The Katias have several subcastes, with names generally derived
from places in the Central Provinces, as Pathari from a village in
the Chhindwara District, Mandilwar from Mandla, Gadhewal from Garha,
near Jubbulpore, and so on. The Dulbuha group consist of those who were
formerly palanquin-bearers (from doli, a litter). They have also more
than fifty exogamous septs, with names of the usual low-caste type,
derived from places, animals or plants, or natural objects. Some of the
septs are subdivided. Thus the Nagotia sept, named after the cobra, is
split up into the Nagotia, Dirat [412] Nag, Bharowar [413] Nag, Kosam
Karia and Hazari [414] Nag groups. It is said that the different groups
do not intermarry; but it is probable that they do, as otherwise there
seems to be no object in the subdivision. The Kosam Karias worship a
cobra at their weddings, but not the others. The Singhotia sept, from
singh, a horn, is divided into the Bakaria (goat) and Ghagar-bharia
(one who fills an earthen vessel) subsepts. The Bakarias offer goats
to their gods; and the Ghagar-bharias on the Akti [415] festival,
just before the breaking of the rains, fill an earthen vessel and
worship it, and consider it sacred for that day. Next day it is
brought into ordinary use. The Dongaria sept, from dongar, a hill,
revere the chheola tree. [416] They choose any tree of this species
outside the village, and say that it is placed on a hill, and go and
worship it once a year. In this case it would appear that a hill was
first venerated as an animate being and the ancestor of the sept. When
hills were no longer so regarded, a chheola tree growing on a hill
was substituted; and now the tree only is revered, probably a good
deal for form's sake, and so far as the hill is concerned, the mere
pretence that it is growing on a hill is sufficient.