Indian Antiquary Vol 12

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 90

78
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MARCH, 1883
and swaying to and fro. She asked Pallas or White Moon, and also Shorogi Gudar. Giorgi for some alcohol, telling him he was a fortunate describes at length one of these feasts, in which person, and that he would make some long he took part. Such a feast, he says, was not journeys by sea. This concluded the spectacle. necessarily held every year, and it was deemed Pallas remarks upon the extraordinary generic enough in fact if it was held every second, resemblance pervading the Shamanism all over third or fourth year. All the heads of families Siberia." The great annual religious feasts who attended either brought offerings with form a notable part of the Shaman polity. them or devoutly shared in eating those brought Marco Polo describes the new year's feast held by others. The length of the feast depended by Khubilai in February. On this occasion on the number joining in it, etc. etc., sometimes the Khan and all his people were dressed in one day, sometimes more. On the occasion white, for they deemed that white clothing referred to six sheep and one goat were offered, was lucky, a custom which, as Colonel Yule and it lasted two days. As a mountain was says, seems to be distinctly attributable to the preferred for such feasts, accordingly in the ono Mongols with whom the first month of the year witnessed by Giorgi, the Saissan or prince with is still called Chaghan Sara or the white month. his family which lived in three yurts, repaired White was a sacred colour with the Mongols, to a mountain whence there was a good view. while among the Chinese it was the colour of The feast was meant to be confined to the God mourning. On the great feast day the Khân of Heaven, and to the sun, earth, mountains was presented with rich and costly gifts. The and rivers, but in the accompanying songs the people also gave one another white things, and whole of the Shaman gods were named. Polo declares that over 100,000 white horses, Before the yurts towards the south a rope richly caparisoned, were presented to the Khân made of white hair from the mane of a confrom various quarters on this occasion. White secrated horse (vide infra) was hung out from horses were deemed especially sacred, and Polo east to west, one end of it was fastened to e speaks thus of them: “Now when these mares stake on which was a sacrificed animal, and the are passing across the country, and any one other to a birch tree. From the rope hung falls in with them, be he the greatest lord in many rags of different colours, little banners the land, he must not presume to paso until the
and tufts of hawks' feathers, and a great mares have gone by; he must either tarry number of objects used in tethering the foals where he is, or go a half-day's journey round in summer. On another small birch tree was a if need be, so as not to come nigh them; 1 piece of wood like a rake with seven projecting for they are to be treated with the greatest teeth, and on each tooth a small three-pointed respect. Well, when the lord sets out from flag. These various rags and banners were supthe Park on the 28th of August, the milk posed to assist by their waving the prayers of of all those is taken and sprinkled on the the assembly. The feathers were consecrated, ground. And this is done on the injunction of so that they might afterwards be used to feather the idolaters and idol priests, who say that it is lucky arrows, and the pieces of wood so that an excellent thing to sprinkle that milk on the they might be of greater benefit when used ground every 28th of August, so that the earth in the future. Further to the south there and the air and the false gods shall have their burnt a sacrificial fire (arelukhu). To the share of it, and the spirits likewise that inhabit west of it stood a yurt built of rods covered the air and the earth. And that those beings with voilok or felted cloth and open to the will protect and bless the Khân and his children fire. It was in the shape of a bowl. In it and his wives and his folk, his gear and his cattle was placed a nogit or god made of rags. It and his horses, his corn and all that is his. After represented in silken stuff four outlines of this is done, the Emperor is off and away." naked men drawn in red chalk; all had lenden The Buriats have, according to Giorgi, two great eyes, and on their heads were tufts of feathers. annual feasts. One in the autumn when their new Near the rope was a shire (i. e. a small round year commences. This they called Sanga haara, spot), surrounded with a ring of dried dung. 6. Pallas, Voyages, vol. IV, pp. 254-256.
" Yule's Marco Polo, vol. I, p. 291, Op. cit. vol. I, pp. 376-377.