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CHAPTER III.
DISEASE DEITIES.
AT Vengurla, in the Ratnagiri District, when ceeded to worship the village deity; but a few
epidemic diseases prevail, the people of cases of plague occurred, even after worshippthe village assemble and prepare a basket in ing the village goddess Jákhmáta. When the which are placed cooked rice, cocoanots, lemons, penple went to the temple and asked the reason wine, red flowers and Udid (Phaseolus radia- why the plague continued, it was announced by tas) grain. The basket is then carried out of the deity through the temple ministrant that the village along with a cock or a goat, and she was helpless in the case of plague, and deposited outside the village boudary. To desired the people to worship the god Shiva, carry this basket, a person belonging to the thereby signifying that the village deity has Mahar caste is generally selected. The people limited powers, and that the power of averting of the next village similarly carry the basket great evils lies with Shiva the god of destrucbeyond their village limits; and it is finally tion 2 In the Devgad Talu'sa of the Ratnagiri thrown into the sea. It is believed that if the District in epidentic diseases like cholera, etc., basket of offerings to the disease-deities is car- the usual ceremony, i.e., the Paradi (diseaseried from one village to another, it is sure to scaring basket) is performed. A basket bring the dis9189 with it. Great care is there containing boiled rice, red powder, red fore taken to throw the offerings into the sea, flowers, lemons, betel nuts, betel leaves, etc., In cases of small pox a feast is given to women is prepared, and on that rice is kept whose husbands are alive. In some cases a burning cotton wick dipped in oil. The boiled rice is mixed with the blood of a cock, basket is then carried beyond the village and on the rics is placed a burning black cot- boundary along with a goat having a red ton Wick in a coconut shell with a little oil in flower garland round its neck. The goat it. The whole is then carried beyond the is set free at the outskirts of the village, village bound try and thrown away.1 In the In cases of small pox, married women whose village of Mitbáy in the Ratnagiri District, busbands are alive are worshipped with epidemic diseases like cholera, small pox, turmeric powder, cocoanuts, flowers, etc., and plagu, etc., are supposed to come from incense is kept burning in the house. The disease deities, and in order to avoid the dan- deity of small pox is also specially worshipped ger of such diseases the people of the village for a number of days. It is represented by a go to the temple of the village deity and pray brass or copper lota with a cocoanut placed for protection. The special form of worship over it. This process is called mánd bharane on such occasions is the Kaul i.e., asking a i.e. arranging the materials of worship. The favour from the deity. When an epidemic of girls in the house sing songs in praise of the plague broke out for the first time at Sang- sinall pox deity. It is believed that in this way meshwar, the people of the village at once pro- the severity of the disease is reduced.3
1 School Master, Ubbádánda, Ratnagiri.
* School Master, Mitbáv, Ratnagiri, 3 School Master, Fonda, Ratnagiris
