The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-06-05
pHARNA SITTING.
Among the Rrahnsns-A Most Peczlia-
Custom.


Custom
OF all the remarkable things seen in
India, the peculiar habit Of "DhsTna"
sitting is the most remarkable
The Brahmins have nowhere shown
. more astute example Of their cunning
than in creating among their country
men, including all the natives OF East
India, belief that their persons were
designed by God TO be under al eircun-
stances inviolabIe; and that 10 deprive
them Of hfe or 70 inJure any person. d.
rectly or indirectly. IL = crime that ad-
rnits OF no religious explanation On
this belief is founded the practice OF
rDharra7 sitting.
When Hindoo desires 20 gain pOin-
rhich be has found 70 be impossible ~
stain By any Other method he VIII go
% the door or house o. the person
Lgainst whom his suit - directed aEd
here sit down IN ~D6arna," carrying
With him either poison or = dagger, or
torne other means Oi committing SUI
side. He threatens 70 kill himself X
iis adversary attempts To 1olest OF
pass him by. This menace completely
bales and arrests the party IN the
house. Ii now becomes . question Of .
last, IN which, according 20 ths custom
Of tho country, the one sitting al tho
door must also take part IN this way
both VIII remain Until the aggTieved
party secures satisfaction. II the party
II the house should permit the one On
the outside - die Of ARcgsr tbcn be
has been gaiIty OF causing tbAt Pcrsea' .
death indirectly and Wal. ca this se-
count. Lose caste forever
SOrae years ago Brahrnln widow 80
Benarss had q lawsuit with her oTotbsr-
rn-law which involved claim Of prop
erty and . consideration q eoses. Tie
decision. though so15swba fsTor2bic
70 her. did not satisfy her. and Sis DO
te-nined - carry out the reE.sininI
points IN dispute by tie -DAarB2'
method She placed berself In The CTS
touAry sitting position a. tie door OF
her bro1heT-in-iaw's rcside7cs. and 10,
a. once becoming apPre5easaTc q bsr
death. we-t with her % . temple where
they both made trial q their powers %
fasting. For y Szys they lasted, vixen
ke yielded
One oz the most remarkable Instances
Of ths -Dhsrua" custom Wa sSEcst
the gorzr7nent of Izeia- a hccs< TAX
{.sd been imposed o. al ne natives
living a. BenArez. The HlaaSSs .cd
RrahEins were startled b. tie cscres.
A astting sf the natives was hsld and
tSe -Dhz<zz" was re<oTtsd % TIE
whole Iz53So population Of Bezazss,
rich zod poor. cetS-Eni3ed % Sst y
"Dh>rnz- uatl 80 AZ Wa rvz.OFs-a.
A cGn -aa made sor az ISTerS sf tae-r
county % ok fAs KsovsDeEL ISe -
silt WA hat vf-Sta tzTee GAYS ssD1SS
p=solz had left tkesr bSDes. s1st rE
their sbOys Azd b<zzn hat P>csl->f
sst-inx Il the s.r>s.s- s0- f-e vs-<
Axhtsd IL ar Indian 5Szse' tSca -
aesfhsr COOKED ror eztsz- Try 81
with foded arrzs AID crDo7t=g h<1d1
OF Tie pIasz Ezrr01z14zg LIZ g-.At Aosy
city os Bsza-ss- ~ frs. Ms ySs
VIZ a-zuEi-g socre for he loc24 E-stzss
syH~IaS. bzt u sooz r1rzec - CO q
pe-pie-sty. Il beesEs svs1srt TAI >
great a2oE7t o: sEEs-1Eg z1gst -
sult frc= t1s i-ssr--pl<0a of &gr1-
ezIs--zI Lzbo-S :. IAe Eo~s c-stsGz1 80
so- u tEe ya=r. SsTsTt2<As-s. tke goT-
e--re-t id zot fe<i tzei4ssc &C y.el1-
Tn- rsrziezzlsrs were tod tszt y f2sey
=ishzi % ait z -Dzsr-s- = ~ss tkess
czn aSsi-. s2S tAzt thy S1zE not b
zs-sdse.a srish- 4 ssrozz de-zez.rzsrEs q.
tro0pa Uzs pt.eed - i.s ssels-zb.orsnso1-
The ~Dn2-zz- STIR began - gr1s
verJ kuSc-y- 4 tEEzEs- stossF zzza-
tAez Sst Ase GzzCSze0E1-<.s l->-