Lalbegi: Deccan
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Lalbegi
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 |
Lalbegi: Deccan
Laibegi — a class of Muhammadan sweepers, whose customs are partly Hindu and partly Muhammadan.
Origin
The traditions current among the people say that their ancestor was one Satisha Lalbeg, who was descended from the sage Walmiki. Lalbeg is identified by Sir H. Elliot with Lai Guru and, in Benares, he is confounded with Pir Zeihr (Sherring, " Hindu Tribes of Benares," p. 397). Though styled Muhammadans the Lalbegis do not practise circumcision.
Internal Structure
Lalbegis have the following seven sub- classes who neither interdine nor intermarry : — Hele, Malkane, Chhichhade, Dumar, Chhajgade, Bhadeye dassan, Makhyar. They have also a number of exogamous groups, such as Phatrod, 'Sanakat, Kanderao, Suraswal, Gaikwad, Sarwan and Kanderia and marriage between persons belonging to the same section is forbidden.
The Lalbegis admit outsiders freely into their community, the new comer being bathed and required to smoke from the same hukk^ as themselves.
Marriage
Marriages are arranged by matchmakers, who are generally old women. Previous to the betrothal, Rajjaga (the night vigil), is observed and women sing songs throughout the night in honour of pirs. Next morning, a red cock is offered to Kuda (God) and eaten afterwards by the householders. The betrothal ceremony (Mangni) consists of taking the bridegroom to the house of the bride and presenting her with new clothes and jewels. A day for the marriage is fixed by consulting a Brahman. A marriage booth (mandap) supported on four pillars and covered with mango leaves is erected at the house of the bride. A twig of palas or dak (Btitea jrondosa) is planted in the centre of the booth and near this are placed two earthen vessels covered with dung, in which are sown seeds of wheat. The Tel Haldi ceremony follows and is celebrated as among the Hindu castes. Early on {he wedding morning, a procession is formed conducting the bridegroom to the bride's house. On his arrival, the bridegroom is received at the door by the bride's brother and is not allowed to enter the canopy until he pays some money to his receiver. He is here joined by the bride, dressed in a green sari and red bodice, and wearing two necklaces, .one of black beads and the other of eleven golden beads. The bridal pair each throw on the other's head, some coloured rice and have their clothes tied in a knot. Finally, seven pegs of palas wood are planted in a row in the ground and the couple walk seven times round them, the bridegroom kicking off one peg at the completion of each round. A Brahman standing outside the booth recites mantras and blesses the couple. The bridal pair are then seated side by side on a carpet and the bride's parents wash their feet with milk amd present them with money. The rest of tlie day is spent in feasting, the wedded couple returning to the bride- groom's house the next morning.
Widow-Marriage and Divorce
Widows are allowed to marry again and divorce is permitted on the ground of the wife's adultery, or if the couple do not agree. A bond is executed in the presence of the Pancha^at sanctioning the divorce and afterwards the divorced woman is allowed to marry again.
Religion
The Lalbegis follow many Hindu customs, observing the DiWaJi and the Holi as the greatest festivals of the year. On these occasions a mud image of a mosque with five domes is made, supposed to be a model of one still existing at Ghazni, in Kabul, which belonged to Lalbeg, the eponymous ancestor of the tribe. In front of the image a cock is sacrificed, and offerings of pilau, sherbet and sweetmeats are made in his name." (Risley's "Tribes and Castes", Vol. II, 4). Every Friday, at sunset, offerings of flowers are made to Lalbeg by every householder. Brahmans are called in to fix the marriage day and to conduct the marriage ceremony, and suffer no degradation on this account.
Disposal of the Dead
The dead are buried in a lying posture, with the head pointing to the south. "The funeral cere- monies of the Lalbegis are peculiar. The dead may not be buried in a Mussalman cemetery, but are consigned to the grave in some waste and jungly spot. The corpse is wrapped in five shrouds, a handkerchief is placed under each arm and in each hand, a \asaiOa, or napkin, is bound round the head, and a Ifhirja, or blouse, is put on the body. After the grave has been filled in, a cloth cover (phxilka chadar) is laid over it, while four pieces of agar wood (Aquilaria Agallocha) are inserted at the 'comers and set fire to, The rest of the funeral ceremonies are strictly Muhammadan. For four days after a death a fire is not allowed to be lighted in the dwelling house of the deceased, the family in the meantime receiv/ng food from their neighbours ; but on the fifth day a tray laden with betel nuts and adorned with flowers is placed in front of the hut, and a feast is given to the whole tribe." (Risley's " Tribes and Castes •', Vol. II, 4.)
Social Status
No respectable Muhammadan will marry, eat or associate with the Lalbegis. They are not admitted into the public mosques nor buried in the public graveyards. Their touch is regarded as being ceremonially unclean by all respectable classes of .Hindus, while a Brahman officiating at their marriages stands far away from their community outside the wedding booth. Their women appear unveiled in public and help the men in their profession as sweepers. It is said that they eat the leavings of Europeans and drink any sort of wine or spirits. They are employed as sweepers in European house- holds and are always addressed as 'jjimadcirs' by the other servants.
Occupation
Formerly, the Lalbegis lived on the outskirts of villages and towns and were not allowed to enter the locality by day. It so happened, however, during the reign of Aurangzeb, that a corpse was found lying in the streets of Delhi and it appeared to Muhammadans to be a Hindu corpse and to Hindus to be a Muham- madan one. The Lalbegis were at last ordered to remove it, but as they went to carry it away it became converted into a heap of flowers. This they claimed to be their pit Lalbeg, who had come to help them out of their degraded position. The Emperor was so struck with wonder at the change that he allowed the Lalbegis to live in towns and villages and to carry on their profession by day as well as by night.
