[19] Bombay Gazetteer, vol. xii. p. 71.
[20] Temple and Fallon’s Hindustāni Proverbs.
[21] Bombay Gazetteer, Hindus of Gujarāt, pp. 199, 200.
[22] Pandīan’s Indian Village Folk, p. 41.
[23] This article is compiled from a paper by Mr. D. Mitra, pleader, Sambalpur.
[24] Madras Census Report, 1891, p. 301.
Tamera
1. The Tamera and Kasār
Tamera, Tambatkar.[1]—The professional caste of coppersmiths, the name being derived from tāmba, copper. The Tameras, however, like the Kasārs or brass-workers, use copper, brass and bell-metal indifferently, and in the northern Districts the castes are not really distinguished, Tamera and Kasār being almost interchangeable terms. In the Marātha country, however, and other localities they are considered as distinct castes. Copper is a sacred metal, and the copper-smith’s calling would be considered somewhat more respectable than that of the worker in brass or bell-metal, just as the Sunār or goldsmith ranks above both; and probably, therefore, the Tameras may consider themselves a little better than the Kasārs. As brass is an alloy made from copper and zinc, it seems likely that vessels were made from copper before they were made from brass. But copper being a comparatively rare and expensive metal, utensils made from it could scarcely have ever been generally used, and it is therefore not necessary to suppose that either the Tamera or Kasār caste came into being before the adoption of brass as a convenient material for the household pots and pans.