In Berar their principal deity is the goddess Devi, who is known
by different names. Every family of Langoti Pardhis has, Mr. Gayer
states, [408] its image in silver of the goddess, and because of this
no Langoti Pardhi woman will wear silver below the waist or hang her
_sari_ on a peg, as it must never be put on the same level as the
goddess. They also sometimes refuse to wear red or coloured clothes,
one explanation for this being that the image of the goddess is placed
on a bed of red cloth. In Hoshangabad their principal deity is called
Guraiya Deo, and his image, consisting of a human figure embossed
in silver, is kept in a leather bag on the west side of their tents;
and for this reason women going out of the encampment for a necessary
purpose always proceed to the east. They also sleep with their feet to
the east. Goats are offered to Guraiya Deo and their horns are placed
in his leather bag. In Hoshangabad they sacrifice a fowl to the ropes
of their tents at the Dasahra and Diwali festivals, and on the former
occasion clean their hunting implements and make offerings to them
of turmeric and rice. They are reported to believe that the sun and
moon die and are reborn daily. The hunter's calling is one largely
dependent on luck or chance, and, as might be expected, the Pardhis
are firm believers in omens, and observe various rules by which they
think their fortune will be affected. A favourite omen is the simple
device of taking some rice or juari in the hand and counting the
grains. Contrary to the usual rule, even numbers are considered lucky
and odd ones unlucky. If the first result is unsatisfactory a second
or third trial may be made. If a winnowing basket or millstone be let
fall and drop to the right hand it is a lucky omen, and similarly
if a flower from Devi's garland should fall to the right side. The
bellowing of cows, the mewing of a cat, the howling of a jackal and
sneezing are other unlucky omens. If a snake passes from left to right
it is a bad omen and if from right to left a good one. A man must not
sleep with his head on the threshold of a house or in the doorway of
a tent under penalty of a fine of Rs. 2-8; the only explanation given
of this rule is that such a position is unlucky because a corpse is
carried out across the threshold. A similar penalty is imposed if
he falls down before his wife even by accident. A Pardhi, with the
exception of members of the Sesodia clan, must never sleep on a cot,
a fine of five rupees being imposed for a breach of this rule. A
man who has once caught a deer must not again have the hair of his
head touched by a razor, and thus the Pardhis may be recognised by
their long and unkempt locks. A breach of this rule is punished with
a fine of fifteen rupees, but it is not observed everywhere. A woman
must never step across the rope or peg of a tent, nor upon the place
where the blood of a deer has flowed on to the ground. During her
monthly period of impurity a woman must not cross a river nor sit in
a boat. A Pardhi will never kill or sell a dog and they will not hunt
wild dogs even if money is offered to them. This is probably because
they look upon the wild dog as a fellow-hunter, and consider that to
do him injury would bring ill-luck upon themselves. A Pardhi has also
theoretically a care for the preservation of game. When he has caught
a number of birds in his trap, he will let a pair of them loose so
that they may go on breeding. Women are not permitted to take any part
in the work of hunting, but are confined strictly to their household
duties. A woman who kicks her husband's stick is fined Rs. 2-8. The
butt end of the stick is employed for mixing vegetables and other
purposes, but the meaning of the rule is not clear unless one of its
uses is for the enforcement of conjugal discipline. A Pardhi may not
swear by a dog, a cat or a squirrel. Their most solemn oath is in the
name of their deity Guraiya Deo, and it is believed that any one who
falsely takes this oath will become a leper. The Phans Pardhis may
not travel in a railway train, and some of them are forbidden even
to use a cart or other conveyance.