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JUNE, 1884.]
BOMBAY DANCING GIRLS.
178
Bhavins are descendants of pure Marathas; but knowledge, while he is by her side. In fact, as they have degraded themselves to the post of 1 they are a class of pick-pockets and cut-throats. * temple cats,' they have seats allotted to them A certain Bhavin possessed of an engaging behind the temples, whilst & Naikin dances form and face, it is said, attracted the notice of a before the gods, and amidst the gatherings of householder, and attached herself to him. After the great, and has a seat allotted to her before some time he became aware of her infidelities, the gods.
and giving her a large sum of money he ordered. The BhAvins, properly speaking, have only one her out. The money was soon squandered dance, called the ghumat, which is accompanied and she applied for more, but was refused. She by a kind of drum called the ghumat. This then told him that if he did not grant her dance generally takes place in the month of a settlement for life she would burn down his Shimga.
house. He persisted in his refusal, and ordered To celebrate this dance Zilgo raise a sum of her out. That night his house was burnt to the money by subscription and hire a place in the ground. He then quitted the place, and went neighbourhood of their dwellings where a some hundreds of miles away, and hoped he had canopy is erected, and on the floor is spread & done with her, but the woman followed him, and carpet on which the members sit encircled by wearied out with her importunities for a settlethe spectators. At one end, one or more Bhävins ment, he at length granted her an annuity for stand dressed in bodices and sadis, which are life. But she continued her supplications to 80 tightly worn as to display their forms; be restored to his house, He, however, fell in their hair is lightly twisted into a knot behind, love with a beautiful young countrywoman, and sweet-smelling flowers encircle it. Behind who came to the place where he then resided, stands & drummer with the drum called He proposed to her, and the wedding day was ghumat, made of cloth, baving one end small fixed. The Bhavin heard of this, and forcing and the other large, covered with leather, a herself into his presence she asked him if the pakhraj and one zanj. On both sides stand Zilgas report were true. He replied in the affirmabeating cymbals, and clapping their hands, and tive, when, venting her rage in carges, she imprethe women dance. The dancers are led by the cated tremendous disaster on his head and drummer, for they move their legs up and down, heaped on him every insult that language could according to the rhythm of the beats on the command. At length he reminded her of his drum. The dancers jomp frantically about, settlement on her of a sum sufficient to place her singing licentious songs. None but the Zilgas in affluence for the remainder of her life, and attend this entertainment, but if prevailed that her annoyance would provoke him to retaliupon, a respectable person might enter the ation. She replied by declaring in fury he would gathering, bat only for a few minutes. For these die within six weeks of his marriage. She then dances subscriptions are raised by the Zilgas quitted his presence. The singularity of the among themselves. The dancing girls are paid menace somewhat startled him, but it was about five rupees per night, and the balance is soon forgotten. The day after his marriage he spent on a feast. This dance is cultivated by sickened, and before six weeks had passed he the Zilgås for their own amusement.
was dead. He fell & victim to slow poison A Bhavin is as cunning as a fox, and will administered by his personal servant, who, rob 'her protector of his last farthing, and be atrange to say, was the Bhâvin's brother, and done with him as soon as she can, or when she the day before the man died they both decamped finds him not so liberal as before, or his purse and were never again heard of. empty, -with a rod in her hand, she will show There is another class of Kasbins, the Murlis, him out. She will be on terms of intimacy with or girls wedded to Khandoba, the lord of some of her many visitors without her protector's Jejuri. If a low caste Hindú is childless, he
• The Zilgs are good-looking fellows, and generally hold employment in public offices as patevide and in cotton mills. They have a peculiar way of wearing the hair and dressing in caps or turbans cocked on one side, and tight-fitting polkas so as to show themselves to advantage. But the sons and brothers of Naikins dress
in plain but tight-fitting clothes, and in a way to reveal at once who they are.
The real Murlts are those barren women who become lean at the feet of the god Khandoba, with the object of getting children. Only low class women become Murlia,
