_Patwa, Patwi, Patra, Ilakelband._--The occupational caste of weavers
of fancy silk braid and thread. In 1911 the Patwas numbered nearly
6000 persons in the Central Provinces, being returned principally
from the Narsinghpur, Raipur, Saugor, Jubbulpore and Hoshangabad
Districts. About 800 were resident in Berar. The name is derived from
the Sanskrit _pata_, woven cloth, or Hindi _pat_, silk. The principal
subcastes of the Patwas are the Naraina; the Kanaujia, also known as
Chhipi, because they sew marriage robes; the Deobansi or 'descendants
of a god,' who sell lac and glass bangles; the Lakhera, who prepare
lac bangles; the Kachera, who make glass bangles; and others. Three
of the above groups are thus functional in character. They have also
Rajput and Kayastha subcastes, who may consist of refugees from those
castes received into the Patwa community. In the Central Provinces
the Patwas and Lakheras are in many localities considered to be the
same caste, as they both deal in lac and sell articles made of it;
and the account of the occupations of the Lakhera caste also applies
largely to the Patwas. The exogamous groups of the caste are named
after villages, or titles or nicknames borne by the reputed founder
of the group. They indicate that the Patwas of the Central Provinces
are generally descended from immigrants from northern India. The Patwa
usually purchases silk and colours it himself. He makes silk strings
for pyjamas and coats, armlets and other articles. Among these are
the silk threads called _rakhis_, used on the Rakshabandhan festival,
[435] when the Brahmans go round in the morning tying them on to
the wrists of all Hindus as a protection against evil spirits. For
this the Brahman receives a present of one or two pice. The _rakhi_
is made of pieces of raw silk fibre twisted together, with a knot at
one end and a loop at the other. It goes round the wrist, and the knot
is passed through the loop. Sisters also tie it round their brothers'
wrists and are given a present. The Patwas make the _phundri_ threads
for tying up the hair of women, whether of silk or cotton, and various
threads used as amulets, such as the _janjira_, worn by men round the
neck, and the _ganda_ or wizard's thread, which is tied round the
arm after incantations have been said over it; and the necklets of
silk or cotton thread bound with thin silver wire which the Hindus
wear at Anant Chaudas, a sort of All Saints' Day, when all the gods
are worshipped. In this various knots are made by the Brahmans, and
in each a number of deities are tied up to exert their beneficent
influence for the wearer of the thread. These are the bands which
Hindus commonly wear on their necks. The Patwas thread necklaces of
gold and jewels on silk thread, and also make the strings of cowries,
slung on pack-thread, which are tied round the necks of bullocks when
they race on the Pola day, and on ponies, probably as a charm. After a
child is born in the family of one of their clients, the Patwas make
tassels of cotton and hemp thread coloured red, green and yellow,
and hang them to the centre-beam of the house and the top of the
child's cradle, and for this they get a present, which from a rich
man may be as much as ten rupees. The sacred thread proper is usually
made by Brahmans in the Central Provinces. Some of the Patwas wander
about hawking their wares from village to village. Besides the silk
threads they sell the _tiklis_ or large spangles which women wear
on their foreheads, lac bangles and balls of henna, and the large
necklaces of lac beads covered with tinsel of various colours which
are worn in Chhattisgarh. A Patwa must not rear the tasar silkworm
nor boil the cocoons on pain of expulsion from caste.