The head of the caste committee is known as Shendia, from shendi, a
scalp-lock or pig-tail, perhaps because he is at the top of the caste
as the scalp-lock is at the top of the head. The Shendia is elected,
and holds office for life. He has to readmit offenders into caste by
being the first to eat and drink with them, thus taking their sins on
himself. On such occasions it is necessary to have a little opium,
which is mixed with sugar and water, and distributed to all members
of the caste. If the quantity is insufficient for every one to drink,
the man responsible for preparing it is fined, and this mixture,
especially the opium, is indispensable on all such occasions. The
custom indicates that a sacred or sacrificial character is attributed
to the opium, as the drinking of the mixture together is the sign of
the readmission of a temporary outcaste into the community. After this
has been drunk he becomes a member of the caste, even though he may
not give the penalty feast for some time afterwards. The Ahirs and
Sunars of the Maratha country have the same rite of purification by
the common drinking of opium and water. A caste penalty is incurred
for the removal of bital or impurity arising from the usual offences,
and among others for touching the corpse of a man of any other caste,
or of a buffalo, horse, cow, cat or dog, for using abusive language
to a casteman at any meeting or feast, and for getting up from a
caste feast without permission from the headman. For touching the
corpse of a prohibited animal and for going to jail a man has to get
his head, beard and whiskers shaved. If a woman becomes with child
by a man of another caste, she is temporarily expelled, but can be
readmitted after the child has been born and she has disposed of it to
somebody else. Such children are often made over for a few rupees to
Muhammadans, who bring them up as menial servants in their families,
or, if they have no child of their own, sometimes adopt them. On
readmission a lock of the woman's hair is cut off. In the same case,
if no child is born of the liaison, the woman is taken back with the
simple penalty of a feast. Permanent expulsion is imposed for taking
food from, or having an intrigue with a member of an impure caste as
Madgi, Mehtar, Pardhan, Mahar and Mang.