1888.] 
W. II. P. Driver— The Khariyds. 
15 
the centre of her forehead. She then returns the compliment by 
putting five spots of sindur in a perpendicular line on the centre of 
liis forehead. The lohundi or bridesmaid (generally a young relative 
of the bride) then conies forward and ties the end of the bride’s sari to 
the bridegroom’s gamchha. The ceremony is con eluded with drinking 
and dancing which is kept up all night, and next morning the whole 
party adjourn to a river or tank and bathe. After allowing the newly 
married wife to remain with her husband for a few days, the parents 
or guardians take her away and keep her for a week or so, during 
which time she is feasted and well-treated, and she is then made over 
to her husband. They usually marry in February, and at the following 
haram pay a visit to the wife’s parents. Birhors do not appear to have 
any definite customs as to divorce. Such occurrences are very un¬ 
common among them, but they say that if married people wished to 
separate, there was nothing to hinder their doing so. 
Customs regarding children. —After the birth of a child, a door is 
cut at the back of the house for the use of the mother. When the 
child is six days’ old, its head is shaved, its whole body is rubbed with 
oil and turmeric, and it is then named either after its grandparents 
or after the day on which it was born. The parents then offer a sacrifice 
after consulting the Ojhd. The hair is shaved by one of their own 
people who acts as barber for the whole community, and who is paid a 
jpaila (about 2 pounds) of rice for his services. All males, both 
young and old, have their heads shaved (with the exception of a 
top knot) at regular intervals. The boys, at the age of 10 or 12, 
have the backs of both forearms burnt, the operation being per¬ 
formed with lighted wicks made from oiled rags. The girls, at about 
the same age, are tattooed on the wrists, biceps, and ankles. This opera¬ 
tion is performed by ghdsi women who make a profession of it. The 
month of November is always chosen as the most fitting time for the 
operations of tattooing and burning. Children of both sexes remain 
with their parents until they marry. 
Death customs.— The Birhors first burn and then bury their dead 
near a stream, placing a stone of any sort over the spot. At a parent’s 
death the youngest son has his head shaved clean. At the death of a 
child all male relatives shave the forepart of the head, and dine with 
the bereaved parents, and the parents themselves offer a sacrifice of a 
goat to Debi or Maha-may. 
The Khariyds. 
Habitat. —The Khariyas, a tribe speaking a dialect of the Kol lan¬ 
guage, are chiefly to be found in the South-west corner of the Lohardaga 
