Note 100 — B (continued 2)

Occupational and social status. 5. Carpentry is one of the ancient Hindu trades, and is mentioned in the Rigveda.100 The village carpenter is one of the recognised village menials and receives dues of grain at each harvest from his constituents (jajmân), whose agricultural implements he is bound to keep in order. The rate in Oudh is thirty village sers at each crop from each plough. This is known as tihâi. He also receives one ser of each kind of grain from each cultivator’s threshing floor before it is removed. This is called anjali. For seven months, Jeth to Aghan—May to November, his services are required. For the remaining five months he works at his own business, making cots (chârpai), carts (gâri), domestic utensils, and house carpentry. For this he receives special wages.101 In the Eastern Districts it is about twelve sers per plough. In Bareilly it is seven-and-a-half to twelve large (pakka) sers per plough per harvest.102 Some city carpenters who set up workshops and employ workmen do a good business in making conveyances, furniture, etc. They eat pakki or food cooked with butter by all Brâhmans, Kshatriyas, and Vaisyas, except Kalwârs. They eat kachchi cooked by Brâhmans and castemen. All Hindus drink water from their hands. Some Brâhmans will eat pakki cooked by them. Inferior Hindus, such as the Chamâr, Nâi, or Bâri, will eat kachchi cooked by them. In the villages many hold land as tenants in addition to their hereditary trade.