THE BHOTIAS OP ALMORA AND BRITISH GARHWAL. 103 



the shape of a clove {bird). The hair is plaited into a tail which comes down to the 

 shoulder-blades, and in Chaudans a little lower. The front hair is plaited into slender 

 threads [tzi) which are very carefully arranged on both sides of the face, and a silver 

 chaplet invariably holds the plaits in place (known as anjang). Long woollen boots 

 imported from Tibet {baukch) complete the description. Richer women wear in addi- 

 tion two sleeves {rakalchd) which are pulled on over the arms. 



The spelling of different words in the Bhotia dialect cannot be adequately com- 

 passed by the Hindi vocabulary : the Tibetan alphabet alone expresses the sounds 

 properly. There is no written character for the Bhotia dialect. 



Birth. — We cannot expect to find the Brahmanical influences strong in the Darma par- 

 gana as there are no resident Brahmans whatever, and the Bhotias being a migratory people, 

 it is difficult for them to call in their assistance, when they are on one of their trading 

 excursions. Still the Brahman with his supposed knowledge of the stars and skill 

 in prophetic announcements as to the future has a peculiar charm for this superstitious 

 race, and certain individuals acquire a degree of popularity, such as the Brahmans of 

 Legam in Nepal and Charma in Askot, and their help is much sought after in the fram- 

 ing of horoscopes. To ascertain with accuracy the exact time of birth recourse is had to 

 the water-clock, and the hour thus recorded is keptiwith jealous care until a visit can be 

 conveniently made to, the Brahman, who will, after due consideration, authoritatively de- 

 clare what name is the most fitting for the child, having regard to the position of the stars 

 and the period of the calendar. The names so given are invariably of the purest Hindu 

 type, such as Lachh Ram, Dharm Sing, etc., but meanwhile the impatient family has 

 already named the new-born child with some truly Bhotia name, which will cleave to that 

 child throughout its life notwithstanding that the Brahman has given it another orthodox 

 and auspicious name. This fact will account for the double names that are so familiar. 

 Side by side with the well-known Hindu types we have names such as the following : — - 



Names of animals, as, mushiya (mouse), kukuria (little dog), hansu (swan, in Byans), 

 maina (bird), bandar or bandaru (monkey), bila (a cat), nikhi (dog), or the girl's name Worn- 

 bari (wom=bea.r, bari = wages); or to avert the jealousy of the gods, evil names, as Dam 

 (let the scoffer note that this means blacksmith), pang (a Tibetan), chhora (a slave), 

 khyembo (a Tibetan word meaning a wanderer), dola (a beggar). 



Tibetan names are not uncommon, such as, chhiring, which is derived from chhi 

 life, and ringbo, long. 



After childbirth the mother is kept in an outhouse for ten or eleven days, but if 

 there are only fifteen days to the end of the month, then till the last day of the month. 

 The ceremony which marks her return to the house is called milin khu kwormo, taking 

 near the fire, and is celebrated by feasting, and offerings to the gods, and prayers. The 

 feasting consists in eating the offerings which are composed of rice and puris and 

 dalang. The dalang is so typical of all Bhotia ceremonies that it merits description. 

 Sattu or flour is made from parched grain, and this sattu is worked into a cone 

 one-and-a-half feet high, pointed at the top and large at the bottom, and from the sides 

 of this cone stand out spikes of sattu from the base to the vertex. The dalang occupies 

 a leading place in all social rites, and so important is it that the binding part of the 



