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THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
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then my lover Abhla dabhla Kankunā as it appears at particular hours and in dābhla* - “Ye stars ! blind the prowling particular directions. If a rainbow appears thief and seize him if he tries to steal away, in the east a speedy rainfall is expected ; if. and your blessings on my lord confer !" on the other hand it is seen in the west, rain.
The Rohini and Krilika constellations, fall is apprehended to be distant. Some popularly known as Gadli, are supposed to people, however, believe the contrary, i.e. indicate the rise and fall in the cotton. they regard the appearance of a rainbow darket.
in the west as an indication of good rains, The dimmest star of the saptarshi group and in the east as a sign of scarce rainfall 10 foretells the death of a person within six Perhaps both ideas are reconciled by a third months from the date on which it becomes belief according to which the appearance of invisible to him. Again, if a man cannot a rainbow in a direction facing the sun, perceive the saptarshi or the galaxy in the indicates the proximity of rain. 11 sky, it is considered such a bad omen that If a rainbow is seen at sunset or sunrise his end is believed to be near at hand, just before the commencement of rain the
The rainbow is believed to be the bow of fall of rain will be excessive; but if it Indrat, the god of rains, and is therefore appears after rainfall, the rain will procalled 'Indra-dhanushya.' We see it when bably cease.1? According to some persons Indra draws his bow to release the rains the appearance of a rainbow in the morning from the rakshasas (demons);" or, when portends a drought." There is, however, a successful in bringing down rain, Indra popular saying to the effect that were the manifests his glory by drawing a bow; or kachbi, i, e., the rainbow, to be seen at sunwhen in the struggle for supremacy between rise in the west, it foretells great floods Suminer and the rainy season, Indra draws before nightfall.? his bow to defeat Summer.7
The sight of a rainbow is sometimes reIt is also believed that when Ramachan. garded as a bad omen. Some believe that it dra, the hero of the Rāmāyana, adjusted an shortens a man's life and brings misfortunes arrow to the bow of Shiva, to compete for to him. Others believe that it is calamithe hand of Sità in the swayamvara (or tous to a man's relations by marriage, espemaiden's choice marriage) celebrated by her, cially to the mother-in-law, who is sure to lose the bow was split into three pieces, which her power of hearing.14 People sometimes ever since present themselves as rainbows in clash earthen vessels against one another to the sky.
avert the evils which are to be feared from The rainbow is popularly regarded as an a rainbow. It is also said that the sight of indication of good or bad rainfall according the whole of the rainbow is a good omen:
1 Odhowji Avichal, Lakhāpadar.
? Tala kshi Dharamsi, Khandhar. 3 The Deputy Educational Inspector of Gohelwad.
• Hirji Monji, Ganod. 5L. D. Mehta, Mota Devalia.
• Nandlal Kalidas, Chhatrāsā. + N. M. Dave, Sankā.
• The Schoolmaster of Palanvār. D. K. Pandya, Dhhank.
10 K, P. Joshi, Limbdi. ii The Schoolmaster of Luvaria.
11 Mr. Kalyanji Bhaishankar, Kolki, 13 The Schoolmaster of Khandhar.
14 Mr. R. B. Pandya, Jetpur. 15 Mr. M. M. Rana, Barton Female Training College, Rajkot. * Meaningless terms.
1 Indra has full sway over the twelve meghas (or clouds), of which Shamagbana is the greatest. Indra directs them to pour down waters in whatever regions he likes. At the time of the deluge be lets loose all the twelve meghas under the lead of Shamagbana and thus brings about the destruction of this world. N.D. Vora, Rajpara.
