retains much reverence for his _guru_, and invokes him with the
exclamation, 'Jai Guru,' before starting out to beg in the morning. The
following articles are carried by the Waghyas when begging. The _dapdi_
a circular single drum of wood, covered with goat-skin, and suspended
to the shoulder. The _chouka_ consists of a single wire suspended from
a bar and passing inside a hollow wooden conical frame. The wire is
struck with a stick to produce the sound. The _ghati_ is an ordinary
temple bell; and the _kutumba_ is a metal saucer which serves for a
begging-bowl. This is considered sacred, and sandalwood is applied
to it before starting out in the morning. The Waghyas usually beg
in parties of four, each man carrying one of these articles. Two
of them walk in front and two behind, and they sing songs in praise
of Khandoba and play on the instruments. Every Waghya has also the
bag made of tiger-skin, or, if this cannot be had, of deer-skin,
and the cowrie necklace, and a _seli_ or string of goat-hair round
the neck. Alms, after being received in the _kutumba_ or saucer,
are carried in a bag, and before setting out in the morning they put
a little grain in this bag, as they think that it would be unlucky
to start with it empty. At the end of the day they set out their
takings on the ground and make a little offering of fire to them,
throwing a pinch of turmeric in the air in the name of Khandoba. The
four men then divide the takings and go home. Marathas, Murlis and
Telis are the castes who revere Khandoba, and they invite the Waghyas
to sing on the Dasahra and also at their marriages. In Bombay the
Waghyas force iron bars through their calves and pierce the palms of
their hands with needles. To the needle a strip of wood is attached,
and on this five lighted torches are set out, and the Waghya waves
them about on his hand before the god. [724] Once in three years each
Waghya makes a pilgrimage to Khandoba's chief temple at Jejuri near
Poona, and there are also local temples to this deity at Hinganghat
and Nagpur. The Waghyas eat flesh and drink liquor, and their social
and religious customs resemble those of the Marathas and Kunbis.

Yerukala

_Yerukala._--A vagrant gipsy tribe of Madras of whom a small number
are returned from the Chanda District. They live by thieving,
begging, fortune-telling and making baskets, and are usually
treated as identical with the Koravas or Kuravas, who have the same
occupations. B