The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India, Volume 3. Robert Vane Russell

are divided into exogamous septs, all bearing Gond names. Like the Gonds, the caste is also split into two divisions, worshipping six and seven gods respectively, and members of septs worshipping the same number of gods must not marry with each other. The deities of the six and seven god-worshippers are identical, except that the latter have one extra called Durga or Devi, who is represented by a copper coin of the old Nāgpur dynasty. Of the other deities Būra Deo is a piece of iron, Khoda and Khodāvan are both pieces of the kadamb tree (Nauclea parvifolia), Supāri is the areca-nut, and Kaipen consists of two iron rings and counts as two deities. It seems probable, therefore, from the double set of identical deities that two of the original ones have been forgotten. The gods are kept on a small piece of red cloth in a closed bamboo basket, which must not be opened except on days of worship, lest they should work some mischief; on these special days they are rendered harmless for the time being by the homage which is rendered to them. Marriage is adult, and a bride-price of nine rupees and some grain is commonly paid by the boy’s family. The ceremony is a mixture of Gond and Marātha forms; the couple walk seven times round a bohla or mound of earth and the guests clap their hands. At a widow-marriage they walk three and a half times round a burning lamp, as this is considered to be only a kind of half-marriage. The morality of the caste is very loose, and a wife will commonly be pardoned any transgression except an intrigue with a man of very low caste. Women of other castes, such as Kunbis or Barhais, may be admitted to the community on forming a connection with a Gond-Gowāri. The caste have no prescribed observance of mourning for the dead. The Gond-Gowāris are cultivators and labourers, and dress like the Kunbis. They are considered to be impure and must live outside the village, while other castes refuse to touch them. The bodies of the women are disfigured by excessive tattooing, the legs being covered with a pattern of dots and lines reaching up to the thighs. In this matter they simply follow their Gond ancestors, but they say that a woman who is not tattooed is impure and cannot worship the deities.

      1

      This article is based on information collected by Mr. Hīra Lāl in Jubbulpore, and the author in Mandla.

      2

      The word Dishai really means direction or cardinal point, but as the goddess dwells in the sheep-pen it is probable that she was originally the sheep itself.

      3

      The following particulars are taken from the Central Provinces Monograph on Woollen Industries, by Mr. J. T. Marten.

      4

      A Naturalist on the Prowl, 3rd ed., p. 219. In the quotation the Hindustāni word kammal, commonly used in the Central Provinces, is substituted for the Marāthi word kambli.

      5

      This article is compiled from an excellent monograph contributed by Surgeon-Major Mitchell of Bastar State, with extracts from Colonel Glasfurd’s Report on Bastar (Selections from the Records of the Government of India in the Foreign Department, No. 39 of 1863).

      6

      India Census Report (1901), p. 283.

      7

      Madras Census Report (1891), p. 253.

      8

      Ethnographic Notes in Southern India, p. 22.

      9

      Madras Census Report (1891), p. 253.

      10

      Report on the Dependency of Bastar, p. 37.

      11

      Report on the Dependency of Bastar, p. 37.

      12

      Ethnographic Notes in Southern India, p. 270.

      13

      Risley, Tribes and Castes of Bengal, art. Pān.

      14

      The human sacrific

1

This article is based on information collected by Mr. Hīra Lāl in Jubbulpore, and the author in Mandla.

2

The word Dishai really means direction or cardinal point, but as the goddess dwells in the sheep-pen it is probable that she was originally the sheep itself.

3

The following particulars are taken from the Central Provinces Monograph on Woollen Industries, by Mr. J. T. Marten.

4

A Naturalist on the Prowl, 3rd ed., p. 219. In the quotation the Hindustāni word kammal, commonly used in the Central Provinces, is substituted for the Marāthi word kambli.

5

This article is compiled from an excellent monograph contributed by Surgeon-Major Mitchell of Bastar State, with extracts from Colonel Glasfurd’s Report on Bastar (Selections from the Records of the Government of India in the Foreign Department, No. 39 of 1863).

6

India Census Report (1901), p. 283.

7

Madras Census Report (1891), p. 253.

8

Ethnographic Notes in Southern India, p. 22.

9

Madras Census Report (1891), p. 253.

10

Report on the Dependency of Bastar, p. 37.

11

Report on the Dependency of Bastar, p. 37.

12

Ethnographic Notes in Southern India, p. 270.

13

Risley, Tribes and Castes of Bengal, art. Pān.

14

The human sacrifices of the Khonds were suppressed about 1860. See the article on that tribe.

15

This article is compiled from papers by Mr. Jhanjhan Rai, Tahsīldār, Sārangarh, and Satyabādi Misra of the Sambalpur Census office.

16

Mund-jhulānā, to swing the head.

17

Based on notes taken by Mr. Hīrā Lāl at Chānda and the notices of the Gārpagāri in the District Gazetteers.

18

Village watchman.

19

Dr. Jevons, Introduction to the History of Religion, p. 171.

20

The