Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 7.djvu/252

 GOSAIS. (397)

OSAIS, or Gosains, do not differ in any part of India. They have been previously described. They may be of any taste, except that of Brahmins, and are a class of devotees who are supposed to have abandoned worldly pursuits, and live upor public charity. They are followers of Siva, or Mahadco, and frequent temples dedicated to him; but they are wanderers, visiting holy shrines, and making pilgrimages to all parts of India. They have occasionally entered the services of native princes as soldiers, and in the army of the Peshwah of the Mahrattas were much esteemed and honoured for their conspicuous bravery. They do not all, however, follow a devotee's life: some of them are traders and bankers, and have attained eminence as such in many localities. They never marry, but some have concubines. They adopt, when they arc rich, boys who become cheylas, or disciples, and who inherit their property.