_Waghya,_ [722] _Vaghe, Murli._--An order of mendicant devotees of
the god Khandoba, an incarnation of Siva; they belong to the Maratha
Districts and Bombay where Khandoba is worshipped. The term Waghya
is derived from _vagh_, a tiger, and has been given to the order
on account of the small bag of tiger-skin, containing _bhandar_, or
powdered turmeric, which they carry round their necks. This has been
consecrated to Khandoba and they apply a pinch of it to the foreheads
of those who give them alms. Murli, signifying 'a flute' is the name
given to female devotees. Waghya is a somewhat indefinite term and
in the Central Provinces does not strictly denote a caste. The order
originated in the practice followed by childless mothers of vowing to
Khandoba that if they should bear a child, their first-born should be
devoted to his service. Such a child became a Waghya or Murli according
as it was a boy or a girl. But they were not necessarily severed from
their own caste and might remain members of it and marry in it. Thus
there are Waghya Telis in Wardha, who marry with other Telis. The child
might also be kept in the temple for a period and then withdrawn, and
nowadays this is always done. The children of rich parents sometimes
simply remain at home and worship Khandoba there. But they must beg
on every Sunday from at least five persons all their lives. Another
practice, formerly existing, was for the father and mother to vow that
if a child was born they would be swung. They were then suspended
from a wooden post on a rope by an iron hook inserted in the back
and swung round four or five times. The sacred turmeric was applied
to the wound and it quickly healed up. Others would take a Waghya
child to Mahadeo's cave in Pachmarhi and let it fall from the top of
a high tree. If it lived it was considered to be a Raja of Mahadeo,
and if it died happiness might confidently be anticipated for it in
the next birth. Besides the children who are dedicated to Khandoba,
a man may become a Waghya either for life or for a certain period in
fulfilment of a vow, and in the latter case will be an ordinary member
of his own caste again on its termination. The Waghyas and Murlis who
are permanent members of the order sometimes also live together and
have children who are brought up in it. The constitution of the order
is therefore in several respects indefinite, and it has not become a
self-contained caste, though there are Waghyas who have no other caste.
The following description of the dedication of children to Khandoba is
taken from the _Bombay Gazetteer_ [723]. When parents have to dedicate
a boy to Khandoba they go to his temple at Jejuri in Poona on any day
in the month of Chaitra (March-April). They stay at a Gurao's house and
tell him the object of their visit. The boy's father brings offerings
and they go in procession to Khandoba's temple. There the Gurao
marks the boy's brow with turmeric, throws turmeric over his head,
fastens round his neck a deer-or tiger-skin wallet hung from a black
woollen string and throws turmeric over the god, asking him to take
the boy. The Murlis or girls dedicated to the god are married to him
between one and twelve years of age. The girl is taken to the temple
by her parents accompanied by the Gurao priest and other Murlis. At
the temple she is bathed and her body rubbed with turmeric, with which
the feet of the idol are also anointed. She is dressed in a new robe
and bodice, and green glass bangles are put on her wrists. A turban
and sash are presented to the god, and the _guru_ taking a necklace
of nine cowries (shells) fastens it round the girl's neck. She then
stands before the god, a cloth being held between them as at a proper
wedding, and the priest repeats the marriage verses. Powdered turmeric
is thrown on the heads of the girl and of the idol, and from that day
she is considered to be the wife of Khandoba and cannot marry any other
man. When a Murli comes of age she sits by herself for four days. Then
she looks about for a patron, and when she succeeds in getting one she
calls a meeting of her brethren, the Waghyas, and in their presence
the patron says, 'I will fill the Murli's lap.' The Waghyas ask him
what he will pay and after some haggling a sum is agreed on, which
thirty years ago varied between twenty-five and a hundred rupees. If
it is more than Rs. 50 a half of the money goes to the community,
who spend it on a feast. With the balance the girl buys clothes for
herself. She lives with her patron for as long as he wishes to keep
her, and is then either attached to the temple or travels about as a
female mendicant. Sometimes a married woman will leave her home and
become a Murli, with the object as a rule of leading a vicious life.
A man who takes a vow to become a Waghya must be initiated by a _guru_,
who is some elder member of the order. The initiation takes place
early on a Sunday morning, and after the disciple is shaved, bathed
and newly clad, the _guru_ places a string of cowries round his neck
and gives him the tiger-skin bag in which the turmeric is kept. He
always retains much reverence for his _guru_, and invokes him with the
exclamation, 'Jai Guru,' before starting out to beg in the morning. The
following articles are carried by the Waghyas when begging. The _dapdi_
a circular single drum of wood, covered with goat-skin, and suspended
to the shoulder. The _chouka_ consists of a single wire suspended from
a bar and passing inside a hollow wooden conical frame. The wire is
struck with a stick to produce the sound. The _ghati_ is an ordinary
temple bell; and the _kutumba_ is a metal saucer which serves for a
begging-bowl. This is considered sacred, and sandalwood is applied
to it before starting out in the morning. The Waghyas usually beg
in parties of four, each man carrying one of these articles. Two
of them walk in front and two behind, and they sing songs in praise
of Khandoba and play on the instruments. Every Waghya has also the
bag made of tiger-skin, or, if this cannot be had, of deer-skin,
and the cowrie necklace, and a _seli_ or string of goat-hair round
the neck. Alms, after being received in the _kutumba_ or saucer,
are carried in a bag, and before setting out in the morning they put
a little grain in this bag, as they think that it would be unlucky
to start with it empty. At the end of the day they set out their
takings on the ground and make a little offering of fire to them,
throwing a pinch of turmeric in the air in the name of Khandoba. The
four men then divide the takings and go home. Marathas, Murlis and
Telis are the castes who revere Khandoba, and they invite the Waghyas
to sing on the Dasahra and also at their marriages. In Bombay the
Waghyas force iron bars through their calves and pierce the palms of
their hands with needles. To the needle a strip of wood is attached,
and on this five lighted torches are set out, and the Waghya waves
them about on his hand before the god. [724] Once in three years each
Waghya makes a pilgrimage to Khandoba's chief temple at Jejuri near
Poona, and there are also local temples to this deity at Hinganghat
and Nagpur. The Waghyas eat flesh and drink liquor, and their social
and religious customs resemble those of the Marathas and Kunbis.