Another and mild form of _Dharna_ is that known as _Khatpati_. When a
woman is angry with her husband on account of his having refused her
some request, she will put her bed in a corner of the room and go and
lie on it, turning her face to the wall, and remain so, not answering
when spoken to nor taking food. The term Khatpati signifies keeping
to one side of the bed, and there she will remain until her husband
accedes to her request, unless indeed he should decide to beat her
instead. This is merely an exaggerated form of the familiar display
of temper known as sulking. It is interesting to note the use of the
phrase turning one's face to the wall, with something of the meaning
attached to it in the Bible.
A custom similar to that of _Dharna_ was called _Diwala nikalna_ or
going bankrupt. When a merchant had had heavy losses and could not
meet his liabilities, he would place the lock of his door outside,
reversing it, and sit in the veranda with a piece of sackcloth over
him. Or he wrapped round him the floor-carpet of his room. When he
had displayed these signs of ruin and self-abasement his creditors
would not sue him, but he would never be able to borrow money again.