Indian Antiquary Vol 36

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 92

64
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[MARCH, 1907.
the ordinary dwelling-huts; but a few, such as the blant side of an axe. The racing of the the so-called .Toda Cathedral' (pp. 44, 46), are infuriated and frightened animals by muscular circular, with a conical roof. To keep off cattle youths, the dignified bearing of the more aged and wild beasts, both huts and dairies are spectators who remind us of Roman senators), surrounded by walls and have a very small the lamenting of the mourning women, the opening, which can be passed only by croeping, musical (P) strains of the band of Kotas (who and is closed by a sliding door on its inner side. receive as their fee the flesh of the slaughtered The interior has two raised portions on which the buffaloes),- all this combines with the grand people sleep.
contour of those lovely hills in producing a weird
soene which no visitor will ever forget. The Todas One of the most striking customs of the Todas call the abode of the dead the world of Am,' i. e., is polyandry combined with polygyny. Wives of the Hindu god Yama. It is believed to be are constantly transferred from one husband, or
situated to the west of the Nilgiris, and to group of husbands, to another, the new husband reach it a river near Sispara has to be crossed or husbands paying a certain number of buffaloes by a thread bridge. Wicked Todas cannot to the old' (p. 523), and a woman may have cross it, but fall into the river, where they are one or more recognised lovers as well as several bitten by leeches. When they get out on the husbands' (p. 529). The catechist who translated further bank of the river, they have to stay in the Commandments was met by the serious a sort of purgatory before reaching their final difficulty that there is no word for adultery in the destination
Toda language. Dr. Rivers has taken the trouble to work out, and has published, as an Appendix, I conclude these hasty notes on Dr. Rivers the genealogies, as far as they were remembered, important work by reprinting from p. 386 the of nearly the whole of the Toda community.
translation of a funeral dirge, which alludes to These pedigrees are valuable in various respects. Ootacamund and its lake and the boats on it, They illustrate the complicated system of Toda and betrays the influence of the Zenana Mission, kinship and provide statistical material for the under whose protection the author of the poem study of the marriage regulations. The older had lived for some time:census records slow a considerable excess of "O woman of wonderful birth, renowned were men over women. Dr. Rivets attributes this fact you born, O flower of the lime tree! Having to the practice of femule' infanticide which, as found a proper husband, you married; having his new tables prove, has now almost entirely found a proper wife, I married. I gave my best ceased.
buffalo to Piedr for you. I took you as a beauty
to Kuudr. A house we built, bracelets and As may be expected, Dr. Rivers' voume
buffalo-horns we made in sport. 'I thought we contains a full account of the funeral ceremonies
should have had many children and many buffaloes of tbe Todas. I have witnessed cases of both
should we have enjoyed. Liberal you were and varieties: the so-called 'green funeral' at which
refreshing like the shade of the umbrella tree. tue corpse is burned, and the dry funeral' at
We thought that we should live long. We went which certain relics a lock of hair and a piece
together as we willed. We bought strong of the skull - are finally cremated. On these
buffaloes and we prevailed over injustice. occasions the fire is produced by friction, as
Peacefully we paid our fine. We lent to those I am able to confirm from personal knowledge.
that had not. We went to see the bungalows and Before the cremation various articles, which the
the reservoir. Many courts we visited and abips deceased person is expected to require in the
also. We laid complaints before the native other world, are placed near the body. As a
magistrate; we made bets and we won. We said conditio sine qua non some buffaloes have to be
that we would not be shaken and would fear the killed, which will supply him or her with milk
eye of no one. We thought to live together, but and ghi in the future life. "Formerly it was the
you have left me alone, you have forsaken me. custom to slaughter many buffaloes at every
My right eye sheds tears, my right nostril smarts funeral. This impoverished the people and was
with sorrow. I bewailed but could not find you. prohibited by the Government about forty years
I called out for you and could not find you. 120, and since that time the number of buffaloes
There is one God for me." killed at each ceremony has been limited to two for each person' (p. 338). The two victims are
E. HULTZSCH. caught and dragged to the appointed spot, where they are dispatched by striking the head with Halle, 9th March 1907.