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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JUNE, 1905.
a royal girl fall in love with him, an exploit wbich resulted in his own death and the destruction of his lamp. His companions in terror fled in different directions, Bholan Shah finding his last resting place in Jhonawal, tahofl Gaphshankar, and Mian Malert at Maler KOA. Shah Madár escaped to the Dakhan and Man Chanan to Afghanistan, where their tombs are still to be found. It is said that all this happened in the time of Albar.
Mjân Bibi and his wifes or female followers were of course all Muhammadans, and their influence was at first confined to the followers of that creed. Gradually as time went on and communion with Hindus and Muhammadans became more general, and an interchange between superstitious practices became common, the Hindus also began to follow him. In this way, though Mian Bibi's followers are still principally Babtis, Saints and Mirasis, Rajputs and other classes of Hindus and Muhammadans are to be found among his votaries. In no case, however, does any male member of any class or caste propitiate Mân Bibi, who is essentially & saint of the female sex alone. It is also remarkable that in most cases it is the young women who adore him. As they become older they neglect the ceremonies pertaining to him, although their regard for the saint himself never diminishes.
No fair is held in his honour and there is no special time devoted to ooremonies relating to him. Generally, when the harvest is newly gathered and the people are at their best in point of wealth, a young believer in Mian Bibt will prepare herself for adoration. Snch a woman will be in Want of a child, or will be a bride desiring a child, or will be eager for relief from some distress; the object of the ceremony being to invoke the assistance of the saint in the fulfilment of her desire. On such an occasion Mirasi women are called in with their instruments, and the wc pan in a new dress, and adorned as on her wedding day, sits in front of them. They sing songs in praise of Mian Bibi and descant on his manly beauty, his devotion to the Bible and their love for him, all the while beating on their small drums. The devotee soon begins to move her hands about wildly and nod her head, and as the singing continues she becomes excited and almost frenzied. At this stage she is supposed to have forgotten all about herself and her spirit is believed to bave become mingled with that of Mini Bibi, whom she now personifies as long as the excitement lasts. Other women, who have faith in her acquired spiritual power, come and offer grain and sweets, which the musical performers appropriate. After the offerings are made the visitors put questions as to coming events in their families. Such questions generally relate to family distress and wante, and the devotee, knowing full well the wants of all her neighbours, answers in ambiguous terme, on which the hearers pat the best possible construction, and thus is the power of thought-reading posssessed by the devotee proved to their satisfaction. It is of course believed that it is the Mian Bibi, who is speaking through his devotee and fulfilling the desires of his believers. The performers of such devotional exercises are distinguished by a silver amulet banging round their necks, on which is ongraved a portrait of Mian Bibi, or by an amulet with a representation of the Bibis on it.
While she sings the woman representing Miên Bibi sways her head continually in an emotional trance.
Note by the Editor.
The above description of the stories connected with the cult of Mfan Bibi gives an instructive and characteristio jumble of hagiological tales, partly Hindu and partly Muhammadan. It is apparently a survival of pure folklore going back probably to animistic times and is in reality merely an invocation of supernatural powers in time of distress through a possessed person. In the stories, we bave a mixture of the tale of Krishna and the Gopis with legends relating to a number of saints and holy personages, who flourished in widely differing places and times, chiefly because they are
