13. Their skill with bows and arrows.

In one of these caves the sole protection from the air was a
lean-to of loosely placed branches. The people seemed to be
very timid, hiding themselves on our approach. I did not
therefore like to attempt an examination of their dwellings.
After some calling on our part one man was induced to make
his appearance.
He was a most wretched-looking, leprous
object, having lost several fingers and toes. He could give
no very definite explanation as to his means of subsistence.
All he could say was that he lived 'by picking up odds
and ends here and there.' However, he seemed to be able
to afford himself the solace of tobacco. A few cocks and
hens at one of the caves, and a goat at the other, were the
only domestic animals which I saw."

They are very fond of bows and arrows, with Mr. W. E. Ley, C.S., recent murder by a

The tribe are of small stature. hunting, and are expert at using their which they have killed even bison. relates the following particulars of a Kamar in Raipur: Two Hindus went to a Kamār's house in the jungle to dun him for a debt. He could not pay the debt, but invited them to take food in his house. At the meal the creditor's companion said the food was bad, and a quarrel thereupon ensuing, slapped the Kamār in the face. The latter started up, snatched up his bow and arrow and axe, and ran away into the jungle. The Hindus then set out for home, and as they were afraid of being attacked by the Kamar, they took his brother with them as a protection. Nevertheless the Kamār shot one of them through the side, the arrow passing through the arm and penetrating the lung. He then shot the other through the chest, and running in, mutilated his body in a shocking manner. When charged with the murders he confessed them freely, saying that he was a wild man of the woods and knew no better.

KANJAR

[Bibliography: Mr. J. C. Nesfield's The Kanjars of Upper India, Calcutta Review, vol. lxxvii., 1883; Mr. Crooke's Castes and Tribes, art. Kanjar; Major Gunthorpe's Criminal Tribes; Mr. Kitts' Berar Census Report (1881); Mr. Gayer's Lectures on Criminal Tribes of the Central Provinces.]

Kanjars

Doms.

Kanjar.-A name applied somewhat loosely to various 1. Derivasmall communities of a gipsy character who wander about tion of the the country. In 1911 about 1000 Kuchbandhia Kanjars from the were returned in the Province. In Berar the Kanjars seem to be practically identical with the Sansias; Major Gunthorpe1 gives Kanjar and Sānsia as alternative names of the same caste of criminals, and this is also done by Mr. Kennedy in Bombay.2 Mr. Kitts writes of them :3 "The Deccani and Mārwāri Kanjars were originally Bhāts (bards) of the Jāt tribe; and as they generally give themselves out to be Bhāts are probably not included at all among the Kanjars returned at the census. They are a vagrant people, living in tents and addicted to crime. The women are good-looking; some are noted for their obscene songs, filthy alike in word and gesture; while others, whose husbands play on the sarangi, lead a life of immorality. The men are often skilful acrobats." And in another passage: "The Sansia family or the 'Long Firm' of India includes two principal divisions represented

1 Criminal Tribes, p. 78. 2 Criminal Classes.

4

3 Berar Census Report (1881), p. 140.
4 Page 139.

in Berar by the Kanjars and Kolhātis respectively. They will eat, drink and smoke together, and occasionally join in committing dacoity. They eat all kinds of meat and drink all liquors; they are lax of morals and loose of life." Now in northern India the business of acting as bards to the Jāts and begging from them is the traditional function of the Sānsias; and we may therefore conclude that so far as Berār and the Maratha Districts are concerned the Kanjars are identical with the Sansias, while the Kolhātis mentioned by Mr. Kitts are the same people as the Berias, as shown in the article on Kolhāti, and the Berias themselves are another branch of the Sansias.1 There seems some reason to suppose that these four closely allied groups, the Kanjar or Sānsia, and the Kolhāti or Beria, may have their origin from the great Dom caste of menials and scavengers in Hindustan and Bengal. In the Punjab the Doms are the regular bards and genealogists of the lower castes, being known also as Mirasi: "The two words are used throughout the Province as absolutely synonymous. The word Mirasi is derived from the Arabic miras or inheritance; and the Mirasi is to the inferior agricultural castes and the outcaste tribes what the Bhat is to the Rajputs."2 In the article on Sānsia it is shown that the primary calling of the Sānsias was to act as bards and genealogists of the Jāts; and this common occupation is to some extent in favour of the original identity of the two castes Dom and Sānsia, though Sir D. Ibbetson was not of this opinion. In the United Provinces Mr. Crooke gives the Jallad or executioners as one of the main divisions of the Kanjars; and the Jallāds of Umballa are said to be the descendants of a Kanjar family who were attached to the Delhi Court as executioners. But the Jallad or supwāla is also a name of the Doms. "The term Jallad, which is an Arabic name for 'A public flogger,' is more especially applied to those Doms who are employed in cities to kill ownerless dogs and to act as public executioners." 6 Mr. Gayer states that as the result of special inquiries made by an experienced police-officer it would appear that these Jallad Kanjars are really Doms. 4 Art. Kanjar, para. 3.

4

1 See art. Beria, para. I.

5

2 Ibbetson, Punjab Census Report

(1881), para. 527.

3 Ibidem.

5 Ibbetson.

6 Crooke, art. Dom, para. 21.
7 Lectures, p. 59.