________________
236
RELIGIOUS SECTS
indescribable nature of the deity. They have a peculiar garb, wearing a large round cap, and a long frock or coat stained with ochery clay. Some also wear ear-rings, like the Kumphútá Jogis, or a cylinder of wood passed through the lobe of tlie ear, which they term the Khechari Mudrá, the seal or symbol of the deity, of him who moves in the heavens.
RÍKHARAS, SÚKHARAS, and UKHARAS. The Sukharas are Saiva mendicants, distinguished by carrying a stick three spans in length: they dress in a cap and sort of petticoat stained with ochery earth, smear their bodies with ashes, and wear ear-rings of the Rudraksha seed. They also wear over the left shoulder a narrow piece of cloth dyed with ochre, and twisted, in place of the Zannár.
The Rúkharas are of similar habits and appearance, but they do not carry the stick, nor wear the Rudrúksha ear-rings, but in their place metallic ones: these two classes agree with the preceding in the watchword, exclaiming Alakh, as they pass along; the term is, however, used by other classes of mendicants.
The Ukharas are said to be members of either of the preceding classes, who drink spirituous liquors, and eat meat: they appear to be the refuse of the three preceding mendicant classes, who, in general, are said to be of mild and inoffensive manners.
KARÁ LINGIS. These are vagabonds of little credit; except some
