Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling: Illustrated by numerous incantations, specimens of medical magic, anecdotes and talesLeland, Charles Godfrey
History
Gypsy Sorcery and Fortune Telling: Illustrated by numerous incantations, specimens of medical magic, anecdotes and tales
Leland, Charles Godfrey
Fortune-telling; Magic, Romani; Romanies
Amongst the Jaiswars and other low-caste Hindoos, caste is
regulated by carnal pice, and a man is distinguished amongst
them by a regulated monetary scale. One person may be a 14-anna
caste man while another may only be a 12-anna caste man. Does the
12-anna caste man wish to supersede the 14-anna caste man, then
he consults the gooroo, who will, in consideration of a certain
contribution, promote him to a higher-caste grade. A moneyed man
having qualms about his future state should join the Jaiswars,
where at least he would have an opportunity of utilizing his spare
cash for the good of his soul. The average gooroo will be only too
glad to procure him everlasting glory for a matter of a few rupees.
The gooroo, then, serves as regulator of the lower-caste Hindoo
system. But it is our intention to exhibit him in his peculiar
position of exorcist-general to the people. This will perhaps
be best explained by an account of the case of one Kaloo. Kaloo
was a grass-cutter, and had been offended by Kasi, a brother
grass-cutter. Kasi, it appears, had stolen Kaloo's quilt one night
during his temporary absence at a neighbouring liquor-shop. Kaloo,
on his return, finding his quilt gone, raised the hue-and-cry;
and Mooloo, the village policeman, traced the robbery to Kasi's
hut. Yet, in spite of this damning proof, the village panchayet,
or bench of magistrates, decided that, as Kaloo could not swear
to the exact colour of his lost quilt--Kaloo was colour-blind--it
could not possibly be his. Anyhow, Kaloo kept Kasi in view and
hit upon a plan to do him a grievous bodily injury. Scraping
together a few rupees, he went to the village gooroo and promised
that worthy a reward if he would only exorcise the bhuts and get
them to "make Kasi's liver bad." The gooroo, in consideration
of five rupees cash, promised compliance. So that night we find
the gooroo busy with sandal-wood and pig's blood propitiating the
neighbouring bhuts. Needless to say that Kasi had in a very short
space of time all the symptoms of liver complaint. Whether the
bhuts gave Kasi a bad liver or the gooroo gave him a few doses
of poison is a question. Anyhow, Kasi soon died. Another case
in point is that of Akuti. Akuti was a retired courtesan who had
long plied a profitable trade in the city. We find her, however,
at her native village of Ramghur, the wife of one Balu. Balu
soon got tired of his Akuti, and longed for the contents of her
strong box wherein she kept her rupees, bracelets, nose-rings,
and other valuables. This was a rather awkward matter for Balu,
for Akuti was still in the prime of life. Balu accordingly visits
the gooroo and wants Akuti's liver made bad. "Nothing easier,"
says the gooroo: "five rupees." Balu has reckoned without his
host, however: for the gooroo, as general spiritual adviser to
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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