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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
may not be hampered by going to the market during tłese busy months. 1
After sowing the seed (vavaņa, ropita)2 the field was to be protected from the wild-beasts and thieves by making fences (vati) all around and small ditches (khatiya) were dug for the purpose of holding water.: Ripe grain was then reaped (līta) with a sickle (datra), * thrashed (malita), and winnowed (pata)5 with a winnowing-fan ( suppa ) which had the shape of an elephant's ear. After separating the chaff, the pure (paripūta) grain? was measured (mīyamana) and properly stored in a barn ( khalaga ) or granary (kotthāgāra). Sometimes, however, the barns were put to fire because of the personal enmity amongst the peasants. 8
Agricultural Implements ---Various implements were used for cultivation. Three different varieties of the plough, ie, hala, Kuliya and damtāla' have been mentioned in the text. Kulita is mentioned as a grass-cutting wooden instrument which was particularly used in Surattha. It measured two hands in length and had iron nails ( ayakilaka ) fixed at the end along with an iron plate attached to it.1. Among other agricultural imple
1. NO. 3, p. 160. 2. NO. 1, p. 102. 3. NC. 3, p. 519. 4. GET fucrito arNC. 1, p. 31. 5. atqui gagg Hay qah--NC. 1, p. 102. Compare-tia: q4a:
gia: Tia:-Satapatha Brāhmana, 1. 6. 1. 3. 6. 70 Tarra' fai 7. aftra fHETI HAH(TeftaifatNC. 1, p. 102. 8. NO. 3, p. 139. 9. data Hit oglasatiNC. 1, p. 3; & perat Edarat Ecofa--
NC. 1, p. 31; Brh. Vč. 1, p. 79. Hala, kulisa and dantūlaka have been mentioned as three agricultural implements in Akalanka's commentary on Tattvārthadhigamasutra.--See, Kapadia's article on Agriculturc, IHO., Vol. X, p. 798. In the Avasyaka Cūrni (p. 81), nāngala
is also mentioned as a type of plough along with hala and kuliya. 10. NO. 1, p. 31.
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