A History of the Mahrattas v1.c5.s3.67

v1.c5.s3.67

Fifthly, Khandoba is a god of fertility. Both his temples at Jejuri and Pāl are directly associated with the ancient custom of religious prostitution or sanctified harlotry. Children of both sexes are dedicated to him by lower-class Marāthās, in pursuance usually of vows made with the object of obtaining offspring. If a Kunbī has no children, or if his children are short-lived, he will make a vow to Khandoba that if the latter blesses him with a child, he will set it apart to worship and attend upon the god.² Male children thus dedicated are called Vāghes or Vāghyas (i.e. ‘tigers’), and the females Murlīs (i.e. ‘flutes’). Both the Vāghes and Murlīs comprise Marāthā, Dhangar and Mahār sub-divisions, of which the two former eat together.³ Married women also become Murlīs, and leave their husbands and children on the plea that they have made a vow to the god, or that they have been warned in a dream to become wives of Khandoba. The Murlīs, who earn their living by prostitution, are regarded with considerable respect by middle and lower-class Hindus; those who remain at the temple give their earnings to the god and perform various minor duties at the shrine; while others wander about the Deccan with a troupe of Vāghes, singing songs (lāvanis), often of a very erotic character, in honour of Khandoba, and supporting themselves by begging and prostitution. Murlīs and their attendant musicians frequently visit Bombay city, among the lower classes of which they enjoy considerable popularity; but on several occasions the indecent character of their performances has necessitated the intervention of the police. The words used at the dedication of a boy (Vāghe) and at the marriage of a girl (Murli) to the god are ‘El-kōt ghe’ (i.e. ‘Take, El-kōt’); ‘Elkōt’ being, as I have remarked above, the war-cry of the Rāmosī robber-bands in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.¹ The Vāghes, as they grow up, become temple ministrants and beggars, are regarded as Khandoba’s disciples, and wander about the country with their tiger-skin bags of turmeric, singing songs in honour of the god. In old days, at a festival held at Jejuri on the bright 6th of Mārga-Shirsha (November-December), a Vāghe was obliged to run a sword through his thigh, and thus wounded perambulate the town, while the bloody sword was laid as an offering before the god. Further, at all fairs in Khandoba’s honour, the ancient practice of hook-swinging was performed, chiefly by women, who were frequently members of the Rāmosī tribe.²