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34
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
sonje persons in the Anjarle village who give and also make vows to the same deity. The such amulets and charms. In the Chiplun lower classes offer cocoanuts, fowls or a goat. taluka of the Ratnagiri District the following They sometimes go to the exorcist for ashes articles are used for averting diseases: -Copper in the name of the god, and apply them to amulets, black cotton strings, and holy water the forehead of the diseased person, Copper over which certain mantras have been repeated amulets and cotton strings given by the exorcist by the exorcist.2 At Poladpur in the Kolába are also tied round the neck of the sick person District. black cotton strings are tied round At Adivare in the Ratnágiri District the the arm in cases of malarial fevers. Some following practices are adopted for driving out mantras are repeated in cases of pain in the evil spirits that cause disease. Incense is right or left side of the body. Besides the burnt before the exorcist, drums are beaten, mantras some signs and figures are drawn on and then the exorcist takes a burning wick in birch leaves, and tied round the arm or the his hand and frightens the diseascd person by neck of the patient. Women who wish to have striking the ground with a cane or a broom of children wear such black cotton strings and peacock feathers. He also cries out loudly. copper amulets. At Vávashi in the Kolába He then draws out the evil spirit from the body District mantras are in vogue for the exorcism of the diseased person, and puts it in a bottle, of discases such as liver and spleen affections, which is either carried out of the village and For exorcising eye diseases black cotton thread buried under ground near a big tree or is is tied to the ear.4 At Chauk in the Karjat | thrown into the sea. In the Sangameshwar taluka of the Kolába District, ashes are applied taluka of the Ratnagiri District, the process of to the body of the sick person after repeating exorcising is sometimes accompanied by danccertain mantras over them. At Málád in the ing and loud cries. The person who suffers Thána District, for exorcising diseases caused from evil spirits is taken to Narsoba's Wádi in bly evil spirits, certain letters of the Nrisinha the Kolhápur State where patients are believed mantra are written on a birch leaf, and the to find a cure 10 In the Devgad taluka of the leaf is tied round the arm of the sick man with Ratnagiri District the exorcist, when possessed, a copper amulet. In order to drive out the does not dance as at other places, but freely evil spirit permanently, the god Nrisinha is uses abusive epithets to drive out the evil worshipped, and sacred fire is kindled to pro- spirits; and on such occasions the threats are pitiate the deity. For the worship of Nrisinha repeated loudly by the exorcist 11 In the the ministrant required must be a regular Dápoli taluka of the Ratnagiri District, dancdevotee of Nrisinha, and he must also be ing is used in exorcism. While dancing, the a Panchakshari i.e. one who knows the exorcist makes a show of different kinds of fits. mantras of evil spirits. In the village They are similar to those made by a person of Shirgaon in the Mahim taluka of the suffcring from hysteria. He also stands and Thu District, in addition to copper amulets sways his body to and fro for some time, then ith black threads of cotton, mantras of assumes a serene and quiet attitude, and begins Musulmán saints or pirs are in vogue for to cry out loudly. 12 There are some sorcerers at es rising disease.7 At Kolhápur, the higher Dásgaon in the Kolába District, who dance and classes perform the religious cere.nony called cry out loudly in order to drive out the evil Anushthan to propitiate Shiva. the god spirits froin the body of the diseased 12 At of destruction, in order to avert disease, Málad in the Thána District dancing is used
1 Schoo! Master, Anjarle, Ratnagiri.
& School Master, Ibhrampur, Ratnagiri. - School Master, Poladpur, Kolába.
4 School Master, Vavashi, Kolába. 5 School Master, Chauk, Kolába.
& School Master, Málád, Thána. School Master, Shirgaon, Thána.
8 Ráo Sáheb, Shelle, Kolkapur. School Master, Adivare, Ratnagiri.
10 School Master, Sangmeshwar, Ratnagiri. 11 School Master, Fonde, Ratnagiri.
12 School Master, Anjarle, Ratnagiri. 13 School Master, Dásgaon, Kolába.
