Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 3.djvu/141

 EMAM BUKSH. JOGI, OR MAHOMEDAN DEVOTEE. (143)

HE Maliomedan Jogi here represented must not be confounded Avith the Hindoo Jogi, No. 158, who will be described in his proper place. This man is not an ascetic, and it is difficult to determine why a class of Mahomedan devotees have selected the title Jogi, which is essentially Hindoo. Emam Buksh is a follower of Zinda Shah Madar, whose tomb, situated at Mukhunpoor, is visited by thousands of Mahomedan pilgrims from all parts of India on the anniversaiy of his death. Shah Buddee-oo-deen, Shah Madar, or, as best known, Zinda Shah Madar, was a Spian by bhth, who came to Incha in the early period of the Mahomedan empire, and having selected Mukhunpoor as a place of residence, eventually died there. He was esteemed a wullee or saint, and is believed to have performed many miracles. He died at a great age; but his appellation of Zinda, or living, is used, because he is considered to be still alive in the flesh, though, for purposes of his own, he does not declare himself in a degenerate age.

The Shah Madar Fakeers are very numerous all over India, and in many cases are ruffianly and lawless. They are not tainted with habitual or hereditary crime, but they are bold, insolent beggars, difficult to satisfy or to get rid of They are generally known by their black garments, which was a colour their patron saint wore during his life. Some of them wear a chain attached to their right ancle, which they fling about and pass through their hands in a curious and dexterous manner, pretending to hit passengers or shopkeepers with it in order to extort alms, and, in case of refusal, resort to violent and obscene abuse, which rarely fails of its object. Others carry a red-hot chain in a chafing dish, which they take out with a pair of pincers, and throw powdered resin upon it; this at once bursts into a blaze, which they extinguish by passing it through their hands with a rapid motion. Others are jugglers, and perorm clever acts of legerdemain, or exhibit tame monkeys or bears, to which they have taught amusing performances. Some of their monkeys are, indeed, very clever. What they are most celebrated for, perhaps, is the treading out fire with their naked feet. A large hot charcoal fire is kindled, when one of them exorcises it in the name of the saint, by sprinkling