The Guraos are another caste whose position has greatly improved.

They were priests of the village temples of Siva, and accepted the offerings of food which Brahmans could not take.

But they also supplied leaf-plates for festivals, and were village musicians and trumpeters in the Maratha armies, and hence probably ranked below the cultivators and were supported by contributions of grain from them.

Their social position has been raised by their sacred character as priests of the god Siva and they are now sometimes called Shaiva Brahmans.

But a distinct recollection of their former status exists.
Thus all the castes of the first group are derived from the representatives of the Brahmans and Kshatriyas, the two highest of the four classical castes, except the Guraos, who have risen in status owing to special circumstances.