The principal occupations of the Mahars are the weaving of coarse
country cloth and general labour. They formerly spun their own
yarn, and their fabrics were preferred by the cultivators for their
durability. But practically all thread is now bought from the mills;
and the weaving industry is also in a depressed condition. Many
Mahars have now taken to working in the mills, and earn better wages
than they could at home. In Bombay a number of them are employed
as police-constables. [136] They are usually the village watchmen
of the Maratha Districts, and in this capacity were remunerated
by contributions of grain from the tenants, the hides and flesh of
animals dying in the village, and plots of rent-free land. For these
have now been substituted in the Central Provinces a cash payment
fixed by Government. In Berar the corresponding official is known as
the Kamdar Mahar. Mr. Kitts writes of him: [137] As fourth _balutedar_
on the village establishment the Mahar holds a post of great importance
to himself and convenience to the village. To the patel (headman),
patwari and big men of the village, he acts often as a personal
servant and errand-runner; for a smaller cultivator he will also at
times carry a torch or act as escort. He had formerly to clean the
horses of travellers, and was also obliged, if required, to carry their
baggage. [138] For the services which he thus renders as _pandhewar_
the Mahar receives from the cultivators certain grain-dues. When
the cut juari is lying in the field the Mahars go round and beg for
a measure of the ears (_bhik payali_). But the regular payment is
made when the grain has been threshed. Another duty performed by
the Mahar is the removal of the carcases of dead animals. The flesh
is eaten and the skin retained as wage for the work. The patel and
his relatives, however, usually claim to have the skins of their own
animals returned; and in some places where half the agriculturists of
the village claim kinship with the patel, the Mahars feel and resent
the loss. A third duty is the opening of grain-pits, the noxious gas
from which sometimes produces asphyxia. For this the Mahars receive the
tainted grain. They also get the clothes from a corpse which is laid
on the pyre, and the pieces of the burnt wood which remain when the
body has been consumed. Recent observations in the Nagpur country show
that the position of the Mahars is improving. In Nagpur it is stated:
[139] "Looked down upon as outcastes by the Hindus they are hampered
by no sense of dignity or family prejudice. They are fond of drink,
but are also hard workers. They turn their hands to anything and
everything, but the great majority are agricultural labourers. At
present the rural Mahar is in the background. If there is only one
well in the village he may not use it, but has to get his water where
he can. His sons are consigned to a corner in the village school, and
the schoolmaster, if not superior to caste prejudices, discourages
their attendance. Nevertheless, Mahars will not remain for years
downtrodden in this fashion, and are already pushing themselves up
from this state of degradation. In some places they have combined to
dig wells, and in Nagpur have opened a school for members of their
own community. Occasionally a Mahar is the most prosperous man in the
village. Several of them are moneylenders in a small way, and a few
are malguzars." Similarly in Bhandara Mr. Napier writes that a new
class of small creditors has arisen from the Mahar caste. These people
have given up drinking, and lead an abstemious life, wishing to raise
themselves in social estimation. Twenty or more village kotwars were
found to be carrying on moneylending transactions on a small scale,
and in addition many of the Mahars in towns were exceedingly well off.