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FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
When cattle disease breaks out in a village the people of the Devagad taluka in the Ratnagiri District generally prevent the healthy cattle from mixing with the diseased, and the people of the neighbouring villages take precautions against using the milk, etc. of the diseased cattle. At such times the cattle of the village in which the disease breaks out are prohibited from entering the neighbouring villages. At Ubhádánda in the Ratnagiri District, the deity named Maha Gira is worshipped in connection with cattle diseases. At some places a feast is given to Brahmans, and in certain villages of this District a man is painted like a tiger, carried out of the village and bathed in a river. It is believed that this is one of the remedies for averting cattle diseases.2 At Fonda in the Ratnagiri District, when cattle disease breaks out, a goat or a cock is sacrificed at the temples of the village deity. In some villages of the Málwan taluka the deity Brahman is worshipped. At Basani in the Ratnagiri District the gods of the Mahars as also the village deity are worshipped in connection with the cattle diseases. At Vávashi in the Kolába District when cattle disease prevails in a village, a pig is killed and buried on the border of the village. A sweet oil lamp in the shell of a crab or a lobster is kept burning in the cowshed. River or sweet water fishes are boiled in water, and the water is given to the animals to drink. The owner also cleans the cowshed and burns sulpher, camphor, dammer and other disinfectants." At Varsai in the Pen taluka of the Kolába District a Kaul is taken from the village deity to prevent cattle diseases, that is, the village deity is consulted through the temple ministrant, who acts as the spokesman of the oracle. At Medhe in the Rohe taluka of the Kolába District the village deity Bahiroba is worshipped
1 School Master, Mitbáv, Ratnagiri. 3 School Master, Fonda, Ratnagiri.
5 School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri. School Master, Varsai, Kolába. School Master, Umela, Thána.
11 School Master, Mitbáv, Ratnagiri.
13 School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnagiri,
in connection with cattle diseases. The diseased animals are minutely examined, and the affected part of their body is branded with a red hot iron. In the village of Umela of the Thána District the village deity is worshipped and sacrifices are offered to her. Milk from the affected villages is prohibited, and vegetables are not fried in oil during the prevalence of the disease in the village. At Kolhápur, the people make vows to the god, and ashes from the temples are brought and applied to the forehead of the cattle. Cotton strings are tied to the feet or the neck of the cattle in the name of the god. They also make vows to the deities Tamjái and Waghjái, and offer to them eyes made of silver, a new cloth, a fowl or a goat, when their animals are cured of the disease,10
In the Devgad taluka of the Ratnagiri District, in cases of malarial fevers pieces of certain kinds of herbs are fastened together with black cotton strings, and tied round the arm or neck of the person suffering from the disease. Sacred ashes are put in a copper amulet and the amulet is tied in the manner above described.11 At Fonda in the Ratnagiri District, in addition to herbs and copper amulets, peacock feathers in black cotton strings are tied to the arms of the persons suffering from inalarial fevers, etc. 12 At Vengurla in the Ratnagiri District, in fevers like malaria, black strings of cotton are tied round the arm or neck, and certain secret mantras are repeated at the time. It is believed that the power of the mantras is lust if they are disclosed to the public,13 At Murud in the Dapoli taluka of the Narsinh, the fourth incarnation of Vishnu, are Ratnagiri District the mantras of the god repeated for the exorcism of diseases.14 In the Dapoli taluka people who want to get rid of their diseases tie a copper amulet to their arms. The mantras that are repeated on such occasions are kept secret. There are at present.
School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnagiri. School Master, Bándivade, Ratnagiri.
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6 School Master, Vavashi, Kolába.
8 School Master, Medhe, Kolába
10 Rao Saheb Shelke, Kolhapur.
12 School Master, Fonda, Ratnagirl,
14 School Master, Murud, Ratnagiri,
