Indian Antiquary Vol 03

SR No.: 032495
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 420
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 108

94
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(April, 1874.
into the kraal, a Tod â was suddenly taken with heads of stone and chipped flint. After the stomach-ache, and there was immense lamenta- dance followed a feast; round the hut stood tion over him. He seemed desperately fright- an immense array of large chatties, baskets, ened, and retired into the hut, where his stomach and bags brimming over with rice, and large was rubbed, and much made of him, the Todas quantities had been cooking in a tuft of continually going to see how he was. The games trees close by. The Todas-men, women, and then began. A dozen or fifteen stout Todas, children-seated themselves in knots and semidisrobed save their waistbands, sprang into the circles on the green hill-side near the hut and kraal, flourishing their heavy clubs, and drove kraal, and a number passed to and fro from the animals round and round, belabouring them the cooking-place under the trees bearing to furiously. At times five or six would rush each his or her mess of rice with a lump of upon a buffalo, seize its long horns and bear curds on a large green leaf. Talk and laughter down its head with all their weight, raising abounded. The sun shone brightly over the their feet from the ground, thus holding the ani. green slopes and valleys chequered with groves mal down fast, and quite subduing it. This and hollows feathered with trees; eastward the was repeated several times; the buffaloes were horizon was closed by the high ridge of Doddacruelly beaten with clubs as they rushed about, betta, on whose lower flanks some of the white and at times the whole interior of the circle pre- houses of Ootacamund' could be discerned. sented a confused whirl of men and buffaloes Around sat the groups of the primitive piccareering about in frenzied excitement amid turesque race who seem on these isolated moundust and hoarse shouting; the men eluding the tains to keep up the semblance and manners of horns and charges of the buffaloes with marvel- a vanished world; the men tall and bronzed, lous address. The principal object of this exhi- with high bold features, and thick clustering bition appeared to be that the men might dis- sable hair; old patriarchs amongst them with play their strength and agility before the hoary beards in silver rolled' and Cato-like women. Some accounts describe the object to profiles; the women full-limbed and stately, be the affixing a collar and bell round the ani- with harmonious features, soft dark eyes, and mals' necks, brt this was not done on the long raven-black ringlets falling to their shoul. present occasion. After these exercises there ders; all gracefully wrapt in white clean mantles was an interlude of dancing and singing. Six bordered with two or three red stripes. The whole men stood in a row, each holding a club sloped scene appeared aloof and detached from the over his shoulder in one hand, and his neigh- present world, and one seemed for the moment bour's hand in the other.. A similar row stood to have a vision of Arcadia and catch a glimpse close behind the first. The two rows then of the Golden Age. Next day, soon after noon, marched round and round, revolving on the the rites began again. Several long dances were same axis and vociferating hau ! hau ! with a performed by nearly the same dozen or so of tone between a shout and a grunt. This lasted men as on the preceding day, and in the same some time, then forming a circle with joined fashion, except that some were danced within hands they moved round with short jumps, both the kraal, and then two long slender poles, like feet from the ground, still to the tune of hau! fishing rods, were brought, having a bunch of hau! The scene conveyed an idea of something cowries tied to the top, another to the middle, immeasurably primaval and antique. One and a third to the butt end of each; a cluster could not but imagine that such may have been of five or six men gathered round each rod, holdthe rites that went on under the shadow of ing it upright amongst them, and moving round German or Gaulish forests, and may have been and round with short jumps. The buffaloes were witnessed on British downs by cultivated Rothen again driven about, and their heads and mans with the same feelings of half-contemptuous horns seized and weighed down, but much more curiosity with which Englishmen now watch languidly than on the first day. Whilst this these savage ceremonies on Indian mountains. was going on, a meagre, pale, haggard visaged Or one may seem to catch an echo from them Todů, assuming to be plenus dei-possessed with of ages still more remote and prehistoric, the the god-paced up and down outside the kraal, only vestiges of which are knives and arrow at times breaking into a trot, with arms thrown