JANUARY, 1873.]

CORRESPONDENCE, &c.

circumstance which constitutes the Gosains a distinct

and legitimate caste, and not merely a religious order.

The ceremony observed at the creation of a Go sain is as follows. The candidate is generally a boy, but may be an adult. At the Siva-ratri fes tival (in honour of Siva), water brought from a tank, in which an image of the god has been depo sited, is applied to the head of the novitiate, which is thereupon shaved. The guru, or spiritual guide, whispers to the disciple a mantra or sacred text. In honour of the event all the Gosains in the neigh

bourhood assemble together, and give their new member their blessing ; and a sweetmeat called laddu, made very large, is distributed amongst them. The novitiate is now regarded as a Gosain, but he does not become a perfect one until the Vijaiya Hom has been performed, at which a Gosain, famous for religion and learning, gives him the original mantra of Siva. The ceremony generally occupies

three days in Benares.

On the first day the

Gosain is again shaved, leaving a tuft on the

top of the head called in Hindi Chundi, but in Sanskrit, Shikha. For that day he is consider ed to be a Brahman, and is obliged to beg at a few houses. On the second day he is held to be a Brahmachari, and wears coloured garments, and also the janeo or sacred cord. On the third day the janeo is taken from him, and the Chundi is cut off.

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dependance on the kindness and care of others is thus of the most absolute character, yet they are not reduced to want, or even to distress : they are fed by the Brahmans, and the Gosains, another class of devotees, but of lax principles, and not restricted to any one caste. The Dandis do not marry, and have no houses of their own. They have literally nothing they can call their own, except a diminutive mat to lie upon, a small pillow, the cloth they wear, a stick, and a kamandal or hermit's pot for holding water. The stick they use at the age of fifty, previously to which they are only disciples, and are not called Dandis. Not a few of this religious order are learned men, and devote a large portion of their time to study and meditation. They are great readers of the Sastras, such as the Mimansa, Nyāya, Manjuka, and others, and also of the Purānas. Many Brah mans, even Pandits, or learned Brahmans, come to

them for instruction, which they impart freely without the smallest recompense. All classes of the community pay them the greatest honour, even to worshipping them. They are addressed as Swāmi Ji, that is, master, lord, spiritual teacher. Although they are said to worship idols, yet they make no obeisance to them. They are singularly independent in all their actions, and make no salām or sign of respect to any object, human or divine. TRIDANDI.

The mantra of Siva is made known to him,

and also the Rudri Gayatri (not the usual one daily

pronounced by Brahmans). He is now a full Gosain or wanparast, is removed from other persons, and abandons the secular world. Henceforth he is bound to observe all the tenets of the Gosains. The

complete Gosains, who have performed the ceremony of Vijaiya Hom, are celibates. It is customary therefore for men not to perform it until they are forty or fifty years of age, as it involves the aban

A species of Gosains, originally they bore a trident as their emblem ; hence the name which they assume. This practice, however, has ceased to be observed. They are Saivas, or worshippers of Siva, and in habits are like Gosains. The Tri dandis do not marry. Their bodies after death are buried, not burnt. JoGI.

Gosains will

This class, or order, is of many kinds. Some are prognosticators of future events ; others lead about

eat food in the houses of Brahmans and Rajputs only. At death their bodies are not burnt, but are either buried or thrown into the Ganges.

religious wonder and curiosity; others have their ears split and wear in them a kind of ear-ring for

donment of their wives and families.

-

DANDI.

The Dandis are neither a caste nor a tribe of

Hindus, but are an order of devotees. As they keep themselves very distinct from the rest of the community, they demand a separate notice. Their habits are peculiar. One of them has supplied an appellation for the entire class, derived from their habit of always carrying a staff in the hand. Hence the name Dandi, from danda, a stick. They are Brahmans and receive disciples only from the

animals of monstrous formation in order to excite

sacred purposes. Persons of all castes can, in these latter days, enter the order ; but this was not the rule originally. Jogis are not particular on the subject of marriage, and some of them take to them selves wives.

At death their bodies are buried :

fore, for them to cook their own food like other

and their tombs, termed Samadh, are held in sa cred estimation, and are often visited by pilgrims for idolatrous purposes. The term Jogi or Yogi is properly applicable, says Mr. Wilson, “to the followers of the Yoga or Patanjala school of philosophy, which, amongst other tenets, maintained the practicability of ac quiring, even in life, entire command overelementary matter by means of certain ascetic practices.”

Hindus ; it is equally impossible also for them to handle money. They wear one long unsewn reddish cloth, thrown about the person. Although they are on principle penniless, yet they do not beg. Their

This name is given to a sect of Brahman ascetics. They wear red cloth and the rudraksh, let their hair and beard grow, and besmear their bodies with

Brahmans.

The Dandis do not touch fire, or metal, or vessels made of any sort of metals. It is impossible, there

BRAMHACHARI.