Indian Antiquary Vol 15

SR No.: 032507
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 446
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

Page 371

NOVEMBER, 1886.)
ASIATIC SYMBOLISM.
327
spread out a rag and make their supplications Brockett, Glossary of English North Country to Allah. One poor old man," however, I Words, says: “The vulgar in many parts have noticed, who seemed constantly engaged in an abominable practice of using a riddle and a prayer. On calling attention to him I was told pair of scissors in divination. If they have had that he was an iskáchi, a person who gets his anything stolen from them, the riddle and the living by taking upon himself the sins of the shears are sure to be resorted to." A similar dead, and thenceforward devoting his life to mode of discovering thieves or detecting the prayer for their souls. He corresponds to the guilt of a person accused of any crime, prevailed Sin-eater of the Welsh border."26
amongst the Greeks." The Abbate Bastiani's notice of augars and A singular development of the idea of iron soothsayers reminds me that there is one in the shape of nails as a protection against divining custom existing both in the East and spirits generally, however rather than the evil the West, which should mentioned in this eye, came under my notice, when travelling in the connection. In India, in order to discover a Maisûr State. I chanced to meet a European thief it is a common practice to send for & Government official making a tour of inspection diviner who comes with two attendants, and through his district. As is usual in such cases, is provided with a pair of scissors, some rice, and a number of natives came to him every day; & basket, or sieve, used for winnowing grain. some with wrongs to be redressed and others Both the sieve and the scissors have in this simply to make their salutations. In the latter case a very significant meaning, because the category was an old native who had served in sieve" is considered emblematical of the rain the late Maharaja's body-guard. His former clouds, and iron is deemed in many lands an uniform, which was abundantly ornamented effectual charm against evil spirits. When with gold lace, had been carefully preserved, the charm is about to be tried a fire is lighted and was worn on this important occasion. in an earthen pot and the diviner takes the win. In his right hand he held a stick of powernowing basket; an article which in India has ful proportions ;-the upper part as thick as its edges bent up on three sides with the fourth a man's arm,-the lower end about the size side flat. After having stuck a pair of scissors & man's wrist on which were numerous into the upper and deepest edge of it and silver rings and knobs. It was made out of & repeated certain prayers or incantations, he branch of the Bombaw Malabaricum (Sembal), causes his two assistants each to put a finger a tree common in jungles thereabouts, producbeneath the holes in the scissors and in this ing pods containing a silky cotton fibre; both manner to hold the tray suspended over the the trunk and the branches are thickly studded fire. All in the house must then in turn take with protuberances which resemble blunt nails. & small quantity of uncooked rice in their When asked why he carried about such a hands and drop it into the flames between the formidable looking stick the old man replied: fork formed by the scissors, the diviner all the "When provided with such a stick as this time repeating certain formule. All goes very anyone can walk safely at night through smoothly till the guilty person attempts to the jungles without fear of demons." He scatter his rice, when the grain sifter com- evidently did not carry it to protect him from mences turning round rapidly, and the true man, but from the spirits of evil. culprit is thus exposed. A friend, who saw As another instance of a custom which in this plan tried in her own house at Bangalore, closely allied form exists in India and in Europe told me it was perfectly successful in that I would here notice the following. Many case and the guilty person-a woman-seeing wandering native traders, such as those who sell she was discovered, confessed having com-shawls, stuffs, cloths, calicoes, &c., frequently mitted a theft from her fellow servant. come into the verandahs of European houses A parallel to this is to be found in England. in India to dispose of their wares. Should any
" Dr. Schuyler gives his portrait.
* A Welsh friend, however, who is fond of folk-lore and is an scute observer tells me that he has never heard of "the Sin-eater of the Welsh border."
» According to Kelly, Indo-European Folklore.
* Another development of the idea is to be found in Northumberland whoro girls are said to turn a riddle in in order to raise their lovers.
* Potter, Greek Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 552.