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FOLKLORE OF THE KONK.IN
to the river for the purpose of immersion. To walk round Pipal and Umbar trees, to While returning home from the river with the circuinambulate the temple of a particular bundle of the Patka of Nálpir on their heads deity, and to make vows to that deity, to recite they cry out loudly the following words: or have recited the holy scripture Harivansha, "Alabiddyo ala bidásha ya Husan bani arc methods in practice for cure of barrenness alidosháke sultán albida". On the third day at Achre in the Málwan taluka of the after the immersion of tabuts into the river, Ratnagiri District. the Pirs devotees kill a goat in the name of At Vijayadurg in the Ratnagiri District, it their patron Pir and make a preparation of is believed that beatirg a wonian at the time the goat's flesh called Konduri 1
of an eclipse is one of the surest methods of The following rites are in vogue for the curing barrenness. Some people give charity, cure of barrenness in the village of Dábhol in observe fasts, worship certain deities and the Ratnágiri District.-(1) Walking round make vows to them to obtain children.7 the Pipal tree daily; (2) Observing a fast for At Ubhádánda in the Ratnágiri District, sixteen successive Mondays; (3) Performing stealing the idol of Krishna when it is being the worship of Shiva after observing the worshipped on the 8th day of the dark half aforesaid fast.2
of Shrawan (August), the birth day of the At Kálshe in the Málwan taluka of the god Krishna, and putting a cocoanut or a Ratnagiri District a barren woman is required betelnut in its place is believed to be the best to walk round a Pipal tree every day in the nethod of curing barrenness, morning, and if the barrenness be attributed
At Chauk in the Kolába District, the same to the disfavour of any deity or the attack of plan of stealing the idol of the god Krishna is an evil spirit, the same deity or the evil spirit
observed as a cure for barrenness. But here is invoked and worshipped by the woman her
the idol is returned with great pomp, and re
placed in its original place after the birth of a self, or through a medium who knows the
child. The godlings Hanuman and Bawan appropriate mode of worship.
Vir are also worshipped for the cure of To steal an earthen image of the God
barrenness. Ganpati, to make a cross or a Swastika on the
At Poladpur in the Kolába District the bodies of children with marking nut, and the
favourite method of curing barrenness is to worship of the god Maruti or some other
obtain copper amulets and black or red cotton powerful deity at midnight in the no noon by
strings from a Fakir 10 a barren woman, after divesting herself of lier
The following are the methods in vogue for clothes, are rural methods for the cure of
the care of barrenness at Khopoli in the barrenness observed at Anjarle and other
Kolába District. places in the Dápoli taluka of the Ratnagiri District.
(1) To inquire from a sorcerer the cause At Bándivade in the Ratnagiri District
of barrenness, and then to perform the rites copper amulets and black cotton strings are
mentioned by him. used to cure barrenness. Some people make (2) To use copper amulets and cotton vows to a particular deity, and some perform strings taken from a Mántrik i, e., one well the site of Nágabali."
versed in the mantras.
1 Ráo Saheb Shelle, Kolapur. 3 School Master, Kalsbe, Ratnagiri. 5 School Master, Bándivade, Ratnagiri. 7 School Master, Vijayadurg, Ratnagiri. . School Master, Chauk, Kolába.
* School Master, Dábhol, Ratnagiri.
School Master, Anjarle, Ratnagiri. 6 School Master, Achre, Ratnagiri. * School Master, Ubhádánda, Ratnagiris 10 School Master, Poladpur, Kolába.
