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10
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Bhadrapada. 1 These Sapta-rishis are said Sometimes the milky way is believed to be a to have been created by the God Brahms white cloud, 10 from his own body; and teaching them the On the authority of the Malákála Nirvan four Vedas, he handed them over to them Tantra, some people of the Thána District and asked them to regulate the affairs of the believe that a person who cannot get a view world.2
of the polar star will die within six months"; Some people of the Ratnagiri District be
while others substitute the Arundhati star lieve that the rain-bow is the bow used by
for the polar star and determine the duration Ráma, the hero of the Rámáyana, Its appea
of life of a diseased person by the same rance on the east is regarded by tam as process, 11 symptomatic of the approach of rain, while its The people of the Thána District believe appearance on the west is equivalent to the that the rain-bow is caused by the accumuladeparture of rain,
Lion of moisture in the air, 12 The rain-bow The short duration of the rainbow is held
is said to consecrate the region over which it to indicate an excessive fall of rain while
appears 13. The appearance of the rain-bow its long duration fort oder a scarcity of
in the morning is suppused to forbode the rain. The appearance of the rain-bow on
approach of rain, a river is supposed to indicate the approach
Some people of the Kolába District believe of rain, while its appearance on a mountain
that the holy persons such as Kashyapa, means the departure of rain, Of the two Arundhati and other sages, who lived bows of which the rain-bow seems to be
on this earth in ancient times are seen composed, the larger is believed to belong shining in the sky by the sacred lustre of to Ráma, and the smaller to Lakshman. their powers, 15 Hindu women worship the Since the God Indra is supposed to send planets Budha and Guru (Mercury and Jupi. rain, the Indradhanushya (the rain-bow) is ter) in the month of Shravan 16 regarded as a sign of the advent of rain, The Sapta-rishis are somewhere callei By some Hindus it is believed that the
Khatale and Bájale (cot) 17. The rain-bos milky way is a heavenly river which is a
is held by some to be the symbol of Ráme
and Lakshman, who visit the world in that favourite bathing place of the gods. Others suppose it to be a branch of the celestial
form with the view of watching its proceed. Ganges which is said to have been brought
ings. Others, however, believe that it re
presents God Indra who assumes that fo-m to down upon this earth by king Bhagiratha,
see how his orders are executed by his suborSome persons, however, believe that since
dinates. 18 The rain-bow is said to foretell the great sage Agastya is said to reside at
good if it appears either at the beginning or Rámeshwar in the southern direction, the
end of the rainy season, while its apperGanges (the milky way) runs through the rance at any other time is supposed sky to the south in order to bathe him. I forbode evil. 10
1 School Master, Mal binele, Ratnigiri.
2 School Master, Pendur, Ratnágiri. 3 School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri,
School Master, Makhanele, Ratnagiri. 6 School Master, Navare, Ratnagiri.
& School Master, Adivare, Ratnagiri. 7 School Master, Malgund, Ratnagiri,
& School Master, Kankavli, Ratnagiri. 9 School Master, Makhanele, Ratnagiri,
10 School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri. 11 School Master, Agáshi and Arnála, Thána. 12 School Master, Rai,
Thána. 13 School Master, Badlapur. Thána.
14 School Master, Mokhada, Thána. 15 School Master, Chaul, Kolába,
16 School Master, Kasu,
Kolába. 17 School Master, Vavasi, Kolába,
18 School Master, Chaul, Kolába, 19 School Master, Vavanje, Kolába,
