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

Page 465

THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
117
Toslai Chudels and bring great pleasure and it is believed that a woman dying in childhappiness to their husbands in this life. 1 bed or menses enters the order of ghosts
Most high caste people, on the death of variously known as Chudels, Vantris or their first wives, take an impression of their Taramis. In order that she may not return feet on gold leaves or leaf-like tablets of gold from the cremation ground, mustard seeds are and cause their second wives to wear them strewn along the road behind her bier, for : round their necks. These impresses of feet belief prevails that she can only sticceed are called shok-pagalàns or mourning foot- in returning if she can collect all the inustard prints. Among the lower castes, the hands seeds thus strewn on the way to or the feet of the second wives are tattooed In some places, loose cotton wool is thrown in the belief that this prevents the deceased over the bier so as to be scattered all along wife from causing injury to the second wife. the road to the cemetery. It is believed that
All female spirits called Pishachas or the Chudel can only return to the house if she Dàkans and male spirits called l'irs or Bruts can collect all the cotton scattered behind her oppress their descendants.
in one night. This is considered an impossible It is also believed that any male member of task, and no fear is therefore entertained of a family dying with certain of his desires her return after the cotton has been scattered. '1 unfulfilled becomes a Surdhan and oppresses To prevent the return of the Claudel, some the surviving relatives, while a female member people pass underneath the bier the legs of troubles others as Sikoturu or Màradi. the cot on which the woman lay in her confine
The spirits of men that fall victims to ment, while others drive in an iron nail at tigers or other wild animals are believed to the end of the street immediately after the enter the ghostly order and wander about
corpse has been carried beyond the village until they are relieved from this state by the boundary 12 performance of the prescribed shraddha by In some places, the nail is driven into the some pious surviving relative. These evil threshold of the house. 19 spirits live in forests and eat nothing but Even after the precautions mentioned above flesh. If they do not get flesh to eat they have heen taker, to prevent the return of a eat the flesh of their own bodies. At times
Chudet or Vantri, Shraddhas aro performed, they put their relatives to great annoyance
and a number of Brahman women feasted on by entering their persons. To pacify them,
the twelfth and thirteenth day after death to pålios are erected in their name, and their
propitiate her as the fear of the mischiet images are set up in the square cavities of done by her is very strong. 13 walls. These images are besmeared with red A Chudel has no shoulders. 14 Any passer by lead and oil by their descendants on the four- coming across her is asked by her to take her teenth day of the dark half of Ashvin. The to his home, and if he agrees, she accompanies relief of such spirits is sought by the perfor- him, passes the night in his company, and inance of a shraddha either at Siddhapur or brings his life to a speedy end. In the village at Gaya.9
of Charàdi under the jurisdiction of Dhranga
1 The School Master of Vanod. 3 The School Master of Songadb. 5 The School Master of Jbinjhuwada,
The School Master of Kotda Sangani. 9 The School Master of Vanod. 11 Mr. K. D. Desài. 13 Mr. K. D. Desiti.
? The School Master of Jetpur. 4 The School Master of Kotda Sangani,
The School Master of Dbank. & The School Master of Rajpara Jo The School Master of Dhank. 13 The School Master of Vapod. 11 The School Master of Limhdi.