OBC

Tambuli Mahasammelan

This caste is not numerous in Bengal, but, wherever found, is regarded as one of the clean Sudra castes, still wearing the Brahmanical cord in some parts of Hindustan, although it has been disused for ages in others.

In Bengal the term Tamboli is applied to any person engaged in retailing Pan,1 and is not confined, as it ought to be, to the members of a particular caste.

The census rolls, by enumerating 59,726 persons as belonging to the caste, have endorsed this popular use of the word, while in Dacca, where there are not fifty individuals pertaining to it, the number entered is 200. The few resident in the city state that their ancestors came from the Burdwan district, where they still send for their wives, as the Hindustani Tamboli refuses to give his daughters in marriage to the Bengali.

The Hindustani Tamboli caste, members of which are occasionally met with in Eastern Bengal has seven, the legitimate number of Sreni, and preserve the connection with their original home at Benares and Mungir, by obtaining wives from these places. The seven branches are Maghaiya, Kurram, Tirhutia, Karan, Bhojpuria, Surya-dvija. Kanaujiya, It has only one gotra, the Kasyapa. Yellow silk is the proper bridal dress, but should the family be poor, cotton dyed with turmeric is unobjectionable. In Hindustan the Tamboli often acts as a Pansari, or druggist; when domiciled in Bengal he keeps stores, sometimes wine shops.

The Bengali Tamboli, again, have three gotras, Kasyapa, Bharadvaja, and Vyasa. Their titles, or "Padavi," are Sen, Singh, Pal, Chail, Khur, De, Datta, Rakhit. The most common honorary title is Chaudhari. The bride and bridegroom still dress in yellow, and ride in a alki, or Doli, a palanquin with an elongated pole, and a canopy overhead.

In Eastern Bengal the Tamboli never cultivates Pan, and, having rivals in the sale of the leaf, is gradually taking to other occupations. In Hindustan selling Pan is the privilege of the caste, but in Dacca the "Khili-walas" are Khatris, Kayasths, Namu-Sudras, and often Muhammadans. A "Khili" is a packet ready made for chewing, and four of them equal one "Dhana."

The aromatics masticated with Pan differ in Bengal from those used in Upper India. Bengalis add cloves, dill, coriander, Ajwayan,1 cinnamon, and long pepper; while the Hindustanis prefer small cardamons (Gujrati ilachi), mace, and rose water.

Only two kinds of betle-nut are known in Bengal, the Dakhani or Penang nut, which is rare, and very expensive, and the Desi, or common nut, grown in every village of Bengal, and universally chewed.

The lime, too, mixed with the "Kath" (Catechu) is of two qualities. In Dacca Silhet lime slaked, and mixed with Dahi, or curds, is in general use, while in other parts of the province lime prepared from fresh water shells by the Chunari caste, is alone used.