punjab ethnography
TRANSCRIPT
PUNJAB ETHNOGRAPHY.
MONOGRAPH No. II.
. .. ·-..
THE KANGRA GADDIS
' BY THE
LATE EDWARO O'BRIEN, ESOR., C. S., AND
M. MORRIS, ESQR., PUNJAB POLICE,,
WITH
TWO APPE~DICES.
472 ,068
\
MONOGRAPH No. 11.
TRIBE: GA.DDIS. DISTRICT KANGRA.
ETHNOGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATION.
INFORMATION derived from (1) Mohan L!il, Kotw:H and Lambardar 'Of Dharmsala village, Tahsil Kangra, District Kangra, ca:;te Gaddi Khatd, Tanan "Get "-Barsain- Zamindar, (2) Hochhp1 of Dbaramsala
--village, Tahsil Kangra, District Kangra, caste Gaddi Thakkar, Get Siure.
Answers to questions.-General ser£es.*
1. Gaddz'.-Gc..ddls are a caste not descended from a common ancestor. Their tie :s (r) of residence, vz's,, Gaderan, the country of the Gaddls in the Himalayas of District Kangra and of the Chamba State, (2) of language called Gadi 1 and (3) of dress.
2, The great divisions of Gaddls are
Brahmans. Khatrls. R.ajputs. Thakkars.
Rathls.
The only endogamous division ts Brahmans. A Brahman can marry a Brahman only. The other divisions intermarry. The infor
mants name the following exogamous "Getars" of Brahmans:-
(1) J;>haqqu.
(2) .Makretu.
(3) Bhat.
(4) J;>haneru.
(S) Sandan.
(6) LangM.
(7) Adhkaru.
(8) Lappar.
(g) Lunanun.
(1o} Bhuchrenun.
(11) Deoli.
(r2) Julkan.
(13) Sulairi.
(I4) PadiU..
(I 5) Rurighnun.
(I6) Marap1.
(I 7) Bageru.
(18} Rukwal.
*0: "B" Series. The numbers refer to the numbers in th;s series of questions given in the Procee.!lngs of the Conference on the Ethnography of Northern India, he!d at Lahore
in March J88s.
(19) Supain.
(2o) Fatain.
(21) Gharnalil.
{22) Chotenun.
(23) Kubat;1chanun,
(24) l;>aunqu.
(25) Bhargantu.
(26} Baune,
{27) Kalainun.
(28) Korap'l.
(29) Dainun.
(30) Haleru.
(31) Bharmoru,
(32) Bharan.
(33) Khurkhanun.
(34) Janwal.
(35) Paunkhnun. This g o t
(36) Lunhailu.
(37) Danganun.
(38) Kanni.
(39) Hailak.
(40) Jirag.
provides
paro hits
for all the
Brahman
Gaddis.
This is not an exhaustive list of the gotars of Gaddi Brahmans. No male member of a gotar can take his wife from his own gotar.
The following are the exogamous gotars of the Khatri Gaddfs :-
(1) Barsain.
(2) Bhakhre.
(3) Changen_u or Changiantl.
(4) Thusru.
(5) Bargate.
(6) Bhundu.
(7) Langran.
(8) Purkban.
(g) Sahnun.
(1o) Ladde.
( r 1) 'fu#n.
( 12) SondhU.
( 1 3) Bukete.
(14) Jhunil.n. This got inter-
marries with Brahmans.
(15) Bhigan.
(r6) Jagan.
{17) HarkMn.
(r8J Pakhru.
(19) Turgain. (2o) Baran.
(21) Char.
(22) Tuplaig.
(23) Palnail.
(24) l;>hangran.
(25) Ghaure.
(26) l;>hangetu.
(27) Harokar.
(28) }hurain.
(29) Kalan.
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(3o) Sagnete. (40) Dalail.
(3 l) Kulethe. (4l) Lutetu.
(32) Kunetu, (42) Phatu.
(33) Langnetu. (43) Koraru.
(34) Galoti. (44) Mogu.
(35) Ramchailu. (4SJ Rahlu.
(36) Mahin. 146) Chapetu.
(37) Rabo. (47) Bihantu.
(38) Hulnail. (48) Chadlu.
(39) Tulail. Besides not marrying a wife of his own ''gat" a Khatri may not
marry a wife of a g&t in which he has a da.ughter or a sister ma-rried. The following are the exogamous g&tars of Rajput Gadd1s :-
( 1) Agasni. These are 1
(2) Lalhal.
really Jarial Rajputs. _
Both g&tars wear the j an eo.
The following are the exogamous gotars of Thakkar Gaddis :--..
(1) Harelu. I (3) Janwar.
(2) Baraii. (4) . Siure. Some of the Siure wear the janeo. Some do not. One of
Mohan's wives belongs to a Siure family who do not wear the janeo. Chamaru, a Siure (who accompanied Mr. R. B. Shaw and Sir Douglas Forsyth to Yarkand) wears the janeo, and last year married -his daughter to a Rajput Gaddi, G&tar Lalhal. We make no distinction between families who wear and who do not wear the janeo. All are considered
equal.
The following are the exoga~ous g&tars of Ra~hi Gaddis. s,., ... -wear the janeo, some do not:-
(I) Gharati.
(2) Sakhotru.
(3) Barjati.
(4) Kulai.
The Rajas used to confer the janeo on Rathls in return for presents and services. This is the origin of ·so :ne of them wearing the
~~ janeo.",
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3· There are no endogamous g&ts.
4· A man may not marry his-
Muleri, his mother's brother's daughter and her female descendants.
Maseri, his mother's sister's daughter and her female descendants.
Buberi, his father's sister's daughter and her female descendants.
Patreri, his father's younger brother's daughter and her feinale descendants.
Tairi, his father's elder brother's daughter and her female descendants.
A man may marry two sisters.
5· There are no prohibitions on intermarriage based on-
(a) Social status, (b) geographical or local position, (c) differences of belief or practice, (d) or on differences or changes of '>Ccupation, e.g., if a Gaddi becomes a distiller, we would give our daughter in marriage to him; we would marry our daughters to a man who had crossed the Ocean.
6. There is no tradition of there having been a common ancestor of all Gaddis, nor of all Khatris. There is a tradition that each g&tar is descended from a common ancestor, but we do not know the common ancestor of our own or of any other g&tar. There is a tradition that all Gaddis came· from . the plains of the Punjab and of the P urab. By Purab we mean Hindiistan in the time of Mahmud of Ghazni in consequence of his persecuting us and taking away our janeo. We do not know how many generations haye intervened.
1· The habits of the tribes are settled. Almost every member of the tribe has two homes-one in the outer Himalayan hills and the other in the higher and inner ranges. ·They spend the winter in the outer Himalayas and the summer in the inner and higher ranges of Chamba.
8. \Ve do admit outsiders among the Gaddis, but they must be of division found among the Gaddis. We quote the case of a Rajput of Goler who married a Gaddi girl in Pathiar and became Gaddi, and of a Ratt.; ~vho was adopted (dharam pultar kfta) by a Changenu Gaddi,
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He ran away from his adopted father, the Changen~, c.nd became the Gharjuantru of a Sondhu and married his daughter after the usual seven years' probation. We would not admit a Girth or a Jat or a Kanet or a Tibetan.
g. Until within the last 20 or 25 years the age of marriage for both man and woman was 16 to 20. Recently the age has been lowered to 12 for the man and 8 to 10 for the woman. We would correct what we have just said. It was from the time of the Sikhs that the age began to be lowered. The cause was the fear of the girls being ravished or abducted. The word dhamina is in use for this kind of ravishing. We mention the case of a Sart6ra Rajput Gaddi woman who was abducted by the Sikhs and who returned to her Gaddi home after 25 or 30 years. Sexual license before marriage is absolutely forbidden. A betrothed girl will not even show herself to her future husband, his mother, his father or his brothers.
10. Pclygamy is permitted. A man may marry as many wives as he can afford. A man usually has not more than three wives at the same time. We mention instances known to you where men have had more than three wives living, but we mention others who have had five and seven wives, but not all the same time. Polyandry is unknown. It may be practised secretly.
11. The whole customs connected with a marriage last 20 days or a month. The families of the bride and bridegroom having asked a parohit for an auspicious day and hour, cut wood "chhei " for the marriage feasts on the same day and at the same hour. Then two or three days before the marriage '' samilt " is performed, t'.e., in the morning and evening at the same hour the bride and bridegro9m are bathed. The women sing songs and the bride (hiri) and bridegroom (h1pi) are well fed. Before being bathed both are rubbed with batna which is usually made of turmeric, wheat flour and oil. When the marriage day comes, the bride's mama (mother's brother) sets up the " bed," a square canopy in the angan of the house. On the top of the " bed " wooden parrots are fixed. He also brings a red sheet "lingri " and shoes for the bride. He also feeds the guests that night. Niilndril·rl·chhak is the name of this meal. Either that day or the next the lagan and bed, which are the essential and binding forms of the ceremony, are performed. The following is a description of the "lagan." The bridegroom's party has arrived. They being 11 luanchri,'~
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i.e., l!- chOiu of cotton cloth, (2) ghagrCi, a petticoat of the same, (3) kharblis, a sheet of long cloth, and (4) a dori, a saffron coloured cord for the bride's forehead. The kharbas is first given to the bride, and her mother puts it on. The bride keeps her face covered. The bride is carried by some near male relation to the ' 1 bed " and he sits down with her in his arms on the right of the bridegroom. The joined hands of the bride are placed between the joined hJ.nds of the bridegroom. A rupee is given at the lagan to the Brahman by the bridegroom's father. This is the reJ.l lagan, The o1iciating Brahman i;; reading Sanskrit all the time. Then the same male relative carries the bride back to the house, and the bridegroom is brought to the door of the bride':; house and stands outside. On the dori above-mentioned have been strung one pice, one walnut and one supari nut. It is called the manihar. Then the bridegroom's .mot:1er-in-law brings an " arti" to the door and does puja to her son-in-law. The arti is a lamp made of wheat (R.ta) with 5 or 6 wicks in ·it. The mother-in-law then
This is peculiar to the Gaddis. binds the dori round the bridegroom's head and leads him inside the house
by it. He is seated by th('! bride, and a little gi.lr and ghi are given to each to eat. Then the bridegroom is put apart and the women m1ke a screen betNeen him and the bride and the women plait her hair. Then milk and rice are given to the bride and bridegroom to eat. Then the women put the luanchri and ghagru and the linjri and any ornaments except the balu (or ring for the left nostril) on her. At this time the anjan gandhna is done; the bridegroom's nirwar (waist band) is knotted to the bride's kharbas. fhen the bridegroom walks and the bride is carried to the bed ; one relation of the bride and one relation of the bridegroom remain in attendance on them. Th~y are called Puchaink. They all sit down and the rest of the guests and the Brahman come and sit down. The Brahman then reads texts. He lights a fire of wood and causes the bride and bridegroom to do "haban" with barley, ghi, raisins, dates, cocoanut and almonds or walnuts. Then the bride's brother is called and a sieve full of puched rice (khil) is placed in his hands. He forms the gra.ins of rice into small heaps, and the bridegroom scatters the heaps. This is called '' roli khelna." This is done three times. Some coins are placed in the sieve and are given to the bride's brother. Then the bride and bridegroom walk four times
Lai pherna. round the bed, the- bride in front, the bridegroom behind with his hand
on tbe bride's back. Then the anjan is untied. Then they seat the
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bride and bridegroom. This time the bridegroom sits on the right~ hand side of the bride. Then the guests give the wedding presents. The presents given to the bridegroom are called '' ~ambol " and those given to the bride are called " sa j ." The fourth part of the sa j is set apart for the bride as her share. The Brahman gets the eleventh share of the saj. The bride's father gives the rest of the saj to the bridegroom's father. We ought to have said above that before the " lai pherua" a female relation of the bride, who must not be a widow, puts the biilU into the left nostril of the bride. After the division of the saj the bride is again taken inside her house. Her hair is. unplaited and then plaited again. Then there is the feast. Flesh, rice, ghi is given to all-to the bride and bridegroom inside the house and to the company outside the Painth (Gadi for Panghat). The Painth people drink sur, but the bride and the bridegroom do not. Aft~r the feast the bride and bridegroom prepare to start, (bar phera). The bride and bridegroom go to the toran or doorway erected for the occasion at the exit from the angan and are led back. When they come out the second time, the bride is placed in a palki and the palki is placed outside the toran. The bridegroom takes his stand at the bed. Then the bride's mother and some female relations come. out to the bridegroom at the bed, and make him a small present of money and fall at his feet. Then the bridegroom gets ipto his palki and with his bride is carried to his house. At the moment of departure the bridegroom's party break up and carry away the bed, while the bride's father pretends to prevent their doing so.
12. The remarriage of widows is permitted. A widow is expected to marry her husband's brother. The eldest, brother has a superior claim to the younger brothers. If there are no brothers, then she is expected to marry her husband's cousins. If she contracts a second marriage outside of her husband's family, she loses her claim to her husband's property. The form of a widow's marriage is called jhangrara. The new husband gives the widow a dori of saffron coloured or red threads and a bellO., a large ring. The women bind the dori round the bride's head and put the biilu into her nose. The husband also gives a feast to his family friends. If a widow, who has not married again and who continues to li,·e in her late husband's house, bears a child within four years of her .husband's death, the child is considered to be the offspring of the deceased husband. Such a child is called chukaridu.
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13. Divorce of a wife is permitted for adultery alone. No form is observed beyond turning the wife out of the house. She can marry any one she likes.
14· The Gaddfs who live north of the . Ravi, i.e., the Bharmaori Gaddls, follow the custom of Pagwand, and the Gaddi3 who live south of the Ravi called Chanoti follow the custom of ChunQ.ewand in inheritance.
15. The religion of the· Gaddis is Hinduism. They worship above all gods Shiv. When a marriage for any reason cannot be performed according to the shastras, the parties go to a temple of Shiv and get married there. The Gaddis do not worship Krishna, here called Thakur,
16. Among other deities they worship Kelang, who is said to have been wazir of Shiv, and Nag, and the Devis of sorts, e.g., the AgasgaQ.i of Naddi (but she was a Rakshini), the Ashtbhuja Devi of Sadhed, the Tal Devi of Drini. To Kelang are offered male-sheep and he-goats and barley or Kodra beer called sur. Offerings are made to Kelang on Sundays and Tuesdays. The Kugtail Sassi Gaddis receive the offerings to Kelang. There is a great temple of Kelang in Kugti.
To the Nags are offered ahri (bee-stings), male kids (challu) and male lambs, ora, the first ears cut of any crops, frankincense, and small cakes called thupli.
Offerings are made to the Nags on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The pujari, whoever he be, takes the offerings. To the Devis are offered sindur (vermilion), bindli, salu, qori, she·goats or he-goats and sur and spirits. The best day to make off~rings to a Devi is Tuesday and after it Thursday and Sunday. The Brahman or BMjkis take the offerings to Devis. Women worship Devi especially to avert misfortune and to get children. Shiv is worshipped by women, especially to obtaiu children. So is Kelang.* Nags are worshipped by both men and women to obtain benefits for cattle. Women may not worship or approach the temple of Kelang. There is no particular god worshipped by children.
17. Gaddfs employ Brahmans for wedding and death ceremonies. Our Brahman does both ceremonies, even the duties of an Acba.raj. He is considered the equal of other Brahmans. They will eat, drink -
*Lodi, a Gaddi, stated that his son Bhandari, who had been arrested as a dangerouq lunatic, was not really mad, but that he had come under the reveng-e of Kelang, and he asked for his son to be made over to him, which was done, 5th July 1f93·
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and smoke with him. The people of the valley have separate Brahmans for .wedding and {or death ceremonies. One Brahman do.es both for us.
18. Gaddfs bury infants who die up to one year of age. Over that age all are burnt. Lepers .and persons who die of bhuchri* are buried. Corpses are never exposed. The corpses of infants and of lepers and persons who die of bhuchri are buried in a lying position with the head to the north. When a person is at the point of death he is lifted off his bed and placed on the ground with his head to the north, and when corpses are burnt they are placed on the pyre (sal among Gaddfs) with the head to the north. A tomb is called 11 gat 11
by Gaddis or "ghor." On the 3rd day thP. pyre is washed, and three ·or four bones are collected and sent to be thrown into the Ganges at
Hard war.
rg. For eleven days mourning, mukan, is observed for any person who has died whether naturally or by a violent death. For ten days the clothes of the deceased are not washed, and the relations call at the house of the deceased. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are the proper days for calling. On the eleventh day the clothes of the deceased are washed, On the evening of this day a he-goat is killed and the flesh with the clothes of the deceased are given to the parohit. During the 10 days above mentioned the women of the house got up very early in the morning and weep. This is called. "mukh·dina." Three months after the death the parohit is again summoned. Some food is given to the relations and to the parohi t. This is called the '' tarmahi." They do the same six: months after the cieath. This is called the chhamahi. There is no ceremony performed until four years after the death. This is called the chaubark. The ceremony is the same as the tarmahi and chhamahi, except that the feast is larger and more valuable things are given to the parohit. The ceremonies are the same for those that die a \•iolent death (ajag maut), except that additional offerings are made at one of the tiraths. These are called Narain bali. There are no different ceremonies performed for childless ancestors. The ceremony of '' sradh 11 is performed every year, at the time that the parohit directs. The snidh is not per· formed until after the chaubark has been performed.
*From the symptoms and from the fact that ckamarl, which is known to be typhus, is a s,ynonym for bhur;hri Dr, Clark, Civil Surgeon, concludes that bhur;hri is typhus,
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20. Neither the caste Gaddi nor any of its gMars is named after . any animal, plant, weapon or implement. The only object to which
reverence is shown are the cow, the p1pal tree and the drat-a half· sickle, half-chopper implement.
21. The caste believes its original occupation to have been the keeping of sheep and goats and trading in these animals, in their wool and hair, and trading in charas, camphor and gold with Ladak. They have also always pursued agriculture, but agriculture has increased of late years, especially the cultivation of rice, They do not take service, with a very few exceptions. They adhere to their original occupations, i.e., that of shepherds and goatherds, traders in the special articles above named, and agriculturists.
22, The Gadd1s are almost universally cultivating proprietors. A very few have become tenants in the rice lands of the Kangra Valley. A very few have become landless day labourers.
23. Our occupation is not that of artizans, though many know how to weave patt{1 (frieze) for domestic use or to make a plough. The menial castes do all the artizan's work we require. Badls do mason's and carpenter's work. The Sippls do weaving and make clothes, and the Halfs do work with hides, tanning and shoe-making. But Gaddls of the higher g&tars will put their hand to all these works. From the position of our houses, i.e., scattered at a distance from one another on the mountain side, we do not require sweepers to remove night-soil,
24. We use a "drat," half-sickle, half-chopper implement, the whole of which, handle included, is made of iron, The drati of the valleys has a wooden handle. There is no mode of working, such as in shearing sheep and goats, milking. or building of houses which is characteristic of Gaddls,
25. The Gadd(s do not prostitute their women at all.
26, The Brahmans do not drink liquors, all Gadd1s eat
goat,
sheep,
pork,
jungle fowl,
fish, whether scaly or scaleless,
wild sheep and goats,
deer,
otters,
porcupines,
and drink beer and spirits.
And do not eat-
monkeys,
beef,
yak,
nilgai,
domestic fowl,
IJ
tortoises,
snakes,
lizards,
rats,
bf'ars,
crocodiles, armadilloes,
hedgehogs or the leavings of others.
The Badi, RiMre, Sipj:>i, Dhangra abstain from the same food that we abstain from. The Hali will eat beef, but abstains from the other food mentioned above,
27. We do not know the distinction between pakki and kachhi roti. We call food cooked with ghi or oil, sweetmeats, ghi, dahi, flesh, "suchi , roti, and rice, dil and food not cooked with ghi or oil, " nali " roti or simply nali. We eat neither suchi or nali with Badi, Sippi, Ribire, Hali, Dhangri. We!eat suchi with the G.irth, Lobar, Tarkha.n, Kumhir and Nai, but not nali. We eat suchi and nali with Brahman, Khatri, Rajput, Thakkar and Rathi, whether they are Gadd(s or not,
May 6th, 1893. E. O'BRIEN.
1~
Dharamsala Gaddis.
ANSWERS TO ETHNOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS, PART C.
Informants.
I. Mutsadi, son of Phainku, resident of village ForsythganJ, Police Station Dharmsala, occupation za!Dindar and a Panch of the village, caste Khatri, tribe or sect Tai].an Gaddi, age 50 years, uneducated.
2. Bakshi, son of Dum, resident of Dharamkot, Police Station Dharmsala, occupation zamind.ir, position cultivator, caste Brahman, tribe Gaddi, age 30 years.
3· Mohan, Kotwal, wa(also referred to at times.
C.-ORIGIN AND INTERNAL ORGANIZATION.
Answers to questions:
I. Name Gaddi, No synonyms.
2. They have no other names. The term is generally applied to those 1n:en of the hill districts who wear a ·woollen girdle,
3• Gaddis are often distinguished by a local name as well as by their main occupation, thus-those of village Lila are called Liial Gaddls : those who live by selling magas (coral) necklets are styled Mogu Gaddis.
4· All Gaddis use this one name.
5· A tradition exists that the Gaddis' ancestors were Tal}an Khatri traders of Lahore in the time of some Muhammadan Kingperhaps Aurangzeb-who attempted to convert them to his religion, and that through fear very many left the city and came to a place called Bharmaur in Chamba territory and squatted about the gaddi or baithak of a Hindu 'fakir ' there, attending to their flocks of sheep and goats. From the fakir's gaddi or baithak they were styled Gaddts, Of the Gaddis who subsequently migrated from Bharmaur some went into the Kangra District and some went into Mandi territory.
6. The Gaddis consider themselves as originally of Bharmaur. '
7· Not· from elsewhere. It is supposed that some families migrated from ·Bharmaur about the time of Raja Amar Singh of Chamba and some in the time of Ranjlt Singh (the Sikh ruler).
8. Bharmaur is considered their original head-quarters.
g. Originally Lahore and afterwards from Bharmaur.
10. Pilgrimages are made to Bharmaur.
11. Gaddis are cremated, but lepers amongst them are buried. There is no particular place in which Gaddi remains are interred.
12. Priests, barbers and genealogists are not drawn from any particular places.
13. Gaddls do not claim descent from any particular ancestor er
chief (see No. 5).
J4. ·They have no genealogical tree.
15. They claim no other caste as an offshoot "from them.
x6. There have not been ·any changes in the former religion or ceremonies.
17. None such.
18. None.
19. That no tribe of Gaddls may take a wife from its own Bakshi says. got.
That for six generations this is the rule, but that in the seventh Mutsadi says. generation a man may take a wife from his own got,
20. That if a Gaddi of any " kaum ,, cannot get a wife, he may
Baksbi says. marry into any Hindu " kaum ,, of respectable standing.
Mutsadi says. That no Gaddi may marry into a lower "kaum."
21, No such classes known, but generally Gaddls do not kill cows or cut down p$pal trees.
22. None such are known.
23. It is the general custom to refrain from cutting or injuring the plpal tree, which is an object of veneration. No plants:are pro· hibited from use.
24. No ; none.
25. The following lower castes of people-Halls, Bahdls, Sipp{s, and Dhangris-all wear the woollen girdles and style themselves Gaddis, for whom they work and tend cattle, &c.1 but Gaddls have no intimacy or caste inter~ours~ lfith them~
26. They are offshoots of the Gaddi caste (kaurn), but it is not
Panchi. known that they had for any generations preceding sub-divisions of their own. It is said that certain
Gaddls used to supply water for the household of the Chamba Raja, and that one day the house servants saw these Gaddis eating while busy filling water and for this offence the Gaddis were dismissed and were expelled from their own caste, Being unable to get any other employment some took to weaving pattu clothes, some to carpentry, and others to agriculture, and hence the Sippis, Baddis and Halls getting the name of three main occupation.
27. The Gaddis have representative assemblies.
28. They are styled " Panchayats."·
29. A few intelligent and trustworthy persons are selected for investigating, &c., causes of dispute.
30. The Panchayat has to ~nvestigate all cases of dispute between opposite parties, or disregard of caste customs and private quarrels, &c.
31. The chief of each Pancbayat is styled "Panch '' or
" Mokaddam."
32.-
33· So long as he is capable the Panch or headman holds office
permanently.
34· The office is not hereditary.
35· As the office is not hereditary, no minor is ever made
Panch.
36. In the case of disputes amongst the trading or artisan castes and guilds the matter is settled by a ;:eference to a Panchayat of a higher caste, whose award is accepted as final.
lNTER1dARRIAG~.
37. Gadd{s do not marry in th~ir own brotherhood, i.e., their own section of the caste : if this rule be disregarded, the offender is put out of caste (expC?lled). No one on pain of e}:pl,llsion 111ay marry into a lower Ca$te. But within the caste and in another got marriage is allowed. Marriage is also permitted with two own sisters.·
38. Marriage with near blood-relation~ of parents is prohibited,
"'ill., with uncles, aunts, cousinsJ ~<;._
IS
39· No prohibition; as regards locality, there is no prohibition if
(Mohan.) hill Gadd1s are concerned, but otherwise there is; for instance, Dharmsala Gadd!s will not marry with Gaddls
of Hoshiarpur. None on religious differences. Difference in occupation is a bar to marriage.
40. Difference in religion as well as in sects is an absolute bar to marriage contracts.
41. Marriage cannot be contracted between parties of different castes.
42. If parties of different castes do contract marriage, they give a feast to the brotherhood, but the ceremony is considered to be of a lower form called '' jhinh·ara."
43• It is not the custom to make any difference in such· case. Mohan. Marriage takes place as usual. Mohan. 44• No distinction made as noted above.
45· When the bride with her husband arrives at the husband's house, the females of the household abuse her and" then take into the house. After this the mother-in-law gives the bride some money and ~akes her sit beside her. The bride gives nothing.
46. Two wives at one time are allowable, but in case of death
Bakshi.
Mutsadi.
wives up to seven may be taken, not more.
Men may marry until offspring are born.
47· If the two wives are sisters, their position in the house is the same exactly, but if the wives are of different houses, then the first married wife is the superior of the two and has superior claims to property.
48. Wives have separate rooms if the husband can give them separate accommodation : otherwise they live together.
49·
Bakshi,
Mutsadi,
Concubinage is not permitted.
. so. No prohibition against a woman having more than one husband.
Polyandry is not practised.
51. If the husband has any brother, the woman can select him if she chooses.
Mutsadi, Polyandry is not customary.
52. It is not necessary that all the husbands.should be_ brothers~
53· Women are allowed freedom before marriage~·
16
54· Women are not allowed to prostitute themselves. They are cared for until married off.
55· Nothing is given to parents as a custom, but the parents give the bridegroom presents and a feast.
56. Marriage takes place as below :-Baksbi. From the age of 9 till 18 years. Mutsadi. From 12 till 18 years.
51· Infant marriages are not approved, nor practised.
58, The parents and parohit.
59· Besides the parohit there are no professional match-makers.
6o. The consent of the parents of the bride.
61. It is not the custom or practice to consult the persons mar
rying.
62, Money presents are given, if necessary, to the parents of both the bride and bridegroom by the parents of either party.
63. According to pleasure and means i no set price is fixed.
64; There is no rule laid down, but the parents of the bride may according to their pleasure give the money in cash, or have jewels, clothes, &c., made and give them to her instead of cash.
65. No physical defects are deemed sufficient to annul a marriage which has taken place.
66. Bodily defects are not considered sufficient to annul mar·
Bakshi, riage.
Panchi. 67. No distinction is made.
68. When the wife tells her husband he is her father, or husband tells his wife she is his mother or sister ; or for infidelity when the husband only can divorce,
6g, The husband calls four men and before them tells the wife
Bakshi, that her cause of offence will be overlooked, but she
must leave the house. This is sufficient.
70. Yes; a divorced woman may marry in another place, but such a marriage is considered an inferio~ one, i.e., 11 jhinj-
Mutsadi.
Baksbi.
I7
If the father of the offspring admits his paternity, then no difference is held as regards the three separate phases noted in question ; ail are considered the same.
Same. But illegitimate offspring is considered so.
72. The eldest gets a somewhat larger share, and the rest share equally.
73· They follow the caste custo:ns of their parents ani do not assume a new name.
74• Yes. Those born into a trib~ again3t its custo.ns are not considered as legitimate; they are 11 wald-ul-haram."
75· One sub-division cannot marry into anoth~r sub-division of the same caste.
76. No change of caste results to the parents unless the offending child continues to reside with them.
Mutsadi.
Mutsadi.
19·
17· Yes. The Dog!i set(?)
In D.ida. a Rajput came and put up with. a hi.mbardar wh:1 got the guest to marry a Gaddi woman : their offspring were styled " Doglls."
Yes.
So. Yes.
8r. Three or four men who witness the marriage are fed, and this marriage is called '' jhinjrara."
82, Yes. This is allowed.
83, Yes.
84. Yes, the brother-in-law has the right to keep ail the offspring of his deceased brother.
85. The widow (remarried) would have no right in any property left: the right would go to. the brother-in· law and children.
86. In such case the property would go to the children of her de· ceased husband.
87. Are looked on as offspring of the first husband.
J8
DOMESTIC CEREMONIES.
Pregnancy and birth.
88. Charity is indulged in more than ordinary, and the woman performs only light work.
89. The palms of both hands are placed on the ground behind the back so as to supJ;.ort the weight of body; both legs are stretched out and weight thrown on the heels and on the posterior.
go. During confinement the dM or nurse attends to the woman ; after confinement is over she is attended to by the female relatives of the household.
91. On the birth of a child the father distributes such doles of money in charity as his means allow.
92. Yes, the father gives up work.
93· No special reason is assigned for giving up work when a child is born.
94· No special customs are observed.
Adoption.
95· To take a child into the lap is called " dharmputar" or adoption, and he or she is declared heir or heiress. No other observance is practised.
g6. No special ceremony beyond taking the child into the lap is observed. But some three or more neighbours are called, and in their presence some documents relating to the adoption are prepare:!.
97· The status does not depend on form of Mohan.
ceremony adopted.
Mohan.
99· None.
100, None.
g8. See above.
Puberty or adolescenfl.
Betrothal. 101. First a couple of trustworthy men from the intended
bridegroom's house are sent to the bride's people to fix a propitious day for the '' mangni" or asking. On the day thus fixed the parohit and two or bur friends of the bridegroom go to the girl's house, taking with them, as a friendly offering, some gur, dhania, sup!ri
19
(betel nut) and some cash. These are presented to the girl's parents or guardians, and the offering is then struck or tapped by the parohit with the grindstone signifying acceptance of the present and the offer of marriage. Gifts are also given in charity by the boy's father,
102, The tapping of the offering with the stone is the binding act.
103.
Bak~hi.
Betrothal once made cannot be reversed : the ceremony of striking the offering with the stone affirms betrothal as absolute.
If a:t the time ofthe asking or mangni, it be made a condition that
Mutsadi adds. a bride is also to be given by the bridegroom's party when demanded, and this condition is not fulfilled,
then the betrothal can be cancelled if the girl's people so will it.
1 04. The ages of both boy and girl should be 6 or 7 years.
105. The consentof the girl's parents is necessary.
106, Belrothal expenses have to be refunded. In case of dispute the matter is referred to a Panchayat. If it cannot be thus arranged, the parties sue in the Law Courts.
Marriage.
107. Amongst the Gaddis there is only one form of the marriage ceremony. That is, mainly, the wedding procession consisting of a following of 10 or 20 men with music proceed to the girl's house and there the girl and boy are placed in the yard of the house facing each other. The exact details are that, on the day that the marriage ceremony commences and when the parohit permits, a little haldi (turmeric) is mixed with flour and oil, this is called •• lupri." This mixtureais rubbed all over the body of the bridegroom. After this ~his mother ~or other female relative superintends his bath and then he is made to put on a new 11 dhoti" (waist-cloth) and is given bread with milk, ghi, &c., to eat. The barber then attends to his hair, and the boy after this puts on a red '' choga," a red "paijama" and a white "safa" with a white "kamarband." Thus clothed the boy proceeds to give his female relatives little presents of cash, clothes, &c. Just before starting for the girl's house one of the doo:i-bearers fetches aad places before the boy a ';Iota" of water and receives for this propitious act a little money: he then gets into the palki or dooli, and an escort of 15 or 20 men, the parohit an:i
20
musicians accori'lpany him. When the party arrives at the dwelling place of the girl they halt outside the bamboo or other kind of gate or archway which has been erected. The parohits of both the bridegroom and bride then me~t and hold a consultation as to the time at which the bridegroom is to be taken into the bril~e's place of residence, When the time is decided upon, the bride's parohit marks the bridegroom on the forehead with a red "tilak" or round spot. For this the p:1rohit gets· a small present. Then an offering of fruit, red thread, '' dhania," oil, cash an1 a little dub grass, with a red sheet, is made to the bridegroom. The dry items are divided and a portion tied up in Each corner of the red sheet. The oil is kept and given separately, but with the rest. This offering is taken by both the puohits and the father, brother or uncle of the bridegroom to the girl's house, On reaching the house both the parohits take the wetted rice which is in a dish inside, and after repeating mantars put it on the red sheet, after which it all is taken into the house by the barber's wife, or by some female relative of the bride. The oil is rubbed on the girl's head and the red thread is plaited into her hair. After this the bridegroom is brought into the yard. When he comes in his own barber washes his fe~t and the b:ide's brother or other male relative takes him by the thumb of the right hand and leads him under the had or canopy and seats him there on a red cloth; the men of both contracting parties seat themselves around ; and both parohits begin reading mantars.
After this some cups, made of leaves by the bride's parohit, are given to her father-first 3, then after the reading of more mantars 4, then 5 and lastly 7 are given. In the first lot are plac~d betelnuts; in the second pice; in the third rice is put; then in the same order betel-nu·t, pice and rice are put .in the 4th, 5th and 7th cups. These· are then placed in the hands of the bridegroom, man tars being repeated all the time. This portion of the ceremony is called the " bahar-ka-lagan ." An earthen vessel called the "sar61 " is filled with water and standing in the yard the bride's parohit takes wa~er from it, which he sprinkles on the ground while preceding the party cqnsisting of the bridegroom, his father aud five or six relatives into the house of the bride, where is a lamp burning and a small earthen vessel filled with water. Here the boy and girl are seated, the bride on the left side of the bridegroom, both parohits also sitting close by with the rest of the p:uty, At this period the girl's parents place
21
her hand in the boy's hand and on their hands a le sankh, is placed: in the "sankh" is a small quantity of cash or silver or gold. The 11 gotra-char" which includes the names of the ancestors of both boy and girl is then read. After this the girl rises and with her mother goes into an inner room. Those who remain behind are given s·weets.
The parohits then decide and fix a time either for this or the next day when the boy and girl and all their friends assemble once more at the had or canopy. HP-re the nose-ring is put on the girl, and the boy and girl are made .to do puja. After the puja a corner of the "dopatta" which is round the boy's waist is fastened to the sheet or 11 cha.dar" worn by the bride, and the bride followed by the bride4 groom go four times round inside the bad. This is the most important feature of the marriage ceremony.
After this ''walk-round" the girl's relatives and the friends bidden to the wedding make gifts to her parents according to their means,-vessels, cash, wool, sheep and goats, &c., and the girl's father gives her vessels, bed and bedding, clothes and a cow. Both classes of. gifts are termed "saj." Of these gifts from T10"th to T1rth is given to the bride's parohit. After the giving of presents all are fed, and the bride and her lord go and take their meals in the house of the girl's people. But until the bride and bridegroom depart for the latter's house the girl's near male relatives, z'.e., her father ani! uncles on both sides, do not partake of meals ..
When starting home the bride is placed in a "palki" given by her father, and then the bridegroom and all his party leave for his home with music. On arrival at his house the mother comes out and meets the pair with some bread covered with ghi or oil and a lighted lamp in a platter and waves these over the heads of both: she then breaks the bread or cakes and throws the pieces away, taking back the platter and "chirag." On this the· boy and girl enter the house. The rest of the party remain out in the yard making merry .and are feasted by the bridegroom's people that day. The next day a feast called "dham" is given, but just before partaking of this feast the near relatives present make presents-" tambol "-to the bridegroom's father.
After this feast if the bride's home is not too far froQl her hus· band's house, she is taken back on this day: if too far, she is taken back on the following day. On this day also a feast called "jhar6g,",
or the last festival, is given. On the return of the bride she is accompanied by any near relative who may have come with her from her parent's house. This completes the marriage ceremony.
The '' jhinjrara" ceremony which is also called the "jhin-:1-phuk" does not require the presence of many guests nor is there any music. Only a few men of the brotherhood assemble, and the woman is given a nose-ring, red thread for the hair and some red cloth. The jhindphUk (which means jhind, a thorny shrub, and phU.k, to burn) or burning of thorny shrub is performed, and while this is burning, the man and woman go round it four times, the woman in front and the man following, The woman's sheet or '' chadar" and the man's waist cloth are tied together by a knot.
This is all that is considered necessary.
The wearing of the nose-ring and tying of thread in the hair are considered the most important features of the '' jhinh·ara" ceremony.
108. In the marriage ceremo::Jy the fastening of the chc'i.ddar and waist-cloth of both and the walk round in the " ba1d,'' and in the "j/zz'njrara" the wearing of the nose-ring and thread in the hair, are the most important features.
109. The pretence of capturing the bride forms no part of the marriage ceremony. In the very early periods if a
Mohan. girl once betrothed was afterwards refused by the parents, the friends of the bridegroom often captured the girl and hld her married to him.
110. None such exists.
Dtath and burial.
1 I 1. Cremate all their dead.
112. Do not bury, but at time of cremating the body, if that of a male, is placed with the face downwards and back uppermost, For a woman the position is reversed. The head of the deceased, whether male or female, is placed towards the north. The same is observed with children. Age makes no difference,
Lepers are not burnt, but buried with the head towards the north.
Those dying of cholera are buried in the same way as lepers.
113. The ashes of deceased are after three days collected with 7 bones of the finger, knee and ankle joints. Some Ganges water with cow's milk, ghi, curds, cowdung and urine are all mixed and
sprinkled over the bones and ashes: these are then tied up in a piece of cloth taken from the deceased's shroud, and the parcel placed in an earthen vessel and deposited in a recess made in a wall of the house until sufficient money is saved to take the remains to Hardwar. While the parcel is in the house, a b.mp is lit for a short time each night and each morning and placed near the spot, and some water -is daily sprinkled about.
114. For ~he cremation a quantity of wood is piled up. Chit wood which contains much resin is preferred. The corpse is placed on the pyre with the head towards the north. A ball (pind) of barley flour is made and with it the head is touched by the parohit, and it is then thrown into a stream or water close by.
Usually the shroud with the body are burnt with it, but at times the shroud or some other piece of clothing is given to either the chaukidar or the Acharaj. The corpse tis not made nude before cremating it, but it is washed and enclosed in a tight-fitting cover like a sack which is sewn on round the neck, arms, &c., and is then covered with a shroud or "kafan" and thus prepared it is placed on the pyre. A small quantity of ghi and some pieces of sandal wood are placed in the mouth, On this being done, the parohit reads some
mantras.
When ready, the son starting from the head of the corpse and followed by his near relatives bearing lighted torches makes one turn around the pyre, and on arriving at the starting point the son first puts his torch to the pile and then the rest do the same, setting it on fire. The relatives lament while following the corpse to its place, At times musicians follow the procession.
When the body is half consumed by the fire and the skull splits, all those present wash their hands and feet and throw into the fire small bits of sandal wood, and then return to their own homes. But three of the relatives (not the son) remain to take care of the remains: When the body is entirely consumed, these also return home. They
are styled '' singarus,"
At the time of preparing for the firing of the pyre some five articles of clothing, silk or other, are placed on the corpse.
The same is done in case a leper is buried.
Mohan. I 15. No such ceremonies are performed,
1 16, The sradh or fourth yearly celebration is periormed. Near relatives of deceased assemble, the parohit presides, a he-goat is killeu by one of the brotherhood, and the flesh of this goat and some rice are cooked by the parohit and eaten by all the assembly. Pt1ja is performed, and some· cash, grain and cloth given in the name of the deceased to the parohit.
117. The parohi t officiates at the funeral ceremony and he also repeats the prayer formulce or mantras, &c.
I 18. When the Brahman is not called in the sister's son officiates.
Mohan says.
119. Yes.
No one from the female side can officiate amongst pure Gaddis. It is done by those of lower caste.
Purification.
120. Yes, impurity follows for women and men on the occasions mentioned, and purification ceremonies are necessary.
121. For child-birth the period is from 5 to 7 days: for menstruation 3 days : for funeral duties fO days.
122. For child·birth.-A woman takes some cow's urine in her hand and gets the ailing woman to taste it. It is also given to the housl!hold to taste. Some money is lastly placed in the urine and given to the midwife.
Ganges water is drunk and some rubbed over the body; cow's urine is also drunk by all the household.
For menstruation.-When it ceases the woman bathes and washes her clothes.
For funeral uncleanness_-After ten days a he-goat is killed which is presented by the brotherhood. The flesh is cooked and eaten by the deceased's relatives, The clothes of the unclean are washed. This is called 11 s6g katna." Ganges water is drunk and rubbed on the body: cow's urine is also tasted.
RELIGION.
Wors~z'p, priests and temples.
122 A. The Gaddls belong to the great caste of Hindus.
123. Are Hindus: they specially worship and do puja to ManiG Mahesh and Devi1 the former because he is the deota of their an·
cestors.
124. Have always been Hindus,
12 5· As above.
Convers£on.
126. AU profess the same tenets.
127. No,
128. The minor deities are Devi, Nag, Kailu, Bintru and Autr: local patrons or saints are not worshipped. The deities are worshipped in the hope that requests made will be granted. At shrines a trident of iron or lhe form of a trident cut into a stone is the sign used for Nag and Devi. For Kailu a square platform is made. For Autr an image of stone is placed at a baoli or stream.
Offerings of grain, ghi, milk, &c., are made on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. There is no set time or season making offerings.
During worship Sarsut Brahmans, or Gosains of the Saniasi, Bharthi, Giri or P6.ri sects, officiate. These take the offerings made.
129. Women worship particularly Kailu. For children there is no particular deity.
130, Ancestors are worshipped occasionally whenever new or old articles of diet are used. Snake, plpal tree and fire worship are allowed by caste custom. The sun and moon are worshipped at times of bathing.
131. The following are visited :-Bhagsu Nath temple and Dal Mandar in Dharmsala; temples Jowah'iji, Bhaon in Kangra, and Shivji in Mani Karn. No fixed seasons.
132. No one.
133· See above reply.
134· None amongst the Gadd!s.
135• See above.
136. No such cases.
137· Yes. 138. The Brahmans employed are Gaddi Brahmans, and are not
on a religious equality with other Brahmans. They are of a low~r order.
139. Employ Brahmans for all their religious offices.
1 40! ).' es ; these are.
141. The priestly office is a hereditary one and is filled by: the descendants of those originally appointed as priests.
142. Yes.
I43· No. I44· Yes, but in private residences separate places are also often
assigned for worship.
145. Thil.kardwaras and mandars are built usually facing either south or west.
146. Where Shiv is worshipped the place is called a Shibdwala; where Devi or Tha.kar is worshipped the place is called a Mandar.
147. Yes.
148, Sacrifices of goats are made and offerings of grain, sweet bread, milk, ghi, &c. Twice a day, morning and evening, worship is held by priests and pujarls. At midday the "bhog" ceremony is performed, i.e., cooked food is first placed before the idol, and it is taken away and eaten by the priests and pujarl:s.
The " jagra " and "jatra " ceremonies are also observed.
The "jagra" means the night watch, and '' jatra" the day observance.
I 49· All rites are publicly performed.
Sacrifice.
150. Yes; to Nag, Bhagwati, Mani Mahesh, Kaiiu, Bbagsu Nath. He-goats are sacrificed.
I5I· Besides the priest any one may offer sacrifice,
152. Wherever, that is, a Deota's mandar exist.
I53• W~en a he-goat is sacrified the head is left for the temple, and the rest is taken away by the worshippers.
I54· No.
I55· No.
156, Never heard of.
157· As above.
158, As above.
159· As above.
t6o. There are five
Bassowa Patroru Sair Lohri Shabrat
Festivals.
1st Baisakh. 1st Bhadon. xst Asuj. 1st Phagun, In Phagun, but on varying dates.
161, Bassowa.-On this festival cakes soaked fn ghi or oil are eateu ; the people dance and have sports ; liquor is drunk ; new clothes are worn.
Patroru.-As above.
Sa·t'r.-As above.
Lohrz'.-Khichiri is cooked, (z'.e., rice and dal mixed) is eaten, and the other observances of the Bassowa festival are indulged in.
Shabrat.-Sheep's flesh is eaten and the other amusements as above noted indulged in. The feast on this occasion is called "nawalah."
162. At the dates noted above against each festival.
163. None such.
164. Yes. On the anniversary of a death gifts are distributed; and puja is done in the name of the deceased.
165. The Lohriand Sair only are observed.
t66. The above only are celebrated, but Hindus generaiiy do not regard them much.
167. No.
168. No.
169. Yes; drunkenness is common: there is no special kind of drink used.
Fetz'slzism.
170. No such ideas are entertained.
171. No,
172. Blocks of stone or wood are not ordinarily worshipped, but i:f any stone is believed to be endowed with spiritual attributes, then it is worshipped.
WORSHIP OF NATURAL SPIRITS.
Plants and animals.
Mohan,
Yes. In springs the 11 Bath-al" and in trees "Chung-hu" spirits are believed to dwell. No others are believed in.
174· When any of these are supposed to affect any man or woman the spirits are prayed to and offerings of fruit, sweets, &c., are made, which after the puja are thrown far away. This is called
" cltar .''
175· No.
176. Yes.
177. The Deotas are 11 Chaunda," 11 Kali, 11 Banasath," "Shivji" and " Devi."
It is supposed so ; for instance, the Kanyara Mohan. forest contains the "Ghanjar Mahadev" mandar.
This is the remains of a very extensive forest now decreasing.
178. The cow is worshipped. Rice, grass and fhwers are placed at her feet and puja is made through the parohit. Cakes are also given to the cow.
Ancestor worshi'p.
t 79· The spirits of ancestors are worshiped, ~ but no sacrifice is made.
180. Prayers are offered up, and charity is distributed to Brahmans,
181. About the beginning of the month a stone image of the ancestor is made and this is placed near a spring or baoli.
182. Offerings are made in the hope that they may reach the spirits of the dead.
183. Jewels are put on the corpse, but taken off before cremation and then taken home. Food and grain are also placed near the body, but these are taken by the AcM.raj. No offerings are made afterwards.
184. Yes,
185. Yes; but efforts are made to keep off the influence. If in -a dream the deceased's spirit appears and if it demands anything, it is, if practicable, _ offered in p6ja, and this the Acharaj takes.
Mohan.
Mohan.
1 86. It is believed that ghosts do haunt places, but no form is assumed by them,
187. Yes.
188. By offerings in puja.
1Sg. There are two kinds, "Bath-a!" and "Chung-hu." ·The first affects pregnant women, while the second in-
Mohan, fluenc·es both men and women,
190. No special days are considered sacred to ancestors.
191. Pilgrimages are made to Gang:iji and Mani Mahesh.
Totems.
192. No see reply to question No. 22).
193· See reply to question No. 23.
194· No.
195· None.
196. No ; such is not done.
•97· Yes; at weddings the pomegranate and citron trees are venerated. Children are not named after them.
SUPERSTITIONS.
Omens.
198. All Gaddls do not, but the well-to-do do, consult their parohits as to lucky days and hours for undertaking journeys, or doing parti
-cular work or going in particular directions. lf at the time of starting on a journey a crow or a jackal calls out on the left hand side, the omen is unpropitious.
Of their own feelings as influenced by custom or teaching the Gaddls have no such superstitions except perhaps in a few petty matters, such as that some one sneezing just as a person is about to start on a journey is uplucky or that the left eyelid winking for a man and the right for a woman are lucky omens. Some hours are considered unlucky owing to many deaths in it or because few births occur in it. The breaking of a barrel filled with water while being carried on the shoulder is unlucky.
Mutsadi and Mohan,
1 99· Comets are considered as presaging some calamity.
·Some Gadd(s consider it unlucky i£ the · " Dr6b '~
sta~ !~ ~ot s~en fo! s~m~ tim~!
2oo. There is no superstition as regards crossing rivers or run .. ning streams, but if on a journey a dog is seen shaking his ears it is an unlucky omen; so also is stumbling.
201, No particular custom as regards wearing clothes· or orna· ments prevails, nor tho;: using of cooking ve3sels or eating p~rticular plants or drugs.
Widows only abstain from dressing well and wearing ornaments,
202. None ~see also answer to question 21).
203. No. 204. No.
Oaths and ordeals.
205. Gadd{s do take oaths. They swear by the name of the cow and also by putting the right hand on her. An oath is also taken by touching a Brahman's foot. Also by the name of an ancestor. They often swear by a son and also by placing the right hand on a son's head. Also by the abiding place or baithak of a deota. Also by Gangaji.
206. The breaking of an oath is considered an evil and likely to· be followed by serious consequences, such as illness, death of offspring or cattle.
It is not the custom to go through any ordeals.
207. Yes·; oaths are taken in cases of dispute arising from any cause.
Magic and wt'tchcraft.
2o8. The magic arts are practis~d only by tho3e who have some knowledge of such-about 1 per cent. of the people.
209. No jealousy is known to exist between parohits and those who practise witchcraft, &c.
210, These cause a devil or evil spirits to enter into any person who is to be injured. Sorcerers and witches are generally feared and abhorred.
211. Yes. The chela of a deota uses some man tars in such a way, that a "garwi," or iron water bucket, is placed in
Mohao. some one's hand and against this are thrown some grains of urad da! after repeating mantars over them. This causes the garwi to shake and· pull in various directions and ultimately forces the holder in the dire~tio~ of the sorcerer or witch~
31
2 t 2. Yes ; spirits and demons are at times called upon to answer questions. Chelas cite mantars over a man or woman and throw· . ing him or her into a frenzy ask questions on any desired subject.
213. Yes; evil possession is believed in. To exorcise evil spirits a "chela" is called in to repeat mantars.
2 r 4· Demoniacal possession is not favourably regarded. Is not acquired, nor confined to any special caste.
215, Regard is paid to dreams. It is believed that information as regards the past and prophecy for the future are revealed by reliable omens.
216. Some elderly member (male) of the family or a Brahman is asked to interpret. The Brahman consults his books and says what he finds in them.
217. Yes. 218. Yes; a Brahman is consulted, and through him puja is made. 219. Yes. 220.-
221. Chelas are called in who repeat mantars.
Moban, 222. Yes; injury can be caused through the
hair of victims.
223. The hair cut or shaved is of no avail, but if hair ·is
Mohan. purposely taken by any means, then it is of use to a sorcerer for evil purposes.
224. None.
225. Divination is not practised. Exorcising is practised by chelas.
226. Yes. 227. The discovery is made by a chela. Offerings of goats,
sheep, sweets, fruit, &c., are made. These are then flourished over the head of the afflicted, with p6.jii, and then pieces of the flesh, &c., are scattered where two and others where four roads meet, The chela takes the rest.
Ceremonial prohibition or taboo,
228. The cow, nll gau, domestic pig and fowls1 and peafowl are forbidden to be used as food.
229. The entire caste is forbidden to use these, 230! Yes,
231. The cow and peafowl are conside1ed sacred. The pipal tree and tulsi plant are venerated.
232. No.
233· No reason can be given for the prohibition.
234· Beyond eating with or touching one of another caste there is no objection,
235· The prohibitions apply to the caste and occupation.
236. Yes; Hali, Badi, Dhangri and Sippi castes are held at arm's length, because they are looked_ upon as inferior.
237· No. Bakshi a n d
Mutsadi.
Mohan,
238. No-they are very friendly.
The husband's elder brother and his uncle will not touch the wife.
239· given.
It has been the immemorial custom; no reason can be
240. Yes.
24 r. No such idea,
242, The names of the husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and husband's elder brother only are not taken, whether alive or dead.
243· Yes ; any expressions that by usage derogate from dignity or respect are objectionable.
244· Gods (deotas) are called by their owo proper names, but if BakshiandMut- these happen to have the same names as a woman's
sadi. husband, father-in-law, mother-in-law and husband's elder brother, then the deota is called by some other name and the husband and other relatives above named are called when spoken to or of by some other name.
Some people will not take the
Mohan.
not known.
not known, She people call Skivii
name of Devi ']oalaji: reason is called '' Lattanwali.' ' Some Dhuru or "Kilaspatti," reason
If any respectable person is being spoken of in a defamatory tone his name is not mentioned, be is alluded to as 11 bajia," i.e., master. - -
33 A g,.icu!tttrat superstitions.
245. In 11 Jaith" maize and pulse are sown and the crop cut in 11 Asuj." In "Katak" barley and wheat are sown and crops reaped in "Har." It_is considered unlucky to do this before or after the times stated. ·
The plough is ordinarily used twice only : oftener is not good. If in the eight days in beginning of Bkadon and the eight at end o'f
Mohan. Sawan there is no rain, it is unlucky. And similarly, if in the eight days in beginning of Har and the eight
at end of Jaitk there is no sun and rain falls, it is unlucky.
There is no fear of demons doing any harm to crops.
246. When new ground is to be broken up for the plough a he-goat is sacrificed and a feast is made. On the day fixed by the parohit ploughing or breaking up the soil is begun. When the crop is reaped a portion is offered to the deota.
247• If rain comes at the proper time, then it is lucky for commencing sowings operation. February-March is the proper time for planting potatoes. Before or much after this time is not good.
248. Yes, for barley, wheat, maize, and rice. lridranag, Bar6nag, Bhagsunag and Kailang are the special gods.
249· All Gaddis regard these with veneration, but Kailang is specially regarded,
SOCIAL CUSTOMS.
250. The ftesh of the following is eaten :-
Cloven footed am'mals.-Goats, sheep, wild pig, wild goat, deer.
Of other Mnds.-The porcupine, other wild fowls except peafQwl, fish of all kinds, hare.
Wine is also used except by Brahmans.
The following are not consumed :--
Flesh of oxen, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, jackals, rats, tarn~:
pigs, fowls and other vermin, Leavings of other people are not eaten except by Halis, who
are a lower caste.
251. No.
'252, No,
253· No.
254. No.
34
255· Yes; but not from same platter : each has his or her own platter, which is either of brass or some inferior mixed metal. No distinction is made as regards rank, age or sex.
256. Men and women eat at the same time and place, but each has a separate plate.
257· Before commencing to eat a small portion of food is put aside as an offering. This is either thrown into the chula or given to a dog or other animal.
258. No peculiar"ity.
259· Liquor only (lugri)· is drunk. No drugs or narcotics in•. dulged in.
260, No,
261. No.
262. The habit of drunkeness or the habitual use of liquors, and the use ·of drugs (which is not common with Gaddfs) are considered degrading.
Customs oj social £nter&ourse.
263. Hands are placed on the knees or feet (" charn bandna "). The words '' Ram, Ram '' are also exchangl!d. The party whose feet are touched says in reply, '' razi raho." When an inferior meets a superior, he simply ca1Js out "I touch your feet," and in reply is told "rii.zi raho. " Those of different castes meeting simply salute by the words, 11 Ram, Ram. "
264. Relationship makes no difference. The younger party is the one who touches the knees or feet of the senior, As regards mere rank and status, excepting relations, all will touch the feet of the superior party regardless of age.
265. Amongst members of a family, relatives and friends the mode of greeting is as above stated, Very intimate relatives or friends will at times embrace.
Strangers when they meet simply greet each other with the words ''Ram, Rf,m. ''
35
266. In writing to a superior of any rank or age the letter or address is headed 11 Siri maha siri-pairi pauna, ; then follows the name and purport of communication. To an inferior in rank or age 11 razi raho" and then the name and subject of communication.
An equal to an equal-11 Ramsath-pairi pauna" and then the name and subject matter. In precedence priority is accorded to rank and age according to universal custom.
267. For guests something better than the ordinary food is prepared; women are given the usual clothes and food; the old and infirm are shown kindness and consideration.
268. For kinsfolk something better than usual is prepared. For neighbours and strangers there is 1 pot-luck.' Nothing special is done.
26g. No special form of address is used.
270. In addressing people of higher status the term 11 ji " is used. Ordinary vulgar terms are avoided.
Customs bearing o,. social status.
271. The Rathi is the lowest caste with which Gaddis will eat both pakki and kachchi roti, drink and smoke.
272. The Brahman Gaddi is the highest caste and this caste will also eat and drink as above with the Rathi.
273· There is no remarkable custom in anything amongst Gadd{s generally to mark the difference between. them and their neighbours in social status, but those who follow certain handicrafts such as sewing, (i.e., tailors), Rabaras or makers of ornaments, Dhangris, }hewars, i.e., fishermen and huntsmen, all of whom are considered to be of lower castes are not treated on equal terms.
OCCUPATION.
274· Originally Gaddls were traders when in Lahore,
275· Almost all the Gaddis have from long years past given up trading. Perhaps one or two per cent. may still follow such a calling.
276. Pasturing catlle a~d agriculture. I
277. (a) Artisans.-Ralzarcis who make and sell ornaments of bra~s or mixed metals.
Sip pis who make and sell pattu clothes from the wool of. sheep • . ,
Batltlis who make ploughs, doors and. wood-work generally.
Dnangris who do iron work of all kinds. These also burn char• eo al.
All these are of a lower caste of Gaddls.
(b) Hunters.-These hunt game of kinds with guns, and also snare game, but not ver~in.
(c) Fz"skermen.-Gaddls do not follow any such occupation.
(d) Sweepers.--Only Halis will at times perform the office of scavengers.
278. Gaddls use the " darath, " "darathi, " "tabr '' 11 kohari," and" bazula." There is no special mode of using these, which in any way differs from that of other people using the same kind of implements.
279. No.
28o. Yes; a change of religion does involve a change of all conditions in the convert.
281. Yes; the convert 'changes the caste name, and all ties with the holders of the original occupation are severed.
RELATIONS TO LAND.
282. They belong generally to the zamlndar class. Some are tenure holders on half-share terms, the seed being at times given by ~he land proprietor and at times by the cultivator.
(3) There are )loth kinds : they have no special claim or privi· lege as regards rent.
(4) None such.
(5) Yes; there are: they are paid either in cash or grain as may be stipulated.
283. No.
284. Some few hold at lower rates. Some portion can also
B k h. d M t d' be held rent free. a s 1 an u sa 1,
Yes; producing grain at time in time of service,
Mohan. 285· No.
Mohlla. 286. No.
37
287. No. 288. No.
289. Yes ; no one denies.
Bakshi. 290. Nothing to show such.
291. Cannot say.
Bakhshi.
293· None.
294--
295·-296. None.
297· Yes.
292. No change in custom.
298. None such amongst Gaddi's.
299· As above.
Finished 1oth September 1893•
M. MORRIS.
38
APPEND I X A.
ANSWERS TO ETHNOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS* BY MUSSAMMAT SAWARNO,
WIDOW OF SHAMA1 CASTE GADDI1 DIVISION HALl, RESIDENT OF
VILLAGE DHARMSALA1 TAHSIL KANGRA1 DISTRICT KANGRA.
I AM a Badi. I was a Hall. My father was a Chilkwan Half. My mother's father was a Bekb,i Rana. My husband was a Bad(. The other Ha!{ g6trs which I know are as follows:-
{t). Marenu. (g). Kharere. (2). Kalan. {to). Torain. (3). Kodhe. {11). Ramsan. (4). Kandochu. (12). Ghalan. (5). Khripan. ( r 3). Mhcban. (6). Khawal. (14). Badhoru. (7). Dhulkan. (15). Pachran. (8). Jurgho. (t6). Rehanu •
. A member of one gotr will not give his daughter to a member of his own glltr. My sister Lachhman is betrothed to a Kode. My sister Sakri is married to a Kharere.
4· We have the same prohibited degrees of marriage as the Gaddis. A man may marry his wife's sister. We would hot give a Hali girl to a Sippi or to a Badi who is not a Hall or to a Dhangri or to a Rihare ...
5· There are no prohibitions other than those stated in answer 4·
6. There is no common ancestor of the Halls. There is a common ancestor of each g6tr, but I do not know their names. We came from Kothi Koba.r. My grandfather came from there. I do not know where the other Halis or the Chilkwans came from.
7• We are settled and do not wander except as shepherds.
8. We do accept outsiders, e.g., a Gaddi or Brahman who has eaten food at the hand of a Hall can become a Hali. I know no instance ; but I know a Gaddi who became a Dhangri. It was for a woman.
g. Marriage is both infant and adult. I was married when I was 12.
My brother, Rakhu, was betrothed to the daughter of Pars, a Ghahi Hali, when she was 3 days old. My sister, Sakri, was married when she was 8. Sexual license· before marriage is not tolerated, not even in the case of a ghar juantru. Formerly the girl was killed (?).
• Note.-The "B" or General Series,-Yide foot· note to page 1,
39
10, A man may marry as many wives as he can. Manga, husband of the daughter of my mother's sister, has five wives living now. He is a Basiura Hali. Polyandry is unknown.
I I. The account of the marriage ceremony given by Mohan and Hochhru has been explained to me. Halis have the same customs. The custom of binding the manihar round the bridegroom's head and of the mother of the bride leading the bridegroom inside the bride's house by the manihar is prevalent among us. The bed and lagan are the essen• tiJ.l and binding portions of marriage. The plaiting of the hair before the btfd is done by the bride's mother. This is called khrdru sir. The plaiting done after the bed is done by the mother-in-law of the bride, This is called sohagan sir.
12. Widows are allowed to re·marry by the form jhanjrard. A widow cannot marry her husband's elder brother. She can marry her husband's younger brother. Her husband's younger brother claims her usually. When my husband died no one made any claim on me. The only ceremony is putting on a dori on the bride by women and putting a bdlu in her nose by her new husband.
13. Divorce is permitted, It is called "be dawa karna., No ceremonies are observed. Sometimes the husband gives his wife a written document, saying that he has no claim on her, Divorced wives can marry again.
14. The Halls follow the Hindu law of inheritance.
40
APPEND IX B.
ADDENDA TO THE RIWAJ-1-AM RELATING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS OF PARGANA KANGRA.
Questions. Answers of the Gaddls of all castes.
------·---------------------------------------r. If a man of property die without children, what is the share which his widow or widows inherit?
2. Can a widow transfer her husband's property by gift or by will ?
3· Can a widow sell or mortgage her husband's property?
4· When a man of property die leaving several sons by one lawful wife, does each son inherit an equal share ?
S· If a man have a differ~ ent number of sons by each wife of two or more wives, do the sons of each wife get (inherit) an equal share (chunda~vand), or does each son of the father inherit an equal share (pag•vand) ?
r. A widow is entitled to remain in possession of her husband's property 'as long as she does not marry another bus~ band and if she remains in her husband's house. When she marries another bus~ band, she is deprived of the inheritance of her first husband. The custom applies to'the whole of our caste. There is no separate custom pecllliar to each got.
2. If there are ancestral brothers of her husband, she cannot. If there are none, then she can.
3. In case of special necessity, such as payment of her husband's debts, or the marriage of daughters, or to maintain her children, or to pay the demands of Government, and on condition of there not being an ancestral share-holder, she can. If there is no special necessity and if there is an ancestral share-holder, she cannot,
4· The shares will be equal, but with the exception of cultivated land a 2oth share or more of the moveable property will be given to the eldest son and he will have to pay a pwportionately larger share of the debts. This share is called jatuta or jatunQ.a.
S· Among the Gaddis of Barmaur, i.e., trans-Ravi, who live in Tirath, each son of the father gets an equal share. Among the Gaddis of Chanota, z~e., cis-Ravi, the sons of each wife get an equal share.
41
APPEND I X B.
ADDENDA TO THE RIWAJ-1-AM RELATING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS OF PARGANA KANGRA-conHnued.
Questions. Answers of the Gaddls of all castes.
-------------·------------6. Do posthumoi:s sons
inherit a share ? 6. A posthumous son gets no share,
If a woman becomes pregnant and her cost (lagat) price have been paid, her child is considered the offspring of him who has paid her lagat. If her lagat has not been paid, the child is cm:isidered posthumous as is written in the seventh answer.
E~eample.-Medu's wife, SBrsuti, married a second husband, Kishn. By him she had two sons. She had already one son, Jassu, by Medu. The offspring of Kishn inherited the property of Kishn and the son of Medu inherited Medu's property,
1· If there are children by a woman who is not married, are those children entitled to a share equal to that of children by a married woman?
7· There is no difference between a kept woman (rakhorar) and a married wife (biotari). In our tribe there _is no difference between the children, If a man pay her price to the partners of her first husband and bring a woman (to his house), then she becomes his wife ; even if that woman came when she is pregnant and her price has been paid, her child is cqnsidered the off-spring of him who has paid her price. If her price has not been paid and the woman bear a child and her first husband be living, the child is considered to be the child of the first husband. On condition that there be no claimant, then the child will be considered the offspring of the second house, namely, of that house in which she is living.
Example,-The wife of IsrCI, a resident of Narw!n<i, took a second husband. By him · (i.e. the second husband) she had two sons and one daughter. lsrll claimed them and got
back the woman and her children because her price had not been paid.
Examp/e.-Matlabi, Gaddi of Dharmsilla, kept a woman named P£na. They had three sons, They inherited equally,
42
APPEND I X B.
ADDENDA TO THE RIWAJ·I-AM RELATING TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS OF PARGANA KANGRA-continued.
Questions.
8. If there are sons, does a daughter also get a share ?
9· If there are sons, can a proprietor in his lifetime transfer property to his daughters by deed or by word of mouth or not? After his death can his widow do so or not? .
Answers of the Gaddls of all castes.
8, A daughter gets no share.
9· The widow has absolutely no power to do so. A man has this power if he executes a deed before his brotherhood and also gives his daughter possession at the time, then after his death the daughter can retain the property given. If he d0es not execute a document before his brotherhood or execute a secret document, 'then the daughter cannot retain the proptrty. He can give his daught"r all property whenever he wishes, with the exception of immoveable property. He can give property which he has acquired himself to his daughters without any consideration of the brotherhood.
Example.-Sart";ij, usident of Dharmsala, had his son-in-law and daughter to live with him and put them in po>sossion of all his property. When Sartaj died, FiO., brother of Sartaj, took the property and the daughter got nothing.
10. If a man die without sons and leave only unmarried daughters or an unmarried daughter, what will be their or her right in the pr0perty?
10. The responsiblity of marrying virgin daughters rests with the shareholders and the daughters inherit the property.
Example.-Jacho, of village Garham in Barmaur, died leavin.~r three virgin daughters. Bakhtawar, partner of Jacho, married the three daughters and got the property in virtue of his wives.
11. When a man has no sons under what conditions can he adopt a son ?
1 r. He can make a dharm pUttar i.e., adopt a son from his relations who are descended from a common ancestor, and the adopted son has no claim on his natural family.
Example.-Sartaj adopted Modi. Modi inherited the property of Sartaj.
43
APPENDIX B.
ADDENDA TO THE RIWAJ·I-AM RELATING TO THE- RESIDENTS OP' THE SNOWY MOUNTAINS OF PARGANA KANGRA-concluded,
Questions.
12. If affer adopting a son the wife of the adopted father bears sons, what share will the adopted son take with,reference to the natural sons?
~13. If a proprietor during his :ifetime give a larger share to one heir and a smaller to another, then will this distribution remain valid after his death?
Answers of the Gaddls of all castes.
1--------·--------------------------12, Each son adopted or natural) will
have an equal share. If such a case occurs, a man has children by different wives, the adopted son will get his share by pag·vand and the other sons by chUnda-vand.
,I'll
13. As regards property acquirediby' himself, he has full power. He can give it to any one. As regards ancestral pro· perty, he cannot deprive any legal heir of his share.
E. O'BRIEN,
Deputy Commissioner and Settlement O.f!icer, Kangra.-
/ ._,
Punjab Government Preaa, Lahore-I4-7·t9oc>:-Ioo;
" . .
•