PART I. THE BACKGROUND I. INTRODUCTION II. THE BACKGROUND III. CASTE MEMBERSHIP PART II. INTER-CASTE RELATIONS IV. CASTE AND RITUAL STATUS V. ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF CASTE VI. CASTE AND VILLAGE LEADERSHIP VII. THE VILLAGE AS A UNIT PART III. THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CASTE VIII. INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF THE CASTE IX. THE PLACE OF THE UNILINEAL DESCENT GROUP IM X. THE PATTERN OF MARRIAGE XI. INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS BETWEEN KIN XII. SOCIAL CONTROL IN THE SUBCASTE XIII. CONCLUSION