s from a corpse which is laid
on the pyre, and the pieces of the burnt wood which remain when the
body has been consumed. Recent observations in the Nagpur country show
that the position of the Mahars is improving. In Nagpur it is stated:
[139] "Looked down upon as outcastes by the Hindus they are hampered
by no sense of dignity or family prejudice. They are fond of drink,
but are also hard workers. They turn their hands to anything and
everything, but the great majority are agricultural labourers. At
present the rural Mahar is in the background. If there is only one
well in the village he may not use it, but has to get his water where
he can. His sons are consigned to a corner in the village school, and
the schoolmaster, if not superior to caste prejudices, discourages
their attendance. Nevertheless, Mahars will not remain for years
downtrodden in this fashion, and are already pushing themselves up
from this state of degradation. In some places they have combined to
dig wells, and in Nagpur have opened a school for members of their
own community. Occasionally a Mahar is the most prosperous man in the
village. Several of them are moneylenders in a small way, and a few
are malguzars." Similarly in Bhandara Mr. Napier writes that a new
class of small creditors has arisen from the Mahar caste. These people
have given up drinking, and lead an abstemious life, wishing to raise
themselves in social estimation. Twenty or more village kotwars were
found to be carrying on moneylending transactions on a small scale,
and in addition many of the Mahars in towns were exceedingly well off.

Mahli

1. Origin of the caste

_Mahli, Mahili_. [140]--A small caste of labourers, palanquin-bearers
and workers in bamboo belonging to Chota Nagpur. In 1911 about 300
Mahlis were returned from the Feudatory States in this tract. They
are divided into five subcastes: the Bansphor-Mahli, who make baskets
and do all kinds of bamboo-work; the Pahar-Mahli, basket-makers and
cultivators; the Sulunkhi, cultivators and labourers; the Tanti who
carry litters; and the Mahli-Munda, who belong to Lohardaga. Sir
H. Risley states that a comparison of the totemistic sections of the
Mahlis given in the Appendix to his _Tribes and Castes_ with those
of the Santals seems to warrant the conjecture that the main body of
the caste are merely a branch of the Santals. Four or five septs,
Hansda a wild goose, Hemron, Murmu the nilgai, Saren or Sarihin,
a