Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 89

MARCH, 1883.)
CHINGHIZ KHÅN AND HIS ANCESTORS.
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They belong for the most part to the poorest female Shaman among the Buriats. While class of the community. They offer sacrifices at the Stanitza of Sharantzkoi one of these ladies, (galtaikho) according to the old practice, a cus- named Labantsiksa, belonging to the Khorintzi tom which the Lamas, to conciliate the people, tribe, was introduced to him. She was accomhave adopted. This is a concession of prin. panied by her husband and two other Buriats. ciple, since the Buddhists object altogether to Each one had a magical drum. She told him the taking away life. The consecration of animals number of her companions was not complete. is also a custom which passed from the old There ought to be nine drums in order that Shamanism into the form of Lamaism adopted the ceremony should have its proper solemnity. by the Kalmuks. Pallas mentions the custom She bore two sorbis or batons which were of consecrating a sheep which was part of the herit- covered like a horseman's sword sheath and age from the Shamans as still prevailing when ornamented at the top with a horse's head, a he wrote. He tells us that the rich Kalmuks little bell and a number of small metal plates were in the habit of choosing out a ram from (kholbuga, a word meaning, really a spoon). their flock, which must be white with a yellow Her leather dress was also decorated with three head. This was called Tengeri Tokkho, i.e. pieces of metal. There hung down behind her Heaven's or the Spirit's ram. It was not to be from her shoulders, and reaching to the ground shorn or sold, but when it grew old, and it was about 30 interlaced so called serpents (nuchal). thought proper to consecrate a fresh ram, then They were made of pieces of black and white fur the old one was to be sacrificed. This was to and of strips of the skins of the polecat and the be in autumn when the sheep were fat. The red weasel. One of these serpents was split into neighbours were summoned to such a sacrifice, three at its extremity. She called it mogoi. which was accompanied by cries of the sorcerer Without this she declared that a Buriattan Sha. directed towards the sunrise, and by the maness's dress was incomplete. Her cap was sprinkling of milk to feed the spirits of the covered with an iron helmet armed with three air. It was carried out on a lucky day. The pointed horns resembling the horns of a flesh was eaten, and the skeleton with a portion | roebuck. of the fat was burnt on a kind of altar raised on She did not hesitate to go through her performfour posts, an ell and a half high, while the skin, ance although it was broad daylight, and moved the head and feet were hung up in the manner and jumped about in a violent way until she got usual with the Buriats. Marco Polo long ago excited, at the same time singing and reciting referred to these sacrifices as prevailing among various curses and making noises, the drums the Baddhists of Tangut, shewing how early accompanying her. These curses were repeated Northern Buddhism adopted the previous prac- by the Buriats who formed a circle round her. tices into its own. He tells us that such of the She resumed and completed her formula amidst Tangutans as had children used to feed up a convulsive transports and fainting and passing sheep in honour of their idol, which they sacri- her hands over her face. After the first songs ficed at the new year or on the idol's feast day, she began to run as if she wished to escape when they took the sheep and their children with from the tent. Two Buriats having planted great ceremony before the idol. Having killed themselves at the door to prevent her, she, and cooked the sheep and placed it before the among other contortions, rushed with her head idol while they said their prayers, they after- at the three Buriats who played the drums, and wards carried it home, called their relatives who were seated on the left of the yurt, like together, and ate it. The head, feet, entrails & bull charging. She took her two batons and skin, with some of the meat, were reserved in her hand, and jumped several times in the for the priests. When the flesh had been eaten chimney or smoke-hole as if she wished to the bones were collected and stored carefully in catch the spirits of the air and to bring them a hutch.6
into the tent. She then adopted a cheerful Pallas, in his travels had an opportunity manner, and requested that questions might of closely inspecting the performances of a be put to her. She replied while singing a Pallas, Saml. Hist. Nach. vol. II, pp. 341-342.
63 Yule's Marco Polo, vol. I, p. 207. " Pallas, op. cit. vol. II, pp. 345-346.