tern Panjabis they are above all things saint-worshippers. The
ejaculations used to stimulate effort show this. The embankment builder
in the south-western Panjab invokes the holy breath of Bahawal Hakk, and
the Kashmiri boatman's cry "Ya Pir, dast gir," "Oh Saint, lend me a
hand," is an appeal to their national saint.

~Effect of Education.~--The Musalmans of the western Panjab have a great
dislike to Sikhs, dating from the period of the political predominance
of the latter. So far the result of education has been to accentuate
religious differences and animosities. Both Sikhs and Musalmans are
gradually dropping ideas and observances retained in their daily life
after they ceased to call themselves Hindus. On the other hand, within
the Hindu fold laxity is now the rule rather than the exception, and the
neglect of the old ritual and restrictions is by no means confined to
the small but influential reforming minority which calls itself Arya
Samaj.

~Christians.~--The number of Christians increased threefold between 1901
and 1911. The Presbyterian missionaries have been especially successful
in attracting large numbers of outcastes into the Christian Church.

[Illustration: Fig. 40. God and Goddess, Chamba.]

~Hinduism in the Panjab.~--Hinduism has always been, and to-day is more
than ever, a very elastic term. The Census Superintendent, himself a
high caste Hindu, wrote: "The definition which would cover the Hindu of
the modern times is that he should be born of parents not belonging to
some recognised religion other than Hinduism, marry within the same
limits, believe in God, respect the cow, and cremate the dead." There is
room in its ample folds for the Arya Samajist, who rejects idol worship
and is divesting himself of caste prejudices and marriage restrictions,
and the most orthodox Sanatan dharmist, who carries out the whole
elaborate daily ritual of the Brahmanical religion, and submits to all
its complicated rules; for the ordinary Hindu trader, who is equally
orthodox by profession, but whose ordinary religious exercises are
confined to bathing in the morning; for the villager of the eastern
districts, who often has the name of Parameshvar or the Supreme Lord on
his lips, but who really worships the godlings, Guga Pir, Sarwar or
Sultan Pir, Sitla (the small-pox goddess), and others, whose little
shrines we see round the village site; and for the childish idolaters of
Kulu, who carry their local deities abou