ON THE FESTIVALS AND FOLKLORE OF GILG1T. 203 



V. 



The Ceremony of Nagi Suchemi. 



Nagi Suchemi is said to be a goddess who lived at Nangam in the Astore district, on 

 a stone altar situated at the foot of the Nagishi hill. In former times cases of theft 

 requiring settlement by oath were decided by the defendant's swearing on this sacred 

 platform in the following manner. A man called Jungmi was specially appointed by the 

 Ra to accompany the defendant to the place, receiving eight yards of cloth from the 

 suspected person. A she-goat was killed on the altar and the meat cooked and eaten 

 by all those present, in utensils which were always kept and are still kept there. The 

 defendant had now to utter the following words loudly : " O Nagi Sochemi, inflict 

 punishment upon me if I am guilty of the crime, but, if the plaintiff has laid a false 

 claim upon me, be so kind as to inflict a calamity on him!" They then returned quietly 

 to their homes in the darkness of night. None of the men who had attended this 

 solemnity were allowed to appear in daylight before others of the village, and if by 

 chance one of them showed himself to any villager, he had to repay whatever loss there 

 arose from the theft, or from any untoward circumstance happening to the discoverer of 

 the offending juryman at dawn of that day. For some days the case was left awaiting 

 the decision of " Nagi Sochemi," and if in this period the suspected person suffered any 

 kind of loss of property, of relatives, etc., he was adjudged guilty, and the total amount of 

 loss by the theft was recovered from him and repaid to the plaintiff. 



" Khuran " OR " Majari." 



In Chilas and in the adjacent valleys of Jalkot, Palas, Koli, Darel, Tangir, Gor, 

 Harban, and Sazin, the disputes between two individuals or parties are settled by a pecu- 

 liar ceremony called "Khuran" in Shinaki (Chilas, Darel, Tangir, Gor, Harban and 

 Sazin), and " Majari" in Kohistan (Jalkot, Palas, and Koli). By this ceremony each of 

 the opposite parties has to prove itself wealthier than the other, and whichever proves to 

 be the poorer is forced to submit to the other. The ceremony is performed by each 

 party giving food to all the villagers at a place called " Kai." Whichever party 

 provides the larger feast gains the day, while the other must needs submit. 



VI. 



Danyals. 



There are some men and women of these parts who are called Danyals. When 

 they are worked up into a state of frenzy the giants and fairies instruct them concerning 

 the future of the country, the chiefs, etc. Whenever a chief is inquisitive on the subject 

 of his future, he sends for the Danyals as well as the local musicians. A bundle of green 

 chili leaves is then brought, and some of these, with a little ghi, are put into a small fire 

 and burnt in an enclosure set apart for the purpose. As soon as the smoke rises, one or 

 two Danyals push their way towards the fire and begin to inhale the smoke, until 



