History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. IV. ] THE SUDRA AND KUSTI. 165

scope of the child, which he sends in a few days, and for which he is paid a fee of from two to five rupees.

The “joshis” have a good knowledge of human nature, and not unfrequently make correct hits. They know that children suffer from teething and other ailments in their first and second years, and they tell the heads of the family to take care of the child when it is between five and seven months old, as it is then likely to suffer. If the child does suffer, as children invariably do durimg dentition, the ladies of the family immediately say, “Oh, the ‘joshi’ predicted this.” The men generally laugh, but Parsi females are not yet sufficiently advanced in knowledge to be conscious of their folly. The progress of education, now happily commenced, will soon banish these superstitious ideas.

The investiture of the child, whether boy or girl, with the ‘‘sudra” and “kusti” takes place, according to religious injunction, any time after it has attained the age of six years and three months, but not before that age. The wearing of the “ jabhla” is then discontinued, and, as in the case of the adult, the “sudra” and “kusti” are worn instead. This ceremony is performed in an imposing manner, as will be seen from the following description. The boy or girl, whom we will term the candidate, sits before a Parsi priest, who utters certain prayers and makes him or her drink three times the sacred “nirangdin,” and chew part