Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s3.t1: § 55. Astrologers and Exorcists
Indische Paläographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s3.t1
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Contents
- c48.s3.t1.1 — 3 parts
§ 55. Astrologers and Exorcists
c48.s3.t1.1.1
The importance of the horoscope, or birth-letter, and of a lucky day and hour for each domestic ceremony is so great in the eyes of the Brahmanic community that the duty of casting the one and of ascertaining the others is usually entrusted to none but a Brāhman. In many cases he is maintained by the village for the purpose and remunerated out of the crops, and in most Native States the Jyōtisi is an honoured official, endowed with salary and estate by the Chief. His function does not entail any separation from his sub-caste, so that this class of astrologer does not figure in the census returns. There is, however, a much lower grade in the profession, called by the same name, or rather, by its popular abbreviation, Jōsi, who is so returned, chiefly in the upper Gangetic plain and in Central India. He lives by palmistry, exorcism and omen-reading, and accepts remuneration for averting the evil influences of eclipses and of the phases of certain maleficent planets, especially Saturn, and generally pandering to pre-Aryan credulity. The subdivisions of the caste indicate, too that the Jōsi is a community of very mixed descent, and if connected at all with the Brahman, is only one of the degraded sections. This seems to be admitted in the case of the Dākaut, the astrologer of the Jamnā valley and Rājputāna, who is of the Āgrohā stock, unclassed for taking to an unorthodox course of life.
c48.s3.t1.1.2
The Gaṇak, again, of the Brahmaputra valley, are said to have been cast out by their Bengal fellows for undertaking the duties of family-priest to the carpenter caste. The Gaṇak moved into Assam, where, through the influence they acquired as court astrologers to the Kōch and Āhōm Chiefs, they settled down into a rank inferior to that of the Brāhman alone. A distinction must be drawn between the Jōsi of the plains of upper India and the same caste as found in the Kumāon hills. In the latter tract the Jōsi, whatever his position before his migration, has acquired the status of Brāhman in his present home, and intermarries with the Kanaujiyā and other sub-castes. This may be due in part to his worldly success, as for many generations the Jōsi has almost monopolised the sweets of State appointments in Kumāon, and flourished on them. In the Dravidian country, the profession of exorcist is widely spread, owing to the prevailing demonolatry, which requires variety of treatment. The determination of a lucky day, too, probably falls to the priests of the different communities of the lower classes, and to the Brāhman in the upper. On the Malabar coast, however, there are a few small castes which appear to be somewhat specialised in these arts. The Kaṇiśan, Pāṇan and Vēlan combine exorcism not only with devil-dancing, which is the usual twin calling, but with herbalism also.
c48.s3.t1.1.3
Probably all three castes are descended from the hill tribes of the neighbourhood, but have long been settled in the lowlands under the protection of the Nayar. In most parts of India there are specialists in exorcism and protective spells, though they may not have been yet formed into castes. The averter of hail, for instance, is an institution in parts of Bengal, in the lower Himālaya and in the north Dekkan. In the Kumaon tracts the duties fall to a special section of the Dōm. In Bengal, there seems to be a caste for the purpose, called the S'īlārī, but it is not returned at the Census. Possibly it has died out, since it is frankly admitted there that people did not think it worth while to maintain a wizard who could only keep hail off the crops of his patron without having the power to call it down upon those of his neighbours. The Garpagārī of the Marāṭhā tracts is a distinct caste, though, like the S'īlārī, it is on the wane; not, however, for the same reason, as the want of confidence now felt in the exorcist is here due to his inefficiency even as a protector of the crop, without any after-thought regarding his powers of maleficence. It is worth noting, perhaps, that these exorcists of the forces of Nature must be remunerated in kind, never in cash.