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(i) Diwaso which generally fells in June or July,
(ii) Vag Baras „ „ ,. „ October or November,
(iii) Diwali ,, „ „ „ „ „
(iv) Holi „ „ „ „ February or March.
On these days and on a few other Sundays and Tues-
days, most of these people visit their gods in large num-
bers and make offerings to them. These offerings gene-
rally consists of a goat or a hen, a cocoanut, a lamp fed
with ghee and a flower wreath.
Dublas, a section of the Kaliparaj, however, enjoy a
few more holidays like the Mata-Ashtami which fails in
September or October, Balev which falls in July or Au-
gust and Makar Sankrant which falls in January. On
some of these days they play what is locally called "Gher-
ias." They tie a belt of gingling bells round their waist,
hold a stick in their hands and dance from place to place.
On these occasions they collect gifts from the people and
spend the money thus collected in drinking toddy.
Religious Beliefs of the Ujaliparaj Hindus :
The religious beliefs of the numerous castes that come
under the term Ujaliparaj 'Hindus' vary with the different
tenets they follow. A majority of them are Ramanuji
Vaishnvas. Of the rest some are Shaivites and some
devotees of Shakti. A few of them are found to have
no religion whatever.
The most noteworthy feature, however, about their
religious life is this. There are three Bhajan-mandlies—
bands of men who gather together and sing devotional
sacred hymns to the accompaniment of cymbals. One of
these Bhajan-mandlies consists of members of different
castes like Kolis, Darjis, Valands and a few others. The
second was recently started and consists of young intelli-
gent Kolis many of whom are serving as teachers in the
vernacular schools in the neighbouring villages. The third
consists again of Kolis staying in one of the farthest 'falias*
of the village. These Bhajan-mandlies show the last
9*