Aoghar

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This article is an extract from

THE TRIBES and CASTES of BENGAL. By H.H. RISLEY, INDIAN CIVIL SERVICE, OFFICIER D'ACADÉMIE FRANÇAISE. Ethnographic Glossary. CALCUTTA: Printed at the Bengal Secretariat Press. 1891. .

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Aoghar

A sect of Saiva ascetics founded in Guzerat by a Dasnami mendicant, named Brahmagiri, through the favour of Gorakhnath, a religious reformer, who flourished early in the fifteenth century, and is now recognised in the Himalayan districts as an incarnation of Siva and the special protector of the Gorkhalis. They have not the custom of making proselytes. On the death of a chief of the math, one of the menelicams is promoted to his place with certain ceremonies. It is saiel that Gorakhnath invested Brahmaagiri with his ear-ring and certain other symbols, which the latter afterwards distributed among five mendicants, each of whom formed a separate group of the sect-Gudar, Sukhar, Rukhar, Bhukhar, and Kukar. Members of the first three groups dress themselves in a long yellow overcoat. The Gudar weal' a ring in one ear, and in the other a flat copper plate with the footprint of Aoghar or Gorakhnath. The Sukbar and Rukhar wear rings of copper or pewter on both the ears. These ornaments are said to be a sort of masonic signs, by means of which the members of each group may recognise each other. Ascetics belonging-to the Bhukhar and Kukar divisions are rarely met with in Bengal. The main distincti0n between them and the first three groups lies in that they do not burn incense in their alms-pot, while the others do. The Kukar group collect alms with a new earthen'pot, called kali handi, in which they also cook their food. Mention is made of a sixth group, called Ukhar, concerning whom no precise information is available. Some say, indeed, that the name is merely a title of those members of the first three groups who are given to indulgence in flesh and strong drink.