THUGGEES Meaning and
Definition
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Thuggees refers to the members of an organized criminal group known as the Thugs, who were active in India from at least the 14th to the 19th century. The term "thuggees" is derived from the Hindi word "thag," which means swindler or rogue. Thuggees were notorious for their method of operation, which involved befriending travelers on highways, gaining their trust, and then murdering them in a ritualistic manner for both material gains and religious devotion.
Thuggees followed a distinct modus operandi, known as "thuggee strangling." They would strangle their victims with a handkerchief or a rumal (a type of cloth). This distinctive method allowed them to kill silently and left little evidence behind. Thuggees believed that their acts of killing were a form of religious duty, devoted to the Hindu goddess Kali, whom they considered their divine protector.
Thuggees operated in well-organized gangs, with a hierarchical structure and strict rituals. They had their own secret language, signs, and hand gestures to communicate with fellow gang members while remaining inconspicuous to outsiders. The scale of their crimes and their ability to evade capture made them a significant threat during their era.
The British colonial authorities, upon discovering the extent of thuggee activities, initiated a series of campaigns to eradicate them. Their efforts eventually succeeded, leading to the eradication of thuggees by the mid-19th century. Today, the term "thuggees" is often used metaphorically to refer to individuals or groups involved in organized crime or violent behavior.
Etymology of THUGGEES
The word "thuggees" derives from the Hindi word "thag" or "thagī", which means a member of the Thuggee cult or a professional gang of thieves and assassins. The term was first used by the British in colonial India during the early 19th century to describe a secret criminal organization. The Thuggees were notorious for their ritualistic practices and their modus operandi of befriending and then murdering victims, usually travelers, in order to rob them. The word "thug" became widely known in English as a result of British reports and literature about the Thuggee cult, and eventually the term "thuggees" emerged to refer to the members of this organization.
