nd are respected by the people, and a _guru_ or spiritual teacher is
often taken from them in place of a Brahman or Gosain. They often act
as priests or _gurus_ to the Mahars, for whom Brahmans will not perform
these services. Their honesty and humility are proverbial among the
Kunbis, and are in pleasing contrast to the character of many of the
Hindu mendicant orders. They consider it essential that all their
converts should be able to read the Bhagavat-Gita or a commentary
on it, and for this purpose teach them to read and write during the
rainy season when they are assembled at one of their monasteries.

3. Religious observances and customs

One of the leading tenets of the Manbhaos is a respect for all forms
of animal and even vegetable life, much on a par with that of the
Jains. They strain water through a cloth before drinking it, and then
delicately wipe the cloth to preserve any insects that may be upon
it. They should not drink water in, and hence cannot reside in, any
village where animal sacrifices are offered to a deity. They will not
cut down a tree nor break off a branch, or even a blade of grass, nor
pluck a fruit or an ear of corn. Some, it is said, will not even bathe
in tanks for fear of destroying insect-life. For this reason also they
readily accept cooked food as alms, so that they may avoid the risk
of the destruction of life involved in cooking. The Manbhaos dislike
the din and noise of towns, and live generally in secluded places,
coming into the towns only to beg. Except in the rains they wander
about from place to place. They beg in the morning, and then return
home and, after bathing and taking their food, read their religious
books. They must always worship Krishna before taking food, and for
this purpose when travelling they carry an image of the deity about
with them. They will take food and water from the higher castes, but
they must not do so from persons of low caste on pain of temporary
excommunication. They neither smoke nor chew tobacco. Both men and
women shave the head clean, and men also the face. This is first done
on initiation by the village barber. But the _sendhi_ or scalp-lock
and moustaches of the novice must be cut off by his _guru_, this being
the special mark of his renunciation of the world. The scalp-locks of
the various candidates are preserved until a sufficient quantity of
hair has been collected, when ropes are made of it, which they fasten
round their loins.