112 An Account of the Tribe of Mhadeo Kolies. [Jan. 



throws himself on the mercy of the Deolushy, offers to bribe him to 

 silence, and to restore the property, for which the owner also tenders a 

 present. When a Koly has lost one of his^cows, he sometimes goes to 

 ask a Deolushy where he is to find the animal. The Deolushy, after 

 consulting his deity, tells him to go in some particular direction, and 

 that he will find the animal. 



The following may be considered a singular case of apotheosis, and 

 I relate it here as a Deolushy was consulted on the occasion. 



A short time before the Mahomedans relinquished possession of the 

 hill forts in the western Ghauts, there were two Kolies of the name of 

 Dharrow Assallah and his son-in-law Dharrow Sablah, who had render- 

 ed themselves very notorious and troublesome by the daring robberies 

 they committed in the Mahomedan camps. Orders were at length issu- 

 ed for apprehending them, or putting them to death, but, both of them 

 being extremely active and cunning, it seemed a most difficult under- 

 taking. Chappajee Bhauggrah, the Koly Naik of Sukurwary, was then 

 employed at Joonere, and he was urged to exert himself to capture As- 

 sallah, and that he w T ould be rewarded for his trouble if he succeeded. 

 After many hair-breadth escapes, Assallah was surrounded, in the 

 vicinity of Koomsett, near Hurrychundurgur, and stoned to death, as he 

 was considered invulnerable to arms of all descriptions. 



It is said Bhauggrah was much troubled after Assallah was put to 

 death ; a Deolushy or Bhuggut was therefore consulted to ascer- 

 tain the cause of his distress. This mar. stated that the Naik 

 was the principal instrument employed to put Assallah to death, 

 and that the ghost of the deceased had on this account haunt- 

 ed him, and would continue to do so till measures were taken to 

 pacify it, which would ensure peace and quietness to himself and his 

 family. The Deolushy recommended to Bhauggrah to have two silver* 

 images made, worth three or four rupees ; the one to be a likeness of 

 Assallah and the other of Sablah. After these were consecrated he 

 was to worship them, and place them with his household gods. Two 

 stone images were also to be made and painted with red pigment; 

 these were to be erected on the different spots where the two Kolies 

 were killed. Bhauggrah acted in conformity with the Deolushy's 

 recommendation, and the eldest son of the chief representative of the 

 family, worships these images and presents offerings to them on all 

 festivals ; and on the 2d of Magh offerings are sent to be presented to 

 the stone image at Koomsett. At the celebration of a marriage in the 

 family, the bride and bridegroom go to Koomsett, and prostrate them- 

 selves before the image of Assallah, and supplicate his blessing. 



* The image in possession of the family is a small one of gold. 



(To be concluded in our next). 



