The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Part 48

_Mashki_.--(A water-bearer.) Synonym of Bhishti.

_Masram_.--A common sept of Gonds.

_Masti_.--(Dancer.) Subcaste of Madgi.

_Mastram_.--(Mastra, bra.s.s bangles.) A sept of Gonds in Betul. The women of this sept wear bra.s.s bangles.

_Masuria_.--A subcaste of Kurmi. From _masur_, lentil. A section of Rajput.

_Mathadhari_.--(Living in a monastery.) A celibate clan of Manbhao mendicants.

_Mathpati_.--(Lord of the hermitage.) A subcaste of Jangam.

_Mathur, Mathuria_.--(From Mathura or Muttra.) A subcaste of Kayasth. A subdivision of Brahman. A subcaste of Banjara, Darzi and Nai.

_Matkuda_, _Matkora_.--(Earth-digger.) A subcaste and synonym of Beldar. A name for Gonds and Pardhans who take to earthwork.

_Mattha_.--Corruption of Maratha. A subcaste of Koshti, Mahar and Teli, and a t.i.tle of Teli.

_Matti_.--A subdivision of low-cla.s.s Brahmans returned from Khairagarh. Also a cla.s.s of Kashmiri Brahmans.

_Matwala_.--(A drinker of country liquor.) Subcaste of Kadera.

_Mawasi_, _Mirdhan_.--Subcaste of Dahait. t.i.tle of the headman of the Dahait caste committee.

_Mayaluar_.--(Chief man of the caste.) A subcaste of Turi.

_Mayur_.--(Peac.o.c.k.) A totemistic section of the Ahir, Hatwa, Gond, Sonjhara and Sundi castes.

_Mayurmara_.--(Killer of peac.o.c.k.) A section of Bahelia.

_Meda Gantia_.--(Counter of posts.) t.i.tle of Bhatra. Official who fixes date and hour for wedding.

_Medara, Medari_.--The Telugu caste of bamboo-workers and mat-makers, corresponding to the Basors. They have the same story as the Basors of the first bamboo having been grown from the snake worn by Siva round his neck, which was planted head downwards in the ground. The customs of the Medaras, Mr. Francis says, [468] differ from place to place. In one they will employ Brahman _purohits_ (priests), and prohibit widow-marriage, while in the next they will do neither, and will even eat rats and vermin. The better cla.s.ses among them are taking to calling themselves Balijas or Baljis, and affixing the t.i.tle of Chetti to their names.

_Medari_.--Synonym of Medara.

_Mehar_.--Synonym of Bhulia.

_Meher_.--A section of Malwi Ahir, a synonym for Bhulia. A t.i.tle of Chamar.

_Mehra_.--Synonym for Mahar. A subcaste of Katia and Kori.

_Mehta_.--A group of Brahmans. A section of Oswal Bania.

_Mehtar_.--(A prince or leader.) Common name for the sweeper caste. t.i.tle of the president of the Dhobi caste committee.

_Meman_.--Synonym of Cutchi.

_Meshbansi_.--(Descendant of a sheep.) A clan of Rajputs.

_Mewada, Mewari_.--(From _Mewar_.) A division of Gujarati or Khedawal Brahmans. A subcaste of Chhipa, Darzi, Mali and Sunar.

_Mewati_.--Synonym of Meo. See article. A cla.s.s of Fakirs or Muhammadan beggars.

_Mhali_.--Synonym of Nai.

_Mhasia, Mhas.h.i.+_.--(_Mhas_, buffalo.) A sept of Halba. A section of Kohli.

_Mihir_.--Synonym of Bhulia.

_Mina_.--A caste. A section of Raghuvansis.

_Mirdaha_.--A subcaste of Dahait, Khangar, and Nat. A section of Raghuvansi. Name used for the mate of a gang of coolies.

_Mir-Dahait._--t.i.tle of the Mirdha caste.

_Mirdha_.--A small caste found only in the Narsinghpur District. They are a branch of the Khangar or Dahait caste of Saugor and Damoh. The names of their exogamous sections tally with those of the Khangars, and they have the same story of their ancestors having been ma.s.sacred at a fort in Orchha State and of one pregnant woman escaping and hiding under a _kusum_ tree (_Schleichera trijuga_), which consequently they revere. Like Khangars they regard Muhammadan eunuchs and Fakirs (beggars) with special friends.h.i.+p, on the ground that it was a Fakir who sheltered their ancestress when the rest of the caste were ma.s.sacred by Rajputs, and Fakirs do not beg at their weddings. One explanation of the name is that this section of the caste were born from a Muhammadan father and a Dahait woman, and hence were called Mir-Dahaits or Mirdaha, Mir being a Muhammadan t.i.tle. Mirdha is, however, as noted by Mr. Hira Lal, the name of the head of the caste committee among the Dahaits; and in Hoshangabad he is a servant of the village proprietor and acts as a.s.sistant to the Kotwar or village watchman; he realises the rents from the tenants, and sometimes works as a night guard. In Gujarat the name is said to be a corruption of _mir-deh_ or 'mason of the village.' [469] Here it is said that the Mirdhas are held to be of part foreign, part Rajput origin, and were originally official spies of the Gujarat sultans. They are now employed as messengers and constables, and therefore seem to be a.n.a.logous to the same cla.s.s of persons in the Central Provinces.

_Mirs.h.i.+kar_.--Synonym of Pardhi.

_Misra_ or _Misar_.--A surname of Kanaujia, Jijhotia, Sarwaria and Uriya Brahmans.

_Mistri_.--(Corruption of the English Mister.) A master carpenter or mate of a gang. t.i.tle of Barhai, Beldar and Lohar.

_Mithia_.--(A preparer of sweets.) Synonym of Halwai.

_Mochi_.--(A shoemaker.) A caste. Subcaste of Chamar.

_Modh_.--A subdivision of Khedawal or Gujarati Brahmans who take their name from Modhera, an ancient place in Gujarat. A subcaste of Gujarati Bania.

_Modh-Ghaneli_.--Subcaste of Teli in Gujarat.

_Moghia_.--Synonym of Pardhi.

_Mohania_.--(Captivator.) A section of Rajjhar and Kirar.

_Mohtaria_.--t.i.tle of the headman of the Andh caste committee.

_Mohtera_.--One who fixes the auspicious moment, hence the headman of the caste. A t.i.tular section of Basor.

_Monas_.--A subdivision of Brahmans.

_Mongre_, _Mongri_, _Mongrekair_.--(A club or mallet.) A section of Ahir or Rawat in Chhattisgarh, and of Chamar, Ganda, and Panka.

_Mori_.--A branch of the Panwar Rajputs.

_Mor Kachhi_.--One who prepares the _maur_ or marriage-crown for weddings. Subcaste of Kachhi.