Note 156 — Volume II. (continued 2)

4. Secondly, we have a mass of facts pointing to the creation of certain classes of Brâhmans in comparatively modern times. Thus in Partâbgarh156 there is a current legend that the celebrated Oudh chieftain, Mânik Chand, created Brâhmans wholesale out of various Kurmis, Ahîrs, and Bhars. A similar case occurred in Fatehpur.157 In Unâo, again, a story is told of Râja Tilok Chand, that one day while hunting he was very thirsty, and having no attendant he asked a Lodha, who was present there, to fetch him some water, which he brought in his own drinking vessel. The Râja after drinking the water discovered that the owner of the vessel was a low caste man, so he asked him to call himself a Brâhman under the title of Pâthak of Amtara, as he was watching the mango (âm) trees. This title still remains with his descendants, who are acknowledged as Brâhmans.158 Sir J. Malcolm159 in Central India found many low caste female slaves in Brâhman houses, the owners of which had treated them as belonging to their own caste. Under the head of Dusâdh a reference has been made to the curious Bihâr story of the clever Dusâdh girl who married a Brâhman.160