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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 13:1.
IV. Extracts from Burnell's Notes, and the Commentary thereon, 26 made after
witnessing the foregoing ceremonies.27 The festival was held on March 23rd, 1872, and the three succeeding nights at Mangalore in the house of Dhûmappa, head of the Billavar caste. B.28
This festival is not an annual one, but occurs only once in fifteen to twenty years in fulfil. ment of some previous vow. Its proper name is Illéchchhids-noma, which means a festival belonging to one house only, in contradistinction to the annual festival, which is celebrated in the Bhúta-temple, and is, therefore, called Sanada-néma. Nema is a Talu Bralımanism for the Skr. niyama. The Illéchchhida-nêma lasts for five nights, from Friday to Tuesday. C.
The festival begins at about 7 or 8 p. m., and consists of a pantomimic representation of the stories told of the Bhutas, who are then supposed to inspire the actor and enable him to foretell events. Two castes take part in this, the Billavar and the Pombada. The first is the highest and will not drink spirits ; so that up to a certain time, a double representation is necessary. B.
The altar used is called tiruvayana. C.
The five images are called together bhandára =sáhilya); and are named (1) Jarandaya, (2) Sara-jumadi, (3) Kantanetri-jumadi, (4) Marlu-jumadi, and (5) Panjurli. Every article used on the altar is taken from the temple for the purpose. 0.
About six feet in front of this is a common wooden tripod about two feet high. On this is a square frame formed of cocoa leaves (really of some part of the trunk of the plantain. C.), and in it a pyramid of (boiled. C.) rice and turmeric (to colour the rice. C.), into which a threebranched iron lamp is stack, thus:-B.
In front of this are placed the offerings. Fowls and (P) goats (in the Asurakriya) are decapitated and the warm blood drunk by the officiating priest. B.
I am informed by a former Bhůta-priest, now a Christian, that no offerings or sacrifices are made at the devaksiya, because the deva is not supposed to need any food. At the ásurakriya fruits and chiefly fowls are offered. A Billava priest kills the fowl and then gives it to a pombada, who bites it at once and then gives it to his fellow caste-people, who eat it. All this is confirmed by my munshi, a Brahman. 0.
The Billavar Jarandaya resigns charge of the ceremony to the pombada (by taking in each hand some flowers and betel leaf and throwing it over the other) who commences dancing furiously, howling, and ringing his bell. B.
36 See ante, p. 2. * It is not worth, while to give the whole of the notes, as the "description" was clearly made up from them. 28 E. moans Burnell: 0. means the Commentary.
