Colonel Dalton states that the tribe had four subdivisions, Bhogta,
Mahto, Rawat and Manjhi. Of these Mahto simply means a village headman,
and is used as a title by many castes and tribes; Rawat is a term
meaning chief, and is in common use as a title; and Manjhi too is a
title, being specially applied to boatmen, and also means a village
headman among the Santals. These divisions, too, afford some reason for
considering the tribe to be a mixed group. Other occupational subtribes
are recorded by Sir H. Risley, and are found in the Central Provinces,
but these apparently have grown up since Colonel Dalton's time.
The most important group in Bengal are the Bhogtas, who are found,
says Colonel Dalton, "In the hills of Palamau, skirting Sarguja,
in Tori and Bhanwar Pahar of Chota Nagpur and other places. They
have always had an indifferent reputation. The head of the clan in
Palamau was a notorious freebooter, who, after having been outlawed
and successfully evaded every attempt to capture him, obtained a jagir
[475] on his surrendering and promising to keep the peace. He kept
to his engagement and died in fair repute, but his two sons could not
resist the opportunity afforded by the disturbances of 1857-58. After
giving much trouble they were captured; one was hanged, the other
transported for life and the estate was confiscated." Mr. Crooke
notes that the Khairwars since adopting Hinduism performed human
sacrifices to Kali. Some of our people who fell into their hands
during the Mutiny were so dealt with. [476]
In the Central Provinces there is a group known as Surajvansi or
Descendants of the Sun, or Janeodhari, 'Those who wear the sacred
thread.' This is the aristocratic division of the caste, to which
the chiefs and zamindars belong, and according to the usual practice
they have consolidated their higher position by marrying only among
themselves. Other groups are the Dualbandhi, who say that they are
so called because they make a livelihood by building the earthen
diwals or walls for houses and yards; but in Mirzapur they derive
the name from dual, a leather belt which is supposed to have been
the uniform of their forefathers when serving as soldiers. [477]
The Patbandhi or silk-makers, according to their own story, are thus
named because their ancestors were once very rich and wore silk;
but a more probable hypothesis is that they were rearers of tasar
silk cocoons. The Beldar or Matkora work as navvies, and are also
known as Kawarvansi or 'Descendants of the Kawars,' another tribe of
the locality; and last come the Khairchura, who take their name from
the khair tree and are catechu-makers.