[Religion.] 12. The Dhângars in Mirzapur are nominally Hindus, but worship none of the regular Hindu deities. Their deities are Barna Bhawâni, a female, who may be the same as Barhona, a deity of the Kurs, identified with Varuna, the spirit of the waters, [306] and Goraiya Deva. Barna Bhawâni is worshipped by some once a year, by others four times a year with the sacrifice of a he-goat, a she-goat, and a pig. Goraiya is the god of cattle, and is worshipped every year on 15th Kârttik. A pig and a white and black cock are sacrificed to him in the cattle pen, and some liquor is poured on the ground. They carry on the usual worship of the village gods (dih) through the Baiga. When small-pox prevails the women worship Sîtala Bhawâni. Her offering, which is conditional on the recovery of the child from the disease, consists of bread and a sort of sweetmeat (halwa). If the child recovers he wears all his life a silver image (sirjana) of the goddess, with her figure gilt, round his neck. All the worship, except that of the village gods, is done by the head of the household, and the worshippers consume the flesh of the victim. [Festivals.] 13. In Bhâdon they observe the Nâgpanchami by eating better food than usual, but they do not make any special worship of the snake as Hindus do. In Mâgh they have the Khichari, when they eat pulse, parched grain, and sesamum. They do not light the Holi fire, but they celebrate the Phagua by drunken revelry and foul abuse of women, particularly of the brother’s wife (bhaujâi). [Demonology and ancestor worship.] 14. Old wells and tanks are the special abode of malevolent ghosts. These are propitiated through the Ojha, who is believed to have special control over them. They have no special ancestor worship, because they consider the spirits finally disposed of by the pig-sacrifice already described.