Note 38 — D.

Dhânuk38 (Sans. dhanuska, “an archer”), a low tribe who work as watchmen, musicians at weddings, and their women as midwives. They are most numerous in the Agra division, but are found all over the Province except in the Benares, Gorakhpur, and Faizâbâd divisions, and in the hills. Their origin is very uncertain. According to Dr. Buchanan39 they are a “pure agricultural tribe, who from their name, implying archers, were probably in former times the militia of the country, and are perhaps not essentially different from the Kurmis; for any Jaiswâr Kurmi, who from poverty sells himself or his children is admitted among the Dhânuks. All the Dhânuks were at one time probably slaves, and many have been recruited to fill up the military ranks—a method of recruiting that has been long prevalent in Asia, the armies of Parthians having been composed almost entirely of slaves, and the custom is, I believe, still pretty general among the Turks. A great many of the Dhânuks are still slaves; but some annually procure their liberty by the inability of their masters to maintain them, and by their unwillingness to sell their fellow-creatures. I have already mentioned that the Dhanushkas or Dhamin Brâhmans are probably the original priests of the tribe.” Mr. Risley40 admits that the only evidence from Bihâr in support of Dr. Buchanan’s theory of the connection between the Dhânuks and the Kurmis is that, according to some authorities, the Chhilatiya sub-caste is also known by the name of Jaiswâr. Considering, however, how wide-spread the term Jaiswâr is for the sub-castes and sections of the minor castes, this piece of evidence is of little value.