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252
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1902.
The bearers of the corpse are drawn from the house in which these relics of the dead are preTirumulplid community. The procession to the served, receives a pension for the term of his cremating ground of the Mab&raja's family, natural life-some say his heirs in perpetuity situated at the north-west corner of the Trevan-draw the pension, in the shape of a certain quandrum Fort, is formed in the following order. First tity of paddy annually. He also is the recipient dismounted Bodyguard troopers, barebeaded and of a quantity of cocoanut oil to feed & lamp barefooted, leading their horses, walk in two lines; which must always be kept burning. behind them is the Nair Brigade Band, dressed in black and playing the Dead March; next the sepoys On the eleventh or twelfth day further religious of the Nair Brigade in two long lines, heads and rites and ceremonies are performed and bring the feet uncovered and arms reversed; then the pollution caused by the death to an end. For a various officers in undress, according to a pre-whole year subsequently, mourning is observed scribed order. To the burning ground itself only to a certain extent throughout the Province, a chosen few are given admission. The next junior especially by the Nair community. The relics member to the deceased performs the last rites, are ultimately takon to Bonares and thrown under the guidance and instruction of the offi-into the Ganges. ciating priest; but if there is no member of the family available, the priest acts for him. The body is then conveyed to a richly decorated pandal or pavilion made of cadjan, under which is a funeral pyre composed of sandalwood, cuscus
KONETI RAYI. grass and ghee, to help the fire. The fire rendered sacred by prayers, is then applied to the I SOME forty years or so ago, during the excapyre, while a shout of lamentation and a chorus of vation of a pond in front of the Collector's wailing moend to the skies from the crowd of Cutoherry at Nellore, Madras Presidenoy, an people outside, who generally await the termina
image was found along with, as I am told, some tion of the cremation.
"white stones." This was left lying about for
some time and was finally taken by an adjacent The small party inside wait till the work of the
householder who presented it to a small Vaishfire is all but done, and go away, leaving behind
nava temple in Nellore town. The figure is them a small and trusted few of palace adherente
popularly known as Konkti Rayi (Pond-stone). and a detachment of the Nair Brigade for sentry I went to see it recently. It is a statue of & purposes. These servants feed the fire till every man of about life-size, carved out of a black part of the body is consumed. For about two or stone and in perfect preservation. The figure is three days public institutions and offices are closed, seated with legs crossed and soles up-turned; the and deep mourning lasts for ten or eleven days hair is curly, the lobes of the ears pierced and For three days following the cremation, the greatly enlarged; the nose is broad, with, how. Palanquin in which the body was conveyed ever, a bridge sharply indicated; the lips are to the burning ground is carried there and well-shaped. taken back morning and evening. Religious ceremonies are also .conducted in the Tarawad
The figure is now adorned with the Vaishnava Palam of the Maharaja's family to the accompani- trident, but there seems no room for doubt that ment of the wailing voices of women and solemn it represents Buddha or some Jain saint (I am and sad music.
too ignorant to decide which).
I have not seen any reference anywhere to Then comes the Sanchayanam, or ash-sifting this figure, and I, therefore, imagine that its ceremony. Another procession is formed for this purpose also. The unconsumed fragmenta
existence is generally unknown. of the remains, with some ashes, are then carfully It a Buddha, the fact of the statue being gathered up and religiously placed in a golden found so far south as Nellore would seem to be case. This is carried to a neighbouring house of interest. and preserved in a recebe, or oavity, specially prepared at the foot of a jack tree. A Nair
A. BUTTERWORTH. Brigade guard takes charge of the spot for a year, and carefully guards the whes. The owner of the Nellore, 15th January 1901.
