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190
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1873.
WALKING THROUGH FIRE.
BY H. J. STOKES, M.C.S., NEGAPATAM. The following are notes of evidence given at the trench like the rest. He had not made one an inquest on a boy, aged fourteen, who lost his pace, when his legs crossed, and he fell on his life on the 30th of April last from burns re- right side, and then rolled over on his left. Where ceived in attempting to perform the ceremony
he fell was near the edge of the trench, so one of of walking through fire. The practice of this
us pulled him out by the hand. They got a ceremony is prohibited in this Presidency; yet
pumpkin, and applied the juice of it to the it appears to have been maintained for many
wounds. Then his mother and sister carried him
in a swinging-cot home. The moment he was years past in the village Periyangudi,
pulled out he said he felt giddy, and fell down. without having been discovered by the autho
He did not speak again. He looked quite well rities. When the magistrate went to the spot,
before he got into the trench. Like the rest who the place where the fire was kindled had been walked through the fire, he wore a cloth wrapped ploughed over, so as to conceal it. A close in- tight round his waist, and his breast and arms spection, however, revealed the fire-pit, which were daubed with sandal." was found to measure 27 feet long by 7} broad. Ndgappa Malavardyan states :-"I live in the It was about a span deep. The situation was on
next street to the temple of Draupati. When I was an extensive open plain before the village deity
away in Mauritius I was for eight years ill with Draupati Amman's temple. The pit lay
dyspepsia, and made a vow to the goddess of this
temple to walk through fire if I got well. Four east and west ; the image of the goddess was
years ago I recovered, and last April I returned placed at the west end, and it was towards it
to my village from Mauritius. The landholders that the worshipper walked along the length
of Periyângudi, Válke, and Shengandr supply the of the pit from east to west.
materials required for the ceremony. That day the Virappa Vandyan states :-"I was one of the fire was lit at noon; at two o'clock the fuel bad burnt eight persons who carried the goddess Draupati to embers. I had fasted all the day, and had Amman to the place where the fire-treading took bathed in the tank of the Valke Agraharam. I got place. The fire-pit was a trench about two poles down into the fire at the east end, meditating on long, by two strides broad. Six babal trees were | Draupati, walked through to the west, and up the cut into faggots and kindled. Those who trod bank, then I went to the temple and got ashes, on the fire were Nachchu, Pajari of Periyangudi; which I rubbed on me, and then went home. We Chidambaram, Pajari of Angalamman temple at went down to the fire to the sound of tom-toms, Achchutamangalam; Ramasami Pillei, Stanika tabors, drums and bells at 5-80 P.M. There were of Draupati Amman of Periyangudi, and resident two or three hundred people there." of Shengandr; Sáminada Padey&chi of the same Nachchu Padeydchi states :-"I am Pâjâri of place; his brother Subraya; Subbanyakkan of this temple of Draupati. I have walked through VAlkei; MuttyAlu his brother: Aryappan, dealer the fire every year for the last seven or eight years, in oil; Nagalinga Pillei; Mattusámi Pillei of I made no vow. It is my duty as Pajári to walk Manvēli; my brother Någappa Våndyn; Kol. through the fire. I took the Karakam (an earthlumalei, Pajari of Valkei; and the deceased, Pak en pot) from the temple to the Agraharam, kiri-in all thirteen persons. Of these Nachcha, where I bathed. Then we all came here with the Pajari, wont first into the pit at the east end, music. The tabor-player first, then the Stanikan and walked through it to the west end, where he (superintendent of temple), and then I went down got out. So did the next Pajari, Chidambaram, into the fire, and walked across it. Then the holding a small tabor in his hand. The Stanfka others followed one by one." (or superintendent of temple) came next, ringing Abhirdmi states :-" Pakkiri is my younger a bell. Thus each of the persons above mentioned, brother. My daughter, six years old, was ill with except Pakkiri, walked through the fire, one fever, and I vowed & Mâvilakku to the god beginning after the other had done. As each got dess. We went to Pakkiri's house, and he acup out of the trench, he went and walked through companied us to the fire-pit the day before yester. a second pit dug at the west end of the fire-pit, day in the evening. There was a great crowd. and filled with water. This is called the Pál-Kuļi I stood at some distance and looked on. I did not or milk-pit. Last of all, Pakkiri got down into see Pakkiri go into the pit, but I saw him when
• An offering of Inended rice flour in the midst of which a depression is made for oil or ghee to barn in, w in a lamp. The word means "flour-lamp."
