marriage between worshippers of the same
number of gods. Thus the four septs above mentioned worship seven gods
and may not intermarry. But they may marry among other septs such as
the Dhurua, Pusam, Bania and Mawar who worship six gods. The Baigas do
not appear to have assimilated the further division into worshippers
of five, four, three and two gods which exist among the Gonds in some
localities, and the system is confined to the lower subtribes. The
meanings of the sept names have been forgotten and no instances of
totemism are known. And the Binjhwars and Bharotias, who are more or
less Hinduised, have now adopted territorial names for their septs,
as Lapheya from Lapha zamindari, Ghugharia from Ghughri village in
Mandla, and so on. The adoption of Gond names and septs appears to
indicate that Gonds were in former times freely admitted into the Baiga
tribe; and this continues to be the case at present among the lower
subtribes, so far that a Gond girl marrying a Baiga becomes a regular
member of the community. But the Binjhwars and Bharotias, who have
a somewhat higher status than the others, refuse to admit Gonds, and
are gradually adopting the strict rule of endogamy within the subtribe.