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! FOLKLORE OF THE KONKAN
buried, and a tonib called a samadhi is erected of their desires remain unfulfilled at the time over it; and his descendants, instead of per- of their demise. forming the annual Shraddha, worsbip the At Shiravde in the Ratnagiri District ancestomb of the recluse every day. It is believed tors are worshipped every year by performing that the spirits take a different form after the the rites called tarpan, which consist in offering lapse of seven generations. The belief that oblations of holy water, sesamun, barley grains the spirits of the dead are reborn in the same and repeating prayers. The tarpan is obserfamily prevails among the people of this dis- ved on the very date of the month in which the trict. The following measures are adopted for person died. The procedure of worshipping the purpose of identification. When a person the Hindu saints is similar to that of the other dies in a family, a basil or bel leaf is placed deities. Owing to the belief that the spirits on a certain part of the body, or some familiar of the dead are reborn in children in the same sign is made in sandal paste, and when a child family the name of the grandfather is given is born in the family, its body is carefully to the grandson." examined to ascertain whether there are any At Náringre in the Ratnagiri taluka ances signs on the body of the child such as were tors are worshipped by inviting Brahman made on the dead body of tbe ancestor. If priests, and worshipping them with sandal the same sign appears to the satisfaction of paste and flowers. These Brahmans are the nenibers of the family, it is believed that supposed to represent the father, grandfather the dead person has been reborn in the same and great grandfather of the worshipper. family.1
At Bándivade in the Ratnagiri District the At Navare in the Ratnagiri District Brah- leaves of the herb called pudina, (a good medimans are invited, worshipped and given a feast cine for wors) sesamum, and darbha grass are in honour of ancestors. Sádhus and Mahants, or required for the worship of ancestors. The saints, are worshipped by giving them the same
man who worships the ancestors has to turn his honour accorded to the family deities.2 sacred thread from the right hand to the left.7
At Basani in the Ratnagiri District the At Anjarle in the Ratnagiri District Mahants anniversary day of saints is observed by the and Sadhus are worshipped in their lifeperformance of a Bhajan, which consists in time like family deities, and their tonbs are singing the good deeds of saints and in offering worshipped after their death. prayers. It is believed that spirits are nortal, At Fonde in the Ratnagiri District ancestors. but they do not die like ordinary human beings are worshipped by making balls of boiled rice They cease to exist as spirits as soon as the on their anniversary day. The balls are supposperiod of their release is over. The spiritsed to take the place of the dead parents, and obtain absolution by visiting certain holy they are worshipped with sandal paste and places,
flowers, and by burning incense and lighting a At Dabhol in the Ratnagiri District the lamp of clarified butter. Betelnuts and leaves, people believe that the souls of ancestors are cocoanuts and Dakshina (presents of money) reborn in children in the same family if some are given to them. People also bow before them.
1 School Master, Pendar, Ratnagiri. 3 School Master, Basani, Ratnagiri. 5 School Master, Shiravde, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Báodivade, Ratnagiri.
2 School Master, Navare, Ratnagiri, 4 School Master, Dabhol, Ratnagiri. & School Master, Näringre, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Anjarle, Ratnagiri,
