________________
172
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1884.
ril, and the men are wilgás. The term Bh- ming of a lamp with the fingers by any other vin is applied to women in the service of the than a Bhêvin is supposed to bring poverty, idols in temples in Goa and places round about, and this is particularly observed in all Hindû and women from Goa who have forsaken their houses. These Bhâvins, tired of servitude, lawful husbands call themselves by that title, leave the temple, and try to enjoy their liberty asserting as their reason that in olden times as independent mistresses, and this course is married women were in the habit of forsaking eventually preferred. Such a one gets away their lawful husbands and joining the service from the temple by becoming the kept mistress of the temples. Some of these women have of a person or persons who have the means to been presented to the gods in infancy by protect her; but others in the temples also their parents, as the Marlis are in Jâjuri. are at liberty to hold illicit intercourse with
As a Naikin has to obtain the permission persons of their own caste, these women being of her gods before she performs kéja, so also has commonly known as Ched vâs, and the men # Bhavin to ask her gods whether she may Zilgas. Such of the female descendants of take the veil. She has recourse to a flower these women as lead & moral life, adhere to the omen, and prior to dedication her parents invite profession of their mothers, viz., attending to the head-men of the caste to a temple, and the indoor duties of the temple. In their there tell them of their intention to offer their native place they are fed from the temple child to the god. A flower is stuck to the funds, and those who have young sisters, image in their presence, and the girl goes to daughters, or other relatives with whom they the burning lamp, takes a handful of oil, and can live, establish themselves as Kasbins. A pours it on her head, and declares herself a register of these Bhävins is kept, but as a rule, Bhavin. The guests are presented with betel- formal permission is obtained before any of nut and leaves, and they depart. The parents them quits the temple and establishes herthen take the girl with them to their house, self in any pursuit, and this permission she and a feast to the castemen ends the affair. The obtains whether the pursuit be honourable or girl from that time should place her full faith not, provided she annually sends present, (bhav) in, and give herself to, the service of the however trifling, to the temple. god, and not practise prostitution, but live | No Bhavin would consent to contract maas an ascetio, and should the temple not be trimony with a person of her own caste, or able to maintain her, she is fed at the expense remain in his keeping, as prostitution, in their of the caste.
view, is more honourable; it enriches and makes The ceremony undergone by a married them sole mistresses of their liberty and prowoman who forsakes her husband to be styled a perty, and their protectors are ever ready to be Bhavin, is to go to a temple and take a hand- at their command. ful of oil or dip her fingers in one of the 1 Some of these Bhaving, like the Naikins, lamps continually burning near the idols, then learn to sing and dance, but they are not to place the same on her head, and declare allowed to do so in Goa, as they are all conherself by that act to have become a Bhavin sidered low and the most debauched of their in the presence of worshippers in the temple. sex. The utmost a Bhâvin can earn in Bombay
As a servant in attendanoe upon an idol per annum is about Rs. 600, for they get no her business is to attend to the temple lamps opportunity of forming connections with men and to keep them trimmed, to sweep and cow of the higher classes, who generally visit the dung the floor, to turn the chauri over the idol, houses of Naikins. A person visiting the house to serve the huká to the congregation, to keep of a Bhavin is regarded as disreputable, for the furniture in order, and to serve the visitors the only object of his visit apparently must to the temple. A Bhâvin's name always ends be debauchery. with the name of the place of which she is a It is the general understanding amongst native, for instance, Emni-Pednekarin, i.e., natives that whoever has a Bhavin in his keepEmni, inhabitant of Pedne. A Bbâvin always ing reduces himself to poverty, for he is said trims a lamp with her fingers and not with to expose himself to the rage of the gods, by small sticks as other Hindus do. The trim- having carnal intercourse with their servant.
