Pandukeshar. At this present time Gobind Singh is the
favourite of Nanda Devi, Dhurma of Kailas, Meharban
Singh of Kumer and Debu of Ghantakaran. Only the
gods Kailas and the Bell-god manifest themselves.
When the religious excitement is at its highest the two
favourites of these gods suddenly rush down to the
river and bathe, and dripping with water they rush
towards the scorching fire. The crowd with cries of
“ Behold the god ! ” rub butter on the hands of the one
who is devoted to the Bell-god, and he immediately
raises the red-hot tripod and inverts it over his head
and puts it back, while the other leaps into the flames
and leaps out again. This is the ceremony as described
to me by an eye-witness. The deity Acheri is worshipped
everywhere. When any one has sore eyes, or a fingering
illness, the goddess has to be appeased and her
influence removed, and this is effected in one of two
ways. Either a brass dish is put on an earthen pitcher
and is beaten until the affected person begins in a frenzy
to dance, and indicates what particular sacrifice will
find favour with the deity, or a dooly is made with
sticks and cloth and is worshipped with cakes and fights,
after which it is carried to some lonely spot and left,
the hope being that the malevolent influence is left
with it.
The low caste Bhotias, called Dumras, are composed
of blacksmiths, drum-beaters (dhofis—from dhol = a
drum), carpenters, basket-makers, tailors, shoe-makers
and others. They only intermarry amongst themselves
and their practices throughout Bhot are similar,
bearing a general resemblance to Darma customs.
In the funeral ceremonies (Dhurung), which they
practise on the fines of the Darma Rajputs, they
generally use a buffalo, which in some places they
............ ..
RAI BAHADUR KISHEN SINGH MILAMWAL
SURVEY OF IND IA
THE PU NDIT “ A .K .” OF TIBETAN EXPLORATION, 1 8 6 9 -1 8 9 3 .
AT PR ESENT LIVING AT MILAM
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