22 An account of the Maim Bhows. [Jan. 



reside in the Punjab wear clothes of the hoormoojee, or red 

 ochre colour. 



When a man has left his family and becomes a Maun Bhow 

 he either gives away what property he may have possessed 

 to his family or relatives, otherwise he presents it to his Goo- 

 roo or Munth, who soon expends it in entertaining his disci- 

 ples. It is very seldom the novice retains for his own use 

 any money he had in his possession previous to his conver- 

 sion. ° 



Boys and girls that have been consecrated to the Maun 

 Bhows, are dressed in black clothes after they have been de- 

 livered over to the Gooroos, but the munter of initiation is 

 not communicated to them until they have attained the age 

 of fifteen or sixteen years ; and seem worthy of having the 

 secret confided to them. The male and female members of 

 the society reside in the same Mliutts, but sleep in separate 

 apartments, as they are taught from the day of their initia- 

 tion to regard each other strictly and sacredly as members of 

 the same family ; they consequently look upon each other in 

 the light of father or mother, brother or sister. The circum- 

 stances however, of their residing under the same roof, and 

 the habits and frailties of the Hindoo people being well known 

 to each other, gives room to the idle and malicious to talk 

 rather calumniously of the general chastity of the females of 

 this community, however when any one of them does sin, and 

 she exhibits symptoms of becoming a mother, she and her 

 paramour are admonished and required to ask pardon and do 

 penance for the act they have been guilty of, and in bringing 

 disgrace on the society by their shameful and discreditable 

 conduct : having thus transgressed against the rules and 

 customs of the order, it becomes necessary for the sinners 

 to retire from the Mhutt and to discontinue moving about 

 the country in company of the Neerwans (rigidly austere) 

 and they therefore take shelter in some retired village, and 

 take up their permanent abode in the place, if they find it 

 possible to subsist by begging and following some other pur- 

 suits. They are then termed Ghurbars, Grushts, or lay bro- 

 thers. There are several of these to be found in the villages 

 in different parts of the country ; who are allowed to possess 



