Indian Antiquary Vol 46

SR No.: 032538
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 508
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

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86
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
him. There is such a tree near the station of Rags are never offered to wells, but it Shiroi. There is a tamarind tree on the road is common to offer them copper coins and from Tamnagar to Khantalia which is believed betelnuts. Sometimes flags are hoisted near to be the residence of chithario Hanuman and holy wells in honour of the water-goddess receives similar offerings. Another tamarind Jaldevki. Travellers hoist flags on certain tree of this description is near Marad and wells and throw copper coins into them in the there is a Khijado tree on the road between course of their journey. The origin of this Kālāvad and Vävadi which is similarly offering is said to be in the desire of travellers treated. 1
to prevent people from committing & nuisance It is related by some people that in near wells. deserts trees are rare and the summer heat is Some wells are noted as being the abode of oppressive. To the travellers passing through spirits who have the power of effecting certain such deserts, the only place of rest is in the cures. It is customary to throw a pice in such shadow of a solitary tree that is to be met wells. When a person is bitten by a rabid dog. occasionally. In order that no harm be done le goes to a well inhabited by a vachharo, the to sych trees, some people have given currency spirit who cures hydrophobia, with two earthen to the belief that a spirit called mamo dwells cups filled with milk, with a pice in each, and in such trees and expects the offering of a rag empties the contents into the water. and a pice at the hands of every passer by: It is a belief among Hindus that to give
Some are of opinion that the bhuvās, alms in secret confers a great merit on the in order to raise tooney from the credulous donor. Some of the orthodox people, thereby terrifying them, daub a tree within the fore, throw pice into wells, considering it to limits of each village with the form of a be a kind of secret charity. trident, and fix rags to it, stating that it is The belief in the practices adopted for the abode of a màmo or a pir. At times they transferring disease from one person to ask their clients to offer certain things to such another obtains mostly among women, wlio trees, which they appropriate to themselves. have recourse to such practices for curing
There is also a belief, that the holy trees their children. that receive offerings of rage froin travellers, 1 One of such practices is to lay & suffering are the abodes of gods or evil spirits, and child in the cradle of a healthy cliild. This are distinguished from other trees of the act it believed to result in transferring the same species by the epithet of chithario. | disease of the ailing child to the healthy child. Some people hoist flags on sucb trees instead
Another practice is that the mother of the of offering rags.
sickly child should touch the mother of a In some places, the Boradi (jujube), healthy child with the object of transferring Pipal, Vad (banyan) and the sweet basil the disease of her child to the child of the receive offerings of a pice and a betelnut from latter. Some believe that the mere contact of travellers, while the Khijadu and Baval are an ailing child with a healthy child is suffigiven rags.8
cient to transfer the malady of the former to It is stated by some people that the belief the person of the latter. Others maintain in chithario pir has grown during the last that this can be brought about by a mother four hundred years.
either by touching the cradle of another
1 The School Master of Limbdi Taluka. • The School Master of Dady
· The School Master of Kolki.