RELIGIOUS SECTS OF THE HINDUS. 205 



The regular worship of this sect has long since been suppressed, and 

 the only traces of it now left are presented by a few disgusting wretches, 

 who, whilst they profess to have adopted its tenets, make them a mere 

 plea for extorting alms. In proof of their indifference to worldly ob- 

 jects, they eat and drink whatever is given to them, even ordure and 

 carrion. They smear their bodies also with excrement, and carry it 

 about with them in a wooden cup, or skull, either to swallow it, if by so 

 doing they can get a few pice ; or to throw it upon the persons, or into 

 the houses of those who refuse to comply with their demands. They 

 also, for the same purpose, inflict gashes on their limbs, that the crime of 

 blood may rest upon the head of the recusant ; and they have a variety of 

 similar disgusting devices to extort money from the timid and credulous 

 Hindu. They are, fortunately, not numerous, and are universally detested 

 and feared. 



URDDHABAHUS, AKAS MUKHIS, AND NAKHIS. 



Personal privation and torture being of great efficacy in the creed of 

 the Hindus, various individuals, some influenced by credulity, and some 

 by knavery, have adopted modes of distorting their limbs, and forcing 

 them out of their natural position, until they can no longer resume their 

 ordinary direction. 



The Urddhabahus* extend one or both arms above their heads, till 

 they remain of themselves thus elevated. They also close the fist, and 

 the nails being necessarily suffered to grow, make their way between the 

 metacarpal bones, and completely perforate the hand. The Utddhabdhus 

 are solitary mendicants, as are all of this description, and never have any 



* Urddha, above, and Baku, the arm. 

 F 1 



