The Thugs believed that the wishes of the deity were constantly
indicated to them by the appearance or cries of a large number of wild
animals and birds from which they drew their omens; and indeed the
number of these was so extensive that they could never be at a loss
for an indication of the divine will, and difficulties could only
arise when the omens were conflicting. As a general rule the omen
varied according as it was heard on the left hand, known as Pilhao,
or the right, known as Thibao. On first opening an expedition an omen
must be heard on the left and be followed by one on the right, or no
start was made; it signified that the deity took them first by the left
hand and then by the right to lead them on. When they were preparing to
march or starting on a road, an omen heard on the left encouraged them
to go on, but if it came from the right they halted. When arriving
at their camping-place on the other hand the omen on the right was
auspicious and they stayed, but if it came from the left the projected
site was abandoned and the march continued. In the case of the calls
of a very few animals these rules were reversed, left and right being
transposed in each instance. The howl of the jackal was always bad if
heard during the day, and the gang immediately quitted the locality,
leaving untouched any victims whom they might have inveigled, however
wealthy. The jackal's cry at night followed the rule of right and
left. The jackal was probably revered by the Thugs as the devourer
of corpses. The sound made by the lizard was at all times and places
a very good omen; but if a lizard fell upon a Thug it was bad, and
any garment touched by it must be given away in charity. The call of
the _saras_ crane was a very important omen, and when heard first on
the left and then on the right or vice versa according to the rules
given above, they expected a great booty in jewels or money. The
call of the partridge followed the same rules but was not of so much
importance. That of the large crow was favourable if the bird was
sitting on a tree, especially when a tank or river could be seen;
but if the crow was perched on the back of a buffalo or pig or on
the skeleton of any animal, it was a bad omen. Tanks or rivers were
likely places for booty in the shape of resting travellers, whose
death the appearance of the crow might portend; whereas in the other
positions it might prognosticate a Thug's own death. The chirping of
the small owlet was considered to be a bad omen, whether made while
the bird was sitting or flying; It was known as _chiraiya_ and is a
low and melancholy sound seldom repeated. They considered it a very
bad omen to hear the hare squeaking; this, unless it was averted
by sacrifices, signified, they said, that they would perish in the
jungles, and the hare or some other animal of the forest would drink
water from their skulls. "We know that the hare was used in Brittany
as an animal of augury for foretelling the future; and all animals of
augury were once venerated." [706] The hare has still some remnant of
sanctity among the Hindus. Women will not eat its flesh, and men eat
the flesh of wild hares only, not of tame ones. It seems likely that
the hare may have been considered capable of foretelling the future
on account of its long ears. The omen of the donkey was considered
the most important of all, whether it threatened evil or promised
good. It was a maxim of augury that the ass was equal to a hundred
birds, and it was also more important than all other quadrupeds. If
they heard its bray on the left on the opening of an expedition and
it was soon after repeated on the right, they believed that nothing
on earth could prevent their success during that expedition though
it should last for years. The ass is the sacred animal of Sitala,
the goddess of smallpox, who is a form of Kali. The ears and also
the bray of the ass would give it importance.
The noise of two cats heard fighting was propitious only during the
first watch of the night; if heard later in the night it was known
as '_Kali ki mauj_' or 'Kali's temper,' and threatened evil, and if
during the daytime as '_Dhamoni [707] ki mauj_,' and was a prelude
of great misfortune; while if the cats fell from a height while
fighting it was worst of all. The above shows that the cat was also
the animal of Kali and is a point in favour of her derivation from
the tiger; and on this hypothesis the importance of the omen of the
cat is explained. If they obtained a good omen when in company with
travellers they believed that it was a direct order from heaven to
kill them, and that if they disobeyed the sign and let the travellers
go they would never obtain any more victims. [708]