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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1898.
The ceremonial is performed after nightfall. seta down the bell, takes up the holy water, which, The young woman in whose favour it is performed, it will be remembered, had been placed there earbearing a pot containing rice, betel, a cocoanut lier, and going off to a corner of the yard throws and three little bundles, enters the pandal | down the plantain stalk and empties the holy and walks round the sanctuary thrice and then water over it, thus removing all the malignant stands facing the East. Meanwhile, a band of influences from the woman. He returns to the kanisans or astrologers have already turned pandal and sacrifices a fowl and when the bird up and taken their seats near the pandal, whence is quite dead, he throws it to some distance, they chant a stothram (anthem). The young going afterwards to see to which side the head woman sets the vessel down. Some rice and inclines, in order to make certain predictions as cocoanut flowers on a plate are handed over to to the results that may be expected from the her. She takes the plate and sits down. The ceremony. These results may be either good or astrologers resume their musio, singing hymns of evil. invocation to Ganapati, Sarasvati and Krishna. The husband of the young woman recompenses The afflatus at this stage descends upon the young the astrologers with new cloths. A kalampdt woman who rises and dances about wildly.
may be conducted by from four or five to as Should this mood prove to be unusually exciting, many as thirty or forty of these hired astrologers, rice and ashes are prayed upon and are then according as the means and the station in life applied to her head.
of the family permit. The head astrologer of
the village has to take the responsibility of Time has slipt by almost imperceptibly while all
bringing the other functionaries. In addition these mystic functions have been going forward
to the cloth, with which he in common with the and while the stillness of the night has been
others is presented, he is the recipient of certain constantly broken by the montonous and almost
other gifts, such as rice, cocoanuts, betel and painfully weird chant of the indefatigable choris
money. ters. It is now noticed that the earliest streaks
It may be remarked that considerable import. of the new dawn are beginning to appear faintly
unce is attached to the lighting of the superand gradually in the low Eastern sky. So the
structure, wherein the described ceremony is chief of the choristers rises from his seat and
held. No religions function of the Hindus or of produces a plantain-tree stalk, which he cuts
the demonolators of Malabar is complete without down to a convenient size and drives into it
its burning lamps. The Malabar dur-mantravddi three broom sticks, at the higher ends of which are attached some little ornamental designs made
sets the greatest value on his various little burning
wicks. In the shrine of his snake god, the pious of the tender leaves of the cocoanut palm. The
Malayali nightly burns a little lamp, and at the top of the plantain stalk is lighted by menns of
family altar in a corner of the yard a little lamp three wicks, also attached to broom sticks. The
sheds its fitful gleam on certain prescribed nights. chorister holds the illumined stalk in bis right
This importance of light as a religious symbol is, hand, and a bell in his left. He approaches the
of course, not peculiar to Malabar. Life and young woman and squats down in front of her.
light have always been associated together, both Ho moves both his arms about, and the musical
by savages and civilised people. Fire, as the tinkling of his little bell barmonises with the hymn or stothram which he starts singing before
great Zoroaster said, " is the soul of everything." the girl. After a litte while he ceases chanting,
"CASUAL."
NOTES AND QUERIES. BAO.
a flying in the Air, .... but the happy I HAVX lately come across yet another form of Man, whose Rocket makes him in the God's this curious word: ante, p. 196, and Vol. XXII. Favour, never fails of building a new Baw, and p. 165.
dedicates it to the God he adores,.... I o. 1700. "They (Peguers) have Images in all
must notomit giving the Clergy their due Praises their Temples or Baws, of inferior Gods, such as
in another particular Praetice of their Charity. Somma Cuddom (Samana Götama) ...
... and when the unfortunate Strangers They never repair an old Baw, nor is there any
come to their Baws, they find a great Deal of Occasion for that Piety or Expence ; for in every
Hospitality. - Alexander Hamilton, East Indies, September there is an old Custom for Gentlemen
VOL. II. pp. 55 1., 62. of Fortune, to make Sky Rockets, and set them
R. C. TEMPLE.
