| caption: |
Problems involving the Brahman and some Lhota wizards at Wokha; absolution from oath |
| text: |
To Wokha, where a heavy dak was awaiting me, and a number of cases. The question of some Lhota wizards combining with the Brahman of the temple here to detect theft by second sight came up. Apparently the Wokha puti had promised the man whose property had been stolen to find it for him, and then went and suggested to the Brahman that he should come to the village and "discover" by his magical power, that the property was hidden in the jungle near the village. The victim suspects (and so do I) that the thief is the puti himself - one Nlamo, a notorious bad character with previous convictions and sentences. Anyway he lied to me about having invited the Brahman to the village. This same Brahman, I learn, absolved a man in Yekhum from the affects of an oath he had taken. This is a most dangerous precedent, and if no misfortune befalls the man, it will be impossible to accept any oath, because a man will always be able to swear falsely and then go and get absolved of his oath by the Brahman. |
