_Rangrez._--The Muhammadan caste of dyers. The caste is found
generally in the northern Districts, and in 1901 its members were
included with the Chhipas, from whom, however, they should be
distinguished as having a different religion and also because they
practise a separate branch of the dyeing industry. The strength of
the caste in the Central Provinces does not exceed a few hundred
persons. The Rangrez is nominally a Muhammadan of the Sunni sect,
but the community forms an endogamous group after the Hindu fashion,
marrying only among themselves. Good-class Muhammadans will neither
intermarry with nor even take food from members of the Rangrez
community. In Sohagpur town of Hoshangabad this is divided into two
branches, the Kheralawalas or immigrants from Kherala in Malwa and the
local Rangrezes. These two groups will take food together but will
not intermarry. Kheralawala women commonly wear a skirt like Hindu
women and not Muhammadan pyjamas. In Jubbulpore the Rangrez community
employ Brahmans to conduct their marriage and other ceremonies. Long
association with Hindus has as usual caused the Rangrez to conform to
their religious practices and the caste might almost be described
as a Hindu community with Muhammadan customs. The bulk of them
no doubt were originally converted Hindus, but as their ancestors
probably immigrated from northern India their present leaning to
that religion would perhaps be not so much an obstinate retention
of pre-Islamic ritual as a subsequent lapse following on another
change of environment. In northern India Mr. Crooke records them
as being governed mainly by Muhammadan rules. There [592] they hold
themselves to be the descendants of one Khwaja Bali, a very pious man,
about whom the following verse is current:
Khwaja Bali Rangrez
Range Khuda ki sez:
'Khwaja Bali dyes the bed of God.' The name is derived from _rang_,
colour, and _rez, rekhtan_, to pour. In Bihar, Sir G. Grierson
states [593] the word Rangrez is often confounded with 'Angrezi'
or 'English'; and the English are sometimes nicknamed facetiously
Rangrez or 'dyers,' The saying, 'Were I a dyer I would dye my own
beard first,' in reference to the Muhammadan custom of dyeing the
beard, has the meaning of 'Charity begins at home,' [594]
The art of the Rangrez differs considerably from that of the
Chhipa or Rangari, the Hindu dyer, and he produces a much greater
variety of colours. His principal agents were formerly the safflower
(_Carthamus tinctorius_), turmeric and myrobalans. The fact that the
brilliant red dye of safflower was as a rule only used by Muhammadan
dyers, gives some ground for the supposition that it may have been
introduced by them to India. This would account for the existence
of a separate caste of Muhammadan dyers, and in support of it may
be adduced the fact that the variety of colours is much greater in
the dress of the residents of northern India and Rajputana than in
those of the Maratha Districts. The former patronise many different
shades, more especially for head-cloths, while the latter as a rule
do not travel beyond red, black or blue. The Rangrez obtains his red
shades from safflower, yellow from _haldi_ or turmeric, green from
a mixture of indigo and turmeric, purple from indigo and safflower,
_khaki_ or dust-colour from myrobalans and iron filings, orange from
turmeric and safflower, and _badami_ or almond-colour from turmeric
and two wild plants _kachora_ and _nagarmothi_, the former of which
gives a scent. Cloths dyed in the _badami_ shades are affected, when
they can afford it, by Gosains and other religious mendicants, who
thus dwell literally in the odour of sanctity. Muhammadans generally
patronise the shades of green or purple, the latter being often used
as a lining for white coats. Fakirs or Muhammadan beggars wear light
green. Marwari Banias and others from Rajputana like the light yellow,
pink or orange shades. A green or black head-cloth is with them a
sign of mourning. Cloths dyed in yellow or scarlet are bought by
Brahmans and other castes of Hindus for their marriages. Blue is not
a lucky colour among the Hindus and is considered as on a level with
black. It may be worn on ordinary occasions, but not at festivals
or at auspicious periods. Muhammadans rather affect black and do not
consider it an unlucky colour. I have seen a Rangrez dye a piece of
cloth in about twenty colours in the course of two or three hours,
but several of these dyes are fugitive and will not stand washing. The
trade of the Rangrez is being undermined by the competition of cheap
chemical dyes imported from Germany and sold in the form of powders;
the process of dyeing with these is absolutely simple and can be
carried out by any one. They are far cheaper than safflower, and this
agent has consequently been almost driven from the market. People buy
a little dyeing powder from the bazar and dye their own cloths. But
men will only wear cloths dyed in this manner, and known as _katcha
kapra_, on their heads and not on their bodies; women sometimes wear
them also on their bodies. The decay in the indigenous art of dyeing
must be a matter for regret.