ity of the State. These Mahakuls desire to be
considered superior to ordinary Ahirs, and their social rules are hence
very strict. A man is put out of caste if a dog, fowl or pig touches
his water or cooking-pots, or if he touches a fowl. In the latter
case he is obliged to make an offering of a fowl to the local god,
and eight days are allowed for procuring it. A man is also put out of
caste for beating his father. In Mandla, Ahirs commonly have the title
of Patel or headman of a village, probably because in former times,
when the country consisted almost entirely of forest and grass land,
they were accustomed to hold large areas on contract for grazing.

18. Ornaments.

In Chhattisgarh the Rawat women are especially fond of wearing large
_churas_ or leg-ornaments of bell-metal. These consist of a long
cylinder which fits closely to the leg, being made in two halves which
lock into each other, while at each end and in the centre circular
plates project outwards horizontally. A pair of these _churas_ may
weigh 8 or 10 lbs., and cost from Rs. 3 to Rs. 9. It is probable that
some important magical advantage was expected to come from the wearing
of these heavy appendages, which must greatly impede free progression,
but its nature is not known.

19. Occupation.

Only about thirty per cent of the Ahirs are still occupied in breeding
cattle and dealing in milk and butter. About four per cent are domestic
servants, and nearly all the remainder cultivators and labourers. In
former times the Ahirs had the exclusive right of milking the cow,
so that on all occasions an Ahir must be hired for this purpose even
by the lowest castes. Any one could, however, milk the buffalo, and
also make curds and other preparations from cow's milk. [28] This
rule is interesting as showing how the caste system was maintained
and perpetuated by the custom of preserving to each caste a monopoly
of its traditional occupation. The rule probably applied also to the
bulk of the cultivating and the menial and artisan castes, and now
that it has been entirely abrogated it would appear that the gradual
decay and dissolution of the caste organisation must follow. The
village cattle are usually entrusted jointly to one or more herdsmen
for grazing purposes. The grazier is paid separately for each animal
entrusted to his care, a common rate being one anna for a cow or
bullock and two annas for a buffalo per month. When a calf is born
he gets f