The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)Crooke, William
History
The tribes and castes of the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, Volume 2 (of 4)
Crooke, William
Caste -- India -- History; Hindus -- India; Tribes -- India -- History
2. Those at Chunâr call themselves the disciples of one Jamâl Diwâna.
Boys are usually initiated into the order at the age of twelve. His
friends take the candidate to the head faqîr of the order, who
says,—“Are you ready to drink of my cup (piyâla) and obey me in all
things?” If he agrees five articles of dress of an ochre colour are
prepared for him, viz., a head covering (pheta), a robe (kafani), a
neck handkerchief (guluband), and waist cloths (lung, langot). A barber
is sent for and his head completely shaved; he is bathed and invested
with the garments of the order. Then the Murshid or preceptor sits
facing the north, and the Murîd or disciple opposite him. An earthen
cup containing one and-a-quarter sers of sharbat made of sugar and
water is brought. First the Murshid recites the Dârûd or benediction
and drinks a little. Then he passes it to the Murîd, who drinks, and
while doing so keeps his eyes fixed on the Murshid. During this part of
the rite he must not even wink. The Murshid then says to him,—“I am now
responsible for your sins. Take care and fix your attention on me. Do
not close your eyes.” When he has drank the draught the Murshid gives
him a necklace made of jaitun wood or of earth from Makka known as khâk
safa or of the seed of the Canna Indica (‘aqîq’ l-bahr), a handkerchief
of ochre-coloured cloth, a thin walking stick made of the wood of the
peach tree (âru), and a wooden begging bowl (kajkol). With this he begs
from all the company. He also receives a wooden scraper (phâora), which
he ties to his waist. This over, he salutes the other members of the
order present in the word Miyân; and they reply Haqq Miyân. When he is
thus initiated he gets a station (takya), and the Sajjâda-nashin or
Abbot gives him daily for his food two cakes in the morning and three
in the evening with some pulse. If the disciple does not care to live
in the Dargâh or head-quarters of the order, he can remain with his
friends by leave of the Murshid. Those who live in the Dargâh remain
celibate; if they live with their friends they can marry.
[Domestic rites.] The non-celibate members of the order marry according
to the regular Musalmân formula. The dowry (mahr) is generally fixed at
fifty-one thousand rupees. Women in child-birth are secluded for forty
days; a fire is kept lighting in the room—and she is watched by her
female friends, a custom known as Qâzi Sâhib ki chauki. In their death
customs they conform to the usual Muhammadan ritual.
4. The Diwânas are a useless set of beggars and not held in much
estimation by any one.
Dogar,—a Panjâbi tribe who have emigrated in small numbers into the
western districts of these Provinces. Of them Mr. Brandreth writes in
his Fîrozpur Settlement Report [338]:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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