150 
F. Hahn — A P^'imer of the Asur duknia. 
[No. 2, 
liead of each family performs the required religious rites. ^ Every 
departed parent becomes a spirit and everybody who dies an unnatural 
death turns into a malignant one. After the death of a member of the 
household the regular meals are placed in his name outside the home 
near the door for eight days, after which the nearest relatives and 
friends come for the funeral meal at which they partake freely of 
“ jhari,” Rice-beer, which they brew themselves. The Asurs burn their 
dead and put some rice oh the funeral pile for the journey of the 
deceased beyond. They do not pick up any relics to keep or put by as 
other aborigines do. If sickness or any calamity visits the house of 
the Asur he is sure that some way or other a deceased parent has been 
disturbed, who must be quieted in the manner described above. The 
most peculiar feature, however, in the belief of the Asurs is the idea 
that ancestors or the spirits of the dead are re-born in their children. 
The marriage ceremony is very simple, no priestly functions are 
required. Polygamy is permitted and so is the re-marriage of widows. 
The price of a bride varies from three to five rupees. Child marriages 
are unknown to the Asurs. Marriages within the totemistic section is 
not entirely prohibited, otherwise the common restriction is observed : — 
“ Chachera, mamera, phuphera, musera.” The Asurs do not tattoo and 
ornaments are worn very sparingly. The Baby gets some anklets of 
iron to protect him from the evil eye of some person outside the tribe ; 
within there are no witches or persons with evil eye. The Asurs are a 
stern race, have no musical instruments and seldom sing or dance. 
Rice-beer is indulged in by both sexes, but only men smo ke. They are 
not veiy particular about their food and eat almost everything, even 
the flesh of the carcase of a cow. 
1 have tried almost in vain to find out any traditions or legends 
the Asurs might possess ; all I could gather is, that they have a rem- 
nant of the Asur-legend so well known among the Mundaris and 
IJraons. 
There can be no doubt but that Asurs are the subject of this tradi- 
tion, according to which they were destroyed by Siqbopa, who ruled 
that their spirits should be worshipped. The meaning of this tradition 
is apparently the following : — 
The Asurs were the first settlers in the country, which is now 
called Ch5ta Nagpur ; they were living then pretty much in the same 
way as they do now, viz., chiefly by iron smelting and a little husban- 
dr}^. It may be that a section of them had acquired some civilization 
2 When they are found to practise demonworship, it is only in aid to the 
deity of the village in the precincts of which they live. In these cases the haiga or 
priest of the respective community (Korwa or Uraon) is making the sacrifice. 
