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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[MAY, 1999
3. Gurgaon. A káigni of red thread, an iron ring, a betel nut and mustard seeu are all tied to the lintel to keep off the evil spirits.
V. Completion ceremonies.
1. Sirmar. As the house approaches completion a pirinda, a betel nut, and an iron ring, ca Hed the three shakhs are tied to a beam and to the lintel of the door. The iron ring is a protection against evil spirits.
2. Kangpa. The completion rite is called pataishta, when Brahmans and the kinsmen are feasted and a goat is sacrified. An image of Ganesh carved in stone, called wdstá or jagjup is also set np in a niche in the hall.
3. Ambala When the building is finished a black handid (pot) is hung inside it and a black hand is painted on the wall to avert the evil eye.
4. Amritsar. A house should not be roofed during the parjd in any month, but at a fixed auspicious time. The roof should have an odd number of beams. A staircase should always be to the left of the entrance and contain an odhl number of steps.
VI. Occupation ceremonies.
1. Ambala. Before occupation a Brahman is asked to fix the mahdrat, or lucky time for entrance. Seren or eleven days previously a pandit performs a hawan inside the house. On the day fixed for the occupation pandits also recite mantras to avert evil spirits and the owner feeds Brahmans and gives alms.
2. Amritsar. A Brahman fixes a lucky day for the occupation when the ceremony of chath is performed. As a preliminary, green leaves from seven trees are tied to a mauli on the outer door. The gods aro worshipped, hawan is performed and figures of five or seven gods are drawn on the grond, together with that of Wåstå, the house-god.
After first throwing a little oil on the threshold, the master and his family enter at an auspicious moment, carrying a new jar full of water, flowers, gur, yellow thread, fruit, nuts, etc., while house-wife carries & jug of curds. The master wears new clothes and a turban. Both man and wife, together with a quiet milch cow, are led by a girl, wearing a red cloth on her head and a nose-ring. Sometimes & sacred book is carried in also. A Brahman recites maneras, and then all the articles brought in are placed north and south of a bedi, in which are stack flags of ten various colours. These are afterwards removed and affixed to the outer wall of the house on either side of the door. Brahmans and kinsmen are fed and the ceremonies are ended.
3. Gujrat. The chath, or occupation ceremony, simply consists here of the worship of a figure of Ganesh painted in red or smeared with flour on the house-wall by the owner.
4. Gurgaon. Before occupation hawan is performed, the katha of Sat Narain is recited and food given to the Brahmans. See above III, 2: and V, 2.
• See preceding paragraph.
