Add MS 27255

‘Tashrih al-aqvam’, an account of origins and occupations of some of the sects, castes and tribes of India. Written at Hansi Cantonment, Hissar District, eighty-five miles north-west of Delhi for Colonel James Skinner. One hundred and ten miniatures. Delhi Company style. AH1241=AD1825.

Literature: Rieu, Vol.1, p.65. Titly no. 372. Losty 1982, no. 135.

f.22b. Brahmin kneeling by a fire.

f.70b. ‘Mevati’, a ‘Ksatriya’ group who lived in the region south-west of Delhi.

f.75b. ‘Vaisya’ represented by a grain seller.

f.96b. ‘Sudra’ represented by an accountant, i.e. ‘Kayastha’, originally supposed to be from a ‘Ksatriya’ father and a ‘Sudra’ mother.

f.106b. An astrologer with his divination board.

f.108b. Brahmin preparing ‘pinda’ (cakes used in offerings for the dead).

f.110b. ‘Bhojaki’ blowing a conch shell near a temple. Priests who serve the Devi temples of N. Panjab and Kangra.

f.112b. ‘Kapri’, a man who plays the ‘nagasvami’ (kind of oboe) at weddings.

f.114b. ‘Dakaut’, impure Brahman caste, represented by a fortune teller.

f.117b. Elephant keeper.

f.120b. ‘Bazigar’, an occupation group. Conjuror with birds, mongoose and snake.

f.123b. Conjuror (fem)..

f.125b. Bear keeper.

f.127b. Monkey keeper with two monkeys and a performing goat.

f.129b. ‘Bhat’, a mixed caste of hereditary panaegyr-ists, represented by a bard.

f.134b. ‘Bandijan’ or ‘Kalavant’, a singer or bard from the Bhat caste. Portrait of Miyan Himmat Khan Kalavant.

f.137b. Harlot.

f.142b. ‘Banjara’ an itinerant trader, often a grain merchant. Man with oxen carrying sacks.

f.144b. ‘Dom’, the Hindu counterpart of the Muslim ‘mirasi’, a genealogist/chronicler, who sings at important occasions i.e. a bard.

f.146b. ‘Ahir’, a caste represented by a cowherd with cows and calves.

f.15lb. ‘Gadariya’, a caste represented by a shepherd with a flock of ewes and lambs.

f.153b. ‘Jat’, a numerous tribe spread over much of north-west India. Once warriors, now mostly agriculturists. Represented by a man ploughing with oxen.

f.158b. A Sikh.

f.161b. ‘Bhil’, a tribe found across Gujarat and central India who are hunters.

f.166b. Grain seller.

f.169b. ‘Magadh’ or ‘jagda’, subdivision of the ‘Bhat’ caste, represented by a chronicler.

f.172b. Ship’s captain, represented by the Mars, a naval battleship prominent in the Napoleonic wars.

f.175b. ‘Bhangi’, a caste represented by a sweeper.

f.179b. ‘Chamar’, a caste represented by a tanner.

f.180b. ‘Moci’, Muhammadan shoemakers, an occupational sub-division of the Camars.

f.183b. A dyer (‘chimba’ class) dipping cloth in red dye. (The description is missing in the manuscript).

f.186b. ‘Dhanak’, a caste formerly of bowmen, hunters etc. and represented here by a man with a hand-gun.

f.190b. Brushmaker.

f.193b. ‘Kanjar’, a wandering tribe who make rope and articles of grass. Man making winnowing fans.

f.196b. ‘Bavari’, an itinerant predatory tribe represented by a birdsnarer.

f.198b. ‘Kahar’, the carrier or bearer class of the E. Panjab. Man carrying bundles on a pole.

f.202b. ‘Mallah’, boatman class. Boatman in the River Ravi in the foreground with Lahore Fort beyond.

f.203b. Wrestlers.

f.204b. ‘Macchi’, Muslim caste of fishermen.

f.208b. ‘Ghulam’, a caste of hereditary personal servants. Attendant massaging a man’s leg.

f.211b. ‘Hajjam’, a barber, i.e. Muslim barber as opposed to a Hindu barber (‘nai’).

f.217b. ‘Bari’, a caste that makes plates and cups fromj leaves.

f.219b. ‘Jarrah’, a caste of surgeons.

f.231b. ‘Baghban’, a gardener, making a garland.

f.234b. ‘Kunjra’, an occupational group represented by a greengrocer.

f.236b. ‘Thathera’, a coppersmith.

f.238b. ‘Ahangar’ (Persian term for the ‘Lohar’ caste of blacksmiths). Blacksmith in a forge.

f.241b. Bellmaker.

f.243b. ‘Julaha’, Muslim caste of weavers.

f.246b. Tape-weaver.

f.248b. Rope-maker.

f.250b. ‘Kumhar’, the potter caste of the Panjab.

f.253b. Brickmaker.

f.256b. ‘Sunar’, the goldsmith caste.

f.258b. Artist.

f.260b. ‘Chipi’ (or ‘chimba’), a cloth printer. Printing green cloth with a red geometric design.

f.263b. ‘Khayyat’ (or ‘darzi’), a tailor. ‘Darzi’ is an occupational group rather than a caste but is organised in guilds.

f.266b. Embroiderer.

f.267b. Betel-nut seller preparing his wares.

f.274b. Oculist examining a patient’s eye.

f.276b. Earpicker.

f.278b. ‘Kalal’, a Hindu caste of distillers and tavern keepers.

f.281b. ‘Mina’, a Hindu caste of professional criminals originally from Jaipur and Alwar. Represented by a man cutting through the wall of a house at night.

f.284b. ‘Raj’, mason or bricklayer. An occupational sub-group of the ‘Tarkhan’ or carpenter caste. Represented by a man (‘raj’) building the wall and another (‘muzdur’) mixing mortar.

f.287b. ‘Khati’ or ‘Tarkhan’, carpenter caste of the Panjab. Man sawing a plank.

f.290b. ‘Gangaputra’, a class of Brahmans who attend pilgrims.

f.293b. ‘Bahrupiya’, originally an occupational group of strolling players. Two actors.

f.296b. ‘Dhobi’, caste of washermen, one of whom is washing clothes in a river.

f.299b. ‘Teli’, caste of oilmen, represented by an oil-presser whose press is operated by a blindfolded ox.

f.302b. ‘Dhuniya’ or ‘Pamjara’, synonyms for the caste of cotton dressers. Masked man using a bow on raw cotton.

f.304b. ‘Nat’, a caste of gypsy acrobats.

f.307b. ‘Sakka’, a Muslim caste of water carriers represented by a man carrying a waterskin.

f.311b. ‘Agari’, according to the text a corn sifter but the term is usually applied to salt workers. Man using a sieve.

f.314b. Sweepings-sifter searching sweepings for gold or silver i.e. ‘Niyariya’.

f.317b. Labourer wielding a pick.

f.320b. ‘Badhak’ or ‘Kassab’, the caste of butcher. Shown cutting a joint of meat.

f.323b. Snake-charmer of the ‘Sapera’ caste. Name given to snake-charmer who is playing a pipe to a snake in a basket is Mattu Bairagi.

f.328b. ‘Bharbhumja’, occupational caste of corn roasters. Man using a kiln type of brazier to roast grain.

f.331b. Mat weaver, possibly the ‘Dumna’ caste. Mat of palm leaves being made on a frame held by weights.

f.334b. Screen-maker, possibly of the ‘Dumna’ caste.

f.337b. Polisher. (Term ‘Barhiya’ caste applies to Hindus and ‘Saikalgar’ to Muslims). Man polishing a ‘tulwar’.

f.340b. ‘Gandhi’, a caste of perfumers or druggists. Surrounded by shelves of bottles, a man is pouring liquid into a bowl.

f.345b. ‘Ribari’ (or ‘Rahbari’) caste of camelmen. Represented by camel driver.

f.348b. ‘Cunari’, caste of lime burners. Kiln shown in background.

f.351b. Runner or messenger (‘paik’).

f.354b. ‘Luniya’, a caste of salt diggers.

f.357b. ‘Kamdangar’, a bowmaker. Shown bending the wood of a bow over a bowl of embers. (Occupational sub-division of ‘Tarkhan’ caste, bowmakers).

f.360b. Leather-bottle makers. (Presumably members of the ‘Chamaar’ caste).

f.363b. ‘Sannyasi’, a Saiva mendicant.

f.370b. ‘Paramahamsa’, a naked ascetic, usually a Saiva. (Inscription: ‘Likeness of Lomi (?) Saddah, a citizen of Mathura who, sitting beside the pool of Raja Phatte Mal, has not spoken for fifteen years. Kaum (i.e. caste) Paramahamsa’).

f.372b. ‘Dandi’, a Saiva ascetic who possesses only a staff and a waterpot. Portrait of Mangal Das Ji of Jaipur.

f.374b. ‘Sarabhanga’ order of ascetics who did not believe in the ordinary ideas of pollution. Represented by a man drinking wine and feeding meat to a dog.

f.376b. ‘Vairagi’, a Vaisnava order of ascetics, usually followers of Ramananda. Portrait of Bhajan Das Bairagi.

f.386b. ‘Nanga’, a naked ascetic. This particular one is associated with the ‘Vairagis’ and is armed with a spear, gun and tulwar.

f.394b. ‘Dhundiya’, a member of the strict ‘Sthanakavasi’ sect of Jains. Wearing a mouthcloth to protect microscopic life he carries a brush to clear insects from his path.

f.399b. ‘Kanphata yogi’, a Saiva ascetic with large earrings and wearing the ‘linga’ round his neck, accompanied by his disciple (‘chela’).

f.405b. ‘Jangama’, a member of the priestly order of the ‘Virasaiva’ or ‘Lingayat’ caste.

f.409b. ‘Teliraja’, a sect of ascetics who worship the Devi.

f.413b. ‘Dadupanthi’ member of a sect of ascetics who worship Rama.

f.426b. ‘Nanakpanthi’, a Sikh who follows Guru Nanak.

f.430b. ‘Akali’. The most rigid of the Sikh orders, founded by Guru Govind Singh.

f.432b. ‘Suthrasahi’ order of Sikh ascetics.

f.434b. ‘Kalikanthi’. Saiva ascetics who wear a black (‘kal’) necklace (‘kantha’).

f.438b. Carandasi. Followers of Caran Das who founded an ascetic order of Rama worshippers at Delhi, c. 1730. Portrait of Saddah Ram Charandasi Guru, ‘gaddi-nashi’ (i.e. Keeper of a holy man’s tomb).

f.441b. ‘Nityanandi’. Followers of Nityananda, who, together with Advaitananda, organised the Bengal Vaisnava movement after the death of Caitanya.

f.445b. ‘Khaki’, a sect of Ramaite ascetics who smear themselves with ash and whose doctrines are based on those of Kabir.

f.451b. ‘Kusuri’, an Afghan of Kasur, a town south-east of Lahore.

f.453b. ‘Bhatti’, a tribe of Rajputs found all over the Panjab and Rajasthan. A Muslim Bhatti is depicted here.

f.458b. ‘Kavval’, a sub-caste of the large Muslim caste of ‘Mirasis’ or singer/genealogists.

f.460b. ‘Benava’, a sect of Muslim fakirs.