e. If they are all classed together the total of
the earth- and stone-working castes comes to 35,000 persons.

It is probable that the bulk of the Beldars and allied castes are
derived from the non-Aryan tribes. The Murhas or navvies of the
northern Districts appear to be an offshoot of the Bind tribe; the
people known as Matkuda (earth-digger) are usually Gonds or Pardhans;
the Sansias and Larhias or Uriyas of Chhattisgarh and the Uriya country
seem to have originated from the Kol, Bhuiya and Oraon tribes, the Kols
especially making excellent diggers and masons; the Oddes or Vaddars
of Madras are a very low caste, and some of their customs point to a
similar origin, though the Munurwar masons of Chanda appear to have
belonged originally to the Kapu caste of cultivators.

The term Raj, which is also used for the Beldars in the northern
Districts, has the distinctive meaning of a mason, while Chunkar
signifies a lime-burner. The Sonkars were formerly occupied in Saugor
in carrying lime, bricks and earth on donkeys, but they have now
abandoned this calling in Chhattisgarh and taken to growing vegetables,
and have been given a short separate notice. In Hoshangabad some
Muhammadan Beldars are now also found.

2. Beldars of the northern Districts.

The Beldars of Saugor say that their ancestors were engaged in
refining salt from earth. A divine saint named Nona Rishi (_non_,
salt) came down on earth, and while cooking his food mixed some
saline soil with it. The bread tasted much better in consequence, and
he made the earth into a ball or _goli_ and taught his followers to
extract the salt from it, whence their descendants are known as Goli
Beldars. The customs of these Beldars are of the ordinary low-caste
type. The wedding procession is accompanied by drums, fireworks and,
if means permit, a nautch-girl. If a man puts away his wife without
adequate cause the caste _panchayat_ may compel him to support her
so long as she remains of good conduct. The party seeking a divorce,
whether husband or wife, has to pay Rs. 7 to the caste committee
and the other partner Rs. 3, irrespective of where the blame rests,
and each remains out of caste until he or she pays.

These Beldars will not take food from any caste but their own, and will
not take water from a Brahman, though they will accept it from Kurmis,
Gujars and similar castes. Sir H. Risley notes that their women always
remove earth in baskets on the head. "The Belda