1890.] P. N. Bose — Ghhattisgar ; notes on its tribes, sects and castes. 291 
Baigds (Bhumias). 
These are most numerous in the wilds of the Mandla district and 
there is only a sprinkling of them in the north-western portion of 
Ghhattisgar in the feudatory state of Kawarda. Like the hill Gonds, 
they are strongly avei’se to cultivation and prefer living on jungle pro- 
duce. In their features, they have not the marked Mongolian characters 
which the Gonds have. They shave their head in front ; and the long 
back hair is tied in a knot behind. They speak the Chhattisgaiu dialect 
in Ghhattisgar. 
Dulha Deo is the great god of the Baigas. But Bhavani is also 
worshipped. The Baigas are greatly respected by the other tribes and 
are sometimes called Bhumias. Some of them are supposed to be gifted 
with supernatural powers, especially in checking the ravages of tigers. 
The priests of the Gonds (who are themselves Gonds,) are called Baigas. 
Hence some confusion has arisen ; and the Baiga tribe in Bilaspur was 
probably owing to this reason included amongst the Gonds at the last 
census. The tribe, however, is quite distinct physically as well as in 
language and other characters. 
The essential portion of the marriage ceremony consists (as in the 
case of the Gonds and most other tribes) in going round a pole 7 times. 
Oots. — Mdrai, Dhurnd ^’O. 
The Binjdwdrs. 
There is only a sprinkling of these in the eastern portion of 
Ghhattisgar. From the fact that Dulha Deo is their principal deity, 
they appear to be closely allied to the Baigas. 
Gots. — Ldmni, ildnji, Endja, Lden 8fc. 
Kanwdrs. 
The Kanwars claim descent from the Kshatriyas, and worship the 
Jaghraphaud, whom they consider their chief deity. But they also 
appear to recognize Dulha Deo, the great god of the Baigas, and Budha 
Deo, the great god of the Gonds. The dead are also buried, an essen- 
tially non-Hindu practice. In fact, the Kanwars combine in themselves 
partly aboriginal and partly Hindu characters. 
Ceremonies . — Five days after a birth, the caste men are fed. At 
marriage, the bride and bridegroom, both anointed with oil and tui'meric 
go round a pole 7 times at the bride’s as well as at the bridegroom’s. 
The bridegroom puts on the holy thread at the marriage ceremony. 
When parents die, the head is shaved clean, and after 5 days caste- 
men are fed : on the death of other relations, the head is only partly 
shaved. 
With regard to food and drink, the Kanwars, at least professedly, 
