Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/401

 BHIL TRIBES.

391

throw her into the water, when, if she sink, she is no witch, but if she swim she is. Another mode is by rubbing red pepper in the eyes, which in a witch has no power to produce tears. ‘

is

by the ceremony of Chdk

Bhi'ls

of the two villages to which

Their method of settling disputes

Phinia, or the assemblage of

The

the disputants belong.

all

the

matter

is

then discussed

and when they



are agreed as to the Sentence to be passed, one party pours a quantity

of spirits into the hand of his opponent, who, after praying that ever quarrels again on the point

now

settled, the

Mata or small-pox may fall upon him, drinks then goes through the same ceremony.’

The are

Bhi'lala is

off



he

the other party

a cross between a Bhil and Rajput.

Of

this class

They do not intermarry

the Bhil chiefs of the Vindhya range.

all

it

if

curse of the deity

with Bhils, but only in their own caste. Their marriage ceremonies comprise the agreement, the betrothal, and the wedding. The cere-

mony

of agreement consists of an interchange of

visits

by members of

the bride’s and bridegroom’s family, during which the necessary liquor preliminaries is drunk. The betrothal and wedding are performed by the bride and bridegroom being painted over for the discussion of the

with turmeric ten days before the wedding, both parties eating together,

and the bridegroom being conveyed on horseback to the bride’s house, where a mandap or kind of shed is put up, which he first enters. The bride is then brought out to him, and they both march seven times round a burnt-offering of oil-seed and barley, their clothes being tied together. The night is spent in drinking and dancing, and in the morning the bridegroom takes the bride to his own house. The dowry given by the bridegroom is Rs. 16^, or 33s., while the bride contributes her jewels. The BhilaM women do not make second marriages, although the Bhil women may. If the husband die, his brother alone may take the widow, and all the property and children. But the brother-in-law sometimes gives her away, without consulting her wishes, to

another

man

property

is

bride an irregularity which proves a fruitful Should a widow have no offspring, her husband’s

for a

source of quarrel. divided

among

formal. there

Bhil

is

his relations.

Bhilalas, and are less With them marriages take place at the age of 12 years, and no betrothal. The Bhils are very suspicious of their wives.

Bhil marriages differ

women who

run away to a

somewhat from those of

leave their husbands subject the

man

with

whom

fine of twelve cattle in the case of a first marriage

in the case of a second.

In the case of running away with a

they

six

virgin,

is only three. The Bhils bury boys and virgins and those who have died of small-pox. All others are burnt the funeral ceremonies being performed by the Gosain Rawals, who are generally presented

the fine



with a bullock for their part in the work.