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From: mozanne@pcsngb.demon.co.uk (Mike Ozanne)
Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
Subject: Thuggee (was Whats A Good Weapon...)
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Date: 30 Sep 94 21:04:51 GMT
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Posted: Sat Oct  1 06:04:51 1994
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The Thugee gangs operated in India from sometime betweem the 12th
and 14th centuries until their suppression by Colonel William
Sleeman in the middle of the 19th century. The origin is a
modification of the legend of Kali's (An incarnation of Shiva's
wife Devi) battles against a giant demon. When the demon was
wounded more demons sprang from the drops of blood. The demon
was defeated when Kali drank all of its blood. Hence the Thugs
selection of a bloodless method of killing. Although a Hindu
divinity the Thug gangs eventually included members of every
caste ethnic group and denomination present on the subcontinent.

The Rhumal or strangling cloth was made of silk and weighted at
one end with a coin. Usually a victim was held by two or more thugs
while another strangled the victim from behind. The cloth was held
in one hand, the weighted end was whipped around the victims neck
and caught in the opposite hand. Pressure was applied with the wrists.
It helped if the victim raised his head, and the signal to attack was
often given by inviting the victim to admire the stars. The Thug 
gangs who worked the ferries and barges were reputed to attack from
the front, method not known. In Sleemans opinion the river gangs were
never totally repressed.

Some Thugs who could kill a victim unaided by breaking the neck were
known as Goor Panch. And tied their Rhumal with a special knot with 
the ends tucked in.

More details are in Sleemans "Ramaseeana" and his annual "Reports on
the Thug Gangs of India" , and also in a series of letters to the 
Civil and Military Gazette while he attempted to focus the East India
Company's attention on the problem. For fictional accounts there is John
Masters "The Deceivers" and a British officer who's name I forget produced
"Memoirs of a Thug" in the late 19th century.
-- 
________________________________________________________________
Mike Ozanne               #It aint what a man don't know        ||
Perstorp Components       #as makes him a fool it's what        ||
mozanne@pcsngb.demon.co.uk#he do know that aint so. Joe.E.Lewis ||
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