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84
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
themselves. The prosperity of the dànklanvagadnàrs (those who beat the drum) depends to a large extent on the success of the bluva's business, and for this reason, the drummers are often very good advocates of the bhuvà and take every opportunity of glorifying his powers and merits.
The respect which a bhuvà commands in this way is sometimes increased by the performance of such tricks as his putting lighted torches into his mouth, placing his hand in boiling oil, and similar performances.
But although there may be some bhuvào who profit by imposing upon the credulity of the villagers, there are many bhuvds who do not work with the expectation of any reward, and are only actuated by benevolent motives. Many of them honestly believe that at the time when they are thrown into a state of trance, the matàs or deities actually enter their bodies and speak their wishes through them as a medium.
In some villages, the office of the bluwvd is hereditary, and lands have been assigned to them in remuneration for their duty. In addition to this religious calling, a bhuva often follows some other profession as that of agriculture, weaving or spinning.8
The bhuvà generally belongs to some low caste and may be a Koli, Bharvad Rabari, Vaghri or even a Chamar. The bhuvds are also known as pothids. One good qualification for becoming a bhuvà is to possess the habit of throwing one's self into convulsive fits followed by a state of trance, cspecially on hearing the beating of a dànklan (drum). At such a time the måtà or devi is supposed to possess the person of the bhuvā and to speak out her wishes on being questioned. Some bhuvas are regularly possessed by some devi or màtà on every Sunday or Tuesday..
A typical bhuvà 'nas a braid of hair ort his head, puts one or more iron or copper anklets round his leg or elbow, and makes a niark with red lead on his forehead. A bhuva attending upon the goddess Meldi is generally5 a Vàghri by caste and always wears dirty clothes. A Bharvad bhuvà has generally a silver anklet round his waist. A bhuvà bas to observe a fast on all the nine days of the Nar-ratras. If a bhuvà happens to come across another bhuvà in convulsive fits or in a trance, he must need go into fits as well.
Generally speaking every bhuvd keeps an image of his favourite mata in or near his own dwelling. Generally he erects a hut for the purpose and hoists a flag upon it. Near the image are placed a number of conch-shells and stones and brooms of peacock feathers. The deity is not systematically worshipped every day but receives adoration every Sunday and Tuesday. Sometimes the bhuvd has a disciple-a sevaka—who does the duty of dashing bell-metal cymbals at the time when the bhuvd throws himself in a trance.
When a new bhutà is to be initiated into the profession, he is made to sit before an image of the mata, where he goes into convulsive fits while the danklan vagàdnars beat the drums and loudly recite hymns in honour of the deity. Afterwards he is taken to a cemetery accompanied by the drummers and an expert bhuva, where the latter marks out a square on the ground with the edge of a sword. The novice is asked to lie prostrate within the area thus marked out and to get up and lie again, deing the same four times, each time with his head towards each of the four quarters. The bhutà who initiates the novice and who is thenceforth considered to be the guru or preceptor of the latter, ties a rakhadi (a piece of silk thread) round the elbow of the pupil."
1 The School Masters of Kotda-Sangni and Sanka. • The School Master of Zinzuwàdà. • The School Master of Santa . Mr. K. D. Desdi.
The School Master of Jodid. • The School Master of Dadvi. + The School Master of Patanvàv.
