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The “articles of faith” that Sikhs wear include: kesh, or unshorn hair; kanga, a small comb; a steel bracelet called a kara; the kirpan, which resembles a small knife; and underwear known as kachera.

Kachera is a maker of glass bangles.

In northern India the Manihārs are makers of glass bangles, and correspond to the Kachera caste of the Central Provinces.

The principal subcastes of the Patwas are the Naraina; the Kanaujia, also known as Chhipi, because they sew marriage robes; the Deobansi or ‘descendants of a god,’ who sell lac and glass bangles; the Lakhera, who prepare lac bangles; the Kachera, who make glass bangles; and others.

Each of these castes makes ornaments of its own metal, while the Kachera caste84 make glass bangles, and the Lakheras make bangles from lac and clay.