The Gosayins
Bound volume
The Gosayins
From the album The Indian Amateur's Photographic Album
ca. 1856
Albumen silver print
Image: 7 11/16 × 6 1/4 in. (19.5 × 15.9 cm)
Mount: 20 × 13 9/16 in. (50.8 × 34.4 cm)
Purchase
1979.0065.0011
Inscriptions Printed on applied sheet on previous leaf (0008), BC: COSTUMES AND CHARACTERS OF WESTERN INDIA. \ No. 1. - THE GOSAYINS. \ From a Collodion Negative by W. Johnson. \ The Gosayins form a large and influential monastic order among the Hindus, and are divided into various sects, \ according to the views entertained by their spiritual guides the "Gooroos." The Gosayins formerly resided together in \ large numbers in convents, each community being presided over by a Mahaut - a sort of Abbot - but these institutions \ are amongst the things that were. The Gosayins are now scattered over the face of the country, enjoying the otium \ cum dignitate in the many caves, temples, and places of worship with which India abounds ; or wandering in highways \ and byways, earning a scanty livelihood by begging, thieving, and fortune-telling - singly or in groups - nude and \ semi-nude, - besmeared with yellow ochre, chalk, or ashes, with hair which has been allowed to grow to an inconceivable \ length, matted and twisted into most fantastic shapes, - altogether, and this a mere question of taste, very picturesque or \ very disgusting.
