Indian Antiquary Vol 11

SR No.: 032503
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 396
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 199

JUNE, 1882.]
repeating the process. In case of refusal the beggar forms the line into a noose, and threatens to hang himself. Then there is another who has no particular name assigned him, but who stands abusing the shopkeeper, and at last puts his hand in his mouth, and pulls out, as he says, his stomach, all bloody. This is a horrible sight to look at.
BOMBAY BEGGARS AND CRIERS.
The Danduka vâlâ carries a club loaded with a number of small iron chains, and shaking the club he stands in front of shops.
Garudis are Muhammadan jugglers, who perform feats with snakes, which are taught to dance to the sound of a shrill musical instrument. They then produce cobras out of bambu baskets; the reptiles hissing fiercely, raise their eyes and hooded crests, and rear on end as if to strike the charmer. The snakes dance to the music of the gourd pipe, not with pleasure, but with rage and fear, the jugglers twist these snakes round their necks, keeping the mouth of the snake under their chin. They have no elaborate apparatus, but are generally accompanied by an assistant. They are almost naked, and their whole stock in trade consists of a few bambu baskets. They exhibit some extraordinary tricks:-thus, a boy aged ten or so is strongly tied up with a twisted cord o string, hands, feet, and all. Then a sack of strong netting is slipped over the boy, and he is squeezed down on his haunches so that the cords can be tied fast over the captive's head. He is then lifted from the ground to show how securely the sack is fastened. The boy is put into a basket about eighteen inches high and three feet long with a cover, and there appears to be a difficulty in fitting the lid on the top. The basket then in turn is tied up with another strong cord. Presently the lid is agitated, the cord and net jerked out. This done, the basket is pierced on all sides with a sword or foil which goes right through, and the juggler then calls out to the boy, but no answer comes from him, he then tells the spectators that the boy is dead. This scene excites the people, and the juggler profits by this opportunity to collect a few annas; as soon as this is done, he lifts up the lid, but the basket is empty! He calls out to the boy, when he answers from a distance, and comes running to
See Ind. Ant. vol. I, p. 162, for these beggars. Russell's Prince of Wales's Tour in India, pp. 159, 160.
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wards the juggler. Then the performer throws up into the air an earthen jar, which he receives on the back of the right hand, where it is kept dancing for a moment, and then on the extended arm. He dances with two doublebladed swords which he tosses in the air, catching them in the hand opposite to that from which they had been thrown, at the same time dancing to the rapid beating of the drum. A third and fourth, up to five or six, are kept in motion, the bells on his ankles jingling in time to the music. They swallow and spit out fire, exhibit an inexhaustible water vessel, and walk on pattens, held on by the feet making a vacuum with the soles. A mango seed is placed in the earth and covered with a basket, and by and by the old fellow, in an interval of snakecharming, exposes a bright green sprout, some eight or ten inches high, where he had apparently put in a seed. After a while it is uncovered, when it appears hung with tiny fruit. Then he puts down a small basket, chatters at it, and lo! there is an egg! he covers the egg with a basket, chatters at it and turns it over, out walks a pigeon. Next he places another egg under the basket, and another pretty pigeon comes out. There are various other sleights of hand performed by these people, such as thrusting spears and knives deep into their mouths, and pulling them out covered with blood. They also pull out of their mouths cotton thread several hundred yards long, quite dry, and, by a clever trick, apparently change a pinchful of dust into copper, silver, or gold coin, &c. &c.
The Tasmivâlâ binds a strap of leather round his neck as if strangling himself, and flutters his hands and feet like one in the agonies of death."
The ape men show off their favourites, which are trained to go through the manual and platoon exercise in a reckless manner, winding up with a general quarrel.
Hijds or eunuchs come in groups of four or five, of all Hindu and Musalmân classes, they are either castrates or born so. In Native States finelooking youths, for whom the wives of the Native princes take a liking, are castrated and made over to them as their keepers. Both the Hindu and Muhammadan eunuchs dress in robes and bodices, the Musalman eunuchs being generally in white,
See Ind. Ant. vol. I, p. 162.