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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
called Tali bharane तळी भरणे on every purnima or full moon day. The rite is as follows:
A tali or plate is filled with cocoanuts, fruits, betel nuts, saffron, turmeric or bel-bhándár, etc. Then a pot is filled with water, and on its mouth a cocoanut is placed. This cocoanut, with the pot, is then worshipped with flowers, sandal paste, etc., a lighted lamp filled with ghi is put in the same place, and the tali is waved thrice round the pot, which is supposed to contain the god Khandoba. Five persons then lift up the cocoanut with the tali and place it three times on the pot, repeating each time the words Elkot or Khande ráyácha Elkot. The cocoanut is then broken into pieces, mixed with sugar or jágri, and is distributed among friends and relations as prasád. On this occasion, as well as on the occasions of all Kuladharmas, that is, the days fixed for performing the special worship of the family goddess or family god of each family, the ceremony called the Gondhal dance is performed. On the same occasion another ceremony called Bodan is performed by the Deshasths and by the Chitpávans. It is as follows:An image of the family deity is placed in a pot or plate called támhan, and it is then bathed in the panchámrit, that is, the five holy things, vis: milk, curds, ghi, honey and sugar. Sandalpaste is offered to it as well as flowers, lighted lamps and some sweets and incense.. Five women whose husbands are alive then prepare five lamps of wheat flour called Kuranandi and wave them thrice round the face of the goddess or god, as the case may be. All the lamps are then placed in the plate or támhan in which the deity is kept, and the panchámrita and other materials of worship and food and sweet cakes are mixed together. Occasionally one of the five women becomes possessed with the spirit of the kula-devi or family deity, and
1 School Master, Poládpur, Kolába.
3 School Master, Wávahi, Kolába.
5 School Master, Apta, Kolába.
7 School Master, Tale, Kolába.
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confers blessings on the members of the family for their devotion. It is believed that those families which fail to perform periodically the Bodan, Tali and Gondhal ceremonies in honour of their tutelary deity are sure to suffer, from some misfortune or calamity during the year.1 The local deities chiefly worshipped at Chaul, Kolába District, are Hinglaj, Jakhmáta, Bhagawati, Champawati, Mahikawati, and Golamba-devi. At the sowing and reaping times, people of the lower castes offer fowls and goats to these deities, and Brahmans offer cocoanuts.2 The local deity of the village Wávashi near Pen in the Kolába District is said to possess the power of averting evil, and is accordingly held in great respect by the people of many villages in the District. Every third year a great fair is held, and a buffalo is sacrificed to the goddess on the full moon day of the month of Chaitra. The Pujári of this goddess is a Gurav. Another celebrated Sthána-deva in the Kolába District is Bahiri-Somajai of Khopoli. It is believed that a person suffering from snake-bite is cured without any medicine if he simply resides for one night in the temple of this goddess. Sacrifices of goats, fowls and coconuts are made to this goddess at the time of sowing and reaping. The Pujáris of this deity are known as Shingade Guravs. The worship of the local deity Bápdev is much in favour among the villages of Apta and the surrounding places. At the times of sowing and reaping, offerings of fowls, goats and cocoanuts are made to Bapdev through the Pujári. The worship of the local deities Kolambái, Bhawáni, and Giroba is prevalent in the Chauk villages. To the Gráma-devi of the village of Tale every third year a buffalo is sacrificed, and at an interval of two years goats are offered. The deities Shiva and Kálkái are worshipped with great reverence at Bakavali in the Ratnagiri District.
2 School Master, Chaul, Kolába. 4 School Master, Khopoli, Kolába. School Master, Chauk, Kolába. School Master, Bakavali, Ratnagiri.
