1891.] 
W. H. P. Driver —The Sobors. 
35 
sorts, Rnkas, Bodru, Kalka, Rui bonga, Podmasini Temasini, Bhandar- 
gohoria, Churguri, Horli-pat and Kondra-pat. 
Dances and Music .—Sobors have the following dances; viz .,— 
Jadura 
Karma 
Khedapar 
Jatra 
Kalanga 
Biha 
Sndni 
Konkor 
Kheldi 
Dond 
men and women together, 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. at weddings, 
only women, 
do. 
single woman of Kela Sobor tribe, 
danced by single man carrying bells on a stick. 
They use the following musical instruments : Lepur, Champ, Bet- 
bari. The Kela-Sobors use the Khonjini or Ghurka, a peculiar instru¬ 
ment which emits groans and grunts. 
Wedding customs .—The uncivilised Sobors do not marry until 
grown up and the price of a wife is usually Rs. 5. Widows and di¬ 
vorcees can remarry, and a divorce is effected by returning the price 
paid for the wife. The marriage takes place at the man’s house, and the 
bride is borne to the wedding on the backs of the bridesmaids. The 
bridegroom has to give a cloth to the bride, her mother and younger 
brother. At weddings Sobors do not dance the war-dance of Chutiya 
Nagpur, but have a peculiar wedding dance of their own. The prepara¬ 
tions for the wedding party are very much the same as in Chutiya 
Nagpur. 
Marriage customs .—They have the usual ‘ Mandua-tand.’ Branches 
of ‘ Mahua ’ and ‘ Sargi ’ are planted on the altar, which consists of a four- 
cornered mound of earth, at each of the corners of which are placed 
water-pots with lights in them, a string being passed round the lot. 
The ceremony commences by the happy couple holding each other’s 
little fingers and marching seven times round the ‘ Chouuda ’ or altar, 
the woman going in front. The two being then seated together, the 
bridegroom puts a spot of £ sindur ’ on the bride’s forehead with his 
right hand little finger, and she returns the compliment in exactly the 
same manner. The bridesmaids then draw near and tie the clothes of 
the pair together. After this they make the bride promise never to leave 
her husband, and (as it were to certify to the contract) put a big broad 
mark of ‘ sindur ’ on the bride, reaching from the crown of her head to 
the tip of her nose. The happy pair then retire into a house prepared 
for them, while the rest of the party sit down to dinner. After dinner 
dancing and drinking are commenced and usually carried on until next 
