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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1907.
Ved Pathi Brahmans or those living in plains, Bhabrás, Baniís, Khshatriyas, and Bairagi mendicants neither eat nor touch any of these articles.
Brahmans of the hills, Rajputs, Süds, Dobras, Kanaits, goldsmiths, Jats, barbers, gardeners, milkmen, potters, masons, washermen, dyesinkers, carpenters, smiths, Thathêrô or Bharépás, minstrels or Tûris, or Dakis, and Dhadis, if Saivas or Saktaks, eat the flesh of animals and use wine; if Vaishnavas, they do not.
The Saivas use the following: - Wine of all sorts; flesh of goats, either male or female ; Hesh of male sheep; pork; flesh of wild fowl ; fish of every kind. There is no rule for the use or otherwise, of the flesh of animals with cloven or uncloven hoofs. Some men eat the flesh of cloven hoofed animals, and otbers do not. The same is the case with animals with uncloven hoofs and wild birds. The flesh of the peacock, crow, kanshardi, heron, and kite, etc., is not used.
The Chanâls, Kolis, ministrels, shepherds, sweepers, cobblers, sailors or boatmen, and weavers use beef, the flesh of buffaloes, pork, flesh of cloven-hoofed and uncloven-hoofed animals, except those mentioned above and the flesh of a snake, a jackal, or a mouse.
No tribe eats anything of which a person of another tribe has been eating. Also men of the same tribe do not use food left after eating by another person. If a person of low caste be in the service of a person of high caste, then he can eat the food left by his master. A wife can use the inod left by her husband, and children can use food left by their parents or elder brothers.
251. Some men do not take meat in the rains. They do not use cold things in winter, and varm things in summer.
252. It is forbidden by religion to take meat in the rains. In other seasons some things are not used in order to preserve health.
253. Widows and small children do not ase meat. There is no difference between men and women, micors and adults, poor and rich, in taking or rejecting other foods
254, None but the Chanâls and low castes use the flesh of monkeys, elephants, cows, oxen, herons, etc., for they are regarded as belonging to the gods.
LXXVI. -- Dining Customs.
255. Among the Hindus none but Kayasthas eat together. Every adult person eats on A separate table. Minor boys and girls can take food with their parents, but only as long as they are six or seven years old.
266. Men and women do not eat together among the Hindus.
267. After the food is ready, a little of everything cooked is set apart for the god, and some of it is consigned to the fire of the hearth. Then it is laid before all the men. Every man puts aside, from his own plate, some portion for a cow, and a little is given to the crows and dogs. Some is put in the fire, and the rest is eaten.
268. There is no peculiarity concerning eating and drinking, except that it is an ancient eastom.