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CHAPTER IV.
WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS AND SAINTS. In the Konkan, especially among the lower belief that one spirit dies and another takes classes, a strong belief prevails regarding the its place, but it is believed that the ancestors mortality of the spirits of the dead and of are sometimes reborn in the same family.1 thcir re-appearance or re-birth in their At Ubhádánda in the Vengurla taluka of children. And for this reason, as well as for the Ratnagiri District ancestors are worshipped protection against evil, the dead ancestors are every year on the same date of the month worshipped,
(according to the Hindu calendar year) on. The custom regarding the worship of an- which the person died, by performing a Shrádcestors prevailing at Kálshe in the Ratnagiri dha rite. They are also worshipped on the District is as follows:-The worship of an- same date in the second half of Bhadrapada cestors is called Shraddha (anniversary). It (September) every year. This is by a rite is performed on the no moon day of every called Mahalaya Shraddha. On both these. month on the date of the death of the person occasions Brahmans are invited, and the worcvery year, and also on the same date of the shipping ceremony is performed by repeating dark half of the month of Bhadrapada (Sep- the mantras. After the ceremony, all the invittember). Among the Bráhmans, Brábinaned guests men and women partake of food. priests are invited, worshipped, and are given a Sádhus are worshipped after washing their feast, after worshipping balls of boiled rice feet with sandal paste, flowers, cocoanuts and as representing the dead ancestors. The gifts of money. special materials used for worship are sesa- It is believed that evil spirits undergo a nium and barley grain. The same custom transformation after a lapse of twelve years, prevails among non-Bráhmans with the excep- The practice of giving the names of ancestors tion that the balls are made of rice flour and to children is common, and it is due to the not of boiled rice. To partake of the food on belief that the spirits of the dead are reborn such occasions, the lower classes invite married in children in the same family. persons of their own caste. The anniversary At Pendur in the Ratnigiri District the day of Sádhus and Mahants, i.e. saints, is ancestors are worshipped on the last day of called Punya tithi i.e. the day of merit. every Hindu calendar month. This monthly
It is commonly believed that spirits are worship is called Darsha Shraddha. The mortal. The life of the deceased remains in annual anniversay of the manes is celebrated the spirit condition until the sins which he by the ceremony called the Sámvatsarik may have committed are washed away by the Shraddha. If any ancestor has died after good deeds of his descendants. There is no becoming a recluse or Sangási, his body is.
1 School Master, Kálse, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Ubbádánda, Ratnagiri,
