Gorakhnath and the Kanphata Yogis c5.13

c5.13

Jogīs. Every rascally beggar who pretends to be able to tell fortunes, or to practice astrological and necromantic arts, in however small a degree, buys himself a drum and calls himself, and is called by others, a Jogī. Those men include all the Musalmāns, and probably a part of the Hindus of the eastern districts, who style themselves Jogīs. They are a thoroughly vagabond set, and wander about the country beating a drum and begging, practising surgery and physic in a small way, writing charms, telling fortunes, and practising exorcism and divination; or, sitting in the villages, eke out their earnings from these occupations by the offerings made at the local shrines of the malevolent godlings of the Sayads and other Musalmān saints; for the Jogī is so impure that he will eat the offerings made at any shrine. These people, or at least the Musalmān section of them, are called Rāwal in the centre of the Panjab. Rāwal corresponds to Nāth. In Kāṭhiāwār they are said to exorcise evil spirits and to worship Koriāl. In Siālkot they pretend to avert storms from the ripening crops by plunging a drawn sword into the field or a knife into a mound, sacrificing goats and accepting suitable offerings.’