Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 8.djvu/186

 GHORAWALLA. (451)

HORA is Hindostanee for a horse; walla, the man belonging to or keeper of it. Walla is a most useful adjunct in Hindostanee, and is added to effect designation of any trade or following: thus lukreewalla, woodman; doodhwalla, milkman, &c. Sometimes Ghorawallas are called sais (an Arabic word) in the south of India, and invariably so in the north of India. They are excellent servants, kind to, and careful of; their horses, and for the most part exceedingly trustworthy. They are employed alike in the artillery and the cavalry, and make the longest marches with ease. They are also indispensable servants to all private persons who keep horses, whether for riding or carriage use, and know how to keep saddlery and harness in good order. The men represented are evidently cleaning the saddle and accoutrements of some cavalry officer, and they are very careful in their work. Not unfrequently Ghorawallas are dressed in smart liveries, and if not, are always cleanly dressed when they have to accompany their masters and mistresses in their morning or evening rides or drives. Very frequently the women grasscutters are their wives or daughters, and when this is the case the family earns a comfortable subsistence. They generally know ordinary diseases to which horses are subject, and suitable remedies, and by incessant care keep the animals under their charge in good health and condition. Ghorawallas in Madras are usually of very low caste; but in the Deccan and Northern India it is not uncommon to see Mussulmans and Hindoos of Sudra castes acting as such. The men in the Plate are, however, evidently of the ordinary low caste of horsekeepers common to the Madras Presidency, who eat meat, drink spirits and palm wine, and are in nowise particular in their diet and mode of life. In general, though short in stature, they are stout, active fellows, fully capable of doing their work, however hard it may be; they seldom, however, undertake the charge of more than one horse; but their ordinary pay is not large, and can well be afforded in consideration of their really excellent services.