THE MAHARS : . . . . . . UNTOUCHABLES ? 139
Mahars and wherever there are Mahars there are Marathas also. This link is not a mere matter of accident, that the link is integral, is supported by another piece of evidence which is also usually overlooked by students of ethnology. Now it is well known that the Marathas have a clan organisation. They have what they call their ‘ Kuls’ : and they have also what is called a totem. The importance of the ‘Kul’ and the totem will be obvious to every student of ethnology. A common ‘Kul’ and a common totem are indicative of kinship. Bearing this in mind a comparison of the ‘ Kul’ among the Mahars and the Marathas yields a very significant result.
(The Table mentioned below is not found in the M. S.— Editors)
A glance at the table would show that there is no ‘Kul’ among the Mahars which does not exist among the Marathas and there is no ‘ Kul’ among the Marathas which is not to be found among the Mahars. If anthropology can be relied upon in support of the proposition that the common ‘Kul’ is indicative of kinship then the Mahars and the Marathas form a kindred community and the Mahars could not be rejected as an aboriginal community unless one is also prepared to go to the length of saying that the Marathas also are an aboriginal community.
Whether the Marathas are an Aryan or a Non-Aryan community is a question on which there is no unanimity. Risley held the view that the Marathas were not Aryans : and he rested his conclusions mostly on anthropometric measurements. Others have challenged this view and concluded that the Marathas are Aryans and have sought to meet the anthropometric objections of Risley by the argument that there were two waves of the Aryan invaders and the Marathas belonged to the Second. That is the reason why their anthropometric measurements do not tally with those taken as standard by Risley. The second hypothesis seems to derive some support from the fact that in ancient times Maharashtra was called ‘Ariake’ on the ground that the Aryans formed the predominent population and also because in the Karnatak the Maratha is still called ‘ Arer Mated’ (The Aryan Man).
Be that as it may, there is no question that the Mahars are not an aboriginal people. In addition to what has been stated in support