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DECEMBER, 1896.)
THE DEVIL WORSHIP OF THE TULUVAS.
331
with you for that purpose all the instruments connected with your profession. Kaļl is to be driven out from the faces of the children whom the Balla has caused to be brought up. Immediately on seeing this letter, in whatever dress you may be at the time, and even though you may be taking your food, you must start, taking your box with you, with the man I have sent you."
Sayana Baidya sent this letter by Vanappa Bhandari, the son of his mother's sister. The latter then started and went to the Ghâts to the house of Isara Kambi, and delivered him the letter. He opened the letter and read it. Immediately on reading it he set out, taking all his instraments with him, and came to Sayana Baidya's house.
He was asked to name all the things required for the performance of the ceremony of driving out Kaļl and inviting Lakshmi, He gave the following list of things needed :-Five bundles of betel-leaves, five areca-nats, a cocoanut, a seer of raw rice, and a seer of cow's milk. He was supplied with all the things required for his part of his business, and all the friends of Sayana Baidya assembled. A small bower of plantain trees was formed ; festoon: of cocoanat leaves were hung up, and the inner part of the roof was ceiled, and the ground was carpetted. The children of Sayana Baidya, together with friends who had assembled, walked round the bower. Afterwards the boys were seated within the bower, and those who Assembled there sprinkled rice on their heads. First the barber sprinkled rice on their heads, afterwards Sayana Baidya and others, last of all Sayana Baid yati.
Then the barber, holding the left cheek of Koti in his hand, began his work on his right cheek. He shaved the front part of his head, and made figures of the san and the moon, and on the back of the head he made figures of Bhima and Arjuna. Thus the tonsure of Koti Baidya was finished. In the same manner the barber performed the tonsure of Chanuaya. Afterwards lamps were waved before their faces in a plate filled with pearls, coral was thrown on their heads, and they went to bathe and washed away all the pollation of Kili. Then they came in and fully besmeared their bodies down to their waists with sandal-wood paste and sat down to take their food. Having finished their meals they got into a palanquin of the colour of parrots. They had each of them tied to his waist a dagger like that of Rama. Thus they went to the Ballal's house.
The Ballal was sitting on his throne with great pomp. To him thus soated, they humbly made obeisance. "Come children, sit down," said the Ballal, and he ordered flowers to be brought and spread out for them. They sat down on the ground and placed their daggers down. Then the Balla! asked them the object of their coming. "You nourished us with great love," replied they, "and treated us with great respect; now, therefore, we beg of you to provide for our future livelihood."
Then the Balla! said :-"Buddyanta owns the upper part of the paddy fields named Anilaja. I assigned to you the lower part of that field." And he accordingly marked its boundaries. When he gave them the field he likewise advised them to give presents to Buddyanta whenever they went to sow it.
In course of time, when the season for gowing the suggi seed came near, the brothers gathered all the refuse in the field and set fire to it. In this way they manured the field.
Meanwhile, in order to choose a day for celebrating a kanbala in his field, Baddyanta was going to ask the opinion of one Mutti Bira Ballaya. On his way he met Koți and Channaya. These brothers asked him where he was going. . "I am going to ask the opinion of a fortune-teller for fixing a day for the celebration of a kambala," replied Buddyanta.
"When you are asking about your kambala, please ask also about ours," said the young men. And they gave him a cocoanut to preseat to the fortune-teller on their behalf. He
