considerable groups. My Statistical Account of Balasor deals at length with the Uriyá Bráhmans, a small number of whom are found in the 24 Parganás.
Degraded Brahmans.—Many of the Bráhmans have lapsed from their high rank, and lost the esteem which the name commands, by indiscriminately accepting alms, or by ministering as priests to the low castes. Brámans degraded for the latter cause are named after the castes to which they officiate as priests, such as Kaibartta Bráhmans, Goálá Bráhmans, etc. There is, however, a separate class of Kaibartta Bráhmans, who are said to have been manufactured or elevated into Bráhmanhood from the caste of that name by the sage Vyás about the time of the Mahábhárata wars. Their descendants deny this story, and call themselves fallen Bráhmans belonging to the Drávira srení or class. Strange to say, even the very low castes, such as the Muchis, Chandáls, etc., have their Brahman priests; but such degraded Bráhmans are held in abhorrence by the good Bráhmans, who, although they might take water from the hands of a Kaibartta or Goálá, would not touch it from the hands of a Kaibartta-Bráhman or Goálá-Bráhman. Among those Bráhmans who have lapsed from caste on account of their indiscriminately accepting alms, are the Achárjyas, Agradánís, and Bháts. The first are astrologers. They calculate children’s horoscopes, find out auspicious days for ceremonies, and foretell future events. They accept alms from all classes of the people. There is a general prohibition for any Bráhman to accept alms; and although this rule is little observed, the recipient of a gift of gold or of a cow is looked down upon, especially if the donor belongs to one of the low castes. From time immemorial, however, the Bráhmans have formed a large proportion of the mendicant community of India, but the number of beggar Bráhmans has rapidly decreased in modern times. The Agradánís and Bháts accept the first alms offered at sráddhas, or funeral obsequies. The claims of these three last named classes to be Bráhmans at all is disputed by some, but they all wear the sacred thread (paitá), and are generally considered to be Bráhmans, although of the lowest class. Another degraded section of Brahmans is called the Pír Alí Bráhmans, who lost their caste in a curious manner during the latter half of the last century. One Pír Alí Khán, an ámín, was sent to investigate a case in which the family of Sríkant Rái, a landholder of Jessor District, was concerned. It is said that for some reason he forcibly compelled one
