Jadua-, Jaduah-Brahman. [176]--This is the name of a class of
swindlers, who make money by pretending to turn other metals
into gold or finding buried treasure. They are believed to have
originated from the caste of Bhadris or Jyotishis, the astrologers
of western India. The Jyotishi or Joshi astrologers are probably an
offshoot of the Brahman caste. The name Jadua is derived from jadu,
magic. The Bhadris or Jyotishis were in former times, Mr. Knyvett
writes, attached to the courts of all important rajas in western
India, where they told fortunes and prophesied future events from
their computations of the stars, often obtaining great influence and
being consulted as oracles. Readers of Quentin Durward will not need
to be reminded that an exactly similar state of things obtained in
Europe. And both the European and Indian astrologers were continually
searching for the philosopher's stone and endeavouring by the practice
of alchemy to discover the secret of changing silver and other metals
into gold. It is easy to understand how the more dishonest members
of the community would come to make a livelihood by the pretence
of being possessed of this power. The Jaduas belong principally to
Bihar, and Mr. Knyvett's account of them is based on inquiries in that
Province. But it is probable that, like the Bhadris, travelling parties
of Jaduas occasionally visit the Central Provinces. Their method of
procedure is somewhat as follows. They start out in parties of three
or four and make inquiries for the whereabouts of some likely dupe,
in the shape of an ignorant and superstitious person possessed of
property. Sometimes they settle temporarily in a village and open a
small grain-shop in order to facilitate their search. When the victim
has been selected one of them proceeds to his village in the disguise
of a Sadhu or anchorite, being usually accompanied by another as
his chela or disciple. Soon afterwards the others come, one of them
perhaps posing as a considerable landholder, and go about inquiring
if a very holy Brahman has been seen. They go to the house of their
intended dupe, who naturally asks why they are seeking the Brahman;
they reply that they have come to do homage to him as he had turned
their silver and brass ornaments into gold. The dupe at once goes with
them in search of the Brahman, and is greatly impressed by seeing the
landholder worship him with profound respect and make him presents of
cloth, money and cattle. He at once falls into the trap and says that
he too has a quantity of silver which he would like to have turned
into gold. The Brahman pretends reluctance, but eventually yields to
the dupe's entreaties and allows himself to be led to the latter's
house, where with his chela he takes up his quarters in an inner room,
dark and with a mud floor. A variety of tricks are now resorted to,
to impress the dupe with the magic powers of the swindlers. Sometimes
he is directed to place a rupee on his forehead and go to the door
and look at the sun for five minutes, being assured that when he
returns the Brahman will have disappeared by magic. Having looked at
the sun for five minutes he can naturally see nothing on returning to
a dark room and expresses wonder at the Brahman's disappearance and
gradual reappearance as his eyes get accustomed to the darkness. Or
if the trick to be practised is the production of buried treasure,
a rupee may be buried in the ground and after various incantations
two rupees are produced from the same spot by sleight of hand. Or
by some trickery the victim is shown the mouth of an earthen vessel
containing silver or gold coins in a hole dug in the ground. He is
told that the treasure cannot be obtained until more treasure has
been added to it and religious rites have been performed. Sometimes
the victim is made to visit a secluded spot, where he is informed that
after repeating certain incantations Sivaji will appear before him. A
confederate, dressed in tinsel and paint, appears before the victim
posing as Sivaji, and informs him that there is treasure buried in
his house, and it is only necessary to follow the instructions of the
holy Brahman in order to obtain it. The silver ornaments, all that
can be collected, are then made over to the Brahman, who pretends to
tie them in a cloth or place them in an earthen pot and bury them in
the floor of the room. If buried treasure is to be found the Brahman
explains that it is first necessary to bury more treasure in order
to obtain it, and if the ornaments are to be turned into gold they
are buried for the purpose of transmutation. During the process the
victim is induced on some pretence to leave the room or cover himself
with a sheet, when a bundle containing mud or stones is substituted
for the treasure. The Brahman calls for ghi, oil and incense, and
lights a fire over the place where the ornaments are supposed to be
buried, bidding his victim watch over it for some hours or days until
his return. The Brahman and his disciple, with the silver concealed
about them, then leave the house, join their confederates and make
their escape. The duped villager patiently watches the fire until he
becomes tired of waiting for the Brahman's return, when he digs up
the earth and finds nothing in the cloth but stones and rubbish.