in-cloth, which always had to have
five tucks, three into the waistband at the two sides and in front,
while the loose ends were tucked in in front and behind. Buttons had
to be avoided as they were made of bone, and shoes were considered
to be impure as being of leather. Formerly a Brahman never entered
a house with his shoes on, as he would consider the house to be
defiled. According to the old rule, if a Brahman touches a man of
an impure caste, as a Chamar (tanner) or Basor (basket-maker), he
should bathe and change his loin-cloth, and if he touches a sweeper
he should change his sacred thread. Now, however, educated Brahmans
usually wear white cotton trousers and black or brown coats of cloth,
alpaca or silk with the normal allowance of buttons, and European
shoes and boots which they keep on indoors. Boys are even discarding
the _choti_ or scalp-lock and simply cut their hair short in imitation
of the English. For the head small felt caps have become fashionable
in lieu of turbans.

23. Tattooing.

Men are never tattooed, but women are freely tattooed on the face
and body. One dot is made in the centre of the forehead and three
on the left nostril in the form of a triangle. All the limbs and the
fingers and toes may also be tattooed, the most common patterns being
a peacock with spread wings, a fish, cuckoo, scorpion, a child's
doll, a sieve, a pattern of Sita's cookroom and representations of
all female ornaments. Some women think that they will be able to sell
the ornaments tattooed on their bodies in the next world and subsist
on the proceeds.

24. Occupation.

In former times the Brahman was supposed to confine himself to priestly
duties, learning the Vedas and giving instruction to the laity. His
subsistence was to be obtained from gleaning the fields after the
crop had been cut and from unsolicited alms, as it was disgraceful
for him to beg. But if he could not make a living in this manner
he was at liberty to adopt a trade or profession. The majority of
Brahmans have followed the latter course with much success. They were
the ministers of Hindu kings, and as these were usually illiterate,
most of the power fell into the Brahmans' hands. In Poona the Maratha
Brahmans became the actual rulers of the State. They have profited
much from gifts and bequests of land for charitable purposes and are
one of the largest landholding castes. In Mewar it was recorded that a
fifth of the State revenue fr