Davre Jogi: Deccan
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Davre Jogi
This article is an extract from THE CASTES AND TRIBES OF H. E. H. THE NIZAM'S DOMINIONS BY SYED SIRAJ UL HASSAN Of Merton College, Oxford, Trinity College, Dublin, and Middle Temple, London. One of the Judges of H. E. H. the Nizam's High Court of Judicature : Lately Director of Public Instruction. BOMBAY THE TlMES PRESS 1920 Indpaedia is an archive. It neither agrees nor disagrees |
Davre Jogi, Davre Gosavi, Bharadi — derive their name from the dabara, a small drum shaped like an hour glass, on which they play when begging or singing religious hymns in honour of Bhairava. Their name Bharadi' comes from bharad, a sort oi gondhal dance, which they are called upon to perform at the copi- mencement of the marriage ceremony of their Kunbi disciples, and jp which the 'Trident' of Nath is worshipped, under their superin- tendence, by the house-holder and songs are sung in honour of the saint. The Davre Jogis admit to their community only Maratha Kunbis and members of tho^e castes higher than themselves in social standing. These are mostly children, dedicated by their parents to the god Bhairava in fulfilment of a vow. The ceremony of initiation is pet- formed generally at the temple of Bhairava, at Sonari, when the novice, male or female, is eight years of age. A pious Bharadi is called in and the neophyte, squatting before him, has his ear-lobes bored with a knife and mudras, or brass rings, inserted in them. The guru gives to the convert a shingi, or hornpipe, and a dabara, pr small drum, and enjoins him not to eat with low-caste people, to collect alms by singing hymns in honour of Bhairava, and to perform the bharad dance only in the houses of their spiritual disciples. At the same time he whispers in his ear the mantra or sacred word, which is to guide him through life and which must never be divulged to any one.
Internal Structure
The Davre Jogi caste has three endoga- mous divisions: (1) Davre proper or Bharadi, (2) Mend Jogi and (3) Sali Mali ; the members of these can neither intermarry nor interdine. Each of these is further divided into a number of exoga- mous sections which, as shown below, are of the Maratha type : —
(1) Wagha. (7) Devgune.
(2) Jadhava. (8) Kasar.
(3) Shinde. (9) Wable.
(4) Chavan. (10) Rajle.
(5) Gaikwad. (11) Wamane.
(6) Dharde.
As a rule, a man may not marry a woman who belongs to his own section. He may marry the daughters of his paternal aunt, his maternal uncle, and his sister, but he cannot marry the daughter of his maternal aunt. Two sisters may be married to the same man, provided that the elder is married first. Polygamy is permitted, in theory, but the extent to which this is practised depends on the means of the individual concerned.
Marriage
The Davre Jogis profess to marry their daughters as infants; but adult marriage is by no means unknown among the poorer classes. The marriage ceremony in use among them differs little from that of the Maratha Kunbis, except that Haldi-lavane, or the smearing of the bride and bridegroom, is performed under a bower made of arandi leaves {Ricinus communis), and the bridal pair are made to stand, each in a basket of iron, at the time when (he antarpat is held between them. Widows may marry again and are in no way restricted in the selection of their second husband. The ritual in use is very simple. The bride and bridegroom are seated opposite to each other and, their foreheads being made to touch, their gar- ments are tied in a knot. Divorce is permitted at the option of either party and divorced women are allowed to marry again by the same rite as widows.
Religion
Bhairava is the tutelary deity of the caste. They also worship Jotiba of Ratnagiri, Khandoba of Jejuri, Bhavani of Tuljapur and Renuka of Mahur. Brahmans are employed for reli- gious and ceremonial purposes. Their gums (spiritual »udvisers) are Kanphate Jogis, so called because of their custom of slitting their ears and wearing a small cylindrical object in the incision. They make pilgrimages to holy places and observe all the fasts and festivals of the local Hindus.
Disposal of the Dead
The Davre Jogis bury their dead in a sitting posture, with the face turned towards the east. The corpse is taken to the burial ground in a zoli, or a bag of cloth, the funeral procession being accompanied with music made by the beating of drums and the blowing of shingis, or horn pipes. Before burial, the body is smeared with oihhuti (cowdung ashes), bel (/^gle Marmelos) leaves and flowers are offered to it, and water is poured into its mouth. It is then lowered into the grave and gdnja (Indian hemp), tobacco, wine, or whatever object or food the dead person was fond of when alive is placed by its side. Led by the chief mourner, the relatives throw earth into the grave, which is then filled up. After further offerings of bel leaves and flowers have been made to the departed soul, the relatives and friends forming the funeral procession march three times round the grave and return to the house of the deceased person. On their arrival, they chew nrm {Melia indica) leaves, wash their mouths and retire to their homes.
On the third day after death, offerings of flowers, bel leaves and vibhuti are again made at the grave and a feast, known as bhundara, is given to caste brethren. No regular Sradha is per- formed, nor is mourning observed by the members of the caste,
Social Status
In point of social standing, the Davre Jogis rank immediately below the Maratha Kunbis. They cannot, however, eat kflchi or pakki with men of any caste lower than Marathas in social position. They eat fish, fowl and mutton and indulge occasionally in strong drink.
Occupation
The Davre Jogis are professional mendicants, wandering from village to village, collecting alms and performing bharad at the marriages of their disciples and also on other cere- monial occasions. Their services are specially called in by the Maratha cultivators during NaVratra, or the first nine nights of Aswin (Sep- tember), which are sacred to the goddess Bhavani. The bharad usually begins at sunset and lasts throughout the night. The perform- ers first sing pavadas, or ballads, in honour first of Bhavani and then of Bhairavanath, to the mingled sounds of drums, cymbals and a fiddle (tuntune). The audience is, at the same time, entertained with humorous episodes regarding the Hindu gods and heroes. When the rainy season sets in they return to their homes and spend the wet months in weaving Kachas, or girdles. A few have recently taken to agriculture, as their hereditary calling is not found to be sufficiently paying. They form part of the village community, being the 7th of the 12 alutedars, or village servants, entitled to a share in the produce.
