1890.] P. N. Bose — ChhatHsgar : notes on its tribes, sects and castes. 293 
lived in the 15th century ; the modern Satnami creed is a revival of the 
doctrines of Ram Das preached by Ghasi Das in the early part of the 
present century.”* Ghasi Das, an unlettered but thoughtful chamar, 
was deeply impressed with the degraded condition of his community, 
who wei'e strongly addicted to drink and other vicious habits. He 
gradually acquired considerable influence by his wisdom and high moral 
character, and gathered round him a handful of devoted followers. One 
morning he collected them, and telling them to assemble all the eba- 
mars at a particular spot after six months, himself retired behind the 
hills in the south-eastern portion of Chbattisgar to meditate and hold 
communion with God. On the appointed day a large concourse of the 
Chhattisgari chamars was brought together to receive God’s word from 
Ghasi Das. The reformer slowly appeared with the nsing sun and gave 
them the message ; which was to the effect, that there is only one true 
God (the Sat Nfim), that all men are equal, that the idols of the 
Hindus are false, and that meat, intoxicating liquors, and smoking are 
interdicted. The assembled chamars received the message with great 
enthusiasm and the Satndmi sect was established. Ghasi Das became 
their Guru or Primate and declared the office to be hereditary. 
The chamars gradually found out, that it was hard work abstaining 
from all the good things of the world, and those who wished to indulge 
in smoking, formed themselves itito a sub-sect called Chungid. A chimgi 
is a leaf (preferably that of Palas, 7?«tea/ro»dosu) rolled iuto the form 
of a pipe in which tobacco is smoked : hence the name of the sub-sect. 
The Ghttngias, however, appear to have unrestricted social intercourse 
with the more orthodox members of the community. 
The dissemination of the Satnami doctrines infused new life into 
the chaniflrs, and they rose to positions of comparative influence and 
respectability, which apparently made them an eye-sore to their Hindu 
neighbours, to whom the very name of chdmdr is a byword for all that 
is degraded. Besides, the protest of the Satnamis against the idolatrous 
practices of the Hindus aggravated the enmity of the latter. Several 
attempts were, I am told, made against the life of Ghasi Diis, but none 
succeeded. But, his son and succsssor Balak Das was murdered in 1860. 
Persecution to any serious extent is of course impossible under British 
rule, but affrays between the Hindus and the Satnamis, now and then 
occur. Where the latter are in the minority, the former, I am informed 
would not allow the guru of the latter to ride on an elephant and go in 
procession through their villages. 
The guru goes on tour in great state, with elephants, camels, and 
u M 
* Hunter’s Gazetteer, Vol. XI, p, 372. 
