Travels in India (Tavernier) 115: Concerning Fakirs or Muhammadan beggars in the East Indies.

115

It is estimated that there are in India 800,000 Muhammadan Fakirs, and 1,200,000 among the idolaters, which is an enormous number. They are all vagabonds and idlers, who blind the eyes of the people by a false zeal, and lead them to believe that all that escapes from their own mouths is oracular.
There are different kinds of these Muhammadan Fakirs ; some are almost naked, like the Fakirs of the idolaters, who have no regular dwellings, and abandon themselves to all kinds of impurity without any shame. They persuade simple souls that they possess a privilege to do all kinds of evil without sin.
There are other Fakirs who are clad in garments of so many pieces of different colours that one is unable to say what they are. These robes extend half way down their legs and conceal the miserable rags which are beneath. These Fakirs generally travel in company, and have a chief or superior over them who is distinguished by his garment, which is poorer and made up of more pieces than those of the others. He, moreover, drags a heavy iron chain which he has attached to one leg ; it is 2 cubits long and thick in proportion. When he prays it is with great noise, which he makes with this chain and a loud voice; this is accompanied by an affected gravity, which attracts the veneration of the people. However, the people bring him and his followers food to eat, which they serve him in the place where he stops, generally some street or public place. He has carpets spread by his disciples, and seats himself on them in order to give audience to those who wish to consult him. On the other hand, his disciples proclaim throughout the country the great virtues of their master and the favours which he receives from God, who reveals to him the most important secrets, and confers upon him the power to aid afflicted persons with good advice. The people give him easy credence, and regard him as a holy man, and come to him with great devotion, and when one of them approaches close to him, he takes the shoes from off his feet and prostrates himself before the Fakir in order to kiss his feet. Then the Fakir, in order to appear humble, extends his arm and gives his hand to be kissed, after which he makes those who come to consult him, sit near him, and he listens to each in turn. He boasts of possessing a prophetic spirit, especially for indicating to women who are sterile the way in which they may obtain children, and how to constrain any one they wish to manifest love for them.
There are Fakirs who have more than 200 disciples, whom they assemble by the sound of the drum and a horn similar to the horns of our huntsmen. When marching, the disciples carry their standard, lances, and other arms, which they stick in the ground near their master when he halts to rest anywhere.
The third kind of these Fakirs of the East Indies consists of those who, being born of poor parents, and wishing to know the law thoroughly, in order to become Mullás or doctors, take up their abode in mosques, where they live on whatever charity is bestowed upon them. They occupy their time in reading the Koran, which they learn by heart, and when they are able to add to this study some little knowledge of natural things, with the example of a good life, according to their ideas, they become heads of mosques, and reach the dignity of Mullás and judges of the law. These Fakirs have wives, and some, through piety and the great desire they have to imitate Muhammad, have three or four of them, believing that thereby they do God a great service, by being fathers of many children who will follow the law of their Prophet.