Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-26
ssSMila~
9ai1v eagle
SITTING In DHARNA.
A REMARKABLE EXAMPLE OF THE
BRAHMANS' CUNNING.

A PorplexinS State of Affairs in Be-
nares-One Way of Gaining a Point
Three Hundred Thousand People Leave
Their Homes.
As Sitting in dharna' is en- extremely curl
Gus practice, the readers of this journal may
like to know something about it The Brah-
mans have nowhere shown more remark
able example of their cunning than in Great
ing among their countrymen a belief that
their persons were designed by God to be
under all circumstances inviolable; and that
to deprive them of life or to hurt their per-
sons, directly or indirectly, is crime that
admits OF no expiation. On this persuasion
is founded the practice of sitting in dharna-
When Brahman desires to gain some point
which he has found it impossible 10 accom-
plish in any other way he goes to the door or
house OF the person against whom his suit is
directed, and there he sits down in dharna,
with poison, or poniard or some other means
of suicide in his hand, threatening to use it
shou:d his adversary attempt to modest or
pass him by. This menace completely arrests
him. The plaintiff now commences fast, in
which, according to etiquette, be must be ac-
companied by the defendant; and in this stu
alton they both remain until the former OBJ
tains satisfaction. The plaintiff rarely fails
of his object; for were the Individual thus ar
rested to permit the Brahman to perish of
hunger, or should he drive him to make use
OF any of his instruments of mischief, the sin
would lie upon his head forever.
BRAHMAN WIDOW.
Nor is the practice confined to male Brah-
mans. Some years ago Brahman widow at
BenareS had lawsuit with her brother-in-
law, which, in the first instance, went to ar
bitration. The suit involved q claim Of prop
erty and consideration Of caste, the privi-
leges of which her antagonist declared she
had forfeited. The decision, though favor
able to her, did not altogether satisfy the
lady, who determined to carry the remaining
points in dispute by dharna. Accordingly
she placed herself in the customary way at
the door of her brother-in-law, who, appre-
hensive of her death, went with her to
temple, where they both made trial Of their
powers of abstinence for some time longer.
Thirteen days had elapsed when the defendant
gave in. He agreed that if the widow could
establish the validity of her claims to caste
by prevailing on some respectable Brahmans
to eat dinner with her at her own cost he
would not only pay all the expenses of the
feast but her debts also. The conditions were
accepted and fulfilled. But the brother-in-
law refused to perform the last part of the
engagement which brought the matter under
official notice
Here is an older and moro striking ex-
ample. Government having imposed house
tax at Benares, the people, startled by tho
innovation, began to complain that they
never heard of such tax Under the moguls;
that their houses were their own; that the
British rulers might next lay tax on their
wives and children. Representations were
made to government at Calcutta, but in
vain. Upon this tho whole population of
the city and its neighborhood determined to
sit in dharna until their grievances should be
redressed Some of the leading Brahmans
sent written handbils to the wards in Ben
ares, and to some Of the adjoining villages,
briefly setting forth the provocation and the
necessity of the measures they were about to
adopt They called on all lovers of their
country and religion to join in the move
ment, and commanded, under bitter curses,
every person who received the summons to
hand it to his next neighbor. Three days
afterward about 100000 persons left their
houses, shut up their shops suspended their
farm work, foreborc to light fires or dress
victuals, and many of them even to cat, and
sat down with folded arms and dropping
heads on the plain surrounding Benares.
ENDING A DISTURBANCE.
The local government was much perplexed
There was the chance that some of those
strange people might really perish, either from
their obstinacy or from disease, while distress
might cnsue from the interruption of agricul-
tural labor at the most critical time of the
year. On tho other hand, it was not expedi-
ent to yield to such demand so urged Sc
they told the ringleaders, after some ineffec-
tuai reasoning, that if they chose to sit in
dharna it was their own affair; that the gov
ernment would never yield to circumstances
SO enforced, and that, SO long as they only in
jured themselves and were peaceful in their
behavior to others, the government would not
meddle with them. AT tho same time, how
ever, a strong body Of troops was placed in
the neishborhood, out OF view. Soon the null
titude began to grow very hungry, and a
thunder shower made them wet, cold and I'M
comfortable. Some Of tho party proposed q
change OF operations-that deputation Of
1000 should be sent to address the governor
general at Calcutta personally. A minority,
thoroughly tired Of their situation, rose to 90
home, but the remainder determined that all
should so to the governor general, every man
at his own charge. 50 about Is, 600 Brahmans
assembled with such provisions as they could
collect, and began their march. But dissen-
sions spread fast among them, and hunger
and fatigue told even on the most obstinate.
In a few days they melted away to SO small
number that the remainder were ashamed to
proceed Then the supreme government wise
ly repealed the obnoxious tax; and thus ended
disturbance which, if it had been harshly or
lnJudiciously managed, might have set all
India in flame
Nowadays the practice of sitting in dharna
is mostly confined to the faqueers. These pious
besgars are remarkably obstinate, and will
not move from the door of person until
their demands are complied with, threatening
suicide or self-torture. l remember well a \
number of faquecrs who, a few years ago,
sat round n hugo fire which they lighted at
the door of house in which grand funeral
was being celebrated, threatening 10 put their
arms into the flames if the present they de
mandcd WAS denied to them. Some of them
did actually burn the ends OF their fingers.
AT last the master Of the house gave them the
money and got rid of them-Hindoo Cor. St.
James Gazette
raralytic's Alphabet
y citizen Of Norwich, Conn, who recently
died, had been So laralyzed for twelve years
that no could not move hand or speak. His
only means of communication was by having
an attendant run through the alphabet, and