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CHAPTER X
WITCHCRAFT. Dåkans are of two kinds, human and offits, loose their hair, and cry out without any the order of ghosts. 1
reason 5 Girls born in the Ashlesha nakshatra on the
A ghostly Dàkan lives with a man as his bij or second day of a month, in the Kritika
wife, brings him dainties and turns the refuse
of food into flesh and bones. The man nakshatra on the seventh day of a month and in
gradually becomes emaciated and ultimately the Shatabhigha nakshatra on the twelfth day of a month, are believed to be human dàkans.
dies. They cause the death of their husbands, and
It is believed that generally a Dakan kills their evil eye injures all things and indivi
a man within six months,
The Dåkans do not allow calves to suck, duals that come under its influence.2
cattle to give milk, and healthy persons to enjoy Women who die in child-bed, meet an untime
sound health. Sometimes they cause cattle to ly death or commit suicide, become Dåkans
yield blood instead of milk & or Chudels after death.2
A Då kan by virtue of her powers, can ascend Some people believe that women of such low
to the sky. She lives upon the flesh of castes as Kolis, Vågbris and Chårans become
corpses. I Dåkans. High caste Dakans are rare.3 A Dàkan can assume any form she likes.
A ghostly Dakan dresses in fine clothes She appears as a cat, a buffalo, a goat or any and decks her person with ornaments. But other animal. She can swell and shrink her she does not cover her back, which is horrible body at will. Her feet are reversed. 10 to look at. It is so frightful that any one Dākans haunt trees, cemeteries, deserted happening to see it dies of horror.
tanks, mines or other desolate places, 11 Ghostly Dakans trouble only women. When They also baunt ruins and places wliere Cour possessed by them, the latter have convulsive roads meet.13
1 The School Master of Dhånk. 3 The School Master of Gondal. 5 Mr. K, D, Dessi. "The School Master of Dadvi.
The School Master of Ganod. 11 The School Master of Dbank.
? The School Master of Ganod. • The School Master of Sultanpur.
The School Master of Vanod, • The School Master of Moti Khilori. * Mr. K. D. Desai, # The School Master of Ganod,
| SR No. | 032538 |
| Book Title | Indian Antiquary Vol 46 |
| 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 |