Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 4.djvu/24

HOONA MULL. of their successful trade. In popular estimation these peculiarities are held in contempt; and their outwardly submissive, often cringing and cowardly, manner, exposes them to, as it invites, reproach. In regard to distressed members of their own tribe, they are very charitable, and among them no one, except he be altogether reprobate and denied the privileges of caste, is suffered to starve; but they have not the reputation of enlarged charity to masses of people—rather, indeed, the reverse; nor of endowments of public charities, as is common among other mercantile sects; nor of building temples, constructing tanks, &c. They are very seldom, if ever, landed proprietors, and seem averse to the acquisition of land, preferring their hereditary business of dealing in money alone, in all its forms. Thus, while despised and sneered at by many, and the subject of many standing jokes and witticisms, the Uggurwallas are esteemed profoundly respectable and reliable men, and their word is as good as their bond in every transaction of life.

By their descent from Rajpoots, they aspire to the rank of Vaisya, and some of the wealthy class are themselves in it, and wear the sacred cord; but they are in fact Sudras only, and as such, the real Vaisya classes will not many with their daughters, nor can the Uggin-walla youths obtain real Vaisya brides. They are restricted therefore to connections in their own tribes or clans, which are sufficiently numerous to furnish brides without the prohibited degrees of Hindooism. The Uggurwallas are decidedly fond of fine clothes and jewels. The amount of ornaments with which they load their women is proverbial. If converting money into gold can be called extravagant, they are, indeed, extremely so. If they di*ess themselves in the purest and plainest white muslin, they wear the richest brocade scarves and shawls over it, with turbans of the gayest colours; and the apparel of their women, especially at festivals, is equally gorgeous. It is a joke against them, however, that the finery of an Uggurwalla never wears out; that is, it is so carefully preserved, that it lasts a far longer time than with other people.

In religion they are worshippers of Krishna under his deified hero form of Ram; but they do not mix with other Hindoos in general rites. They have usually small temples of their own, or rooms set apart in their houses, where the daily worship, in which they are very particular, as also in the ceremonies of bathing and anointing, and marking themselves with the sacred marks is conducted. It is a somewhat strange circumstance, that an Uggurwalla Bunnea never rides; nor do they affect to possess horses. If he has to travel, it may be on a small pony, which cannot go beyond a walk; but he had far rather walk, or ride in a carriage. Some of the very richest occasionally keep an elephant, but rarely use it; palankeens, however, are always kept by the richer classes. One curious ambition of the wealthy Uggurwallas is to become fat; and in this they succeed, by taking daily large quantities of melted butter, or ghee, mixed with sugar. The subject of the Photograph is evidently a portly person, and it can be believed that he had