The Khairwas or Khairwars of the Kaimur hills are derived, as already
seen, from the Gonds and Savars, and therefore are ethnologically
a distinct group from those of the Chota Nagpur plateau, who have
been described above. But as nearly every caste is made up of diverse
ethnological elements held together by the tie of a common occupation,
it does not seem worth while to treat these groups separately. Colonel
Dalton, who also identifies them with the main tribe, records an
interesting notice of them at an earlier period: [482]
"There is in the seventh volume of the Asiatic Researches a notice
of the Kharwars of the Kaimur hills in the Mirzapur District, to the
north of the Son river, by Captain J. P. Blunt, who in his journey from
Chunar to Ellora in A.D. 1794, met with them and describes them as a
very primitive tribe. He visited one of their villages consisting of
half a dozen poor huts, and though proceeding with the utmost caution,
unattended, to prevent alarm, the inhabitants fled at his approach. The
women were seen, assisted by the men, carrying off their children and
moving with speed to hide themselves in the woods. It was observed
that they were nearly naked, and the only articles of domestic use
found in the deserted huts were a few gourds for water-vessels, some
bows and arrows, and some fowls as wild as their masters. With great
difficulty, by the employment of Kols as mediators, some of the men
were induced to return. They were nearly naked, but armed with bows
and arrows and a hatchet."
In Damoh the Khairwars are said to come from Panna State. During the
working season they live in temporary sheds in the forest, and migrate
from place to place as the supply of trees is exhausted. Having cut
down a tree they strip off the bark and cut the inner and tender wood
into small pieces, which are boiled for two or three days until a thick
black paste is obtained. From this the water is allowed to drain off,
and the residue is made into cakes and dried in the sun. It is eaten
in small pieces with betel-leaf and areca-nut. Duty is levied by the
Forest Department at the rate of a rupee per handi or pot in which
boiling is carried on. In Bombay various superstitious observances
are connected with the manufacture of catechu; and Mr. Crooke quoted
the following description of them from the Bombay Gazetteer: [483]
"Every year on the day after the Holi the chulha ceremony takes
place. In a trench seven feet long by three, and about three deep,
khair logs are carefully stacked and closely packed till they stand in
a heap about three feet above ground. The pile is then set on fire and
allowed to burn to the level of the ground. The village sweeper breaks
a cocoanut, kills a couple of fowls and sprinkles a little liquor near
the pile. Then, after washing their feet, the sweeper and the village
headman walk barefoot hurriedly across the fire. After this strangers
come to fulfil vows, and giving one anna and a half cocoanut to the
sweeper, and the other half cocoanut to the headman, wash their feet,
and turning to the left, walk over the pile. The fire seems to cause
none of them any pain." The following description of the Kathkaris
as hunters of monkeys is also taken by Mr. Crooke from the Bombay
Gazetteer: [484] "The Kathkaris represent themselves as descended from
the monkeys of Rama. Now that their legitimate occupation of preparing
catechu (kath) has been interfered with, they subsist almost entirely
by hunting, and habitually kill and eat monkeys, shooting them with
bows and arrows. In order to approach within range they are obliged
to have recourse to stratagems, as the monkeys at once recognise them
in their ordinary costume. The ruse usually adopted is for one of the
best shots to put on a woman's robe (sari), under the ample folds of
which he conceals his murderous weapons. Approaching the tree in which
the monkeys are seated, the sportsman affects the utmost unconcern,
and busies himself with the innocent occupation of picking up twigs
and leaves, and thus disarming suspicion he is enabled to get a
sufficiently close shot to render success a certainty."