Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-06-29
INDIAN soycoTT,nc,


boycotting. differing in some par
ticHlars from the way in which il lie
done in the land where the English
term originated, has been practised for
ages in India. There is this great DIFF
ference between Irish and Hindoo boy
eating; the former is based mainly on
POLITICAL semi-poIitical or fiscal rea-
IONS: whereas the latter is practiced on
purely social or religious grounds.
Then the Irish IL severer than the Hin
doc method in this sense, that no trades
man will sell any thing to the boycotted
man. who IS more or less like prisoner
in his own house. whereas boycotted
Hindoo can buy any thing anywhere or
go to any place he likes, only people
will not go to his house or associate
with him or his family in any way. On
the other hand. the Hindoo is severer /
than the Irish boycotting in that
the latter may be only tempo |
rary, and raised at the caprice Of |
the boyco.ters; whereas the former is !
often permanent, or can be done away
with only by going through certain ex-
piatory rites or costly ceremonies.
which come hard even On the richer
classes. A man may be Loycotted III
Ireland for no fault II his own; but in
India boycotting follows upon breach
Of observance Of some tine-honored
custom. or by any public offense against
traditional notions Of propriety. Indian
boycotting is allied to outcasting, but
is quite distinct from it and not half 10
severe. A man can lose his caste only
by breaking one of its well-dcfned
rules, which are quite different from
| mere customs or obseryances- Al
outeasted man is necessarily boycotted;
but a boycotted man keeps his caste all
right as long as he does not act against
its rules. Again. a man may be cut
casted. but not his family, for that
reason; vet his relations will be boy
| cotted if they associate with him
| Let me now cite some examples
Some years ago learned pnndit gave
his daughter in marriage when she
was few years older than the pre-
scribed marriageable age among the
Hindoos; and the offense was rendered
doubly heinous by the perpetratnr be
ing Brahmin of high order. He wa
strictly boycotted accordingly and.
believe, Notwithstanding his great rep
utation as scholar and benevolen
person. and in spite of his endeavors Il
propitiate the Brahmins in many ways
he is still avoided by orthodox Hindoos
A whole family has been boycotted 70
receiving and associating with one 0
its members who returned from EH
gland and had lost his caste througl
eating with Englishmen. One gentle
man been boycotted forever 70
getting his widowed daughter mai
. ried. II anybody's son or daugf
ter-in-law associates with non-Hir
docs publicly. the offending individu;
is outcasted and the whole family
a boycotted. II son does not mourn Il
his deceased father in the prescribe
q manner, he is boycotted. In some par
r of India men are boycotted for wearln
I trousers of European fashion-or. i
q deed. any dress that was not worn
: their ancestors of thousand years ag
Is a welI-known historical example
a Hindoo boycotting is that Of the Je
I, pore royal family, which was boycott
k for hundreds of years by the 9th
Rajpoot families for being the first Hi
ia doc family of princely rank who offer
ne a daughter in marriage to q Mog
3 Emperor In Rsjputsna whole trit
ne are often boycotted if some body dc
IS not properly observe the tradition
zig customs, or forms connection witt
% lower caste or with non-Hindoos-
er But nowadays boycotting can
OF raised in India by a judicious use of
ID almighty gold. l may mention W.
nd known case. A distinguished Hind
'of gentleman and merchant of lal
ny IndAn town was boycotted for refor
'a' ing propelsities. His old orthod
ct. mother, who lived in the country.
be- the occasion of religious festival
rected the servants. as usual to distr
lie ute offerings of rice. fruits and swt
IS meats among the Brahmins Of the nei
res borhood. To man they refused
lie accept the same, on the ground t
WI her SON was deserving his caste
the old lady was deeply chagrined. and
nd gan to be mortally afraid of the de
as nation of her soul after death.
us hearing this, her son went down TO
ION country house, and ordered the s.
e OIL ants To take the offerings again to
ian Brahmins, this time placing five rul
me- on each of the plates. The exped
een answered wonderfully well. The '
VI Brahmins who few hours before
w. turned away the servants ignomini
". now came running to the mercha
house and literally scrambled for
presents. The story seems to ju'
,ey- The saying of another rich Hindoo,
full .scaste was in his iron chest
YER Boycotting and outeasting are n
doubiy oppressive n HindOo VOL
be and for the most trifing reasons.
ELL married woman not putting the
lath door "a rcd powder) on the partlu
'S her hair is boycotted. In the coui
.;,. If a mother-in-law eats or lives II
: house of her son-in-law before
sad- daughter has 4 child. she will be at
the bovcotted. A young married lady
bovcotted for not observing some
ent- emonv at the birth of her child. A
fol- can regain his caste by performInt
I. the expiatory rites; but an quito
!: sme woman. especially if she has br
tn, tbs zanana or ASSOC