Celibacy is the rule of the Gosain orders, and a man's property passes
in inheritance to a selected chela or disciple. But the practice of
keeping women is very common, even outside the large section of the
community which now recognises marriage. Women could be admitted
into the order, when they had to shave their heads, assume the
ochre-coloured shirt and rub their bodies with ashes. Afterwards,
with the permission of the guru and on payment of a fine, they could
let their hair grow again, at least temporarily. These women were
supposed to remain quite chaste and live in nunneries, but many of
them lived with men of the order. It is not known to what extent
women are admitted at present. The sons born of such unions would be
adopted as chelas or disciples by other Gosains, and made their heirs
by a reciprocal arrangement. Women who are convicted of some social
offence, or who wish to leave their husbands, often join the order
nominally and live with a Gosain or are married into the caste. Many
of the wandering mendicants lead an immoral life, and scandals about
their enticing away the wives of rich Hindus are not infrequent. [113]
During their visits to villages they also engage in intrigues, and
a ribald Gond song sung at the Holi festival describes the pleasure
of the village women at the arrival of a Gosain owing to the sexual
gratification which they expected to receive from him.