In the Central Provinces the tribe have the five subdivisions of
Surajvansi, Malhar, Bhilaophod, Singade, and the Muhammadan Kolis. The
Surajvansi or 'descendants of the sun' claim to be Rajputs. The Malhar
or Panbhari subtribe are named from their deity Malhari Deo, while
the alternative name of Panbhari means water-carrier. The Bhilaophod
extract the oil from bhilwa [576] nuts like the Nahals, and the Singade
(sing, horn, and gadna, to bury) are so called because when their
buffaloes die they bury the horns in their compounds. As with several
other castes in Burhanpur and Berar, a number of Kolis embraced Islam
at the time of the Muhammadan domination and form a separate subcaste.
In Berar the principal group is that of the Mahadeo Kolis, whose name
may be derived from the Mahadeo or Pachmarhi hills. This would tend to
connect them with the Korkus, and through them with the Kols. They are
divided into the Bhas or pure and the Akaramase or impure Kolis. [577]
In Akola most of the Kolis are stated to belong to the Kshatriya group,
while other divisions are the Naiks or soldiers, the begging Kolis,
and the Watandars who are probably hereditary holders of the post of
village watchman. [578]