the chastity of the women of the Gujarat Vaghris. [67]
"When a family returns home after a money-making tour to Bombay
or some other city, the women are taken before Vihat (Devi), and
with the women is brought a buffalo or a sheep that is tethered in
front of Vihat's shrine. They must confess all, even their slightest
shortcomings, such as the following: 'Two weeks ago, when begging in
Parsi Bazar-street, a drunken sailor caught me by the hand. Another
day a Miyan or Musalman ogled me, and forgive me, Devi, my looks
encouraged him.' If Devi is satisfied the sheep or buffalo shivers,
and is then sacrificed and provides a feast for the caste." [68]
On the other hand, Mr. Crooke states [69] that in northern India,
"The standard of morality is very low because in Muzaffarnagar it is
extremely rare for a Bawaria woman to live with her husband. Almost
invariably she lives with another man: but the official husband is
responsible for the children." The great difference in the standard
of morality is certainly surprising.

In Gujarat [70] the Vaghris have _gurus_ or religious preceptors of
their own. These men take an eight-anna silver piece and whisper in the
ear of their disciples "Be immortal."... "The Bhuvas or priest-mediums
play an important part in many Vaghri ceremonies. A Bhuva is a male
child born after the mother has made a vow to the goddess Vihat
or Devi that if a son be granted to her she will devote him to the
service of the goddess. No Bhuva may cut or shave his hair on pain
of a fine of ten rupees, and no Bhuva may eat carrion or food cooked
by a Muhammadan."

17. Criminal practices.

The criminal Bagris still usually travel about in the disguise of
Gosains and Bairagis, and are very difficult of detection except to
real religious mendicants. Their housebreaking implement or jemmy
is known as _Gyan_, but in speaking of it they always add _Das_,
so that it sounds like the name of a Bairagi. [71] They are usually
very much afraid of the _gyan_ being discovered on their persons,
and are careful to bury it in the ground at each halting-place,
while on the march it may be concealed in a pack-saddle. The means of
identifying them, Mr. Kennedy remarks, [72] is by their family _deo_
or god, which they carry about when wandering with their families. It
consists of a brass or copper box containing grains of wheat and the
seeds of a creeper, both soaked in _ghi_ (melted butter). The box with
a peacock's feather