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THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
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As all seeds and vegetation receive their widespread, nor does it prevail in Kathiawar. nourishment from solar and lunar rays, the In Kathiawar, on the contrary, women are latter are believed in the same way to help kept secluded from sunlight in a dark room embryonic development
at the time of child-birth, and are warmed The heat of the sun causes the trees and
by artificial means.11 On the other hand, plants to give forth new sprouts, and there- it is customary in many places to bring a fore he is called 'Savita' or Producer.2 Solar woman into the sunlight after a certain period and lunar rays are also believed to facilitate
has elapsed since her delivery. The duand expedite delivery. 3 The medical science
ration of this period varies from four days of the Hindus declares the Amavasya (new
to a month and a quarter. Sometimes a moon day) and Purnima (full-moon day) woman is not allowed to see sunlight after days-on both of which days the influence of child-birth until she presents the child to the sun and the moon is most powerful-to the sun with certain ceremonies, either on be so critical for child-bearing women as to
aring women to the fourth or the sixth day from the date cause, at times, premature delivery. Hence, of her delivery. 12 before delivery, women are made to take A ceremony called the Shashthi-Karma is turns in the sunlight and also in moonlight, performed on the sixth day after the birth of in order to invigorate the fetus, thus a child, and the Namkaran ceremony-the securing that their delivery may be easy. ceremony of giving a name-on the twelfth [The assistance rendered by solar rays in day. The mother of the child is sometimes facilitating the delivery is said to impart a not allowed to see the sun before the comhot temperament to the child so born, and pletion of these ceremonies, 13 Occasionally, that by the lunar rays a cool one.]After on the eleventh day after child-birth, the delivery, a woman sho'uld glance at the sun mother is made to take a bath in the with her hands clasped, and should offer
sun, 14 rice and red flowers to him. Sitting in the
Exactly a month and a quarter from the sun after delivery is considered beneficial to date of delivery a woman is taken to a neighwomen enfeebled by the effort". It is a bouring stream to offer prayers to the sun cure for the paleness due to exhaustion and to fetch water thence in an earthen and infuses new vigour,
vessel. This ceremony is known as Zarmā. The Bhils believe that the exposure of a zaryan 15 Seven small betel-nuts are used in new-born child to the sun confers upon the the ceremony. They are carried by the child immunity from injury by cold and mother, and distributed by her to barren beat, 10
women, who believe that, by eating the nuts The practice of making recently delivered from her hand, they are likely to conwomen sit in the sun does not seem to beceive.16
1 Mr. D. K, Pandya, Dhbank.
? Mr. N. M, Dave, Sanki. 3 Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpara.
• Mr. D. K, Pandya, Schoolmaster, Dhbank. * Mr. Jethalal Anupram, Schoolmaster, Ainan,
• Mr. R. B. Pandya, Jetpur Sanskrit School. + Mr. D, K. Pandya, Schoolmaster, Dhhank.
& Mr. N. J. Bhatt, Moti-Murād. . Mr. N. D. Vora, Rajpara,
10 Mr. D. K. Shah, Schoolmaster, Charadwa. 11 Mr. K. P. Joshi, Schoolmaster, Limbdi.
19 Mr. Nandlal Kalidas, Schoolmaster, Chhatrese, 13 Mr. Chhaganlal Motiram, Schoolmaster, Wala Talu. The Deputy Educational Inspector, Gohelwad. 15 Mr. B. K. Dave, Kotda-Sangani, and the Schoolmaster, Movaiyam. 19 Mr. K. D. Desai.
