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CHAPTER II.
THE HEROIC GODLINGS, In the Konkan the deities of the Hindus temple ministrant, who offers a part of the are divided into the following five classes, oil and red lead to the deity, places the garvis
land round the deity's neck, and, breaking the (1) The Grámadevatás or Village deities, cocoanut into pieces, gives a piece or two to (2) The Sthánaderatás or Local deities, the devotee as the prasád or favoured gift of (3) The Kuladevatás or Family deities, the deity. Saturday is the sacred day of (4) The Ishtadevatás or Chosen deities, and the monkey god Máruti. Every Saturday
(5) The Wástudevatás or Grihadevatás, that fresh oil and red lead are offered to the god is, the class of deity which presides over the by the devotees. The Pujáris in most of the house and is established at the time of the temples of Máruti are Guravs, Ghádis, Marshousewarming or Wástu ceremony.
thas or Gosávis. The principal Gráma-devatás are Hanu- Every Saturday in the month of Shrávan mán or Máruti, Kálika, Amba, Wághoba,
(August), called the Sampat Shaniwar or the Chedoba, Mhasoba, Bahiroba or Bhairav, wealth-giving Saturday a special puja or Ganesh, Vira, Mhálsa or Maha Lakshmi, worship is performed in the temples of MAChámunda, Vetál, Khandoba Malhári Jogái, ruti in Bombay as well as in the Konkan. On Bhawéni, and Wágeshwari and Shiva. In this day people fast the whole day and dine most villages the chief village god is Máruti in the evening, after offering the god Hanoor Hanumán, whose temple is situated at the mán or Máruti a preparation of rice and entrance of the village. Máruli is consider- pulse called khichadi and cakes made of udid ed to be an avatar or incarnation of Shiva, flour called vade,1 and is held in great reverence by all classes. There is no village in the Konkan which A festival or jatra is held in honour of Ha- has not the honour of having a temple of the numán on the bright half of the month of god Máruti. Máruti is supposed to guard Chaitra. On this occasion the temple is de- the village against evils of all kinds. Care corated with ever-greens, and flowers, the is therefore taken to build the temple of Mástone image of the god is newly painted or roti at the outskirts of the village. There is covered with red lead and oil, and garlands a tradition that at the time of leaving the of the Rui (Gigantic snake wort) flowers are Dandaka forest (the present Maharashtra), placed round the neck of the image, cocoa- Ráma asked Maruti to reside therein. It is nuts, plantains, betel-nuts and leaves are for this reason, the people say, that every offered to the god, camphor is lighted and village in the Konkan and on the Gbáts has waved round the image, incense is burnt, & temple of Máruti." The god Máruti is cooked food and sweets are offered, and money worshipped in the village of Wásind on presents are made. Every worshipper brings Tuesdays and Saturdays. In former days with him some oil, red-lead or Cendur, a co- it was customary to establish an image of the coannt, a vidá-su pári i.e., two betel leaves, god Máruti in a newly built castle or fort." one betel-nut and a copper coin, and a gar- Hanumán, the son of Anjani and the wind or land of Rui flowers. These are given to the Márut, is known for his loyalty to his master
1 School Master, Khetwadi, Bombay.
2 School Master, Devgad, Ratnagiri, • School Master, Kamathipura, Bombay,
• School Master, Wasbind, Tháda, School Master, Umela, Thána
