1900.] 
F. Hahn — A Primer of the Asur duhmti. 
149 
A Primer of the Asur dukmd, a dialect of the Kolarian language . — By The 
Rev. Feed. Hahn, German Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Chotd 
Nagpur. Communicated hy Dr, G-. A. Grierson, C.I.E. 
[Read December, 1899.] 
Introductory Remarks. 
The Asnrs are a non-Aryan tribe of Chota Nagpur, who number 
only about 2,500 souls. They chiefly inhabit the Districts of Ranchi 
and Palamau and the Sarguja tributary state. Though small, the tribe 
is divided into several sections, viz., the Agoria- the Brijia or Binjhia- 
the Ldhara- the Kol- and the Paharia-Asurs. These sub-tribes are 
again divided into totemistic sections, which are similar in name to 
those found among other aborigines in Chota Nagpur ; as for example : 
Bes’era = hawk ; lnd = eel; Barea = wild dog; H5ro = tortoise ; Bua = 
jackal; Rote = frog, etc.^ The chief occupation of the Asurs is melting 
iron and in the case of the L5hara- Asurs the making of rude iron 
utensils and agricultural implements ; besides they till the jungle in 
the most primitive manner. Their homes are made of wood. Bamboo 
and grass only and chiefly met with at tlie foot or even at the slopes of 
the hills which contain iron ore. When the land they have cultivated 
is exhausted they change their homes and move to another place in the 
forest. 
As to religion the Asurs believe in a Creator and apparently 
identify him with the sun, whom they call Sigboga ; no worship 
however is rendered to him, since he is benevolent and does not require 
any expiation. It is peculiar that they do not know of any evil spirits 
except the manes of their ancestors, which alone are feared and to 
whom sacrifices are made ; the latter exclusively consisting of fowls. 
The sacrificial altar is the fire-hearth. The Asurs have no priests, the 
I These totems do not appear to be taboo to the members of its Sept, the only- 
trace of such a thing is to be found in the restriction of intermarriage within the 
same totemistic Sept; but even here I was told by some men of the Bes’era 
section, that they could not help intermarrying, since other sections were living too 
far away from their homes. 
J. 1. 20 
