Note 77 — G

Ghosi77—(Sanskrit ghosha, root ghush, “to shout,” as he herds his cattle).—A tribe of Muhammadan herdsmen. There can be little doubt that like the Gaddi most of them are Ahîrs who have been converted to Islâm. To the east of the Province they claim a Gûjar origin and profess to be divided into three endogamous sub-castes—Lilâr, Chopar, and Gaddi Gûjar. In North Oudh again they have three endogamous sub-castes—Padhân or Pradhân; Gaddi and Lâla. The detailed Census lists give 111 sections; but it is at present impossible to distinguish the exogamous from the endogamous groups. These are of the usual type, some local like Deswâli, Kanaujiya, Maghariya, Purabiya; and others following the names of well known castes and septs, such as Baghela, Behna, Chaudhari, Chauhân, Gaddi, Gahlot, Gaur, Guâl, Guâlbans, Jâdubansi, Pathân, Râjput, Sayyid, Shaikh, Sadîqi, Tomar, Turk. The word Ghosi is in fact rather vaguely used. In the Panjâb78 it is applied only to Musalmâns, and is often given to any cow-herd or milkman of that religion, whether Gûjar, Ahîr, or of any other caste, just as Guâla is used for a Hindu cow-herd. In Lucknow the Ghosis have no other employment but the keeping of milch cattle, chiefly buffaloes of all kinds, and they breed buffaloes. They sell milk to Halwâis, and make inspissated milk (khoa). The Guâla, on the other hand, is generally an Ahîr or Gadariya, and keeps both buffaloes and cows, and frequently cultivates some land. They seldom sell milk and curds to Halwâis. The Shîrfarosh or Dûdhwâla is a still more general term. They are of no special caste, but are generally Ahîrs, Lodhas, Kurmis, Gadariyas, Halwâis, or Brâhmans.