g made of the wood of the _khair_ or
catechu. In Nimar this is given to a woman by her husband at marriage,
and she wears it afterwards placed upright on the top of the head,
the hair being wound round it and the head-cloth draped over it in
a graceful fashion. Widows leave it off, but on remarriage adopt it
again. The stick is known as _chunda_ by the Banjaras, but outsiders
call it _singh_ or horn. In Yeotmal, instead of one, the women have
two little sticks fixed upright in the hair. The rank of the woman is
said to be shown by the angle at which she wears this horn. [223] The
dress of the men presents no features of special interest. In Nimar
they usually have a necklace of coral beads, and some of them carry,
slung on a thread round the neck, a tin tooth-pick and ear-scraper,
while a small mirror and comb are kept in the head-cloth so that
their toilet can be performed anywhere.

Mr. Cumberlege [224] notes that in former times all Charan Banjaras
when carrying grain for an army placed a twig of some tree, the sacred
_nim_ [225] when available, in their turban to show that they were
on the war-path; and that they would do the same now if they had
occasion to fight to the death on any social matter or under any
supposed grievance.

19. Social customs.

The Banjaras eat all kinds of meat, including fowls and pork, and drink
liquor. But the Mathurias abstain from both flesh and liquor. Major
Gunthorpe states that the Banjaras are accustomed to drink before
setting out for a dacoity or robbery and, as they smoke after drinking,
the remains of leaf-pipes lying about the scene of action may indicate
their handiwork. They rank below the cultivating castes, and Brahmans
will not take water to drink from them. When engaged in the carrying
trade, they usually lived in _kuris_ or hamlets attached to such
regular villages as had considerable tracts of waste land belonging
to them. When the _tanda_ or caravan started on its long carrying
trips, the young men and some of the women went with it with the
working bullocks, while the old men and the remainder of the women
and children remained to tend the breeding cattle in the hamlet. In
Nimar they generally rented a little land in the village to give
them a footing, and paid also a carrying fee on the number of cattle
present. Their spare time was constantly occupied in the manufacture
of hempen twine and sacking, which was much superior to that obtainable
in towns. Even