1873.] U. C. Mukerjea— The BUdu and the Bauris. 203 



The Bhadu originated with the Baulis, the aborigines of Bankurah 

 and Purulia. It is celebrated on the two last days of the month of 

 Bhadra, and is personified in an idol of a small size representing a young 

 girl, seated on a lotus or sometimes on a small square table : like all Hindu, 

 idols, the Bhadu wears a coronet on the head, and is decorated with garlands. 

 The month of Bhadra is an interesting season for the people of Bankurah. 

 In the beginning of the month, the idol is ushered into the house of every 

 well-to-do Bauri woman with shouting and singing ; and every evening (till 

 the end of the month) there is a gathering of women and girls round the 

 Bhadu, who pay homage in songs to their adored deity. It is interesting to 

 note that the Bhadu is not actually worshipped with mantras, as it has not 

 got the sanction of the Hindu religion, but is adored with songs. The 

 Bauris are probably the descendants of the adjoining hill tribes, and are an 

 able-bodied and strong race who follow the hard and laborious profession 

 of the paUci bearer. In complexion they are dark, but in their structure 

 they are symmetrical and well proportioned. Their food consists generally of 

 rice of the coarsest kind, dal, and meat of all sorts, especially pork. The 

 women are of a robust make. Country spirit is their chief drink, and the 

 great peculiarity is, that women and men generally join when drinking and 

 singing. At marriage feasts women sing round the bride and bridegroom, 

 and men play the " madal." Their music is not harmonious, the sound of 

 the " madal" resembles that of an English drum. But to return to the 

 Bhadu. The last two days of the month of Bhadra are passed in continually 

 beating the tom-tom : at night people get no sleep ; and the whole town 

 seems to be as it were in a state of complete excitement : on the Sanskranti, 

 or the last day of the month, the drawing of the idol in the famous tank of 

 Duberband takes place. 



History of the Bhadu. — The Bhadu saw the light only twenty-five 

 years ago in some village within the Pachet Raj in the district of Maii- 

 bhiim. It is said that one of the Bajahs of Pachet had a little daughter, 

 who was the very personification of humanity and beauty. She was noted 

 for her extreme kindness towards the Bauris and other lower orders of the 

 people whose extreme poverty had excited her compassion. This little girl 

 died very early in the month of Bhadra, and on her death the people round 

 Kashipur commenced to worship her. According to others, Bhadu had 

 its origin in the royal house of Pachet, where the Ban! in memory of her 

 daughter Bhadrabatti had a small idol prepared and adored in the month 

 of Bhadra when her daughter died. 



Whatever may have been the origin of the Bhadu, it has a hold on the 

 lower orders of the people, who in the absence of other idols to worship, 

 adore the Bhadu with songs. 



It is difficult to trace the derivation of the word Bauri, as it is difficult 



