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14
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
Jake is said to have been formed from the ed for public purposes. But no ceremony is blood of the demon Vimalásur. At Sháhápur required to be performed if a well is dug for there is a holy spring of hot water under a the benefit of the public,11 Pipal tree. It is called Ganga. There are | The people of the Thána District believe kundas, pools, of hot water in the Vaitarna that water nymphs reside in every reservoir river in the Thána District, in which people of water.12 Some people, however, believe bathe on the 13th day of the dark half of that the water nymphs dwell in those lakes in Chaitra. There are also springs of hot water which lotuses grow. These nymphs are said on the bank of the Surya river at Vajre- to do harm to children and young women, shvari and at Koknere, in the Thána District. especially when they set out for a walk A handful of corn, if thrown into the hot accompanied by their brother Gavala. They water kundas at Tungar, is said to be boiled are unusually dangerous 13 The people worat once. It is held holy to bathe in the ship the images of the following seven water kundes, of hot water that are situated in the nymphs or apsaras, viz., Machhi. Kurmi. rivers Tánsa and Banganga in the Thána Dis- Karkati, Darduri, Jatupi, Somapa and trict. The water of a well which is drawn Makari.1. without touching the earth or without being The following places are said to be inhabited placed upon the ground is given as medicine by water spirits:-the channel of Kalamba, for indigestion. Similarly the water of seven the tanks of Sopara and Utaratal and the lake tanks, or at least of one pond, in which lotuses called Tambra-tirtha at Bassein 15 Water grow is said to check the virulence of measles, nymphs are supposed to drown a person who small-pox, etc. A bath in a certain tank in tries to save another fallca fato water. 10 A the Mahim taluka is said to cure persons species of small men named Uda, otherwise suffering from the itch, and water purified by called water-spirits, are said to dwell in water repeating incantations over it is also said to be and subsist on fishes,17 "The spirits called a good remedy for the same disease.
Khais and Mhashya are supposed to reside in The water of a tank or a well is supposed water 18 to be wholesome to a person of indifferent The river Sávitri in the Kolába District health, if given to him to drink without pla- takes its rise near Mahabaleshwar and is concing it upon the ground. Some people be- sidered very saered. The following traditionlieve that the water of the Ganges is so holy ary account is given of its origin. The god and powerful that if bows are thrown into it Brahma had two wives, Sávitri and Gávalri. A they are instantly reduced to powder. The dispute having arisen between them, they both repair of lakes, caravansaries, temples, etc., is | jumped over a precipice. Sávitri assumed held nore meritorious than their actual erec- the form of a river and fell into the sea tion.10 It is enjoined upon a man to perform near Bánkot. Gáyatri, on the other hand, a certain rite if he wishes to relinquish his concealed herself in the river Sávitri and right of ownership over a well or tank, nd manifested herself as a spring near Hariafter this rite is performed, it can be utiliz- hareshwar in the Janjira State 19 A man is
Master 40 7bhana
School Masters, Agáshi and Arnála, Tháca.
2 School Master, Murbád, Thána. 3 School Master, Málád, Thána.
School Master, Anjur, Thána. 5 School Master, Wáda, Thána.
School Masters, Agáshi and Arnála, Thána. School- Master, Anjur, Thána.
+ School Master, Saloli, Thát... 9 School Masters, Agáshi and Arnála, Thána.
10 School Master, Kinhavali, Thána. Il School Master, Rái, Thána.
12 School Master, Khativali, Thána, 13 School Masters, Agáshi and Arnála, Thána.
14 School Master, Murbád, Thána. 15 School Masters, Agáshi and Arnála, Thána,
16 School Master, Bhuvan, Thána. 17 School Masters, Wáda, Thána,
13 School Master, Shábápur, Thána, * School Master, Poládpur, Kolába.
