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A CULTURAL STUDY OF THE NISITHA CURNI
and Cetta (Caitra ).1 People utilized their time in preparing delicious food or arranging different sorts of conserts; even the Jaina monks were directed to suspend their studies during these festival days.2 These festivals lasted for a number of days and ended on the full-moon day of their respective months. Along with the full-moon days the four palivaya days (i. e. the first full-moon day or the next day after the full-moon ) of the above mentioned months were also included in the festival days, as people could receive or visit their friends and relatives who could not be visited on the previous day of the full-moon festival.: Of these four great festivals we get some more details regarding the Indamaba.
Imdamaha-Imdamaha, or the festival held in honour of the deity Indra, was usually celebrated on the full-moon day of Āşādha.. In the Lăța country, however, it was celebrated on the full-moon day of Śrāvana. According to another tradition, during the reign of king Sālivāhapa of Paithāņa Imdamaha was celebrated on the 5th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada, because of which the date of the Jaina festival Pajjusana was changed by Ajja Kālaga from the 5th to the 4th.6
1. NC. 4, p. 226. According to the Avasyaka Cūrni (p. 315) also the
Skandamaha was observed on the full-moon day of Asoja. 2. 140-42U-Erot-CPO-09-12-712 7 HEM FETHET NE GT ASER FIT JEH.
acas-NC. 4, p. 226. 3. Struj 7 hefūg algavata affeina a Hiffarà qisqui—Ibid. 4. B]TATETTARTN. Bbā. 19. 6065; also NC. 4, p. 226. Among the
Rajapūtas even now the festival of Indra is observed in the month of
Āsādha.–Agrawala, V. S., Prācina Bhāratiya Lokadharma, p. 38. 5. E TIÊU arauatfogjang Hafa CAETNC. 4, p. 226. A festival must
have been observed on the full-moon day of Srāvana, as according to Alberupi the full-moon day of Srāvana;.was observed as a holiday held in bonour of Somanātha and the people used to feed Brāhmanas on that occasion. (Al-Beruni's India, Eng. Tr. by G. Sachau, Turtnir Oriental Series, London, 1914, II. 176, 179). Its relation with
Indamaha, however, is not clear. 6. NC. 3, p. 131.
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