(See Vincent. Bellov. Spec.
Natur. VII. c. 60, 62, and Bl. Ain-i-Akbari, p. 40.)
[We read in Ma Huan's account of Cochin (J.R.A.S. April, 1896, p.
343): "Here also is another class of men, called Chokis (Yogi), who lead
austere lives like the Taoists of China, but who, however, are married.
These men from the time they are born do not have their heads shaved or
combed, but plait their hair into several tails, which hang over their
shoulders; they wear no clothes, but round their waists they fasten a
strip of rattan, over which they hang a piece of white calico; they carry
a conch-shell, which they blow as they go along the road; they are
accompanied by their wives, who simply wear a small bit of cotton cloth
round their loins. Alms of rice and money are given to them by the people
whose houses they visit."
(See F. Bernier, Voy., ed. 1699, II., Des Gentils de l'Hindoustan,
pp. 97, seqq.)
We read in the Nine Heavens of Amir Khusru (Elliot, III. p. 563): "A
jogi who could restrain his breath in this way (diminishing the daily
number of their expirations of breath) lived in an idol to an age of more
than three hundred and fifty years."
"I have read in a book that certain chiefs of Turkistan sent ambassadors
with letters to the Kings of India on the following mission, viz.: that
they, the chiefs, had been informed that in India drugs were procurable
which possessed the property of prolonging human life, by the use of which
the King of India attained to a very great age ... and the chiefs of
Turkistan begged that some of this medicine might be sent to them, and
also information as to the method by which the Rais preserved their health
so long." (Elliot, II. p. 174.) - H.C.]
"The worship of the ox is still common enough, but I can find no trace of
the use of the effigy worn on the forehead. The two Tam Pundits whom I
consulted, said that there was no trace of the custom in Tamil literature,
but they added that the usage was so truly Hindu in character, and was so
particularly described, that they had no doubt it prevailed in the time of
the person who described it." (MS. Note by the Rev. Dr. Caldwell.)
I may add that the Jangams, a Linga-worshipping sect of Southern India,
wear a copper or silver linga either round the neck or on the forehead.
The name of Jangam means "movable," and refers to their wearing and
worshipping the portable symbol instead of the fixed one like the proper
Saivas. (Wilson, Mack. Coll. II. 3; J.R.A.S. N.S.V. 142 seqq.)
NOTE 6.
