Parewa.—(A pigeon.) A section of Chhattīsgarhi Ahīr or Rāwat, and Panka.
Parganiha.—A synonym of Pardhān (Gond priests) in Kawardha.
Parihār.—An important clan of Rājpūts. See Rājpūt Parihār. A section of Daharia and Daraiha, of Panwār Rājpūt and Pārdhi.
Parit.—Synonym for Dhobi in the Marātha districts.
Parka.[75]—A small caste of labourers belonging to the Jubbulpore District and adjoining tracts, whose strength was something over 2000 persons in 1901. Sir B. Robertson wrote[76] in 1891 that the Parkas of the three northern Districts had been kept separate from the Panka caste in the census tables, but that they were in all probability the same. Mr. Hīra Lāl points out that several of the names of septs as Padwār, Sanwāni, Gullia and Dharwa are the same in the two castes, and that in the Districts where Parkas are found there are no Pankas. The Panka caste was probably formed in Chhattīsgarh by the separation of those Gāndas or Pāns who had embraced the doctrines of Kabīr from their parent caste, and the name is a variant of Pān. In Jubbulpore the name Panka has no understood meaning, and it may have been corrupted into Pandka (a dove) and thence to Parka. Like the Pankas the Parkas often act as village watchmen. Many of the Parkas are also Kabīrpanthis and, as with the Pankas, those who are not Kabīrpanthis and do not abstain from flesh and liquor are called Saktāhas. Intermarriage is not prohibited between the Parka Kabīrpanthis and Saktāhas. Some of the Parkas play on drums and act as village musicians, which is a regular occupation of the Pankas and Gāndas. It may also be noted that the Parkas will take food cooked with water from a Gond and that they worship Bura Deo, the great god of the Gonds. Perhaps the most probable surmise as to their origin is that they are a small mixed group made up of Pankas and Gonds. A proverbial saying about the caste is ‘Gond Rāja, Parka Pardhān,’ or ‘The Gond is the master and the Parka the servant,’ and this also points to their connection with the Gonds. Several of their section names indicate their mixed origin, as Kumharia from Kumhār a potter, Gullia From Gaolia or milkman, Bhullia from Bhulia an Uriya weaver, Andwān a subcaste of the Mahār caste, Tilasia a sept of the Kawars, and so on. If a Parka man forms a connection with any woman of higher caste she will be admitted into the community, and the same privilege is accorded to a man of any equal or higher caste who may desire to marry a Parka girl. A girl is only cast out when she is discovered to have been living with a man of lower caste than the Parkas. All these facts indicate their mixed origin. As already seen, the caste are labourers, village watchmen-and musicians, and their customs resemble those of low-caste Hindus, but they rank above the impure castes. They will eat food cooked with water from Lodhis, many of whom are landowners in Jubbulpore, and as such no doubt stand to the Parka in the relation of employer to servant. Every year on the second day of Bhādon (August) they worship a four-sided iron plate and a spear, which latter is perhaps the emblem of the village watchman. Fines imposed for caste offences are sometimes expended in the purchase of vessels which thereafter become common property and are lent to any one who requires them.
Parnāmi.—(A follower of Prānnāth of Panna.) Subcaste of Dāngi.
Parsai.—(Village priest.) Synonym for Joshi.
Parsoli.—(parsa, an axe.) A section of Ahīr or Rāwat in Chhattīsgarh.
Parwār.—A subcaste of Bania. See article Bania-Parwār. A subcaste of Kumhār.
Pāssi.—Synonym of Pāsi.