Note 42 — D.

Dharkâr42 (Hindi dhar, Sanskrit dhara, “a rope,” kâra, “maker”) a sub-caste of the Eastern Doms. They are also known as Bentbansi, because they work in cane (bent), which some corrupt into Benbansi or of the race of Râja Vena. Their sections in Mirzapur are quite distinct from those recorded by Mr. Risley in Bihâr.43 South of the Son there are four sections (kuri) which are exogamous: Aril, which is said to be the name of a fine kind of bamboo used in making winnowing fans, baskets, sieves, etc.: Neoriya, said to be derived from newar, a young soft bamboo: Dauriha, said to take its name from dauriwa, a strong hard bamboo used for baskets (dauri) which is not attacked by weevils: Nagarha, from nagar, a very high thick bamboo. These sections intermarry on equal terms, except the Aril, which is the highest, and with it the others practise hypergamy. This rule of exogamy is reinforced by the restriction against intermarrying in the family of the maternal uncle (mâmu) and father’s sister’s husband (phûpha) for at least three generations. In Oudh the rule of exogamy is said to be that a man cannot marry the daughter of his sister and a son cannot be married in a family to which a bride has been given until three or four generations have passed. Two sisters cannot be married at the same time; but a man may marry the sister of his deceased wife. They also very often marry by exchanging sisters in the form known as Gurâwat, the simplest form of marriage by purchase.44 North of the Son they name three sections which are endogamous—Benbans, Barua and Dom; but the Benbans have developed under the influence of Hinduism regular exogamous gotras, of which they know only two,—Bilkhariya and Matâr. To the whole tribe, as is shown more particularly in the sections south of the Son, the bamboo is a sort of totem and is treated with great respect.45