==============+===================+===================+=======
| Hindus. | Muhammadans. |
Districts. +~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~+ Total.
| Males. | Females. | Males. | Females. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~~~~|~~~~~~~
Sahâranpur | ... | ... | 115 | 105 | 220
Muzaffarnagar | ... | ... | 21 | 12 | 33
Meerut | ... | ... | 24 | 2 | 26
Bulandshahr | ... | ... | 4 | 4 | 8
Aligarh | ... | ... | 5 | ... | 5
Mathura | ... | ... | 7 | ... | 7
Agra | 1 | ... | 18 | ... | 19
Farrukhâbâd | ... | ... | 12 | ... | 12
Mainpuri | ... | ... | 6 | ... | 6
Etâwah | ... | ... | 10 | ... | 10
Etah | ... | ... | 11 | ... | 11
Budâun | ... | ... | 25 | 10 | 35
Morâdâbâd | ... | ... | 11 | ... | 11
Shâhjahânpur | ... | ... | 8 | 7 | 15
Pilibhît | ... | ... | 3 | ... | 3
Cawnpur | 1 | ... | 28 | 1 | 30
Fatehpur | ... | ... | 13 | 4 | 17
Bânda | ... | ... | 9 | 6 | 15
Hamîrpur | ... | ... | 11 | 1 | 12
Allahâbâd | 2 | 3 | 26 | 15 | 46
Jhânsi | ... | ... | 7 | ... | 7
Jâlaun | ... | ... | 5 | ... | 5
Jaunpur | ... | ... | 1 | 2 | 3
Ghâzipur | ... | ... | 10 | 3 | 13
Ballia | ... | ... | 15 | 13 | 28
Gorakhpur | ... | ... | 16 | 11 | 27
Basti | ... | ... | 27 | 32 | 59
Azamgarh | ... | ... | 11 | 6 | 17
Lucknow | ... | ... | 18 | ... | 18
Râê Bareli | ... | ... | 44 | 9 | 53
Sîtapur | ... | ... | 18 | ... | 18
Kheri | ... | ... | 15 | ... | 15
Faizâbâd | ... | ... | 28 | 20 | 48
Gonda | ... | ... | 9 | 7 | 16
Bahrâich | ... | ... | 34 | ... | 34
Sultânpur | ... | ... | 82 | 65 | 147
Partâbgarh | ... | ... | 40 | 34 | 74
Bârabanki | ... | ... | 2 | ... | 2
+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~~~+~~~~~
Total | 4 | 3 | 749 | 369 |1,125
==============+========+==========+========+==========+=====
Hotri.—A functional sub-division of Brâhmans, “he that offers an
oblation or burnt offering.” His title and functions recall the animal
sacrifices of the Vedic age. “His business is to make the homa
offering, and to recite Vedic hymns at the opening of new temples, or
when large feasts are given to Brâhmans and sometimes in the private
houses of rich men. The last instance of a Vedic goat sacrifice, which
is the only form now allowed, that of the cow and horse being
prohibited, was performed in Benares about thirty years ago. The
account which I have received of it is as follows:—A certain Brâhman
from Southern India, who had inherited the charge of an eternal fire
from a remote and distinguished ancestry, had, through an inadvertence
for which he blamed himself, allowed the fire to go out. In order to
relight it and make a suitable atonement for the crime which he had
committed, he determined to celebrate a great sacrifice, and collected
from all the Hindu Râjas who could be induced to contribute, a sum of
about thirty thousand rupees for the purpose. The ceremony lasted for
twenty-one days. All this time Brâhmans were being fed in thousands,
offerings of homa were being thrown on the altar, and sacred words
(mantra) were repeated with each offering. The goat intended for the
sacrifice, which was to crown the work, was stalled in an enclosure set
apart for the sacrificial floor; and the greatest attention, amounting
almost to worship, was paid to it till the day of sacrifice came round.
As the goat was being led up to the altar, its neck was garlanded with
flowers, and red powder was showered on its head. The most learned and
distinguished Brâhmans who could be found were summoned from hundreds
of miles round to take part in this Vedic sacrifice. The spot on which
the goat was at last killed was screened off, so that no profane eye
might behold what the Brâhmans were doing, or witness the relighting of
the extinguished fire from the flame of the sacrifice. On receiving
this fire relighted, the man was taken to the Ganges to be bathed by
the Achârya or presiding priest; and such was the sanctity ascribed to
that part of the river where he had bathed, that almost the whole city
of Benares turned out to get a drop or two of water thrown at them by
the hands of the priest. It is said that no such sacrifice had been
performed before within the memory of any man living, nor is it
expected that such will ever be performed again.
2. “There is one more function left to the Hotri, which may be traced
back to the Vedic age, viz., the recitation of long passages from the
ancient hymn books. This is done at times when new temples are opened
or when large feasts are given to Brâhmans, and sometimes in the
private houses of rich men. A Hotri is sometimes employed by men who
are wealthy enough to engage his services to stand before an idol and
read extracts from the Veda on their behalf. Such repetition is placed
to the credit of the man who pays for it, and is believed to benefit
his soul in the life beyond the grave.” [511]
Hurkiya, Hurukiya.—A small tribe of musicians and pimps, attendants on
dancing girls, of whom some account has been given under the head
Tawâif. They are by religion Muhammadans. As sections, according to the
Census Returns, they recorded some of the other sub-castes of a similar
mode of livelihood, such as Kanchan and Paturiya; others connected with
higher castes, as Bâhamaniya, Kâchhi, and others of local origin, as
Bihariya from Bihâr, Kâlpi and Purabiya or “Easterns.”