y themselves, and nearly always inhabit a separate hamlet of the
village. The Marars of a certain place are said to have boycotted a
village carpenter who lost an axe belonging to one of their number,
so that he had to leave the neighbourhood for lack of custom."

12. Other functions of the Mali

Many Malis live in the towns and keep vegetable- or flower-gardens
just outside. They sell flowers, and the Mali girls are very good
flower-sellers, Major Sutherland says, being famous for their
coquetry. A saying about them is: "The crow among birds, the jackal
among beasts, the barber among men and the Malin among women; all
these are much too clever." The Mali also prepares the _maur_ or
marriage-crown, made from the leaves of the date-palm, both for the
bride and bridegroom at marriages. In return he gets a present of a
rupee, a piece of cloth and a day's food. He also makes the garlands
which are used for presentation at entertainments, and supplies
the daily bunches of flowers which are required as offerings for
Mahadeo. The Mali keeps garlands for sale in the bazar, and when a
well-to-do person passes he goes up and puts a garland round his neck
and expects a present of a pice or two.

13. Physical appearance

"Physically," Mr. Low states, "the Marar is rather a poor-looking
creature, dark and undersized; but the women are often not bad looking,
and dressed up in their best at a wedding, rattling their castanets
and waving light-coloured silk handkerchiefs, give a very graceful
dance. The caste are not as a rule celebrated for their cleanliness. A
polite way of addressing a Marar is to call him Patel."

Mallah

_Mallah, Malha_. [172]--A small caste of boatmen and fishermen in
the Jubbulpore and Narsinghpur Districts, which numbered about 5000
persons in 1911. It is scarcely correct to designate the Mallahs as a
distinct caste, as in both these Districts it appears from inquiry that
the term is synonymous with Kewat. Apparently, however, the Mallahs
do form a separate endogamous group, and owing to many of them having
adopted the profession of growing hemp, a crop which respectable Hindu
castes usually refuse to cultivate, it is probable that they would
not be allowed to intermarry with the Kewats of other Districts. In
the United Provinces Mr. Crooke states that the Mallahs, though, as
their Arabic name indicates, of recent origin, have matured into a
definite social group, including a number of endo