The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-07-18
nAAaNA eIT4lNe.


Aaarn@ the Rtahmsn4-A Nest RnerHng
Enstou.
OF eli the remarkable thinRs seen in
India, the peculiar habit Of Dharnan
sitting Is the most remarkable.
The Brahmins have nowhere shown
a more asfute example Of their cunning
than in creating among their country
men, including al the natives Of East
India, a belief that their persons were
designed By God te be under all circum-
stances inviolable, and that to deprive
them Of life OF to injure any person, di-
rectly OF Indirectly Is q crime that ad-
mits Of no religious explanation. On
this belief IS founded the practice Of.
"Dharha' sitting.
When q Hindoo desires to gain point
which he has found to be impossible to
attain by any other method he win go
10 the door or house Of the person
against whom his suit is directed and
there sit down in "Dharna,1 carrying
with him either poison or a dagger, or
some other means of committing sui
eide. He threatens to kill himself il
his adversary attempts to modest or
pass him by. This menace completely
battles and arrests the party in the
house. 1t o becomes 3 question Of a
fast, in which, according to the custom
of the country, the n sitting at the
door must also take part. In this way
both win remain until the aggrieved
party secures satisfaction. If the party
in the house should permit the one on
the outside to die Of hunger then he
has been guilty of causing that
death indirectly and will, on this ac-
count, lose caste forever.
Some years ago a Brahmin widow at
Benares had a lawsuit with her brother
tn-law which involved a claim of prop
erty and a consideration Of costs. The
decision, though somewhat favorable
to her, did not satisfy her, and she de-
termined to carry out the remaining
points in dispute by the "Dharna"
method. She placed herself in the GUS
tomary sitting position at the door Of
her brother-in-law's residence, and he,
at once becoming apprehensiye Of her
death, went with her to a temple, where
they both made trial of their powers Of
fasting. For 10 days they tasted, when
he yielded.
One of the most remarkable instances
OF this ''Dharna'' custom was against
the government of India. A house tax
had been imposed on all the natives
living at Benares. The Hindoos and
Brahmins were startled by the decree.
A netting Of the natives was held and
the "Dharna'' was resorted to. The
whole Indian population of Benares,
rich and poor, determined to sit in
.Dharna'' until the tax was removed.
A call was made for all lovers Of their
country to join the movement. The re-
suit was that within three days 900, zoe
persons had left their homes, shut up
their shops ard began that peculiar
sitting in the streets. Not q fire was
lighted la any Indian house; food wa6
neither cooked nor eaten. They sat
with folded arms and dropping heads
on the plain surrounding the great holy
city Of Benares. At first this was q
very amusing scene for the local British
officials, but it soon turned to one q
p~erpIexity. 1t became evident that q
great amount Of suffering might re-
suit from this interruption of agri-
cultural labors at the most critical seas
son Of the year. Nevertheless, the gov.
eminent did not feel inclined to yield.
1.-THE r~ingleaders were told that If they
wished to sit in "Dharna" it was their
own affair, and that they would not be
meddled with. A STRONG detachment Of
troops was placed in the neighborhood.
The "Dharna" sitters began to grow
very hungry. A thunder shower made
them wet and uncomfortable. Con-
s~ultation of the leaders was held. It
was finally decided that a deputation of
10000 should march on to Calcutta and
present an address to the g~overnor-gen-
eral Of India. The rest were ordered to
their homes and labor. This resulted
in a repeal of the tax.
If beggars in India desire to secure 9
certain privilege of a fee they squat in
"Dharna'' in front Of q rich indiana
house and will remain until their de
sires are granted. 1t is a common thing
in the country towns Of India to see
several men sitting IN the streets with
folded arms and dropping heads.@Cin-
cinnati Enquirer.