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THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
25
If Shani (Saturn) occupies the 1st, 2nd, loger; and on the last Tuesday, when purna. 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or the 12th square kuti* is offered, Brāhmans are feasted and in a man's kundali, it causes despondency of dakshina is given to them. A piece of red mind, family quarrels, imminent injuries cloth and some corn are used in the installafrom foes, and pecuniary wants.
tion of the planet; these and the golden The presence of Mangal (Mars) in the engraving are carried away by the priest? 3rd, the 6th, or the 11th square is auspi- Similarly, in propitiating Rāhu and Ketu cious,
the same ceremonies are gone through: only, of the nine planets, Budha, Guru, and instead of wheat, mag (Phasolens mungo) is Chandra are benevolent, Mangal and Ravi eaten by the devotee. In the same way are neither benevolent nor baneful; and Shani (Saturn) is said to favour the diet of Shani, Rāhu, and Ketu are downright malev. adăd (or lentils): Guru (Jupiter) inclines to olent. Each planet has a story connected chaná (or gram), while Shukra (Venus) with it concerning its benevolence or malev- favours chola (colichos sinensis)." olence, and showing also the way to secure Certain for us or figures, called mandals, its propitiation. For instance, the malev. are favoured by particular grahās, and are olence of Shani drove King Vikrama to drawn in their lunour in worshipping them, "unknown countries, and subjected him to Different things, too, are given in charity in grave calamities. On the advice of a wise honour of different planets. man, however, he obsrved the Saturday- All the nine grahas and the twenty-seven vows and thus overcame his difficultes.3 nakshatras are worsluipped on the occasion
When a planet is unfavourable to a of the Griha-Shanti ceremony, which is perperson, it has to be propitiated by vows, and formed before occupying a newly crected the person who is under its evil influence building. often lays upon himself the obligation of It is considered inauspicious to hold a abstaining from particular articles of food marriage ceremony while Shukra (Venus) is or from wearing certain articles of clothing invisible. In such a case, however, the cerefor a certain number of days.* Particular mony may be performed after setting up and days of the week are set apart as appro- worshipping a small golden image of the priate for the worship of particular planets, planct. and, on such days, the person keeping the Of the stars, the constellation of saptarshi vow observes a fast and worships the planet is perhaps the one most often worshipped. through the medium of a Brāhman, For Its worship forms a part of the ceremonies instance, vrats or vows are observed on Tues- performed on the occasion of investing boys days in honour of Mangal (Mars), when an with the sacred thread? and also of the cereimage of the planet, engraved on a golden monies of marriage. The worship of the dish, is worshipped, and the person observing sa ptarshi on marringe occasions is believed the vow takes food consisting of wheat only to be an attestation of the marriage, and to and that too, only once during the day. This secure the benign care of the saptarshi for mode of fasting is followed for a number of the couple. The form of worship is someconsecutive Tuesdays prescribed by an astro- times as follows: a red and white piece of
1 The Schoolmaster of Dadvi.
? N. M. Dave, Sankā. 3 M.H. Raval, Vanod.
• Hirji Monji, Ganod. N.D. Vora, Rajpara.
• Gangaram Tribhowandas, Lilapur. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank, . 1. c., a bandful of rice, ghi, cocoanuts, and some other objects are cast into the fire as an offering.
