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MAHARASHTRIANS 469
and Bhivandi); Attars (perfumers); Kaligars (tinsmiths); Rafugars (clothes darners);
Barudgars (manufacturers of fireworks); Takaras (stone carvers originally
belonging to the Dhondphoda community of Hindus); Misgaras (copper and
brass smiths); Saltankars (tanners and the descendants of the untouchable Chambhar
caste); Mukris (moneylenders and traders in grain, who were part of the
Hindu Laman tribe); Mahavats (elephant drivers); Kafshgars (makers of embroidered
slippers worn by Muslims during marriage ceremonies); Hajjams (barbers);
Phanibands (makers of combs from wood or bone); Multanis (sellers of
dried fish); Garudi or Madari (village magicians); Dharads (ironsmiths); Darveshis
(mendicants); Sikkalgars (traditionally, makers of metal arms, such as
swords, daggers and spears, but now grinders of knives and scissors); Naqarchees
(drum beaters); Gaokasai (beef butchers); Bakar Kasai (goat and sheep butchers);
Halalkhors (sweepers originally belonging to the Bhangi caste); Tambolis (sellers
of betel leaves, tobacco and betel nuts); Dhobis (washermen); Bhatyaras (cooks);
and Kanjars (sellers of chickens and eggs).
Also Bedras (hunters and husbandmen); Kagazis (paper makers); Nalbands
(who shoe horses and bullocks); Naikwaris (messengers); Sarbans (camel drivers);
Pinjaris (cotton cleaners); Lakarharas (suppliers of wood); Teli (sellers of
sweet oil); Labbayars (dealers in leather goods, found in Kolhapur); Dalai (brokers
in horse trading); Darzis (tailors); Goniwalas (grain sellers); Pakhalis (water
carriers); Patregars (silk tassel twisters); Bojgaras (who distill and sell millet
beer, found in Sholapur); Rachiharas (needle fitters); Bhadbhunjas (grain parchers);
Bhois (fishermen); Bhishtis (peddlers); Rangrez (dyers); Maniyars (bracelet
makers); Gaundi (bricklayers); Dhuldhoyas (collectors of ashes from goldsmiths'
shops or ashes of Hindu bodies to sift for particles of gold and silver); Jamati
Muslims (Kokani-speaking upper-class Muslims); Daldis (fishermen in Kokan);
Habshis (descendants of Abyssinian slaves); and Chorvad (illegitimate children
of Kokani and Siddiqi landlords).
Barring those in trading communities, such as Bohras or Khojas in Bombay
who are quite well off, and certain landlord families in Vidharba, Marathwada
and western Maharashtra, most Muslims are poor artisans or landless laborers.
They have been migrating to industrial towns, particularly Bombay, in search
of jobs in factories and industries. This is one of the factors accounting for their
small rural population; but however small their actual rural percentage, they are
treated as part of the village community. Their customs are not very different
from those of the Hindus. There are even many similarities in religious observances;
Muslims follow quite a few Hindu customs and offer vows to Hindu
deities. In the same way, Muslim saints or pirs (dead or alive) are treated with
deep respect by Hindus. Both groups participate in some of each other's festivals,
such as Holi and Muharrum. Muslims do not always eat beef or mutton, or if
the Hindus, particularly the dominant caste in Maharashtra, want to eat mutton,
the animal is killed by Muslim butchers.
In those urban areas where their population is large, say, over 15,000, Muslims
form separate identifiable groups. Notwithstanding the similarities in the cele-