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12
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
stones, worships them, and offers the sweet- the wind, and produce thunder. The dashmeats to the earth. Afterwards he takes ing of these stones against each other also a portion of the food and scatters it over the generates lightning.8 farm. His family then gather there and take a hearty meal. In the evening the person who carried the food to the farm, picks up some grains of barley and puts them into a basket. On return home the grains are thrown over the house.1
Various conflicting notions are entertained regarding thunder and lightning. The people of the Ratnagiri District believe that the clouds are animals that roar. When these animals emit water it bursts forth on account of the circular motion of the winds called Chanda and Munda. This bursting is supposed to produce thunder and lightning.2 Somewhere thunder and lightning are said to be the signals given by the god Indra, to birds, beasts, etc., of the setting in of the rainy season.3 Some people believe that the ged Indra sends rain through his elephants who, being excited, make a noise like thunder."
Others regard the thunder as the roaring of the elephant of the gods, while sucking seawater. The thunder is also believed to be the roaring of the god Varuna, the king of the clouds. The boys of the Ratnagiri District believe that thunder is a sign of the wedding ceremonies performed in the heavenly houses of the gods. Some Mahomedans believe that an angel called Mekail has control over the rain. To cause a fall of rain Mekail strikes the clouds with a whip of lightning. The clouds then utter a cry, and this is the cause of thunder. Some people of the Thána District believe that there are big stones in the sky which strike against each other owing to the force of
1 School Master, Akol, Kolába.
3 School Master, Kasba, Sangameshwar, Ratnagiri
5 Schooi Master, Masure, Ratnégi
7 School Master, Chiplun, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Varsai, Kolába,
11 School Master, Varsai, Kolába,
13 School Master, Chauk, Kolába,
15 School Master, Palspot, Ratnagiri. 17 School Master, Murbád, Thâna.
In the Kolába District it is believed that thunder is the military band of the king of clouds and lightning is his banner." Lightning is said to be produced by the fighting of celestial elephants; while thunder is heard when they pour out water.10 Some people think that thunder is the noise of the feet of the elephants (clouds) that give rain; lightning is also said to be generated from their foot fall,11 The clouds are supposed to be the messengers of gods, lightning being the manifestation of Divine power. The gods are said to confine these messengers from the nakshatra of Ardra to the nakshatra of Hasti, in which latter nakshatra they again begin to roar, 12
Thunder is supposed to take place when the god Indra draws his bow; while lightning is said to be produced when the same god strikes his adamant against a mountain,15
In the Ratuagiri District it is believed that earthquake occurs whenever the thousand headed Shesha shakes its head,14 It is said that at one time a demon named Gayásur became very troublesome, and all the gods held him down by standing on his body. Thereupon the demon requested all the gods to remain on his body for ever. Occasionally this Gayásur shakes his body and this causes the earthquake.15 Some people believe that the earth trembles of its own accord when sins accumul ate upon it.16 Others hold that the earthquake takes place in the hollow parts of the earth.17 Some people, however, believe that since the earth floats upon water, it naturally quakes at times,18
2 School Master, Pendur, Ratnagiri,
4 School Master, Makhanele, Ratnagiri,
School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri,
8 School Master, Anjur, Thána.
10 School Master, Chaul, Kolába,
12 School Master, Poládpur, Kolába.
14 School Master, Chiplun, Ratnagiri.
16 School Master, Pendur, Ratnagiri.
13 School Master, Bhuvan, Thána.
