The comparatively recent growth of the caste in these Provinces is
shown by its subdivisions. The principal subcastes of the Hindustani
Districts are the Pardeshi or foreigners, immigrants from northern
India, and the Purbia or eastern, coming from Oudh; other subcastes are
the Sri Gaur Malas or immigrants from Malwa, the Beradi from Berar,
and the Mahure from Hyderabad. We find also subcastes of Jat and
Teli Barhais, consisting of Jats and Telis (oil-pressers) who have
taken to carpentering. Two other caste-groups, the Chamar Barhais and
Gondi Barhais, are returned, but these are not at present included in
the Barhai caste, and consist merely of Chamars and Gonds who work
as carpenters but remain in their own castes. In the course of some
generations, however, if the cohesive social force of the caste system
continues unabated, these groups may probably find admission into
the Barhai caste. Colonel Tod notes that the progeny of one Makur,
a prince of the Jadon Rajput house of Jaisalmer, became carpenters,
and were known centuries after as Makur Sutars. They were apparently
considered illegitimate, as he states: "Illegitimate children can
never overcome this natural defect among the Rajputs. Thus we find
among all classes of artisans in India some of royal but spurious
descent." [240] The internal structure of the caste seems therefore
to indicate that it is largely of foreign origin and to a certain
degree of recent formation in these Provinces.