Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency, Vol. I, Part I: History of Gujarat c16.8

c16.8

The correctness of the view suggested above is supported if not established by certain passages in Kaye's Sepoy War, I. 632-642. Chani says: 'The circulating of cakes was supposed to foretell disturbance and to be an invitation to the people to unite for some secret purpose.' According to the King of Delhi's physician (page 636) some charm attached to the cakes. The people thought they were made by some adept in the secret arts to keep unpolluted the religion of the country. Another authority (page 637) says: 'The first circulation of the cakes was on the authority of a pandit who said the people would rise in rebellion if cakes were sent round and that the person in whose name the cakes were sent would rule India.' The secret comes out in Sitarám Báwá's evidence (pages 646-648): 'The cakes in question were a charm or jadu which originated with Dása Báwa the guru or teacher of Nána Sáheb. Dása told Nána Sáheb he would make a charm and as far as the magic cakes should be carried so far should the people be on his side. He then took lotuses of dough called waddas and made an idol of it. He reduced in each and said that as far as the cakes were carried so far would the people determine to throw off the Company's yoke.' With this making of a cake as a sacramental home of Durga or Kálí compare the Buddhist of Tibet offering in a human skull to the Máhárání or Queen, that is to Durga or Kálí, a sacramental cake made of black-goat's fat, wine, dough, and butter, (Waddell's Buddhism in Tibet, 365.) As to the effect of sharing in Durga's mutiny cakes compare the statement of the Thag Faringsia (Sleeman's Ramaseeana, page 216): 'The sugar sacrament, gur-tapdoni, changes our nature. Let a man once taste the sacramental sugar and he will remain a Thag however skilful a craftsman, however well-to-do. The Urdu proverb says Tapdoni-khawatia gur jaisa khayeh waisa hoida. And who eats the sacramental Vase as he is so he remains.' The Thags are tools in the hand of the god they have eaten. (Company Ramaseeana, 76.)—J. M. C.