Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 5.djvu/196

 KATHIYAS. (270)

HIS tribe or clan is purely agricultural, and is settled on the banks of the Ravee, in the Googaira district. They are also herdsmen and breeders of camels, cattle, and sheep. They have not, however, a good character, being treacherous, and notorious cattle lifters and thieves; but otherwise they are represented to be brave, and in many respects faithful. The Kathiyas, according to their own traditions, are descended from the Powar or Pramura branches of the Ilajpoots, but have no distinct knowledge of when their ancestors became converts to Mahomedanism, though they assert that it was about 600 years ago, when many other Rajpoot clans on the frontier were either forcibly converted, or embraced Mahomedanism voluntarily. They allege Bhikaneer to be their original country, from whence they immigrated to the Punjab; or it may be, as their appellation implies, that they were originally natives of Kattiawar, who style themselves Kathies, or Kathiyas. This clan preserves no remnant of its Hindoo origin, except perhaps the drinking of ardent spirits at festivals, and eating animal food very sparingly. They are nominally Soonnee Mahomedans, but for the most part extremely ignorant. The tribe is notoriously long-lived, and the men are very strong and powerful. The figure on the left of the plate was upwards of six feet high; the other, five feet ten inches. Their complexion is ruddy brown, with hazel or black eyes. The man in the white turban wore a heavy shawl of a tawny orange colour, and a longer garment of unbleached cotton with a red border. The turban of the other was dark brown, a check shawl of the same colour, and a waist cloth of white and blue check. Some have conjectured this tribe to be the (Kathaioi of Arrian), from their position and general resemblance to his description; but they preserve no tradition beyond that of their Rajpoot origin.