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OCTOBER, 1881.]
BOMBAY BEGGARS AND CRIERS.
diseased and hideous-looking Kasbins in Bombay are the Murlis of Jejuri and other such places. KORVARU.
Korvaru are a wild-looking Karnația people whose women, called Karvanjis, rather than the men, are fortune-tellers. They are occasionally met with in Bombay, begging, telling fortunes and playing music. They travel from place to place, and speak a language peculiar to themselves. Their women, rising early in the morning, partake of the food begged the previous day. The husband cannot join his wife uncalled, as he is supposed to obtain his own food. Dressing in rags, she sallies forth at about eight in the morning, and tying her young ones on her back or chest, and with a basket on her head, she takes her stand in front of the house-door, begging for alms. She does not offer to tell fortunes unless asked, but when questioned whether she knows fortune-telling, she readily answers in the affirmative. She puts down her basket and sits by it on the ground. Bringing a handful of grain or a pice, the householder gives it to the beggar and sits before her. The beggar takes his right hand in hers, opens it, and after examining it for some time, tells him the number of trials and difficulties he has had since his birth, his present circumstances, his future luck, whether his wife is dead or alive, the number of children he already has or is to have, and other particulars. Only one must be prepared to ask questions, the beggar being always ready with her answers, and to the satisfaction of the questioner. KALONGANIS.
Kalong a nis pretend to know everything about futurity, what awaits mankind, what is to become of this world, and when there will be a deluge. They are on rare occasions met with in Bombay. They go about in bands of three, four or five. They have a leader who holds a book in his hands and recites verses; his followers also carry books and repeat verses after their leader, more from memory than from the books, and beat drums and other musical instruments to attract people's attention and obtain grain, money, or other presents. Any one wishing to hear them sing, as they are supposed to be very good singers, calls them, and after hearing them for some time, pays them from a couple of annas to as many rupees.
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BUDLENDES.
Budlendes resemble the Joshis, they are fortune-tellers, and go about begging with a rattle in their hands, uttering something to the following effect:- A fortnight hence wilt thou hear of prosperity, and in a palanquin wilt thou sit within a couple of months. But unfortunately a danger awaits thee. Thus did the morning bird hâlaki whisper in my ear. Do thou therefore try to avert the danger, shouldst thou not do so in time, great loss will ensue. It is not a great thing to do, only an old waistcloth, and all will end well.' Thus does the Joshi go on repeating, keeping the rattle all the while at work. This is a very boisterous beggar, shrewd and designing. SAKTAS (ante, pp. 73, 74.) Ghatakanchuki is a Sâkta ceremony performed generally at large gatherings of the sect. I remember one such gathering being held in Bombay in the Fanaswadi Lane, when as many as three hundred persons, men and women, were present. The meeting was held in a solitary building then known as the Bhutkháná, believed to be infested by devils, and that these devils occasionally feasted there and sent forth odours of incense and liquor. At this ceremony equal numbers of males and females are present, and as they enter, the men sit in one place in the room, and the women in another. A dim light or two are kept burning, and the chief mover, taking a pot or vessel, places it in the middle. When all have arrived, the goddesses', that is, the women, approach the pot, and pulling off their kanchukis, bodices, throw them into the receptacle, and sit down round it with their breasts exposed. The men now approach them, and worship them with flowers, sandal, red powder, wave a lighted lamp before their faces, burn incense and camphor, and offer them fish, flesh, liquor and sweetmeats. After they have eaten and drunk, the remains are made over to the men. Before worship both the men and women are counted, to see that the numbers are the same; if not, others are sent for. Each woman must know her own bodice, and each worshipper, approaching the vessel, picks up a bodice, and the woman to whom it belongs pairs with him, and they spend the night in each other's company in the room where they are met.
(To be continued).
