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FEB. 2, 1872.]
THE GONDS.
55
claims his descent from a deity. It is said that sends out its men and women in procession, the while a Rájput prince was once out hunting, he men ahead beating their drums, and the women espied a goddess perched on a rock enjoying the behind singing the former lustily carolling totally wild scenery of the country. They became ena- different airs. When they reach Khandará o inoured of each other, and were blessed with a son. and his wife, the men sit down in a ring and keep From this man the Gonds are supposed to be de- chaunting on, while the women form their usual scended, and since he claimed his origin from a are of a circle and gyrate round the pole. goddess and a Rájput prince, they style them- The birth ceremonies of the Gonds and Kirkus selves R & j-Gonds and Gond-Thákurs. Both are alike, both give a dinner ; but in their death the men and women, especially the latter, have ceremonies they diffor. I can best draw the distinca peculiar cast of countenance, which is broad and tion by describing each. The Gond. burn their high-cheeked, with oblique eyes and a rather flat. adults and bury their children. After a frw days tish nose. They appear to be of a very lively dis- they offer up to their memory & bull or cow, which position, and are honest and well-behaved to us. they place right over the threshold and knock over During the Holi festival, the women throw off all with a blow from the blunt end of a hatchet. This renerve, and do not scruple to detain for bakshish they call the Pat. The widows are not allowed to any one going through their villages or encamped marry without the consent of the Patia, who is near them; they will surround him and keep danc- the high priest of the Baradeva, and one is ing and singing in a ring till their claims are com
attached to every Got [gotra], which I shall hereplied with. On & moonlight night both men and after describe. The Patia, in technical language, women assemble round their village fires and enjoy sells the widow for five rupees to the man seeking themselves by discoursing music.
her hand : in other words, five rupees are used in The Bhumka s are the constituted priests of
the ceremony. the Gonds and Kirkus, and preside at all their reli- The Kirkus, like the Gonds, burn their adults and gious ceremonies. Each village has its Bhumka. bury their children. They offer goats and fowls to
These men have their special Lares and Penates, their Gata-Periwhich are their Lares and are which are called the Bhumka and Phatak De- made of wood-supposed representations of the deva 8,-the latter being the gods they place in a road ceased, who are thus incorporated into their polytheisover which visitors to shrines pass, and through tic category. The ceremony itself is called Sidolior these tutelar deities, they levy a sort of black-mail Phuljhari. On the day appointed, friends aro on all who go that way. The chief gods of invited, a great deal of eating, drinking, dancing, the people appear to be Bara Deo, Mahá- and merry-making is gone through. From the deo, Náráyandeo, Mátá, and Khanda- cross beam of the roof a thread is suspended, and its ráo; in fact, almost every hill-top has on it lower end hangs directly over a sall cup of brass the stone individuality of some one of their many or clay, and to the upper end a finger-ring is atmythological powers. To them are offered up tached so as to run down at the slightest oscillation; the narial, khajur, sindur, pach-khaja, chandal, after a short time it begins to inove and drops into incense, eggs, limes, and fowls. The last named the receptacle below, with a clanging sound, then god plays a prominent part during the Holi festival. the wandering spirit is supposed to have returned to He is to be seen in almost every village, represented his former haunts, and ceases to molest any one. by a long red-coloured pole, which is driven verti- for so long as his relations do not propitiate him, cally into the ground. A ladder leads to the top of the restless spirit, they say, will annoy them the pole, a few feet below which is a platform made either sickness, want, or ravages by wild animals of bambu work, on which two men can take their on their cattle will keep afflicting them. places. On the extremity of the pole is placed & When Gonds marry, a dinner is given, and the Cross-piece which revolves round: to the ends of it food consists of dál and kutki. The bride gets, men and women allow themselves to be attached as a present, a cloth and a pair of anklets. When and swung round-fanatics submitting to the hook. a man makes his overtures and is accepted, if able, This is what they call the Gál. At the foot of this he gives the bride's parents 9 rupees, 180 sers of pole are placed stone or earthen images, which are call- kutki, 40 aers dal, 160 sers kodo; if not able to ed Kham and Khami, the former being the male, supply these, he makes terms of servitude for a the latter the female representation. As I said before, period of 5, 7 or 12 years, and though he may soon it is during the Holi this god calls bis votaries in get married afterwards, still he goes on working at large numbers, when they bring their offerings, which his father-in-law's house. This is called lamare alway cocks and hens-men presenting the for- jhana. mer and women the latter. The Bhumka deca- When among the Kirkus a marriage is settled pitates them; the offerer takes the trunk and sprinkles on, the asker gives a good supply of liquor to the the posts and stones with the warm blood, when, bride-elect's father ; this binds the contract. If he from a basket, little pieces of cake are broken and cannot give 20 rupees or their value (if he be a put before the deities. On the G 4 1 day each village widower Re. 40, or their equivalent), he is oblige!
