GONDS
amenable to authority, however turbulent they may have been in former days. When they could distil ardent spirits themselves, they used to be much addicted to intoxication, especially at their religious ceremonies. This habit has, however, much decreased of late years."
Gonds do not rank among Hindoos. Like the Bheels, and other wild aboriginal tribes, they have a religion or fetish, such as it is, of their own. Several gods are worshipped: Dula Deo, Narain Deo, Suraj Deo, Maha Devi, Bara Deo, Khari Malu Thakur Deo, and Ghansyam. Besides these the Gond believes that the forests are peopled by sprites, good and evil, who are propitiated by offerings at pâts—spots which have been selected, and are marked by a piece of red rag tied to a pole. Here small offerings are made, and on great occasions a fowl and spirits are presented. Gonds have no priests among themselves. They follow the Baigas, a people totally distinct from themselves, with whom they do not intermarry, and whose language, being a dialect of Hindee, is totally different from their own aboriginal tongue. Captain Ward describes them as superior in features and character to the Gonds—indeed, as a very superior race to the Gonds. "Fearless, trustworthy, independent, ready enough to give their opinion and very willing to assist, they manage their communities in a way deserving of great praise. Social crimes, such as abductions of women, are decided by the elders, and theft is unknown. They are fearless and persistent hunters, and first- rate sportsmen, never hesitating to follow up and destroy all sorts of game, by which indeed they are mainly supported."
In religious ceremonies the Baigas much resemble the Gonds, but in addition worship Mai Dharitri, or the earth, and Thakur Deo, who protects the village; but in regard to wood spirits, and the wild localities which they frequent, they are the highest authority. The Gonds believe that they have powers of witchcraft, especially over tigers, in preventing them from carrying off village cattle. The ceremonies of marriage and other rites they perform like the Gonds.
Gonds have seven kinds of marriages, some more binding than others; the highest form is Byah. When a Gond wants to marry his daughter, he looks first for a husband among his sister's children; but the rule is only binding when the brother's child happens to be a girl and the sister's a boy. Where there is no ability to give a dowry, the bridegroom agrees to serve his bride's father for a term of years, which varies according to circumstances, but does not exceed three. In some cases a woman makes her own choice, and refuses the choice made for her; but she can be reclaimed and married to another, especially to one of her first cousins. Thus it appears that Gond customs provide for the marriage of every female under one form or another.
Widows can re-marry in two ways: either by going to the house of a man with whom she has made an arrangement, or by the younger brother of the
