The Washington bee., 1893-08-19
AMONG THE HINDU POOR.
Multitudes of Aborigines, Almost Un-
clothed, Living in Wretched Buildings.


clothed, Living in Wretched Buildings.
Measured by any standard of actual
possessions, says writer in the Paul.
Inc Mission Message, the aboriginal and
unmixed Hindu population is poor III.
deed. It has often been a wonder to
us that the laboring classes among
Hindus build so poorly, and one is not
less surprised to see the comparatively
superior houses the Koi takes the pains
to build. A man can rarely stand in
a Door Hindus one to three rupee
house, he nearly always can comforta.
bly, do so in the Koiwar's more capa-
cious, better-roofed home. But this
house is about all. Seldom do brass
cooking vessels appear in the hands
of the KoiS. The most common earth
enware, cheap, easily broken and quick
ly replaced, do them. Better utensils
are seen among even the poor Hindus.
Here and there are focks, but few
fowls, perhaps a goat or two, a dog,
and one or two genuine "scalaWag'
pigs nEake up KOi estate. In the
west the men dress better than in
Bastar. The women go with the upper
body only imperfectly covered by a
cloth that covers the lower body, one
end of which is thrown up over one
shoulder from the front.
In the villages of Bastar we find null
titudes with no more than a piece of
cloth three feet by nine inches, a very
scant covering for the human frame.
Our hearts have been touched with
pity many a time as men, women and
children have come out to hear us
preach, sing and pray. 1t is notice
able that the natural modesty of man
kind is not wholly lost even among the
most barbarous tribes, Or under the
vilest of heather systems. We first
thought such nudity would prove the
depravity of the people. But to our
surprise we did not find any more inn
morality among the aboriginee than the
Hindu. Children up to eight or ten
years are usually utterly naked. Among
the Hindus the marriage relation is
very lightly esteemed. The Koi, on the
other hand, may polygamise, but gen
orally he has but one wife.
Notwithstanding the apparent pow
erty of the aborigineS among whom we
have travelled, they seem remarkably
happy. Almost every night you hear
the village song and the tom-tom. This
is to amuse themselves and frighten
away the wild beasts that abound
about them and are the plague of their
stock pens. Whatever else the people
have or have not, they get and use to-
bacco. They grow it and its use by
both sexes is everywhere seen. Even
little children indulge in the poison.
Drinking under the British ''out-still
SYSTEM is fearfully prevalent along
the Godavery and drunkenness is
spreading greatly in that vicinity; up
to recent date the people of Bastar
have been comparatively free from
this vice. But the British excise sys-
tenn is set up, and the mohwa tree, the
flower of which yields liquor, abounds.
Five thousand people meet in Jagda-
pur every Sunday market day. These
weekly bazaars afford a fine opportun-
ity for eyangelizing. Much of the grain
carrying is done on the heads of Wo-
men, Or on mems shoulders.
The abOriginee wears plenty of jew
elry. Men put on most of it. We fire.
quently see from ten to one hundred
they may be, but they must have jew
elry. We have seen thirty eight rings
in a mans two ears on a feast day.
Lie SICdL ISSpGSI dppdle eulIy SiloW Ii
to woman among the aborigines is strik-
ink. She seems to be reckoned fairly
mans equal. This greatly simplifies
missionary work among them. Our
preachers can at the same time with
equal facility reach both men and wo-
men. At Yellandu three-fifths of all
who hear our preachers are women.
The aboriginee either in the west or
east builds no temple to his gods. These
people revere gods they esteem to
dwell in the hills. They worship the
five brother kings, of whom BEEN Der
and Dharma Raj are the favorites.
They sacrifice to appease the Hindu
smallpox goddess, but do this in the
open air. Every high hill is deemed
sacred, and it is difficult to get one of
these people to ascend one of the high
er hills. They have no idols so-called.
The last man among them will tell you
"God is above" When you ask him
why he does not worship him and him
only he frankly says because he does
just what his father taught him.
Every ywhere the magic-man is dread
ed, and he takes good care to fleece the
people well for his own profit. Jagda-
pur is full of temples and literally
somebody has made priests of the
common people" here. Such is the
country, the people, their history, their
customs, condition and religion told
but in part.