Indian Antiquary Vol 07

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 60

42
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1878:
the limbs swell, and the lips, nails, and palms fair is also held at the foot of the mountain. grow dark, death will follow. Effects, too, de- The temple has no architectural pretensions, pend upon the state of the snake; a bite from being indeed mostly constructed of laterite, one laying her eggs causes the eyes of the suf- the sanctuary in the centre, containing the ferer to become red and inflamed; if the snake idol Subbaraya, being of granite. It is be a strong young female the left eye is lost: if square in form with an open cloister running a male, the right eye. A bite from a black round the four sides, and numbers of the snake makes the ears deaf.
coiling folk' reside in it in holes and crevices There are some other notions respecting snake- made for them. Numbers of persons who have bites, so fantastic as to be hardly worth setting made vows roll and wriggle round the temple down were they not a part of folk-lore. The serpent-fashion, and some will even roll up to Tamil people have eight cardinal points, named it from the foot of the hill, a mile distant. after eight deities : to wit, Indran (north-east), They also take home with them some earth Varunan (east), Agni (south-east), Y & man from the sacred serpent-holes. This earth is (south), Katu (south-west), Sivan (west), believed to cleanse from leprosy if rubbed on Niruthi (north-west), Kuveran (north). the parts affected, and to remove the stigma Now if a messenger bringing intelligence of any of barrenness from women if a little be daily person having been bitten comes from Indran, put in the mouth. This serpentine body-rolling, Varunan, Yaman, or Kuveran, the snake that bit
called angá-pratáchinam, is practised also furwas a male; if from Agni, Sivan, or Niruthi, a ther south, where small snake-temples--in Tamil, female; if from Katu, a man has not been bitten, Nag a-kovil-are not unfrequent. I have but a beast. If a messenger from the east seen one not far from the town of Madura, begins his announcement with broad A, one on the bank of the Vaigai river; the only fang has entered; if with U three fangs; if images in it were large painted cobras with with long A, two ; if with E, all the four; and gaping red mouths; and there are men in so on, with variations according to the point Madarå who for payment will perform any from which the message came. But from number of rollings round it as proxies for perwhatever point an announcement may come sons who have vowed them. These rollings that begins with 0 it is not to be believed. are done very rapidly, with great fury and More fautastic still, it is to be understood that vociferation. I may also mention another reno one breathes through both nostrils at the markable serpent-shrine. Deep in the Trasamo moment, but alternately, using them in vankor forests, on the bank of one of the turn for an hour and a half each. Now if a many rivers flowing thence to the western person announcing a snake bite comes first on sea, there is a small granite temple wonderthe side of the breathing nostril, and then, fully sculptured, considering its situation; and whilst speaking, crosses over to the other side, in the bed of the river opposite there rises a the bitten person will have died; if contrari- tall rock called Pâ mbu-pårer (Snake-rocks'), wise,--that is, if the messenger approaches on a glistening band, suggestive of a serpent's trail, the side of the stopped nostril, and, after telling winding round and round it from bottom to his tale, crosses to the breathing side, the bitten top in a very curious manner, apparently caused one will recover!
by micaceous veins in the rock. It is held exThere is a great deal of serpent-worship in tremely sacred, but I know not what ceremonics South Kinara, on the western coast; and on are practised there. one of the highest mountains of the Ghats, To return to South Kanara: a species of sernamed Subramanya, there is one of the pent-worship is in use there which I never heard most famous serpent-temples in India. The of in the interior districts. The following locality is extremely wild and feverish, exces particulars respecting it were obtained from a sively so during the cold and dry seasons; I very intelligent native. Threo afflictions are nevertheless great numbers of pilgrims resort looked upon as due to the wrath of serpents for thither, especially during the December festival having killed a snake in a former life, namely called Kukka Shasti, when a great cattle. leprosy, childlessness, and sore eyes. People so
* Subbaraya = serpent-lord; the image is said to be a sbapeless block.