Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 8.djvu/69

LINGAYETS. fair to retain its position for the future, as it has done for the last 700 years. We believe that the tenets of the Lingayets are comparatively little known, and that the sect is considered an obscure one; but its number, its age, its antagonism to orthodox Hindooism, and abjuration of idolatry, entitle it to a high rank in the investigations of modern times.

The Lingayets are ordinarily merchants, retail dealers, cultivators, and artizans. There are few families of rank which belong to them. Their priests (Jungums) usually live in monasteries (mutt), and are invariably hospitable to travellers of all denominations. The Lingayets do not possess any high standard of education, but in general are able to write and read, and understand simple arithmetic and book-keeping. For the most part the people are singularly primitive and simple in their manners and habits. Both men and women are held in high esteem by all sects for their morality and respectability, and ordinary crime is almost entirely unknown among them. Their food is farinaceous and vegetable. They never take animal food or fish, and never touch spirituous or fermented liquors of any kind, under any circumstances. Lingayet widows can re-marry under certain conditions, and in regard to inheritance and division of property, the ancient Hindoo law is respected.

In the Photographs both figures have caskets of silver slung round their necks, which contain a small phallic emblem. They are opened only at prayer time, morning and evening, when water is poured over them, and a few flowers offered; and where there is a family, all members join in the worship. Women wear the emblem as well as men, and children are initiated into the rites of the faith when about eight years old. The casket or shrine of the Lingum is sometimes of gold richly chased, or of plain silver, according to the ability of the wearer, the poorest classes being content with a plain white handkerchief. Lingayet women are fond of ornaments, and usually wear a silver or gold zone, which confines their saris at the waist. They are usually good looking, and fairer than those of other classes, while many are very handsome. Lingayets bury their dead in small cemeteries of their own, marking the grave with a stone or small altar where ceremonies for the deceased are offered at certain periods. The remains of the Jungums or priests are invariably buried in mutts or monasteries, and their tombs are always much honoured by their disciples. Lingayets are divided into many branches, arising out of their original Hindoo castes. These do not intermarry, but all classes eat with each other without prejudice.