DHOR, TEL.; Dhoria, CAN. ; Dhorata, Malin., are found in most of the larger villages of Southern India. They aro tanners, but are re garded as Hindus, and, unlike the Mhar and Mhang, reside within the villages. They do not partake of animals that die of disease. They never devote their young wornen to tho gods. They are looked on by the Pariah or Mier as vile, and are not associated with in eating or intermarrying. The Dhor are robust, fair, short men, with well developed chests, wide faces, light-coloured eyes, many of them with a light moustache and in all their features they present evidence Of a Mongol origin. They never eat the large horned cattle, the cow, buffalo, or bullock, nor do they eat dald animals ; but fowls, fish, deer, goats, and sheep are lawful. They marry in their own tribe, making the marriage procession on a bullock, and &ay that they are not entitled to proceed 011 a horse. Like almost all the idol-worshipping races of India, they worship, at anniversaries, the chief implements of their trade, which in their case ia the tan-pit or earthen jar in which the hides are steeped, streaked with red lead ; but they weekly cow-dung a small spot in their house, on which they burn incense, place flower(' and wheaten cakes covered with rice, bow down, worship, and eat. The deity
thus invoked, one family at Oodghir said, was Bawa Adam, whom they consider to be Mahadeva ; and inquiry elicited the information that about 60 or 80 miles west of Punderpur is a stone named Bawa, or Father Adam. It is doubtless tne ordinary lingam there. They also worshipped Ai, whom they designate as the Bbawani at Taljapur, but Khandoba at Malligaum also receives their worship. The temple guardians, however, do not permit the Dhor to approach near to the idols, as their trade of workers in skins and hides makes them unclean. They bury the dead who have fallen victims to smallpox and cholera, but those from some other diseases are burned ; a pregnant woman dying is burned. They make leather from hides, and manufacture such articles as aro used for water purposes, the mot bucket, tho (Mot and paklial.