==============+========+=======+=======
Districts. |Mansûri.|Others.|Total.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~
Dehra Dûn | ... | 179| 179
Sahâranpur | ... | 2,799| 2,799
Muzaffarnagar | ... | 3,013| 3,013
Meerut | ... | 4,422| 4,422
Bulandshahr | ... | 1,500| 1,500
Aligarh | 1,330 | 5,041| 6,371
Mathura | ... | 64| 64
Agra | 11 | 399| 410
Farrukhâbâd | 1 | 7,329| 7,330
Mainpuri | ... | 3,263| 3,263
Etâwah | 51 | 3,737| 3,788
Etah | ... | 4,525| 4,525
Bareilly | 1,520 | 11,708| 13,228
Bijnor | ... | 11,056| 11,056
Budâun | 44 | 1,808| 1,852
Morâdâbâd | ... | 7,862| 7,862
Shâhjahânpur | 118 | 8,589| 8,707
Pilibhît | 15 | 5,932| 5,947
Cawnpur | 126 | 8,383| 8,509
Fatehpur | 1,639 | 3,756| 5,395
Bânda | 2,681 | 4,724| 7,405
Hamîrpur | ... | 8,341| 8,341
Allahâbâd | 2,238 | 15,841| 18,079
Jhânsi | 228 | 4,374| 4,602
Jâlaun | 70 | 2,894| 2,964
Lalitpur | ... | 1,116| 1,116
Benares | 703 | 4,553| 5,256
Mirzapur | 372 | 6,003| 6,375
Jaunpur | 11,710 | 2,049| 13,759
Ghâzipur | 2,055 | 2,318| 4,373
Ballia | 608 | 3,042| 3,650
Gorakhpur | 30,520 | 9,949| 40,469
Basti | 28,559 | 1,024| 29,583
Azamgarh | 2,256 | 17,428| 19,684
Tarâi | ... | 1,745| 1,745
Lucknow | 1,460 | 4,186| 5,646
Unâo | 566 | 7,344| 7,910
Râê Bareli | 115 | 9,035| 9,150
Sîtapur | 5,845 | 7,749| 13,594
Hardoi | 50 | 10,708| 10,758
Kheri | 511 | 11,127| 11,638
Faizâbâd | 1 | 12,787| 12,788
Gonda | 699 | 12,264| 16,963
Bahrâich | 1,096 | 15,037| 16,133
Sultânpur | ... | 7,909| 7,909
Partâbgarh | 258 | 7,369| 7,627
Bârabanki | 1,064 | 13,186| 14,250
+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~
Total | 98,520 |303,467|401,987
==============+========+=======+=======
Dhûsar; Dhûnsar, [328] a tribe usually classed as a sub-caste of
Banyas, but who claim a higher origin than the ordinary Vaisyas. They
take their name from a hill called Dhûsi or Dhosi, near Nârnaul, on the
borders between Alwar and British territory. There their ancestor Chima
or Chimand Rishi is said to have performed his devotions. This Rishi is
said to have married a daughter of the Râja of Kâshi or Benares. Their
head-quarters in Western India are Rewâri, in Gurgâon. Their
pretensions to Brâhmanical origin are admitted by Brâhmans themselves,
and they are now usually known as Bhârgava or “descendants of Bhrigu,”
who was one of the Prajapatis or great Rishis, and is regarded as the
founder of the race of the Bhrigus or Bhârgavas, in which were born
Jamadagni and Parasurâma. Manu calls him son, and says that he confides
to him his Institutes. According to the Mahâbhârata he officiated at
Daksha’s celebrated sacrifice, and had his beard pulled out by Siva.
The same authority also tells the following story:—“It is related of
Bhrigu that he rescued the sage Agastya from the tyranny of King
Nahusha, who had obtained superhuman power. Bhrigu crept into Agastya’s
hair to avoid the potent glance of Nahusha, and when that tyrant
attached Agastya to his chariot and kicked him on the head to make him
move, Bhrigu cursed Nahusha and he was turned into a serpent. Bhrigu on
Nahusha’s supplication, limited the duration of the curse.” [329]
2. In the hills they appear to be in some places Banyas and in others
Brâhmans. “They take their food before morning prayer, contrary to the
usual Hindu custom. Of late years, however, they have begun to adopt
the more orthodox custom. They do not eat animal or other prohibited
food, and do not drink spirits. They worship the orthodox deities and
consider Brahma, Siva and Vishnu the same God under different forms.
The Brâhman Dhûsar marries among his caste fellows, and the Banya with
Banyas, avoiding always the same family (gotra) or one having the same
family deity.” [330] The only sections shown in the Census Returns are
Kâns and Mâhur.
3. In the plains their traditions vary. According to one account they
were driven from their original home, Kashmîr, by the tyranny of their
rulers, and settled in Delhi. In Benares they fix on Delhi as their
home. Those in Mathura have emigrated from Gurgâon and have acquired
considerable property and influence. “They combine the office aptitude
of the Kâyasth with the keen scent for money-making and the flinty
hard-heartedness to a debtor characteristic of a Banya. They are
consequently mostly hard landlords and wealthy men. They are the
hereditary Qânûngos of Mathura and Chhâta.” [331]
4. Dhûsars are all Vaishnavas, and in these Provinces at least none of
them are Sarâogis. They regulate their lives by the most orthodox rules
of Hinduism and are particularly careful in the observance of Hindu
ceremonies. They are a rising, ambitious, thriving class, excellent
clerks and men of business. They are also noted for their skill in
music.
5. The Bhârgava Sabha of Jaypur has supplied an account of the caste
which represents that the Dhûsars were formerly family priests
(Purohit) of various Râjas, but they now, since the Muhammadan
invasions, have discontinued these functions. Other usages (âchâr) they
practise like Brâhmans. Only those who are noted for Sanskrit learning
are known by the title Pandit. Like other Brâhmans they worship the
Rishis, from whom these eponymous gotras are derived. Some do the
oblation (tarpana) daily: others at the Pitrapaksha, or fortnight
devoted to the dead. They worship the ordinary Pâncha Devata or five
greater gods.
The main saints of the creed are Charandâsji, Navaldâsji and
Nârâyandâsji, who flourished at Delhi, Mathura and Bindraban,
respectively.