A notice of the Gosains who have become an ordinary caste will be given
later. Formerly only Brahmans or members of the twice-born castes
could become Gosains, but now a man of any caste, as Kurmi, Kunbi
or Mali, from whom a Brahman takes water, may be admitted. In some
localities it is said that Gonds and Kols can now be made Gosains,
and hence the social position of the Gosains has greatly fallen,
and high-caste Hindus will not take water from them. It is supposed,
however, that the Giri order is still recruited only from Brahmans.
At initiation the body of a neophyte is cleaned with the five products
of the sacred cow, milk, curds, ghi, dung and urine. He drinks water in
which the great toe of his guru has been dipped and eats the leavings
of the latter's food, thus severing himself from his own caste. His
sacred thread is taken off and broken, and it is sometimes burned and
he eats the ashes. All the hair of his head is shaved, including the
scalp-lock, which every secular Hindu wears. A mantra or text is then
whispered or blown into his ear.