1888.] 
11 
W. H. P. Driver —The Birijiyas. 
Majlii or Ganjhu. Those living on the hills are called Pahariyas, and 
those settled on the plains are known as Dand-Birijiya. They appear 
to be nearly allied to the Agarias and more distantly to the Asurs. 
Religion .—Their gods are Debt , Sing'bonga or the Sun, Nind-Bongd 
or the Moon, and Mahddeo , and they have three priests of their own tribes 
to attend to these deities. The head priest, Baigd Pdhan, and his assis¬ 
tant, the Dewar , offer the sacrifices, and the Pujdr is the consulting priest 
who decides as to what the sacrifice is to be. The people themselves 
offer sacrifices to their dead ancestors whom they call Mud. 
Festivals .—They keep the following festivals, viz., the Phagud in 
February, the Sarhul in April, the Chind-Parab (at the sowing season) 
in June or July, the Karma in October, and the Arwd or Khar'way 
(or harvest festival) in November. At this season they sacrifice to 
Mahadeo. Like all other Kolarians they are fond of dancing and 
drinking. 
Marriage Customs .—Marriages are arranged between parents by a 
male go-between or bisut. The hill Birijiyas have no gotors, but marry 
from neighbouring villages. They only marry after coming of age. 
It is customary to buy their wives, the usual price being Rs. 4, 
which is paid to the parents. The bridegroom supplies the trousseau, 
which consists of a new cloth dyed yellow, brass bangles, earrings, and 
as many ornaments as he can afford. The chief feature of the cere¬ 
mony is a big dinner at the bride’s father’s house, to which the bride¬ 
groom has to contribute his share in the shape of two or three maunds 
of rice and several gharas of rice-beer. All the relations of both 
parties and numerous friends are invited to the wedding feast, and 
after the dinner drinking and dancing go on all night. The hill Birijiyas 
anoint each other with oil at the marriage, but those of the plains have 
adopted the use of sindur instead. 
Divorce .—A man may marry up to three wives; and divorcees, 
widows and widowers can re-marry. A divorce or separation is for¬ 
mally accomplished by the return of the Rs. 4 and marriage ex¬ 
penses, but the said expenses are seldom returned, and the matter 
generally ends in a compromise. 
Customs regarding children .—After child-birth the mother is con¬ 
sidered unclean for ten days, and she has to live and eat apart from her 
husband in a corner of the house, a door being cut at the back of the 
house for her special use. After the expiry of the proper time she 
washes, puts on a clean dress, and comes in at the front door, and the 
husband then blocks up the back door, until it is again required. 
Twins are very uncommon, and one or both usually die. Children are 
named after dead grandparents or great-grandparents. Boys’ fore- 
