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118 MR. C. A. SHEERING ON 



amongst themselves, and their customs throughout Bhot are similar, bearing a 

 general resemblance to Darma customs. In the funeral ceremonies {gwan or dhurung), 

 which they practise on the lines of the Darma Rajputs, they generally use a buffalo, 

 which in some places they finally chase and kill with stones, sticks and knives, and in 

 others, like Chaudans, they call in their fellow- castemen from the next village, and exhort 

 them to kill the victim, and insist that death must be with one blow ; otherwise, if the 

 animal dies by a torturing death, they threaten that, on a future occasion, they will also 

 torture in their turn the funeral victim of the other villages. The dhurung in Mana is 

 only practised below Joshimath, and persons go that distance to perform it. The Dumra 

 Bhotias do not give gifts to Brahmans, and they consider the sister's son to be the family 

 priest, in fact they do not resort to the Hindu hierarchy. 



Huniyas — The Huniyas derive their name from Hundes, the portion of Tibet opposite 

 the Almora and Garhwal districts : they are Bhotias in the meaning attached to that 

 word outside the Almora and Garhwal districts : they are also called Khampas, Bidesis 

 and Jarhs. They intermarry with each othor but not with Bhotias, of these districts, 

 who do not apply the term Bhotia to them at all. The Bhotias, however, eat from their 

 hands and with them. They are really Tibetans and intermarry with Tibetans. They are 

 Buddists but also worship the deities of Kumaon. They eat the flesh of the yak, but 

 sometimes profess not to do so in British Territory, such is the influence of Hinduism, 

 the yak being considered a cow. They practise polyandry, but only the brothers, and 

 they true brothers, resort to the same woman as their joint wife. . Some wear pig-tails, 

 and some chutiyas, and some wear neither. Again some cut their hair and others do 

 not. 



Trade. — No account of the Bhotias can be complete without a notice of their trade, for 

 they are traders from childhood, with the exception of the Jethoras. In the past the cardinal 

 principle to be remembered has been that the Tibetans will only trade in these parts with 

 those persons with whom they can eat. There are exceptions, e.g., the Duryals in Garhwal, 

 who are the descendants of Brahmans and Chhattris, and the inhabitants of Pangla in 

 Chaudans, have been allowed to trade, although they are not Bhotias ; but the general rule 

 is certain, viz., that as the Bhotias alone can eat with the Tibetans, they alone can trade 

 with them. Another rule has been that trade can only take place through what is known 

 in the business world as " house-connections." Formerly, so far was the custom pressed, 

 that only certain Bhotias could go to certain marts, but time had already broken down this 

 restriction to a great extent, and although there have been difficulties yet there has been 

 also a much greater freedom. Taklakot or Taklakhar, known as Purang by the Tibetans, 

 has led the way, and trade has been possible there even without a " house-connection," 

 although the drinking of tea has been a necessary part of all business. Now the Treaty 

 of Lhasa, of 1904, has introduced free trade and changed the old order of things. 





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