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 481

THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
133
Among Bharvads and Sonis, seven or nine chief mourner, who is joined afterwards by earthen pots are broken in the house of the the other relatives.to deceased on the tenth day after death. The | The prâna-poka is believed to open the gates number of the pots varies according to the of heaven for the admission of the soul. 11 individual merits of the deceased. 1
| Some are of opinion that the object of the Among some low castes, an earthen pot is death-wail, which begins with “O mara bhài !!! broken on the village boundary and another that is, "Oh my brother" or "O mara in the burning ground. 2
bàp!" that is, "Oh my father!", is that at Some break an earthen pot at the village the moment of death, the soul, by hearing the gate on their way back from the cemetery after sound 'Om' inay ascend to the brahmarandhra the performance of shraddha 3
or the diving seat of the brain and thus attain In some places, the earthen pots placed salvation, 12 on the spot where the corpse is laid in the When the funeral party start with the bier house are broken at the village gate.
for the burning ground, the women of the In some low castes two earthen pots are house, accompanied by other women of the placed on the village boundary on the neighbourhood or village, follow them as far twelfth day after death, and broken by as the valage gate, crying and singing funeral children.
dirges. There they stop a while and sing Some carry the funeral fire in a black more funeral dirges, keeping time by beating earthen jar as far as the village gate, where their breasts. They then start to return home, the jar is broken and the fire carried in the and, on their way, bathe in a tank or well and hand, by one of the mourners, to the burning again mourn for some time before entering the ground
house. The funeral party enter the house According to some, this breaking of an after the women and cry aloud for a few earthen pot is a symbol indicating that the seconds. They also cry when the pyre is set connection of the deceased with this world has on fire. 13 broken or ceased,
The mourning of the women continues for Others hold that it indicates the disintegra- thirteen* days after death. They also weep on tion of the constituents of the body into the such holidays as the Holi, the Divāli, etc., elements of which it was formed. 8
and on the quarterly, six-monthly and the There are others who are of opinion that first anniversary Shraddha day,14 the messengers of the god of death are satisfied Male relatives of the deceased wear a white with the breaking of an earthen pot after turban as a sign of mourning 15 an offering to them of six rice balls and It is generally believed that bhuts or evil water.
spirits prove beneficial to those who succeed When a death takes place in a family, a in securing locks of their hair or subjugate prana-poka or death-wail is raised by the them by incantations or magical rites.16
1 The School Master of Vanod.
• The School Master of Dadvi. 3 The School Master of Gunjar.
• The School Master of Bhāyāvadar. 5 The School Master of Ganod.
6 The School Master of Hälär. 7 The School Master of Dadvi.
& The School Master of Kotda Sangani. 9 The School Mistress, Civil Station Girls' School, Rajkot. 10 The School Master of Dbank.
11 The School Master of Gunjár. 12 The School Mistress of Civil Station Girls' School, Rajkot and the School Master of Todra,
Mr. K. D. Desdi. • It is believed that the spirit of the deceased returns to its house for thirteen days after death, Hence the period of mourning is thirteen days.-The School Master of Kotda Sangani. 1 The School Master of Ganod.
The School Master of Todia, 36 The School Master of Dhank.