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2
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
guardian goddesses of Chaul in the Kolába District belongs to the lower castes.1 The goddess Mángái has always a Mahár as her pujári. Everyday the god Shiva is required to be worshipped first by a pujári of the Gurav caste. The pujári of Bahiri, a corruption of the word Bhairav, one of the manifestations of Shiva, is a man belonging to the lower castes. Similarly the pujáris of Bhagavati, Bhaváni, Ambika, Kálika, Jákhái, Jholái, Jannis Kolhái, Vadyájái, Shitaladevi, Chandika, etc., are persons belonging to lower castes.3
It is considered by the Hindus very meritorious and holy to worship the Sun; and by
Bráhmans the Sun is considered to be their chief deity. The Gayatri Mantra of the Brahmans is a prayer to the Sun-god or the Savita Dev, and the Bráhmans offer arghya or oblations of water to the Sun thrice a day. Those who want health, wealth and prosperity propitiate the Sun-god by prayers and ceremonies. The Ratha Saptami is considered to be the principal day for special worship and festivities in honour of the Sun-god. On this day, on a low wooden stool, is drawn, in red sandal paste, a figure of the Sun in human shape seated in a chariot drawn by seven horses, or by a horse with seven faces. This figure is then plaeed in the sun-shine, and it is then worshipped by offering it arghya or spoonfuls of water, red powder, red flowers mixed with red sandal paste, camphor incense and fruits. Some people kneel down while offering the arghyas to the Sun. These arghyas are either three or twelve in number. Some persons make a vow not to eat anything unless they have worshipped the Sun and performed the twelve Namaskaras by falling prostrate and towing with folded hands twelve times, and at each time repeating one of the twelve names of the Sun.*
In the Ratnagiri District some people worship the Sun on the Sundays of the month of Shrávan. A ceremony held on the Rathasaptami day, i.e., the 7th day of the bright half of Mágh, is deemed a special festival in honour of the Sun-god. On that day people draw, on a small wooden stool, an image of the Sun, seated in a chariot drawn by seven horses, and worship it with great reverence. Milk is then boiled on a fire made of cow-dung cakes in front of the household Tulsi plant. If the milk overwill be abundance of crops, but if it flows flows to the east, it is believed that there to the west it is taken as a sign of the near approach of famine, The Sun-god is also Trikal, Gajaccháya, Ardhodaya, Mahodaya, worshipped on the following occasions, e.g.. and the Solar eclipse, Though there are Vyatipát, Makar Sankránt. Kark-Sankrant few temples dedicated to the Sun, the village of Parule has the honour of having one Brahmanical classes are not seen worshippcalled "the temple of Adi-Nárayan," Noning the Sun in this district, despite the fact that the Sun is said to be the embodiment of the three principal deities of the Hindus."
The people of the Thána District believe that the Swastika is the central point of the helmet of the Sun, and a vow called the Swastika Vrata is held in its honor. A woman who observes this vow, draws a figure of the Swastika and worships it daily during the Cháturmás (four months of the rainy season), at the expiration of which she gives a Bráhman a golden or silver plate with the sign of the Swastika upon it. Another vow named Dhanurmás, common to all districts in the Konkan. requires a person to complete his daily rites before sun-rise, and to offer a
2 School Master, Akola, Kolába,
1 School Master, Chaul, Kolába. School Master, Poladpur, Kolába.
These twelve names are:-1 Mitra, 2 Ravi, 3 Surya, 4 Bhanu, 5 Khaga, 6 Pushne, 7 Hiranyagarbha 8 Marichi, 9 Aditya, 10 Savita, 11 Arka, 12 Bhasker,
4 School Master, Phonden, School Master, Parule.
5 School Master, Devarukh, School Master, Anjur.
