The sons of Death, servant of Kali: a secret sect of tugof-Stranglers

The notoriety of sophisticated killers got Indian tight (Thai), which was "the most bloodthirsty bandits in the history of mankind." Only in 1812, their hands were killing about 40,000 people.

Approximately in the XII century gang of tugov in the Central part of India plundered the caravans and killing travelers. The victim was choked, throwing back the rope or scarf, and then buried ritual kirko-hoe or dropped into the well. The exact number of victims is not known, but the Guinness Book of records refers to their account for two million deaths in one century.

Thagi (or taut, thugi, Pasinger, Stranglers, from the English. thuggee) — medieval Indian bandits and robbers who have dedicated themselves to the service of Kali. Photo 1894.

To become a real tight, it was necessary to undertake a long journey of initiation. In the beginning of the way members of the sect performed the duties of undertaker. Several years later, as an adult, was allowed to exploration, then became satawalese. However, each time their skill had improved. A dedication was the main condition. Those who negligently or intentionally talked about his membership in the group of tugov, subjected to immediate severe punishment.

Young Strangler was supposed to send to the light as much as possible victims, and to do so in the shortest time. However, he was forbidden to strangle women, lepers, oblique, the lame, and all the freaks and laundresses and representatives of some selected castes, which provided the protection the goddess Kali. Women, incidentally, were protected from murder only in the case if you were traveling alone without a male protector.

Thevenot, the famous French traveler of the seventeenth century, complained in his letters home that all roads from Delhi to Agra are teeming with these "deceivers". He wrote:

Gang of tugov usually came out in a big way after the rainy season in the fall. Until the next spring only one of the gangs (and there throughout the country there were several hundred) could strangle more than a thousand people. Sometimes their victims were lonely travelers, and other times entire groups of people who crossed into another world in the blink of an eye. Tight never left witnesses, so destroyed even dogs, monkeys and other animals that belonged to the victim.

Preparation for murder have always occurred routinely. The gang was camped near the town or village and dispatched several of their most intelligent members roam the streets and visit the shops. Worth it to see a small group of travelers, they immediately found a common language with them and offered to continue to travel together. If simpletons agreed, their death was not far off.

The sacrifice was carried out by strangulation, without bloodshed. The weapon served as a silk ribbon with a length of 90 cm and a width of 2.5 cm — rumal. Equipment coverage neck rumala was brought to perfection. Lightning shot late on which was tied a knot, could be front, side, but — most of all — the back of the victim.

Miniatures from the series "Portraits of famous Indian tugov" Charles Wade Kramp, 1851-1857.

Here on the spot, sharing the booty. The gravediggers took off the clothes of those killed and making the corpses a few deep cuts to Cali was easier to drink the blood, quickly buried the body robbed. When the soil across the solid, the grave was dug shallow and in the chest of a murdered hammered a wooden stake holding the body at the bottom of the pit. Tomb threw stones and wild beasts could not have her to dig.

Tight pierced the eyes of their victims before throwing the body into the well. The Stranglers it was a "control shot", they have become a mandatory procedure after 1810 the man they thought dead, recovered, and escaped.

The Stranglers were not criminals in the usual sense of the word. They killed people, not only for the sake of production. Their victims tight, in accordance with an elaborate ritual, dedicated to a dark and terrible goddess Kali.

Cali, or, Hurrynarain (equally known in India under another name) was born, according to legend, from the burning eyes in the forehead of Lord Shiva. She went from this eye, like the Greek Athena from the skull of Zeus, adult and perfect being.

According to legend, Kali wanted to destroy the entire human race, except, of course, his faithful followers and admirers. Taught it, they began to kill with swords all in a row. And so great was the destruction produced togami that the human race would have soon died out altogether if it had not intervened the God Vishnu. All spilled blood on the ground he was forced to reproduce new living things and, therefore, opposed to the priests of Kali.

Then the bloodthirsty goddess went to the trick and told his followers only to choke people. Own hands she made a human figure out of clay, his breath breathed into her life and taught tohow to kill without shedding blood. And to Vishnu found out about her tricks, she promised his priests that will always hide the bodies of their victims and to destroy all traces.

And not always the success be on your side, sometimes you become a victim of the wicked laws of light, that should be your eternal punishment. You have nothing left but given me knowledge and the higher mind. To manage you I will from now on only through omen that study carefully."

Since tight and began to emphasize various kinds of omens. They saw them in the flight of birds, the habits of jackals, dogs, or monkeys. Before going "on business" they began to throw into the air a hatchet, and which way on earth he was falling head, back and directed killer your way. If an animal ran across their path from left side to the right, tight thought it was a bad omen, and the expedition was postponed for a day.

The first time the English colonial office about anything not guessed. Tight acted very secretive, and attack mostly in the jungles and other deserted places. Victims often become travelers. As well as the movement in the country lasted for several months, and about the loss was not learned immediately.

Sleeman was the first who realized the fundamental religious nature of the cult of the Stranglers — the murders were sacrifices, dedicated the dark mother, Kali. Because of its deep religiosity tight usually was conscientious, honest, friendly and reliable. Assistant Slimina described one of the leaders of the sect as "the best man I ever knew." Many Stranglers were rich people holding responsible posts. Part of looted funds went to local rajas or officials.

A group of tugov in a prison cell. Unlike most such figures, this, apparently, made from nature, and passes not a romantic vision of the artist, and what looked like the Stranglers really are.

When, in 1876, visited India as Prince of Wales, the future English king Edward VII, the crimes of tugov already subsided. The Prince was led to jail in Lahore, where he was talking with an elderly thief, the life of which was saved after he gave testimony and called his accomplices. Prisoner without a shadow of excitement told the Prince that sent to the light 150.

According to historian William Rubinstein, in the period from 1740 to 1840 taut killed 1 million people. The Guinness book of records refers to their account for two million deaths.

It's incredible, but for 50 years, Behram strangled 921 person, and that was proven on the court. Fearing that tight try to save someone they considered almost a demigod, the authorities immediately after the court sent the behram features to the gallows. It is officially listed in the Guinness Book of records as the biggest serial killer in human history.

Stone statues of the goddess Kali have survived in India to this day. The locals still bring their sacrifices, as was done in the past for several centuries.

Every day at six o'clock modern tight bring the sacrifices of roosters. However, until now, reports of human sacrifices.