The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume I Part 35

_Ganda_.--(A messenger.) A low caste of village watchmen. In the Uriya country the Gandas are known as Dom. A subcaste of Pardhan. t.i.tle of Kharia.

_Gandhi_.--A scent-seller. (From _gandh_, a Sanskrit word for scent.) Synonym of Atari. A section of Mahes.h.i.+r Bania.

_Gandli_.--The Telugu caste of oil-pressers, numbering about 3000 persons in the Central Provinces, in the Chanda, Nagpur and Bhandara Districts. They are immigrants from the G.o.davari District of Madras and have been settled in the Central Provinces for some generations. Here many of them have prospered so that they have abandoned the hereditary calling and become landowners, traders and moneylenders. Like the well-to-do Telis they are keenly desirous of bettering their social position and now repudiate any connection with what may be known as 'the shop,' or the profession of oil-pressing. As this ranks very low, among the more despised village handicrafts, the progress of the Gandlis and Telis to the social standing of Banias, to which they generally aspire, is beset with difficulties; but the Gandlis, in virtue of having migrated to what is practically a foreign country so far as they are concerned, have achieved a considerable measure of success, and may be said to enjoy a better position than any Telis. A few of them wear the sacred thread, and though they eat flesh, they have abjured liquor except in Chanda, where they are most numerous and the proportion of wealthy members is smallest. Here also they are said to eat pork. Others eat flesh and fowls.

The Gandlis are divided into the Reddi, Chetti and Telkala subcastes, and the last are generally oil-pressers. It is probable that the Reddis are the same as the Redu-eddu or Rendu-eddu subcaste of Madras, who derive their name from the custom of using two bullocks to turn the oil-press, like the Do-baile Telis of the Central Provinces. But it has been changed to Reddi, a more respectable name, as being a synonym for the Kapu cultivating caste. Chetti really means a trader, and is, Mr. Francis says, [442] "One of those occupational or t.i.tular terms, which are largely employed as caste names. The weavers, oil-pressers and others use it as a t.i.tle, and many more tack it on to their names to denote that trade is their occupation." Marriage is regulated by exogamous groups, the names of which are said to be derived from those of villages. Girls are generally married during childhood. A noticeable point is that the ceremony is celebrated at the bridegroom's house, to which the bride goes, accompanied by her party, including the women of her family. The ceremony follows the Maratha form of throwing fried rice over the bridal couple, and Brahman priests are employed to officiate. Widow-marriage is permitted. The dead are both buried and burnt, and during mourning the Gandlis refrain from eating _khichri_ or mixed rice and pulse, and do not take their food off plantain leaves, in addition to the other usual observances. They have the _shantik_ ceremony or the seclusion of a girl on the first appearance of the signs of adolescence, which is in vogue among the higher Maratha castes, and is followed by a feast and the consummation of her marriage. They now speak Marathi fluently, but still use Telugu in their houses and wear their head-cloths tied after the Tulugu fas.h.i.+on. [443]

_Gangabalu_.--(Sand of the Ganges.) A family name of Ganda.

_Gangabasia_.--(Living on the banks of the Ganges.) A section of Ahir.

_Gangapari_.--(One coming from the further side of the Ganges.) Subcaste of Barai, Barhai, Chamar, Dhobi, Gondhali, k.u.mhar and Umre Bania.

_Gangasagar_.--(Sea of the Ganges.) A section of Chitari and Kawar.

_Gangavansi_.--(Descended from the Ganges.) A clan of Rajputs. The chief of Bamra State is a Gangavansi.

_Gangthade_.--Dwellers on the banks of the G.o.davari and Wainganga. These rivers are sometimes called Ganga or Ganges, which is used as a general term for a great river. A subcaste of Maratha.

_Gannore_.--Name of a minor Rajput clan. Subcaste of Balahi.

_Ganth-chor_.--(A bundle-thief.) t.i.tle of Bhamta.

_Gaolan_.--A synonym of Ahir or Gaoli, applied to an inferior section of the caste.

_Gaoli_, _Gauli_.--(A milkman.) Synonym for Ahir. Subcaste of Hatkar.

_Gaontia_.--(A village headman.) t.i.tle of the head of the Kol caste committee. t.i.tle of Kol.

_Garde_.--(Dusty.) A surname of Karhara Brahmans in Saugor.

_Garg_ or _Gargya_.--The name of a famous Ris.h.i.+ or saint. An eponymous section of Brahmans. A section of Agarwala Banias. Gargabansi is a clan of Rajputs.

_Garhawala_, _Garhewala_, _Garhewar_.--A resident of Garha, an old town near Jubbulpore which gave its name to the Garha-Mandla dynasty, and is a centre of weaving. A subcaste of Katia, Koshti and Mahar, all weaving castes. A subcaste of Binjhal.

_Garkata_.--(Cut-throat.) A section of Koshti.

_Garpagari_.--A body of Jogis or Naths who avert hailstorms and are considered a separate caste. See article. From _gar_, hail. A subcaste of Koshta and k.u.mhar. A section of Ghasia.

_Gate_.--(A b.a.s.t.a.r.d.) Subcaste of Naoda.

_Gaur_.--The ancient name of part of Bengal and perhaps applied also to the tract in the United Provinces round about the modern Gonda District. A subcaste of Brahman and Kayasth. A clan of Rajputs. See articles.

_Gauria_, _Gauriya_.--A caste. A subcaste of Dhimar, Khond, k.u.mhar and Uriya Sansia.

_Gauriputra_.--A son of Gauri, the wife of Mahadeo. t.i.tle of Balija.

_Gautam_.--A name of a famous Ris.h.i.+ or saint. A common eponymous section of Brahmans. A clan of Rajputs. A section of Agharia, Ahir, Maratha, Panwar Rajput, Rangari and Jangam.

_Gayake_.--Subcaste of Pardhi, meaning a man who stalks deer behind a bullock.

_Gayawal_.--(From the town of Gaya on the Ganges, a favourite place for performing the obsequies of the dead.) A subcaste of Brahmans who act as emissaries for the owners of the shrines at Gaya and wander about the country inducing villagers to undertake the pilgrimage and personally conducting their const.i.tuents.

_Gazulu_.--(A bangle-seller.) Subcaste of Balija.

_Gedam_.--A sept of Gonds. A sept of Baigas.

_Ghadyachi Tong_.--(The rim of the pitcher.) A section of Kirar.

_Ghanta_.--(Bell.) A section of k.u.mhar.

_Ghantra_.--Name of a caste of Lohars or blacksmiths in the Uriya country.

_Gharbari_.--One who while leading a mendicant life is permitted to marry with the permission of his _guru_. A householder, synonym Grihastha. The married groups of the Gosain, Bairagi and Manbhao orders as distinguished from the Nihang or celibate section.

_Ghasi Mali_.--Subcaste of Mali.

_Ghatole_, _Ghatode_.--Those who dwell on the _ghats_ or pa.s.ses of the Sainhyadri Hills to the south of the Berar plain. Subcaste of Bahna, Gondhali and Kunbi.

_Ghatmathe_.--(Residents of the Mahadeo plateau in Berar.) Subcaste of Maratha.

_Gherwal_.--A clan of Rajputs. Synonym for Gaharwar.

_Ghidoda_.--(Giver of _ghi_.) A section of Telis so named because their first ancestors presented _ghi_ to the king Bhoramdeo.

_Ghisadi_, _Ghisari_.--A group of wandering Lohars or blacksmiths. Synonym for Lohar.

_Ghoderao_.--(_Ghoda_, a horse.) Subcaste of Chitrakathi. They have the duty of looking after the horses and bullock-carts of the castemen who a.s.semble for marriage or other ceremonies.

_Ghodke_.--Those who tend horses. Subcaste of Mang.

_Ghodmaria_.--(Horse-killer.) A sept of Binjhwar.

_Ghopi_.--(Wild _jamun_ tree.) A sept of Gonds.

_Ghosi_.--A caste. A subcaste of Ahir. A section of Chamar.

_Ghudchoda_.--A subcaste of Pasi, who have become grooms. (From _ghora_, a horse.)

_Ghughu, Ghughwa_.--(Owl.) A section of Ganda, Kawar, Kewat and Panka. Pankas of the Ghughu sept are said to have eaten the leavings of their caste-fellows.

_Ghunnere_.--(Worm-eater.) A section of Teli in Betul and Rathor Teli.

_Ghura_ or _Gura_.--(Dunghill.) A section of Chadar and Sunar.

_Ghuttin_.--A sept of Bhils. They reverence the _gular_, or fig tree.

_Gingra_.--A subcaste of Tiyar.