Indian Antiquary Vol 33

SR No.: 032525
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 514
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

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56
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1904.
GLIMPSES OF SINGHALESE SOCIAL LIFE.
BY ARTHUR A. PERERA. (Continued from Vol. XXXII. p. 437.)
(6) Black and White Magic.17 The occult practices in the Island can be classified under four heads : (1) minor charms and leechcraft; (2) the invocation and cxorcism of demons; (3) the worship of demi-gods, tutelary spirits, and local deities; and (4) the adoration of planets. The influence of Buddhism led to the division of spirits into devils and demi-gods according to their more or less humane qualities, and to the latter were subsequently added the Hindu divinities modified in character,
1.- Minor Magical Practices. Charms are used for several trifling purposes, and any one who has the patience to learn them by heart dabbles in them. To find out a theft a cocoanut is charmed (pol-pol anavd) and placed where a thief has made bis escape ; while the operator holds it with a stick, attached to its end be is led along the track to where the thief is; or the persons suspected of it are made to stand with bared backs round an ash-plantain tree, and as it is struck with a charmed creeper the culprit gets an ashy streak on his back.
Love-philtres consist of rabbing a medicine on one's face and showing himself to a girl ; mixing a herbal preparation with her food; causing a betel to be chewed; sprinkling oil on her or wearing a thread from her garment.
Some pretend to read the prosent, past and future by a betel smeared with a vegetable paste (anjanan eliya); a female elf (anjanan dévt) appears on the leaf and shows what is wanted.
A juggler draws & magic veil over the eyes of his spectators (esbenduma) to avoid detection.
Charmed ashes and sand are thrown to kill worms and other insects that destroy crops; and magical formula are used to guard against elephants, crocodiles, dogs, leopards, bears, buffaloes, wild cattle, &c.
This incantation makes a dog take to its heels, if muttered thrice on to the hand and stretched towards it, “On nam) budunge påvdas batkdpu balla jhil. On srin pasd budunne pdvdde bat kapu balld kikki kukka nam to situ. On Buddha namas sake situ."
Elephants are kept away by "On eri jdid ndré bhdvdtu arahan situ."
As a preventive against possession a thread spun by a virgin (kanyd nula) is charmed over live-coal with resin and turmeric and tied round one's arm, waist or neck; it has as many knots as the number of times the charm is repeated. Amulets (yantra), too, made of five kinds of metal,
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IT Principal works consulted :
(1) Calloway's Yakkun Nattanapd (1829). (2) Upham's History and Doctrine of Buddhinn (1829), p. 181. (3) Ceylon Magazine (1841), Vol. I. p. 256. (4) Selkirk's Recollection of Ceylon (1844), p. 482. (5) Tennant's Christianity in Ceylon (1850), p. 230. (6) Young Ceylon (1850), Vol. 1. Pp. 82 and 109. (7) The Ceylon Friend (1670), Vol. I. p. 11. (8) J. R. A. S. (Ceylon) (1865-1836), Vol. IV. No. 18, p. 1. (9)
.. (1873), Vol. V. No. 18, p. 24. (10)
(1884), Vol. VIII. No. 29, p. 432. (1589),