rd day they place on
the grave some uncooked rice and a lighted lamp. As soon as an insect
flies to the lamp they catch it, and placing it in a cake of flour
carry this to a stream, where it is worshipped with an offering of
coloured rice. It is then thrust into the sand or mud in the bed of
the stream with a grass broom. This ceremony is called Kharpani or
'Grass and Water,' and appears to be a method of disposing of the
dead man's spirit. It is not performed at all for young children,
while, on the other hand, in the case of respected elders a second
ceremony is carried out of the same nature, being known as Badapani or
'Great Water.' On this occasion the _jiva_ or soul is worshipped with
greater pomp. Except in the case of wicked souls, who are supposed
to become malignant ghosts, the Binjhwars do not seem to have any
definite belief in a future life. They say, '_Je maris te saris_,'
or 'That which is dead is rotten and gone.'

7. Religion.

The tribe worship the common village deities of Chhattisgarh,
and extend their veneration to Bura Deo, the principal god of the
Gonds. They venerate their daggers, spears and arrows on the day of
Dasahra, and every third year their tutelary goddess Vindhyabasini is
carried in procession from village to village. Mr. Mian Bhai gives the
following list of precepts as forming the Binjhwar's moral code:--Not
to commit adultery outside the caste; not to eat beef; not to murder;
not to steal; not to swear falsely before the caste committee. The
tribe have _gurus_ or spiritual preceptors, whom he describes as
the most ignorant Bairagis, very little better than impostors. When
a boy or girl grows up the Bairagi comes and whispers the _Karn
mantra_ or spell in his ear, also hanging a necklace of _tulsi_
(basil) beads round his neck; for this the _guru_ receives a cloth,
a cocoanut and a cash payment of four annas to a rupee. Thereafter he
visits his disciples annually at harvest time and receives a present
of grain from them.

8. Festivals.

On the 11th of Bhadon (August) the tribe celebrate the _karma_
festival, which is something like May-Day or a harvest feast. The
youths and maidens go to the forest and bring home a young _karma_
tree, singing, dancing and beating drums. Offerings are made to the
tree, and then the whole village, young and old, drink and dance
round it all through the night. Next morning the tree is taken to
the nearest stream or tank and consigned to