1888 .] 
W. H. P. Driver —The Birhors. 
13 
village markets situated nearest the jungles, and there either sell or 
barter their articles for rice, salt, and oil. The skins of monkeys are 
used for making Kol drums. 
Hunting. —The following is the system in which they hunt. Strong 
nets about 4 feet wide, which they make of chop , are stretched 
against upright posts or trees in a line along the ground, for a distance 
of several hundred yards. They then beat up towards their nets, 
and the forests being almost denuded of large trees, the monkeys 
(small, brown and long-tailed) take to the ground, and so get snared 
along with other game. 
Titles and sub-tribes. —The Birhors can tell you nothing of their 
origin or history beyond the fact that they have been 4 Birhors ’, or 
jungle-men, from prehistoric times. They are commonly known amongst 
the people of these parts as chopddrs (chop string makers). They 
are divided into two sub-tribes, namely Bhuliya or wanderers, and 
Jaghi or settlers. 
Religion and superstitions. —Their religion is a peculiar mixture of 
Hindu and Kolarian ideas. They worship Debi-may, a Hindu goddess ; 
Maha-may (represented by a piece of wood painted red) ; Darha-Bonga, 
river bank god (represented by a piece of bamboo stuck in the ground) ; 
Kudri-Bonga, river god ; Banhi-may, jungle goddess (represented by 
a small piece of wood with some sindur on it, stuck in the ground); 
Lugu-may, earth goddess ; Dhuka-Bonga, air god ; Bir’ku or Biru-Bonga, 
hill god; Bun-may (represented by a white stone painted red on 
the top) ; Dadha-may (represented by an arrow head); Hanuman 
(represented by a trident painted red). Kap’si and Jilinga are not re¬ 
presented by any images. They see no anomaly in worshipping 
‘ Hanuman ’ and eating monkeys. The various representatives of their 
gods and goddesses are placed in a small cleared spot fenced in with 
thorns. The sun is sacrificed to once in four or five years. The 
larger communities have their own pahain or priest, who attends to 
all the above-mentioned worthies, but the smaller camps have to content 
themselves with the services of the Mundd pdhan of some neigh¬ 
bouring village. The Birhors offer sacrifices to their parents every 
three years, taking care to avoid the month or months in which they 
died, and offering separate fowls to the father and mother. 
Witchcraft. —They also have Ojhds or diviners, besides others who 
practise the 4 black art.’ Such persons are feared and disliked, and 
yet often employed by these superstitious people. If an aggrieved person 
wishes to have revenge, he or she (practising under the instructions of 
the Ojhd ) puts a devil on the enemy or on his or her household, and very 
some one falls ill. The head of the afflicted house refers to the 
soon 
