_Paik._--A small caste of the Uriya country formed from military
service, the term _paik_ meaning 'a foot-soldier.' In 1901 the
Paiks numbered 19,000 persons in the Kalahandi and Patna States and
the Raipur District, but since the transfer of the Uriya States to
Bengal less than 3000 remain in the Central Provinces. In Kalahandi,
where the bulk of them reside, they are called Nalia Sipahis from
the fact that they were formerly armed with _nalis_ or matchlocks by
the State. After the Khond rising of 1882 in Kalahandi these were
confiscated and bows and arrows given in lieu of them. The Paiks
say that they were the followers of two warriors, Kalmir and Jaimir,
who conquered the Kalahandi and Jaipur States from the Khonds about
a thousand years ago. There is no doubt that they formed the rough
militia of the Uriya Rajas, a sort of rabble half military and half
police, like the Khandaits. But the Khandaits were probably the leaders
and officers, and, as a consequence, though originally only a mixed
occupational group, have acquired a higher status than the Paiks and
in Orissa rank next to the Rajputs. The Paiks were the rank and file,
mainly recruited from the forest tribes, and they are counted as
a comparatively low caste, though to strangers they profess to be
Rajputs. In Sambalpur it is said that Rajputs, Sudhs, Bhuiyas and
Gonds are called Paiks. In Kalahandi they wear the sacred thread,
being invested with it by a Brahman at the time of their marriage,
and they say that this privilege was conferred on them by the Raja. It
is reported, however, that social distinctions may be purchased in
some of the Uriya States for comparatively small sums. A Bhatra or
member of a forest tribe was observed wearing the sacred thread,
and, on being questioned, stated that his grandfather had purchased
the right from the Raja for Rs. 50. The privileges of wearing gold
ear ornaments, carrying an umbrella, and riding on horseback were
obtainable in a similar manner. It is also related that when one
Raja imported the first pair of boots seen in his State, the local
landholders were allowed to wear them in turn for a few minutes on
payment of five rupees each, as a token of their right thereafter to
procure and wear boots of their own. In Damoh and Jubbulpore another
set of Paiks is to be found who also claim to be Rajputs, and are
commonly so called, though true Rajputs will not eat or intermarry
with them. These are quite distinct from the Sambalpur Paiks, but have
probably been formed into a caste in exactly the same manner. The
sept or family names of the Uriya Paiks sufficiently indicate their
mixed descent. Some of them are as follows: Dube (a Brahman title),
Chalak Bansi (of the Chalukya royal family), Chhit Karan (belonging
to the Karans or Uriya Kayasths), Sahani (a sais or groom), Sudh (the
name of an Uriya caste), Benet Uriya (a subdivision of the Uriya or Od
mason caste), and so on. It is clear that members of different castes
who became Paiks founded separate families, which in time developed
into exogamous septs. Some of the septs will not eat food cooked with
water in company with the rest of the caste, though they do not object
to intermarrying with them. After her marriage a girl may not take
food cooked by her parents nor will they accept it from her. And at a
marriage party each guest is supplied with grain and cooks it himself,
but everybody will eat with the bride and bridegroom as a special
concession to their position. Besides the exogamous clans the Paiks
have totemistic _gots_ or groups named after plants and animals, as
Harin (a deer), Kadamb (a tree), and so on. But these have no bearing
on marriage, and the bulk of the caste have the Nagesh or cobra as
their sept name. It is said that anybody who does not know his sept
considers himself to be a Nagesh, and if he does not know his clan,
he calls himself a Mahanti. Each family among the Paiks has also a
Sainga or title, of a high-sounding nature, as Naik (lord), Pujari
(worshipper), Baidya (physician), Raut (noble), and so on. Marriages
are generally celebrated in early youth, but no penalty is incurred
for a breach of this rule. If the signs of adolescence appear in
a girl for the first time on a Tuesday, Saturday or Sunday, it is
considered a bad omen, and she is sometimes married to a tree to avert
the consequences. Widow-marriage and divorce are freely permitted. The
caste burn their dead and perform the _shraddh_ ceremony. The women
are tattooed, and men sometimes tattoo their arms with figures of
the sun and moon in the belief that this will protect them from
snake-bite. The Paiks eat flesh and fish, but abstain from fowls and
other unclean animals and from liquor. Brahmans will not take water
from them, but other castes generally do so. Some of them are still
employed as armed retainers and are remunerated by free grants of land.