But besides the Birm or Brahman Bhats and the Rajput Charans there is
another large body of the caste of mixed origin, who serve as bards
of the lower castes and are probably composed to a great extent of
members of these castes. These are known as the Brid-dhari or begging
Bhats. They beg from such castes as Lodhis, Telis, Kurmis, Ahirs and
so on, each caste having a separate section of Bhats to serve it;
the Bhats of each caste take food from the members of the caste,
but they also eat and intermarry with each other. Again, there are
Bairagi Bhats who beg from Bairagis, and keep the genealogies of
the temple-priests and their successors. Yet another class are the
Dasaundhis or Jasondhis, who sing songs in honour of Devi, play on
musical instruments and practise astrology. These rank below the
cultivating castes and sometimes admit members of such castes who
have taken religious vows.