The Gowaris have three divisions, the Gai Gowari, Inga, and Maria or
Gond Gowari. The Gai or cow Gowaris are the highest and probably have
more Gaoli blood in them. The Inga and Maria or Gond Gowaris are more
directly derived from the Gonds. Maria is the name given to a large
section of the Gond tribe in Chanda. Both the other two subcastes
will take cooked food from the Gai Gowaris and the Gond Gowaris
from the Inga, but the Inga subcaste will not take it from the Gond,
nor the Gai Gowaris from either of the other two. The Gond Gowaris
have been treated as a distinct caste and a separate article is given
on them, but at the census Mr. Marten has amalgamated them with the
Gowaris. This is probably more correct, as they are locally held to
be a branch of the caste. But their customs differ in some points
from those of the other Gowaris. They will admit outsiders from any
respectable caste and worship the Gond gods, [115] and there seems
no harm, therefore, in allowing the separate article on them to remain.