Of the Dravidian races the Bhuiyas are by far the most numerous, amounting to 24,000 in 1901. They are the dominant tribe
in most parts of Gangpur, and were probably the earliest
settlers in the country, as might he inferred from their holding
fiefs under the Raja, and being the special priests of the aboriginal
gods. The head of the Bhuiya vassals is the manjhi of Tilia or
GJUtfGPUR. 179
Sargipali, an estate situated in the north-west corner of Gangpur,
and so cut off from the rest of the State by a range of hills, traversed by a narrow and difficult pass, that it appears to belong properly
to Jashpur. These hills are the boundary of the Oriya language,
which is spoken throughout the rest of Gangpur to the south
of the range, but gives place to Hindi on the north- The mdnjhi
claims to be the head of the Bhuiyas in Gangpur, and as such to have the sole right of conferring the tilak or token of investiture on the Raja of the State ; hut the custom of giving the tilak is now no longer recognised by the Chief. On the south-east of Gangpur, the large estate of Nagra, stretching from the borders of Singhbhum to beyond the Brahmani river, is held by another
Bhuiya feudatory under the title of mahapdtra, and is bound
to attend with a contingent of armed followers or naiks when
summoned by his superior lord. Several of his villages are held
by these naiks, all of whom are Bhuiyas, on feudal sub-tenures,
similar to that of the mahapdtra himself. In the south of Gangpur, there is the garhatia or military fief-holder of Himgir.
Both he and the garhatia of Erga are bound to render military
service, but their tenures are more like ordinary zamindaris
than those of the mdnjhi and mahapdtra mentioned above. There
are five other Bhuiya feudatories in Gangpur, but their estates are small. One of them is the garhatia of Sarapgarh, a fief which derives its name from a cave, said to be occupied by a snake
family, which the rural population have for ages worshipped. (Bengal District Gazeteer)
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