Indian Antiquary Vol 26

SR No.: 032518
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 14

10
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 1897.
and the higher class Hindus in Gujarât, on New Year's Day, in front of all houses, pile three or four heaps of salt. Poor people carry off the salt and next day bring it for sale, crying. aloud sab-ras, i.e., "real jam," or all savour. The householders buy it as lucky. In the Konkan, till a child is six months old, salt and water are every evening waved round its face that it may not suffer from the Evil Eye.95 Salt is the first thing served at a Hindu caste feast.c At a joyful feast among the Dharwar Madhva Brahmans salt is served first; at a funeral feast salt is not served at all. In the worship of the Sapta Rishis, or Seven Sages, salt is not nsed, lest it should scare them.48 Among the Roman Catholics of Kanara salt is put in the mouth of the child at baptism, probably to scare the devil.49 Among the Kanara Musalmans no salt is given to a newly delivered woman. In the marriage ceremony of the Poona Velalis, & plantain leaf is laid for the bride to sit on, and on the leaf salt is spread. 51 In the Dekhan, when a Gósávi is initiated, sugar and salt are put in his mouth, sugar to sweeten it, and salt that he may prove true to his faith. When a Dekhar: Chitpavan goes through the all-atonement, or prayaschittu, be eats nothing during the day, or, if he must eat for his health, he at least takes no salt, as salt is specially forbidden.52 Nagar Lingayats, Dhangars, Buruds and other classes bury large quantities of salt with the dead.53. Among Arabs on the seventh day after a birth, when the child is carried through the hárin, a woman sprinkles salt and fennel seed on the floor, saying, "May foul salt be in the eye of the envier." The sprinkling of salt guards the mother and child from the Evil Eye.54 The Ahmadnagar Manbhavs strew the bottom of the grave with salt, and again strew salt on the top of a robe drawn over the body. The Vaishnavas of Bengal put salt in the grave and in the mouth, nost, ils. ears, eyes, and other openings of the dead. In Southern India, the body of a Vaishnav Svami is stuffed with salt and powdered mustard. Other ascetics are buried in a pit full of salt.56 At a Beni-Isra'il feast, before the guests begin to eat, the minister dips bread in salt, and it is lianded round to all.57
Among the ancient Egyptians an ointment of palm-wine, salt, and incense cured spiritpossession. Among the ancient Persians the flesh of the victim was sprinkled with salt. The ancient Jews set a high value on salt. They called salt the seal of the covenant and offered it with all meat offerings.60 The Jewish prophet Elisha healed and sweetened the waters of Jericho by casting in salt.61 Salt and sulphur were put on the wedding crown worn by the Jewish husband.02 Jews who lived at the sea-side, every day, before matins, washed their hand in the salt water.63 The Jows mixed salt with their holy ointment and rubbed with salt their new-born babes.
That Greek wit was known as Attic Salt shows how higlily the classic Greek valued the virtues of salt. The first thing a Greek presented to a stranger wus salt. They rationaliser! that as in salt watery and earthy particles unite, so friendship should be a constant union; or as salt keeps away corruption, so friendship should always be fresh. An earlier belief reyaains in the Greek divine or holy salt from whose shrine, the family salt-cellar, a guardian inHnence spread forth. The salt from the family salt-cellar, which was the bond of union among the people of the house, formed, when partaken by the stranger, a lond of union, or sacrament, between the stranger and his hosts; similarly, by setting salt on the tables the guardian spirit
+ Information from Mr. Ratiråm.
Information from Mr. P. B. Joshi. 18 Information from Mr. Tirunalrio. 5 Op. cit. Vol. XV. p. 405. 62 Op. cit. Vol. XV. p. 147. 54 Lane's Arabian Society, p. 188. 56 Dubois, p. 287; Dabistan, Vol. II. p. 141. * Fiber's Egyptian Princess, Vol. I. p. 327. * itirus. ii. 13; Numbers, xviii. 19. $Basnage's Jers, p. 472.
18 Information from Mr. B. P. Joshi, 7 Information from Mr. Tirmalrio. 19 Bombly Gazetteer, Vol. XV. p. 388. 61 Op.cit. Vol. XV. p. 259. 61 Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. XXII. p. 115; Vol. SVIII. p. 183. 56 Ward's l'ier of the Hindur, Vol. III. p. 277. 07 Bombay Gazetteer, Vol. XVIII. p. 510. 09 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 226. 01 II. Kings, ii. 19. 63 Potter's Antiquities, Vol. I. p. 263.