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248
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[SEPTEMBER, 1906.
two chhittakes,) a pice or two, small vessels, andas, of pewter or copper', which are hung on the temple, and a he-goat. The benefits songut are secular, not spiritual, and the worship is expected to ward off evil.
Jaga or uninterrupted worship for a whole night can only be performed at the temple, as the ling must not be romoved from it. A lamp in which ghi, not oil, is burnt, is placed all night before the ling, and in the course of the night three office we performed, one at evening, another at midnight, and the third at morn. At this last the pujari feeds the god : water is poured over the back of a he-goat, and if the animal shivers it is believed that the god has accepted the offering and the goat is killed. The head is offered to the god and taken by the pujari on his behalf, the remainder being cooked and eaten. Or the goat is not killed but let loose, and it then becomes the property of the Dewa.13
Another account says that two men, a pujári and a Dêwâ, accompany the worshipper, the former receiving the goat's head, and the latter the other offerings.13
Other Temples to Shirigul,
. 1. At Manal. Shirigul also has a temple at Mânal, which was built by Ulga and Jojra, Dewas, as the following legend tells :
In order to enhance his sanctity Shirigal made an effigy. This he placed with some lamps in a basin which he floated on the Jalál stream in Bhadon. The basin reached Shakohal village in Pachhad Tahsil, and there a Rajput of the Sapala ( = sapéla or snake-charmer) family of Chanálag saw it. Struck with amazement, he challenged it to float on if a demon, but if a deity to come to the bank. The basin came to the bank wbere he was standing and the Rajput took it to his home. Some days later it was revealed to him that the image was that of Shirigul, that it would never be revered by the Râpats who were ignorant of the mode of worship, and that it should be taken to Bakhuta in Pachhåd or he would suffer a heavy loss. Accordingly, he removed it to Bakhůta, where it was duly worshipped, and hence a Dewa, Bidan by name, stole it and brought it to Manal.
A fair is held on the Hariáli,14 and another on any three days of Sawan at Gelyon, a small plateau in the lands of Nahra, at & kôs from Mânal. Men and women here dance the gi, a hill dance, and people exchange môrd (wheat parched or boiled), maize, rice, &c.
The temple at Mânal is square, 24 cubits high, with three storeys, each provided with a stair to give access to the one above it. The property of the god is kept in the middle storey, Outside the door there is a wooden verandah, on which figures are carved and which is fornished with fringes of wooden pegs. Andas are also fixed on to it. The highest storey contains the idol, and has the khinwar or gable like the Chür temple. The whole of the wood-work is stained with gêri. The temple faces south-west.
The temple contains 12 images of Shirigul, all placed on wooden shelves (gambar) in the wall, and the principal of these is the idol brought by Bidan. This is made of asht-dhat15
19 The D&ws are a class of Kanêts or Bhate, held to be peculiarly the men of the god.
15 The pujari kindles fire on a stone and offers incenne, made of ghí, páji and katarcher leaves, while he recites the following mantra: - Ao aur wanaspat: punarrar birid makht, sarb sich, sojt .... barchhak bha nang, nomi, nam, gand sognam, chdre hot, narsdngnan, tamo nami janto, mashno, jiya bhamon, nandar nán, odarkas tart gabre, mert masni, miyd adgam, bhagam, jismdr, jisanbar, bhish jamandwir, nibat hdr, parbam, parchanan, hasht Phar, parbarsát, korshanti, shaman shanti, noch kau, deina shanti, bhordtari, patrí Ghart, kdrti dabéle, sargal deod kl kara cabele, Bijal. Biji kt kard dabble Char, wa mur wa Diugadh kdy dabble, Char bhai Mahdsho, kara dabéle, Ganga, Hardwar, Badri Kiddr kara dabile, patri jhari.'
14 HariAll is the last day of HAT, and the Sankrant of SÅwan, and derives its name from hard 'green' 1 ;. e., eight motals.
