The subcastes of the Kols in the Central Provinces differ entirely
from those in Chota Nagpur. Of the important subcastes here the Rautia
and Rautele take their name from Rawat, a prince, and appear to be
a military or landholding group. In Chota Nagpur the Rautias are
a separate caste, holding land. The Rautia Kols practise hypergamy
with the Rauteles, taking their daughters in marriage but not giving
daughters. They will eat with Rauteles at wedding feasts only and
not on any other occasion. The Thakuria, from thakur, a lord, are
said to be the progeny of Rajput fathers and Kol mothers; and the
Kagwaria to be named from kagwar, an offering made to ancestors in
the month of Kunwar. The Desaha, from desh, native country, belong
principally to Rewah. In some localities Bharias, Savars and Khairwars
are found who call themselves Kols and appear to be included in the
tribe. The Bharias may be an offshoot of the Bhar tribe of northern
India. It has already been seen that several groups of other tribes
have been amalgamated with the Mundas of Chota Nagpur, probably in a
great measure from intermarriage, and a similar fusion seems to have
occurred in the Central Provinces. Intermarriage between the different
subtribes, though nominally prohibited, not infrequently takes place,
and a girl forming a liaison with a man of another division may be
married to him and received into it. The Rautias, however, say that
they forbid this practice.