A WANDERING TRIBE. He first explained Mr. Velinkar then opened his case. the law as it applied to the case. He pointed out that the prosecution did not propose to charge the accused in connection with individual dacoities, but would adduce evidence to show that different dacoities had been committed on different dates; that the accused were associated habitually in committing dacoities; that the accused divided themselves into various groups, some groups committing dacoities at one place and some at another, and that these groups coalesced from time to time; that these dacoities, about 40 in number, extended over a period of twelve months; and that the accused were implicated in the various dacoities. Counsel then gave a history of the criminal tribe,, known as Donga-Sanchalu, to which the accused belonged. "Donga," thief," and Sanchalu was he said, was the Telugu word for the name of their caste, so that the expression meant "thieving Sanchalus." It was a caste of desperate criminals, who originally hailed from the Madras Presidency. From here they gradually spread to the Nizam's territory, thence to various places, such as Hubli, Gadag, etc. By and by they proceeded to a place called Murtazapur in the Berars, and afterwards to Yeotmal, Akola, Amroati and various other places. These men were generally a wandering tribe. They carried their belongings with them and generally were not found in one place for a very long time. The males usually did no work. It was essentially their privilege to sit at home and drink and eat. Their women wore no 'cholis' (undervests) and had certain marks on their foreheads. They were threwder than their men, and did the spying work. They moved about hawking in black beads which married women wore, and ascertained by this means what women wore ornaments and which houses appeared to be good places for operations. MODES FOR OPERATION. The Sanchalus passed themselves off as Matimadars, a harmless tribe, in order to escape detection, and sometimes did some sort of manual work to avoid suspicion. They were not only habitual thieves, but they went about in gangs for the purpose of committing dacoities. For this purpose they used a particular instrument, known as "ulamukhu." It consisted of a long, pointed nail, and was their own characteristic handiwork. The Sanchalus were also very superstitious and resorted to certain ceremonies before setting out on their expedition. They occasionally slaughtered a goat or a fowl and after severing the head from the trunk, threw the latter to some distance and took their course towards the direction in which the front part of the trunk lay. The Sanchalus set out on their journey in groups of 9 or 10, sometimes of 5 or 7. Each group had its leader, who was called Rangati. A Rangati had certain privileges. He was thoroughly experienced in his work. He had plenty of courage and cunning, and he led the expedition. For these qualifications he got a double share in the booty. The Sanchalus had also as ecret code, which they used when they went out for dacoity or burglary to warn the gang if the people in a house were awake or if the police were near at hand. Again, before starting on their expedition they pacified their goddess, called Shakti." In dividing the booty they did not forget those among them who had been caught and sent to jail. They gave their shares to their wives and other relations. It was also their habit not to commit dacoities during moonlight nights. They then passed their time in feasting and other kinds of enjoyment. When raiding a place, the gang first got hold of women and children and forcibly removed ornaments from their persons, not hesitating to cause them bodily injuries. They generally managed to escape with stolen property, and in some cases where it was not possible to hide the property successfully they resorted to their women folk for help. The Sanchalus women had acquired the habit of swallowing ornaments by breaking them into bits. Sometimes they put pieces of gold in plantains in order to facilitate swallowing. A woman had been known to have swallowed six tolas of gold and kept it in her stomach for days. PROCEEDINGS OF MEETINGS. Meeting of 28th July 1920, 6 p.m., Vice-President Rao Bahadur P. B. Joshi in the Chair. Papers read: (1) The Survival of ancient religion and usages among Catholics especially in the Bombay Presidency, Part II. By Mr. J. A. Saldanha, B.A., LL.B.1 (2) Races and Places. By Mr. A. E. L. Emanuel, I.C.S. Meeting of 27th August 1920, 6 p.m., President Rev. Father R. Zimmermann in the Chair. Dr. James Cairne, O.B.E., M.A., M.B., Ch.B., was duly elected a member. Papers read : (1) A visit to Nasik on the opening days of the present Sinhasth Pilgrimage. By Shams-ul-Ulma Dr. Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, B.A., Ph.D., C.I.E. 2 (2) Some Hindi Folk-Songs from the District of Saran in North Bihar, Part I. By Mr. Sarat Chandra Mitra, M.A., B.L. Meeting of 29th September 1920 at 6 p.m., Vice-President Rao Bahadur P. B. Joshi in the Chair. Papers read: (1) The curious Lore or Superstition about precious Stones. By Mr. S. S. Mehta, B.A. (2) The Outer Liturgical Services of the Parsees. By Shams-ul-Ulma Dr. Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, C.I.E. 1 This part II is published along with the first part read on 30th March 1920. (Vide Journal No. 8, Vol. XI, pp. 950-60). 2 This paper will be published in a subsequent number. Meeting of 27th October 1920 at 6 p.m., Vice-President Rao Bahadur P. B. Joshi in the Chair. Papers read: (1) Some Notes regarding the Village System of the Bombay Presidency. By Mr. R. E. Gordon, I.C.S. (2) A recent Case of Witchcraft from Singhbhum. By Mr. Sarat Chandra Mitra, M.A., B.L.. President Meeting of 23rd November 1920 at 6 p.m., Rev. Father R. Zimmermann in the Chair. Papers read: (1) The Results of the Ethnographical Survey of Bombay. By Mr. R. E. Enthoven, C.I.E., I.C.S. (2) Some Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes from the District of Pabna in Eastern Bengal. By Mr. Sarat Chandra Mitra, M.A., B.L. |